Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners: Singapore

Singapore: Etiquette and Manners

• Age, hierarchical position or status of a person are important in Singapore business world and society.
• Group dependence and group harmony are more important than those of an individual in Singapore culture. So, group is more important than an individual.
• Business dealings are more formal.
• Meetings and appointments should be planned and dates decided well in advance, say two weeks or so before.
• Many businesses are closed around Chinese new year for almost a week- this is in late January and early February. Plan your meetings accordingly.
• Arrive for the meeting punctually.
• Introductions are done in order of age or status. Elderly person or the person with the highest status is introduced first.
• Greetings can be exchanged with hand-shake in business environment. In social setup, particularly with older people, greeting by way of bowing the head is acceptable.
• Men and women may shake hands if woman takes the initiative in extending her hand first. To be on the conservative side, when being introduced to someone of the opposite sex, bowing or nodding the head and giving smile are OK.
• Exchange your business cards after the introductions.
• Give your business card by using both hands.
• Receive business cards, examine them carefully to display your respect and then alone put them in your business cards case.
• Seating arrangement in meetings follows hierarchy and therefore, wait to be told about your and your associates' seats.
• Personal relationships help in building the business relationships in Singapore.
• In business meetings, the business agenda follows an initial small talk.
• You will have to give lot of attention to the non-verbal body language, silence, hints and such subtlety of their communications. Explicit "no" is normally not used by Singaporeans.
• Pace of business negotiations is rather slow normally.
• Normally, decisions are taken in group by a consensus.
• Do not give gifts in the formal dinners.
• When invited at homes, it is good to give gifts.
• Wrap the gift in wrappers of pleasant colors and hand it over with both the hands.
• Give the gift when you are departing.
• While receiving the gift, do not open it in front of the host.

(Also refer: http://executive-manners.blogspot.com/ for general etiquette and manners, http://dining-manners.blogspot.com/ dining etiquette and table manners, http://telephone-etiquette.blogspot.com/ for telephone etiquette, http://email-etiquette-manners.blogspot.com/ for email etiquette)

Books Suggested for your Professional, Organization's and Personal Library (all the titles below are available online from Amazon in paperbacks and as eBooks)

Business Management, Life Management, Self-help, Personality Development

1. HSoftware (Human Software) (The Only Key to Higher Effectiveness) 
2. Sensitive Stories of Corporate World (Management Case Studies) 
3. Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers 
4. Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (Volume 2)
5. Classic Team Building Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
6. 101 Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (available only as a paperback)
7. Stress? No Way!! (Handbook on Stress Management) 
8. HSoftware (Shyam Bhatawdekar’s Effectiveness Model) 
9. Competency Management (Competency Matrix and Competencies) 
10. Essentials of Work Study (Method Study and Work Measurement) 
11. Essentials of Time Management (Taking Control of Your Life) 
12. Essentials of 5S Housekeeping 
13. Essentials of Quality Circles 
14. Essentials of Goal Setting 
15. Essentials of Anger Management 
16. Essentials of Assertive Behavior
17. Essentials of Performance Management and Performance Appraisal
18. Essentials of Effective Communication (soon to be published)
19. Health Essentials (Health is Wealth)
20. Soft Skills You Can't Do Without (Goal Setting, Time Management, Assertiveness and Anger Management)
21. The Romance of Intimacy (How to Enhance Intimacy in a Relationship?) 

Novels, Short Stories, Biographies and Travelogues

1. Good People (Dream of a Boundary Less World)- Novel, a refreshingly different love story (Also available under the title Love Knows No Bounds) 
2. The Peace Crusaders- a most intriguing novel
3. Two Novels in One Book (The Peace Crusaders and Love Knows No Bounds)
4. Funny (and Not So Funny) Short Stories 
5. Stories Children Will Love (Volume 1: Bhanu-Shanu-Kaju-Biju and Dholu Ram Gadbad Singh) 
6. My Father
7. Travelogue: Scandinavia, Russia
8. Travelogue: Europe 

Cross Cultural Etiquette and Manners: India

India: Etiquette and Manners

• Plan your business meetings with your Indian counterparts well in advance in writing and also, over the phone.
• Try to avoid your meetings around the Indian holidays.
• Indian climate is hot and not so comfortable particularly during summer. Take this into consideration while visiting India for business or for pleasure.
• For business meetings, men can be formally dressed, may wear a suit and tie. In summer, you may have to remove your jacket.
• When not attending formal business, men can wear short-sleeved shirts and long pants. You do not see many people wearing shorts on the streets and in social gatherings in India. This trend is gradually changing though, particularly in big cities.
• Women should wear conservative dresses or pantsuits for business meetings.
• Women should not wear revealing outfits in business meetings as well as while going out for shopping or to places of entertainment in India.
• Meetings may not always start on dot. Try to be punctual but if the meetings start after the scheduled time, do not feel discouraged. At times meetings may get rescheduled, do not get frustrated immediately.
• Age and hierarchy are important factors to decide the importance of people in India. In social and family environment, people of higher age are respected by the people of lower age. However, in government and in business organizations, hierarchy and power positions are respected.
• Therefore, as a business meeting protocol, greet the most senior Indian person the first and then others.
• When you meet an Indian or when you leave him, you can greet him by a hand-shake. The common greeting in India is saying “Namaste (pronounced as na-mas-tay)” to the person you are greeting and while saying so, bring your palms together at chest level with a slight bow of the head.
• You may shake hands; however, greeting with "Namaste" is appreciated lot more, particularly, when meeting people in informal environment.
• Men shake hands with men when meeting or leaving. Men do not shake hands with women or do not touch them.
• Women may do a hand-shake with westernized Indian men but not normally with others. Traditional Indian women may shake hands with foreign women but not usually with men.
• When addressing an Indian, use the appropriate formal title like Mr, Mrs, Miss, Doctor, Professor and then his or her surname (the family name) or if you do not know their names then you may address them with sir or madam.
• In the formal setup, Indians do not deal with each other on first name basis that easily. It takes them some time though this trend is changing gradually.
• When doing business in India, exchange your business cards at the beginning of the meeting. Give your card by your right hand.
• In most of the government departments and for almost all the businesses in India, you can use English as the medium of communication.
• Building relationships is important in order to carry out your business in India.
• Meetings may normally start with some small talk as part of opening up process. Topics of opening conversation may be the latest business news etc. Never comment on matters such as poverty etc, it is impolite and hurting.
• Decisions making is pretty centralized at the highest hierarchical levels in India. Therefore, the decision making or business negotiation process is slow.
• If Indians have to negate or reject anything or they are in doubt about something, they may not be direct about it. They may say, “We will see”, “We will think about it”, “Perhaps OK, not sure” etc. Chances are that they actually intend saying “no”.
• Business dinners or lunches are normally arranged in restaurants in prestigious hotels or clubs. You can discuss the business during business entertainment but let the host initiate it.
• When relationship is developed, you may be invited to the homes too.
• Do not point blank refuse an invitation to a dinner at home or at a restaurant extended by your business counterpart. If you do not wish to attend or cannot attend it for some reason, give a believable reason.
• You need not be punctual at the business or social dinners. You can afford to arrive 15 to 20 minutes late for dinner party.
• When you are invited for dinner at home, ask the host as to where to remove your shoes. At many homes in India, the host expects you to remove your shoes at the entrance to home.
• At a social event, in case you are welcome with a flower or bouquet or garland, accept it with grace. After a few minutes, keep it at a convenient place in consultation with the host. Do take it to your residence when you leave the place.
• If invited for dinner at home, you should carry gifts for the host and the host's children if you know about them. You may give perfumes, chocolates or items of china, crystal, silver etc.
• Give gifts with both hands. Host will normally not open the gift in your presence.
• If you receive any gift from an Indian, accept it but do not open it in his presence.
• In Indian homes, the host may serve you the dishes at the dinner. Allow the host to do so.
• Indian food is best eaten with fingers. If hosts eat with fingers, you may do the same and tell the host that you are enjoying it that way. However, if silverware (fork, knife, spoon etc) is provided, you may use them instead of eating with fingers if you are not used to do so.
• Ask permission before smoking. In India, it is considered rude to smoke in the presence of elders.
• Apologize if your feet or shoes touch another person.
• Public display of affection is not considered as appropriate in India.

(Also refer: http://executive-manners.blogspot.com/ for general etiquette and manners, http://dining-manners.blogspot.com/ dining etiquette and table manners, http://telephone-etiquette.blogspot.com/ for telephone etiquette, http://email-etiquette-manners.blogspot.com/ for email etiquette)

Books Suggested for your Professional, Organization's and Personal Library (all the titles below are available online from Amazon in paperbacks and as eBooks)

Business Management, Life Management, Self-help, Personality Development

1. HSoftware (Human Software) (The Only Key to Higher Effectiveness) 
2. Sensitive Stories of Corporate World (Management Case Studies) 
3. Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers 
4. Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (Volume 2)
5. Classic Team Building Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers
6. 101 Classic Management Games, Exercises, Energizers and Icebreakers (available only as a paperback)
7. Stress? No Way!! (Handbook on Stress Management) 
8. HSoftware (Shyam Bhatawdekar’s Effectiveness Model) 
9. Competency Management (Competency Matrix and Competencies) 
10. Essentials of Work Study (Method Study and Work Measurement) 
11. Essentials of Time Management (Taking Control of Your Life) 
12. Essentials of 5S Housekeeping 
13. Essentials of Quality Circles 
14. Essentials of Goal Setting 
15. Essentials of Anger Management 
16. Essentials of Assertive Behavior
17. Essentials of Performance Management and Performance Appraisal
18. Essentials of Effective Communication (soon to be published)
19. Health Essentials (Health is Wealth)
20. Soft Skills You Can't Do Without (Goal Setting, Time Management, Assertiveness and Anger Management)
21. The Romance of Intimacy (How to Enhance Intimacy in a Relationship?) 

Novels, Short Stories, Biographies and Travelogues

1. Good People (Dream of a Boundary Less World)- Novel, a refreshingly different love story (Also available under the title Love Knows No Bounds) 
2. The Peace Crusaders- a most intriguing novel
3. Two Novels in One Book (The Peace Crusaders and Love Knows No Bounds)
4. Funny (and Not So Funny) Short Stories 
5. Stories Children Will Love (Volume 1: Bhanu-Shanu-Kaju-Biju and Dholu Ram Gadbad Singh) 
6. My Father
7. Travelogue: Scandinavia, Russia
8. Travelogue: Europe