By: Jennifer, Aisha, Kai, and Ramon

Where is Great Britain? Located just a short trip across the pond
London is the
unofficial
capital of the
UK.

CAPITAL CITIES
London, England
Edinburgh, Scotland
Cardiff, Wales
Belfast, Northern Ireland

The UK is made up of 4 countries

England
Wales
Northern Ireland
Scotland
Great Britain is also known as the
United Kingdom.

5 Dimensions of British culture

Low Context
Individualism
Time Orientation
Power Distance
Communication Style

Business Dress Code

Male:

Avoid Striped Neckties

Leave Loafers at Home
Stick With a Conservative
Suit

Business Dress Code

Female

Mirror Male Attire

Add Flamboyant Accessories
Wear appropriate, conservative
clothing

Greetings
A handshake is the norm, people

shake upon meeting and leaving

Make eye contact, but not for too long
They use courtesy titles when they
meet
Business cards exchanged at the
begging
Introduce a younger person to an elder
Class, lower to higher status

Body Language

Not back slappers

Dont display affection in public
Respect personal space
Staring is considered rude

Gift Giving Traditions

Celebrating special occasions:
Birthdays
Christmas

Meals and Dining Etiquette

Formal

setting/seating
posture and behavior
procedure
utensil

Informal

Gender Roles
Dress code, dark colors, trousers
and skirts

Womens business greetings

Mens respect for a woman

British Time Structure

Punctuality
Britain's official hours
Time of each Meal

Attitude towards Authority

Work relationships are important in
establishing:
Trust
Respect
Reliability
Fairness
Professionalism

*The British people appreciate the values in and out of work.*

Attitude towards Authority

The idea of a flattened hierarchy:
Delegated autonomy:

Increases overlapping
Loosely defined responsibilities
Fewer distinctions between roles and departments.
Professional rank and status in the UK is generally
based on an individuals achievement and
expertise in a given field.

Academic titles and backgrounds are not as

important in business.

Attitude towards Conflict Resolution

Language barrier between English speakers
Brits tend to understate what they are trying to convey
To avoid disputes, you should:
1. Elaborate and clarify meanings to the point where there can be no room
for misinterpretation and no need for assumptions

2. Be familiar with some common phrases

3. Ask for an explanation of anything that you do not understand

Attitude towards Conflict Resolution

Language barrier between English Speakers and Foreign Languages
Foreign language competence amongst British managers is generally poor
This reliance/dependence has had a negative impact on the ability of
British companies to build connections with international business leaders

If your English language capabilities are not at a satisfactory level, it is

strongly advisable to travel with an interpreter.

Knowledge and spoken capability of foreign language(s) is/are a strong

selling point on your resume

Similarities between the US and UK

The United States and the United Kingdom have similar products, capital, labor markets, and
strong regulatory systems.

The two nations share an Anglo-Saxon legal system as well.

American companies can enter Britain comfortable in the knowledge that they will find

competent market research firms, that they can count on English law to enforce agreements they
sign with potential partners, and that retailers will be able to distribute products all over the
country.

The two also enjoy strong financial ties. The U.S. invests more in Britain than any other country in
the world

U.S. companies find Britain attractive due to low tax rates and an environment that is friendly to
business, as well as the access they enjoy to the single market of the European Union.

American Companies Go Global

Workers on both sides of the
These companies all have their European
Atlantic benefit from this
headquarters in Britain.
international relationship. While a
million Brits work for American
companies in the U.K., a million
Americans work for British
companies in the United States.

Works Cited
"Business Leaders Discuss the Future of Corporate Responsibility." PR Newswire, New York,
2002.http://libproxy.csun.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.csun.edu/docview/447046818?accountid=72
85.
Gunz, Hugh, and Richard Whitley. "Managerial Cultures and Industrial Strategies in British Firms." Organization Studies, vol. 6, no. 3,
1985., pp.
247http://libproxy.csun.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.csun.edu/docview/222427441?accountid=7285.

Hunt, Stephanie. "Etiquette Overseas." Network Journal, 16.9 (2009): 35.

Jonathan A.J. Wilson. "When in Britain, do as the British do: If Anyone Knows what that Means." Multicultural Education &
Technology Journal, vol. 4, no. 4, 2010., pp. 220-233doi:http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.csun.edu/10.1108/17504971011087522.
"Mayor Villaraigosa and the British American Business Council LA Announce LA as Host of the 2007 British American
Business Council's Transatlantic Business Conference: "Future Now, how Technology is Reshaping our World"." Business
Wire, New York,
2007.http://libproxy.csun.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.csun.edu/docview/445059841?accountid=72
85.