As the African Cats are poised to overtake the Asian Tigers, Zimbabwe has gained international attention as a popular investment and expansion location. An English-speaking African nation with blossoming mining and manufacturing sectors, we discovered during our recent business travels that Zimbabwe's economy is a diamond in the rough. Ten years ago, new promise [...]
Few people might expect the small Baltic nation of Estonia to become an international leader in technological and start-up sectors, but this northern European powerhouse has led the continent in tech development over the last decade. Not only does it have one of the highest ranked business environments (ranked 12th in the world by World [...]
As we discovered during our January visit, from the dazzling city of Dubai, to the buzzing metropolis of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates is rapidly climbing the ranks of the global business ladder, and investors worldwide are taking note. According to the Institute of International Finance, FDI into the UAE jumped from 8.9 billion [...]
As the Catalonian referendum continues to make international headlines, people around the world are asking about the cultural distinctions between Catalonia, a region in northeastern Spain, and the rest of the Spanish territory. During my business travels to Barcelona, Spain, the phrase ‘Catalonia is not Spain’ has not only been heard, but viscerally experienced during [...]
The U.N. Arabic Language Day is celebrated on Dec. 18 every year, the following 3 reasons will not only inform you, but encourage you to consider learning Arabic in 2018.
In an era when everyday communication methods involve GIF keyboards, Snapchat filters, and group messaging, young professionals are poorly trained on verbal telephone conversations. If you fall into this category, consider these 5 guidelines for corporate telephone etiquette.
To dispel this stereotype and strengthen millennial interpersonal skills, avoid these four modern communication mishaps.
Absorb wisdom and educate others about global gifting tips to increase your cross-cultural understanding of the world.
While gifts are not traditionally exchanged between business associates in this region, the holiday season is a wonderful opportunity to express gratitude and goodwill with a culturally-appropriate token.
As part three of cross-cultural gift giving worldwide, let’s explore the different implications when giving and receiving gifts in Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs), as defined by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The countries included in CEECs are Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, and the three Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
