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Business Culture in Spain

Find out about doing business in Spain, business culture in Spain and Spain business etiquette. Learn about Spain business ethics, Spain business travel, Spain business customs, Spain business communication and Spain business practices. Discover business customs in Spain, Spain business negotiations, Spain business gifts and Spain business protocol. Receive latest information on Spain business meetings, Spain business dress and the use of business cards in Spain. Get practical tips on business relationships in Spain, business greetings in Spain and much more.

Successful Business Meetings in Spain

A business card might be presented immediately after one is seated, or at the conclusion of the visit. It is no longer necessary to print one side of a business card in Spanish. A foreigner who speaks even modest Spanish is warmly encouraged to express him- self in the language. More than just tolerant, the host is normally enthusiastic if foreigners attempt to communicate in Spanish. Such efforts create good impressions. The better the command of Spanish, the higher the esteem. ... » » » MORE

An invitation to a business counterpart's home may be extended as a polite courtesy. Decline unless the host insists. Eating etiquette rules are similar to those in the US. Spaniards use the continental style of eating (fork in the left hand and knife in the right). When you are finished eating, place the utensils side-by-side on the plate. Otherwise, your host will assume you want more food. Topics of conversation may include family, Spanish culture or sports, especially soccer. If the discussion moves to politics or bullfighting, do more listening than talking. Develop a relationship based on trust. A good rapport and compatibility are essentials to successful business. ... » » » MORE

Doing Business in Spain

The expressive Spanish tend to speak loudly in comparison to more reserved northern Europeans. Spirited communicators, they also frequently engage in conversational overlap _ interrupting each other as well as their foreign counterparts in mid-sentence during business meetings. When researchers taped a series of negotiations between Swedish and Spanish companies they found that the Spaniards interrupted the Swedes five times for each time the Swedes interrupted the Spanish. While overlap is normal in Latin cultures, it is considered rude behavior in northern Europe. ... » » » MORE

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