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Main Social Practices

Tracy Kwok Gomar

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FESTIVITIES/HOLIDAYS

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Common/well known festivitiesEaster (Semana Santa)

Epiphany

(reyes magos & + )

The Assumption

Immaculate Conception

All Saints Day

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Spain

January 1 New Years day

January 6 Epiphany

March 19 St. Josephs Day

Late March/Early April Easter

May 1 Labor Day

Two Months after Easter Corpus Christi

July 25 St. James Day

August 15 The Assumption of Mary

Asuncion de la VirgenOctober 12 Dia de la Hispanidad

November 1 All Saints Day

December 8 Immaculate Conception

December 25 Christmas Day

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Greece

January 1 New Years day (also the

Feast of St. Basil)

January 6 The Epiphany

March 25 Greek Independence Day

April-May Easter

May 1 Labor Day and the Feast of

the Flowers

August 15 Feast of the Virgin Mary

(The day of the Panagia)

October 28 National Day (ochi Day)

December 25 Christmas Day

December 26 Second Day of Christmas

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Italy

January 1 New Years Day

January 6 Epiphany

March/April Easter

April 25 Liberation day

May 1 Labor Day

June 2 Festival of the Republic

August 15 Assumption (Ferragosto)

November 1 All Saints Day

December 8 Immaculate Conception

December 25 Christmas Day

December 26 Boxing Day/ St. Stephens

Day

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BUSINESS PROTOCOL AND

ETIQUETTE

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Spain Relationship: Face-to Face

Indirect language Avoid saying no directly

Catalonians actually are quite direct

Dress Code

Relatively formal Men= suit and tie Woman=formal dress or suit

Meeting and Greetng Firm handshake with steady eye contact

Wining and Dining

Power breakfasts are more common in Barcelona than Madrid Business lunches run over two hours in Barcelona, three or more in

Madrid

Castilians prefer not to talk business at dinner

Catalonians regard it as quite acceptable

Negotiating Style Quick thinking and spontaneity during a bargaining session

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Greece

Dress code

Formality Men= suit and tie

Woman= dress or suit

Even if your local counterpart is dressed more casually

During the hot summer months men will be invited to doff jackets and loosen tiesand woman can wear lighter-weight business attire

Meeting and greeting: Address Greeks by their family name until they suggest moving to a first-name basis

You can dispense with formal academic and professional titles

Males& males should give a very firm handshake and look the other party in the eye

Women use a lighter handshake

Shake hands when you meet ad again when you take leave

Punctuality Locals turn up late (1/2 or 1 hour)

Visitors are expected to be on time

Interruptions with phone calls and casual droppings from the Greek part

Greeks can conduct several meetings simultaneously and are quick to pick up thethread of your conversation after each interruption

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Emotionally expressive communication style

Greeks are good at conversational overlap

By the time you are halfway through your statement, a

Greek has already figured out what you are going to say next

So he exuberantly breaks in to agree, disagree or change

the subject

Example of the outgoing, expressive Hellenic communication

style Woman in business

Older greek executives have trouble relating

to female business visitors

Tips for women overcome the gender barrier:

Get introduced by an older, high-ranking male

Be an expert in your line of business.

Learn the nuances of how to communicate respect

Greet the oldest person in group first

Pay him special attention throughout the meeting

When hosting a meal keep urging him to eat

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Italy

when in Rome, do as the romans do (?) Orientation to Time

Roman client: gets late

You as seller: get early

Convert waiting time to working time

The importance of Face to Face Contact

Italians prefer face to face rather than by phone,

fax or e-mail Relationships

Italians want to get to know you first

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Dress Code

Italian business men/womendress with style and elegance

Show proper respect for our business counterparts bydressing appropriately

Forms of Address Start off using any applicable academic title or honorific,

followed by the persons last name

Use their first names when they invite you to do so

Campanilismo: Local Patriotism

There are 57 million people in this country, but not asingle Italian

Many inhabitants think of themselves first of as Floretines,Milanese, Venetians, Romans, etc. And secondarily asItalians