What are issues that people in the international business field see often?
I am a college freshman who is wanting to know all of the positives and negatives to a job abroad. #business-development #international #international-business #international-trade #trade
3 answers
Dinesh’s Answer
I really did like Rebecca's answer "learning other's cultural and practices", I have been fortunate to visit about 40+ countries and live on 4 different continents doing business.
I have listed some challenges(would not like to call them issues) that I have personally experienced but overcome with learnings and accepting ,
1. Regulatory requirements - Very important to understand the rules and regulations while dealing with countries. Always a great practice to check with your legal teams in advance.
2. Language - though English is accepted as the language for business globally. It takes time to understand different accents, interpret, understand and respond. A skill not easily gained but needs time and effort. You could watch some videos of different accents of different nationalities.
2. Culture - Important to respect the local culture and way of life. Suggest you do enough research prior to having a meeting with a client either in person or virtually , this would equip you to better understand their culture and respect them.
3. Religion or religious practices - Some countries, the way business is conducted is lot to do with their belief's. For example in Yemen, during the holy month of Ramadan, when everyone is fasting throughout the day, you are expected not to eat during office hours. So it is important to keep these in mind and understand the do's and don'ts specifically when you travel. You could excuse yourself go to your Hotel room and eat in privacy of your room.
4. Time zone challenges - Do look for a time that works for people across geographies when meeting virtually, if impossible be ready to be a bit more flexible. Imagine connecting someone from the US, UK, Russia, India, Singapore and Australia all on one call...
I always will encourage people to travel, World is a beautiful place. If someone ever asked me which is the best place you ever visited , I would always reply every single one that I visited. Yes there are dangerous places, bad people etc...but the positives are you meet different warm people and get a chance to see this beautiful world differently. Some examples - Road trip from Sanaa, Yemen to Aden ; road trip from Lagos Nigeria to Abuja. A boat trip from Bandar Seri Begawan, brunei to kota kinabalu, Malaysia by ferry, A trip from Moscow to St.Petersburg by an overnight train... and many more...so all these experiences are fascinating... All the best for your Career !
The above are all my personal views !
Sherry’s Answer
I work for a large international telecommunications company, and have colleagues all over the globe. Though I am located in the US, I deal with people in other countries every day on every project. There are a few things to keep in mind, regardless of where in the world your cubicle is located, when you're dealing with co-workers, customers, or suppliers in other parts of the world.
First, something as basic as time zones can be a challenge. If you have a colleague in Berlin, and a customer in California, it can be tough to find a time convenient for both to hold a conference call. You need to keep those time zones in mind any time you are trying to get people together. Second, there will be language issues. English is the language of global business, but there will be folks in your dealings that have strong accents or a lack of English mastery. Show patience, be kind, ask for clarification when necessary, and re-state what you heard to ensure you understand what is being asked. Third, be aware of cultural differences. In some cultures, it is considered rude to tell a person of a higher level anything negative, whereas in the US we tend to be much more open regardless of a person's title. So you may ask someone to give an honest opinion, but they will couch their response so as not to offend you. This can change as you build a relationship, but until you get to that point it can be frustrating.
These ideas are more around the areas of interpersonal skills. Keep in mind there are also a myriad of legal, regulatory, and statutory differences between countries - those are things your schooling and eventual employer will help you understand and master. Plus, there is the whole part of the equation related to actually living in another country - there are many good resources on line, as well as good old-fashioned books on the topic. Good luck!
Rebecca’s Answer
Hope this help!