Business Culture in Spain

I chose to profile Spain and their business culture in this paper. In 1986 Spain joined the European Union which significantly increased their economy. If you are going to do business with the people of Spain it is important to understand their work relationships and business practices. Business Culture in Spain Spain is a country in southwest Europe with about 46 million people. The national language is Spanish, or Castilian Spanish. In the interior the summers are clear and hot, while in along the coast they are cloudy and moderate.

The winters in the interior are cold and cloudy and along the coast they are cloudy and cool (Agency). Spain’s business hours are more Europeanized than ours here in the United States. The offices usually open around 9 a. m. and will close mid evening, with a break of two hours in the afternoon. It is usually best to schedule any meeting for mid-morning due to their sometimes unusual hours. When you arrive at a business meeting you must give your card at the reception counter.

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Whether you are at a social or business meeting an introduction includes a formal handshake and making eye contact, male or female. Hierarchy is also very important in Spanish business culture. Making contacts is extremely important; the Spanish prefer to do business with people that they are familiar with (Doing Business in Spain). If they do not know you they will usually try and become acquainted with you before doing business so you should be accommodating with any questions they ask about your background or family life (Business and Legal Solutions in Spain).

Hierarchy is also very important in Spanish business culture; position plays a vital role so it is better to work with people in your rank rather than someone with a lower status (Doing Business in Spain). To Spaniards the look of the person they are doing business with is very important. They appreciate brand names such as Luis Vuitton, not Italian designers so much. Men usually wear suits of dark hues, white cotton shirts and ties. Women should wear well cut suits of high quality fabric, and their hair should be immaculate. Looking fashionable and smart is a big part of making a good impression (Business and Legal Solutions in Spain).

Some of their popular industries include textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment. Spain’s most common trading partners are France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, China and the UK. (Agency) Spain’s economy is not doing well. Even before the latest crisis unemployment was reaching the level of the Great Depression. More than 20% of Spaniards who are of working age are unemployed which leaves Spain with the highest unemployment rate in the whole European Union.

If the economy of Spain fails, it will have a significant impact on the world’s economy. Spain accounts for 11. 5% of the eurozones GDP, and is the fourth largest economy in the 16 nations that make up the eurozone (Snyder, 2010). Spain does not take bribery lightly; they are dedicated to fighting bribery in their country. Spanish officials have signed an agreement with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to help outlaw bribery and to teach developed nations the tools and motivation to detect bribery (Spain Political and Legal System-Bribery Laws).

Women of Spain were traditionally homemakers but they are found throughout the business and political world more and more. Also, Spain now allows divorce so women are changing their roles from homemakers and mothers to professionals (Spain). In conclusion, regardless of where you decide to do business it is extremely important to research not only the customs of the country but the economy as well.

References

Business and Legal Solutions in Spain. (n. d. ). Retrieved February 16, 2011, from Strong Abogados: http://www. strongabogados. om/business-culture. php Doing Business In Spain. (n. d. ). Retrieved February 15, 2011, from Upick Reviews: Snyder, M. (2010, June 15). 9 Signs That Spain’s Economy Is About To Collapse. Retrieved February 14, 2011, from Daily Markets. Spain. (n. d. ). Retrieved February 12, 2011, from Countries and Their Cultures: http://www. everyculture. com/Sa-Th/Spain. html Spain Political and Legal System-Bribery Laws. (n. d. ). Retrieved February 15, 2011, from International Business Wiki: