Although India has a very diverse culture, there are still some things to be mindful of while working with them. For instance, in America, we are quick to greet each other before a meeting by shaking hands. In India, while that between men, a man may want to wait until the woman extends her hand first. (Moran, 2014)
Though times are changing, and companies are acquiring a more relaxed look in dress code, wearing lighter clothing in India is more common. The weather permits for this type of dress. While, here in the U.S., we tend to wear “warmer and thicker” clothing. As for the woman, you will not be seeing businesswomen wearing suit dresses or dressy shorts as seen in the U.S. This type of dress in India will attract unwanted attention. In India, Hindu women, wear pants suits, “dhotis, a single piece of white cloth about five yards long and three to four feet broad. It is passed around the waist up to half its length, and the other half is drawn between the legs and tucked in at the waist.” (Moran, p.376) As for their tops, they will wear long shirts. What Hindus wear can also reflect how well off they are, like businesspeople here in the States. While more prominent people here gravitate to better and more expensive name brands, Hindus who are wealthier may wear a long coat called the sherwani. (Moran, 2014)
When it comes to doing business, the Indian Business community rather focus more on the relationship than the actual deal being worked on. They are a collectivist culture, and they value the time it takes to work on getting to know each other and building trust to build a long-lasting relationship rather than a transactional one. (Moran, 2014) Here in the States, it is more common to have a transactional interaction and a “get things done” mindset. However, there are times where the importance of a long-term relationship is known and then they will slow down and focus on the relationship more. These decisions are usually discussed, and the team will typically know beforehand what the intentions are and which route to take. In India, relationships may take a while to form and transactions may seem like they are taking forever to complete, but once they trust you, you will be “in.” “’ Have persistence, and don’t give up. The mileage to get into India is great. Don’t expect it to be a smooth ride. Expect it to be irritating. But once you’re there, you’ll enjoy it- and you’ll make a great deal of money.” (Moran, p. 377)
It is important to keep in mind that business deals may take longer to reach, but they are more likely to take more risks. This can lead to opportunities for better investments and more money in the future depending on the deal. In the states, we are less likely to take risks unless we know there is a definite to high probability there will be a return on investment. Perhaps this is due to the lack of intentions behind building long-lasting relationships as opposed to building relationships for the timbering of the deal or project being worked on. If we learned to take things slower and build a stronger foundation within relationships with people we do business with, we may be able to go further and take more risks.
References:
Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing cultural differences (9th ed.). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Hi there, I greatly enjoyed your blog post. Often times working in the U.S., we tend to forget the different forms of customs spread throughout the globe. I myself am a victim of being “too” custom to the “American transactional” ways. Recently, the company I work for has signed a contract to work with an external group located in India. It has been truly eye opening to learn and understand their customs. I certainly noticed their importance of building a relationship instead of working with colleagues in a “transactional” way. This actually brought up the topic within our company’s diversity and inclusion department to implement quick courses on other cultures and better understanding their customs- which I believe is essential to have in any organization, especially when working with individuals from all over the world.