In order to successfully do business in Great Britain, leaders should first make an effort to understand their culture and history. The United Kingdom of Great Britain (UK) includes England, Wales, Scotland and six counties of Northern Ireland (Moran, Abramson & Moran, 2014). Historically, the British Empire spanned many continents including North America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa (Moran, Abramson & Moran, 2014).
Since then, Great Britain has become heavily multicultural as a result of reverse migration of those with British connections having moved to England in search of better lives (Moran, Abramson & Moran, 2014). As a result, global leaders investing time in Great Britain should be aware of the multicultural climate in its larger cities. Additionally, leadership should understand how commercial policies and practices vary in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and adjust their strategy accordingly (Moran, Abramson & Moran, 2014).
In general, British leaders are more formal and private than Americans (Moran, Abramson & Moran, 2014). Therefore, it would be best to avoid overly personal conversation subjects such as family or work, and stick to topics of weather or sports (Moran, Abramson & Moran, 2014). Since the UK is a traditional culture, maintaining decorum and avoiding loudness or shouting is important (Moran, Abramson & Moran, 2014). Along the same vein, fine manners and good etiquette are expected and should be followed (Moran, Abramson & Moran, 2014).
If leadership should keep in mind all of the above, negotiations will run more smoothly. During negotiations, they should also keep in mind that the British seek to understand each other’s positions (Moran, Abramson and Moran, 2014). They are more likely to seek compromise and problem resolution by committees (Moran, Abramson and Moran, 2014). Therefore, Americans should allow their British counterparts ample time to determine their position on business matters and avoid being pushy.
In conclusion, to successfully do business in Great Britain, leaders should take the time to understand the culture of the area in which they are investing. They should keep in mind the multicultural nature of larger cities and plan accordingly. Additionally, when engaging with the British, it would be wise to maintain decorum, avoid being overly familiar and allow ample time for negotiations to finalize.
References
Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences (9th ed.). Oxford: Routledge.