Have you ever walked into a room full of strangers -- be it a business function, a meeting, or a cocktail party -- and felt uncomfortable? In the NEW How to Work a Room, " The Mingling Maven" Susan RoAne provides the tools and techniques for savy socializing in all situations so that you are comfortable in any room. She identifies the roadblocks that prevent us from meeting new people, developing new contacts, and establishing connections that build personal and professional relationships. Susan offers a practical remedy to overcome each roadblock. You will learn how to mix chutzpah with charm to start and end conversations smoothly, know when and how to use humor , and follow the simple rules of etiquette in an emerging manner. Incorporating a decade of feedback from hundreds of presentations, as well as the new chapters " How to Work A Virtual Room" and "How to Work the Techno Toy Room," How to Work a Room is a book that will change your life.
The authors are very aware that no generalizations apply to all residents of a nation, and are careful not to stereotype or judge. Highly recommended to any business traveler--or any student of the diversity of human cultures.
(Note: a great companion volume for this book is Gestures, which is devoted entirely to explaining the varieties of hand gestures in 82 countries!)
Additional chapters on Austria, Belize, Ireland, South Africa, and Vietnam
The most comprehensive, authoritative text of its kind, the first edition of this invaluable reference guide has won a following among high-ranking military officials, influential corporate executives, and business school professors alike. This new edition, with its wealth of revised material and discussions of current hot topics, is proof that such a classic only gets better with time.
Customer Reviews:
Understanding.......2007-06-18
This is an excellent resource to assist those of us who live in the United States to better understand and relate to individuals from other countries. Behaviors are very often driven by culture. I use this with Homestay families when I place students from other countries in their homes.
A Quick Reference on Cross Cultural Sensitivities.......2007-05-19
I run leadership programs for high potential Fortune 500 women in NYC, Boston and NJ and I meet so many talented men and women from Eastern Europe, Europe, South America, Asia, South America and even Iceland. This book gives me a quick reference on business culture, mores, traditions and social culture. I know these get out of date quickly but it's sure better than not knowing and allows you to be more responsive.
Dubious advice at best.......2007-04-25
I lived in South East Asia for nearly 12 years including over 8 of them in Indonesia. From tiny villages in Java with just under 30 families to the skyscrapers of Jakarta, running industrial projects and developing business. I even gained a native level fluency of the language.
At no time during that entire period did I EVER find an Indonesian who would hesitate to tell me "no". They can say it, do say, and even have a few different words for it. The only time I've ever seen someone suck air between their teeth is when they've eaten something really hot.
It's naive to think a single book or individual can cover the customs of 60 countries. Having spent considerable time in one geographic region with my feet on the ground for years in nearly a dozen countries, I couldn't even begin to start to explain the cultural traits and habits of maybe four or five of those countries.
Find yourself a real cultural etiquette book that focuses on the specific country you want to visit, and forget this superficial treatment that looks like a rehash of every other general cultural etiquette book I've ever read.
Another inaccuracy .......2007-03-30
Perhaps many of the people who are rating the book so highly did not take the "cultural IQ" quizzes. I took the one for Spain, a country I have visited. The answers were correct in identifying the Prado as being in Madrid, but the last time I visited the Alhambra, it was in Granada, not Toledo (where the book puts it). That's quite a distance to move a major cultural landmark!
Kiss Bow or Shake Hands.......2007-01-12
Excellent reference book. Especially useful if you do international business of any kind.
Book Description
For event planners, there's no such thing as a dress rehearsal!
Any event you plan and stage is a reflection of your company's image — from the initial invitation to onsite operations. Whether you're planning a product launch, conference, sales meeting, an incentive event, or a gala fund-raiser, remember that the magic of a truly memorable event is in the details, but so is the devil. Special events are fraught with thousands of details, and have to come off without a hitch. Whether your event is for 50 or 2,000 people, whether it has a budget of a few thousand dollars, or hundreds of thousands, planning and executing the project is like a high-wire act without the safety nets. Event Planning gives you a blueprint for planning and executing special events with flair and without any unexpected surprises and expenses. This unique book is loaded with practical advice on every aspect of organizing and managing special events:
- Choosing the best venue
- Preparing and managing the budget
- Scheduling and staffing
- Coordinating food and beverage, décor, entertainment, and themes
- Working with professionals, such as public relations firms and creative directors.
What you don't know or know to ask can have a major effect on the success of your event and on your budget. Event Planning takes you through every aspect of organizing and executing a successful event: the planning stages, timing and logistics, budget preparation, operations, and on-site management. Event Planning:
- Includes sample costing forms to help you generate a detailed project plan and budget.
- Explains what you need to ask before you contract with suppliers.
- Is loaded with practical tips and examples that will help you avoid expensive mistakes.
- Features a companion website with forms from the book, additional forms, author Q&A, and more.
Event Planning takes you behind the scenes, and provides practical tools for anyone who has to plan and execute a truly special event:
- Corporate in-house event planners
- Public relations and communications companies, and their clients
- Marketing and corporate communications professionals
- Fundraisers and not-for-profit organizations
- Professionals in the hospitality and entertainment industries
Customer Reviews:
Not for beginners and not for professionals.......2007-05-03
It is hard to tell who this book is geared towards. A novice should not take on any event that is as over their head; as most of the event situations that are listed in the book are. A professional would know from experience the answers to most of the questions or they would have the common sense to take care of any odd situation that arose. The book may be helpful to assistant managers or banquet captains, but most houses have their own way of doing things. Interesting read and a good refresher, buy used.
Very useful Hand Book.......2007-03-10
It was very useful to me as I used it to brak into the wedding/event business. It presents a very corporate approach, yet it seems to uncover all kinds of secrets of the event world that are hidden to the public eye.
This Book is Alright.......2006-08-09
Being an avid reader of Event Planning literature, I must say that this book is alright.
Packed with Knowledge!.......2005-10-14
Details, details, details. That's really what successful event planning is all about, and that's the key to this very successful event-planning manual. Author Judy Allen notes, lists, copes with and gives an example of virtually every detail in planning anything from a sedate corporate event in a major city to a huge celebration on a remote island. She provides examples galore plus tips, questions and answers, sample cost sheets and schedules. How much floor space does a person need to be comfortable in a tent? Answer: 20 square feet. How many bathrooms should be available for a party? Answer: One per 75 guests. And don't forget to ask about the stemware, adequate parking and even the photographer's back-up camera battery. This author seems to have thought every contingency, as the book's ambitious title promises. Her one glaring omission is that she does not include the party planner's fee - our guess is that she'd be worth it. We highly recommend this well-organized, very practical book to all event planners. Don't send out press releases for your party without consulting Judy Allen.
Great book.......2005-10-01
This is a great book for anyone interested in working in the event planning field.
Book Description
Written for the funeral service industry by a funeral service professional, this unique book teaches effective methods of interacting with people.
Book Description
In the tradition of Warners Japanese Business Etiquette, here is the newly-updated guide to social and business protocol in the Peoples Republic of China. East-West business is booming, as thousands of Americans flock to China to seek explosive opportunities. Now, Scott D. Seligman, an expert with 25 years of experience dealing with the Chinese, provides complete and up-to-date advice on how to succeed in China. With clarity and humor, Seligman shows how to avoid costly misunderstandings, interpret behavior, avoid the unintentional gaffe, and make positive impressions, all while closing million-dollar deals and forming priceless friendships.
Customer Reviews:
Great Guide to Chinese Culture.......2007-08-20
This book contains very useful information about Chinese Culture -- it's not at all just for business people, but for anyone who wants to understand the culture... or at least try to not stick their foot in their mouth when interacting with Chinese people.
Whenever I surprise my Chinese fiancee by knowing something about Chinese Culture (like the seating arrangements at a banquet), most of the time it was learned from this book. I can't rate it highly enough.
nice review.......2007-03-13
Haven't finished the book, yet. But so far, it seems to be worthwhile.
Rich in cultural anecdotes but lacking in the big picture.......2007-02-07
To be sure, with its rich Chinese cultural anecdotes and the author's vivid writing style, this book is not only useful in helping the reader understand unique Chinese concepts like Guanxi, Mianzi and Lijie but also an entertaining read - suitable for business travelers.
However, after reading Wei Wang's The China Executive, I realize that Seligman has not been right on "the single most important and fundamental difference between Chinese and Westerners". On pages 44-47 of Chinese Business Etiquette, Seligman says that this is the difference between the "individualism" of Westerners and the "group-centeredness" of the Chinese. (Of course, Seligman is not alone in getting this wrong; since the publication of Geert Hofstede's Culture's Consequences in 1980, this Western individualism-Chinese collectivism dichotomy has become the most widely-talked assumption in almost every book on China business including the authoritative Harvard Business Review on Doing Business in China).
To elaborate on Seligman (page 45), "[In China,] matters are often debated at great length until agreement is reached on a course of action. Once a decision has been made, however, individual group members are expected to fall in line, embrace it, and act on it, and nobody presumes to question it, at least overtly."
Now, the reality is that, with nearly a hundred million dollars invested in China, one of the biggest complaints our expats have against local staff is the latter's inability to follow a pre-agreed course of action or plan. In addition, the Chinese do not like group discussions, not to mention "debates at great length"; most of them like to remain quiet rather than actively voice their opinions. Also, if the Chinese were group-centered, their state-owned enterprises would have been so successful that multinationals have stood little chance to compete with them - but the very opposite is true (most state-owned enterprises cannot be closed down fast enough because they are "a pile of sand")!
According to Wei Wang in his book The China Executive, "group and individual are the two sides of the same coin; one cannot exist without the other", and therefore Westerners actually exhibit dual individualism-collectivism. And the heart of human relationships in China is human feelings. In other words, Chinese and Westerners do not represent two poles of the same individualism-collectivism continuum.
In addition, "there is a limit to learning the Chinese way," says Wang. "There are things that you need to go about the Chinese way but there are also things that you need to go about the Western way - otherwise, you lose the purpose of going there in the first place."
To understand why and, more important, its profound implications for China business or indeed business in the China era (including management, leadership, strategy and worldview), you have to read The China Executive.
All Business students should read this!.......2007-01-05
This book gives a great summary of the basics of doing business with the Chinese. It's well written and organized and provides great insight into a culture with which most Americans are not familiar. A great resource for any Business, Communications or Marketing student!
Good first introduction, BUT..........2006-11-05
I bought the first edition of this book (previously called Dealing with the Chinese) in the early 1990s when I had to make my first business trip to China. Over the years, it has allowed me to be a bit more inspective of my own behaviour and those around me, and has helped me avoid social faux pas when dealing with the Chinese. So, if you are planning your first trips to there, you should read it, which has useful information and is also a light read.
However, as our company's commitment to China has deepened from initial export to long-term investment, I have found that I urgently need another book to inspire me to deal with the China investment challenge, which involves not only basic business etiquette (which Seligman has entertainingly dealt with), but also more profound issues like market, management, leadership and strategy. To be sure, there are many books published in the West on the above topics but they have all been written for the Western business environment.
Of course, there have been new books on China business too, but most of them came out either supporting the great hype about the "new economy" or offering no added value except to "reveal" to the world what had happened to the authors when they were there.
Recently, I have found my long-awaited book, and it is Dr Wang's The China Executive: Marrying Western and Chinese Strengths to Generate Profitability from Your Investment in China.
What a great book! To know why The China Executive is the best book on the topic, you have to buy a copy and read it.
Book Description
Ole!
If you think you smell something at work, there's probably good reason--"bull" has become the official language of business. Every day, we get bombarded by an endless stream of filtered, antiseptic, jargon-filled corporate speak, all of which makes it harder to get heard, harder to be authentic, and definitely harder to have fun.
But it doesn't have to be that way. The team that brought you the Clio Award-winning Bullfighter software is back with an entertaining, bare-knuckled guide to talking straight--for those who want to climb the corporate ladder, but refuse to check their personality at the door.
Why Business People Speak Like Idiots exposes four traps that transform us from funny, honest and engaging weekend people into boring business stiffs:
• The Obscurity Trap: "After extensive analysis of the economic factors facing our industry, we have concluded that a restructuring is essential to maintaining competitive position. A task force has been assembled..." These are the empty calories of business communication. And, unfortunately, they're the rule. The Obscurity Trap catches idiots desperate to sound smart or prove their purpose, and lures them with message-killers like jargon, long-windedness, acronyms, and evasiveness.
• The Anonymity Trap: Businesses love clones--easy to hire, easy to manage, easy to train, easy to replace--and almost everyone is all too happy to oblige. We outsource our voice through templates, speechwriters and email, and cave in to conventions that aren't really even rules.
• The Hard-Sell Trap: Legions of business people fall prey to the Hard-Sell Trap. We overpromise. We accentuate the positive and pretend the negative doesn't exist. This may work for those pushing Ginsu knives and miracle Abdominizers, but it's dead wrong for persuading business people to listen.
• The Tedium Trap: Everyone you work with thinks about sex, tells stories, gets caught up in life's amazing details, and judges everyone else by the way they look and act. We live to be entertained. We all learned that in Psychology 101, except for the business idiots who must have skipped that semester. They tattoo their long executive-sounding titles on their foreheads, dump pre-packaged numbers on their audience, and virtually guarantee that we want nothing to do with them.
This is your wake-up call. Personality, humanity and candor are being sucked out of the workplace. Let the wonks send their empty messages. Yours are going to connect.
Fast Company magazine named Why Business People Speak Like Idiots one of the ideas and trends that will change how we work and live in 2005.
So grab your cape and sharpen your sword. It's time to fight the bull!
Download Description
"Ole! If you think you smell something at work, there's probably good reason--""bull"" has become the official language of business. Every day, we get bombarded by an endless stream of filtered, antiseptic, jargon-filled corporate speak, all of which makes it harder to get heard, harder to be authentic, and definitely harder to have fun. But it doesn't have to be that way. The team that brought you the Clio Award-winning Bullfighter software is back with an entertaining, bare-knuckled guide to talking straight--for those who want to climb the corporate ladder, but refuse to check their personality at the door. Why Business People Speak Like Idiots exposes four traps that transform us from funny, honest and engaging weekend people into boring business stiffs: . The Obscurity Trap: ""After extensive analysis of the economic factors facing our industry, we have concluded that a restructuring is essential to maintaining competitive position. A task force has been assembled..."" These are the empty calories of business communication. And, unfortunately, they're the rule. The Obscurity Trap catches idiots desperate to sound smart or prove their purpose, and lures them with message-killers like jargon, long-windedness, acronyms, and evasiveness. . The Anonymity Trap: Businesses love clones--easy to hire, easy to manage, easy to train, easy to replace--and almost everyone is all too happy to oblige. We outsource our voice through templates, speechwriters and email, and cave in to conventions that aren't really even rules. . The Hard-Sell Trap: Legions of business people fall prey to the Hard-Sell Trap. We overpromise. We accentuate the positive and pretend the negative doesn't exist. This may work for those pushing Ginsu knives and miracle Abdominizers, but it's dead wrong for persuading business people to listen. . The Tedium Trap: Everyone you work with thinks about sex, tells stories, gets caught up in life's amazing details, and judges everyone else by the way they look and act. We live to be entertained. We all learned that in Psychology 101, except for the business idiots who must have skipped that semester. They tattoo their long executive-sounding titles on their foreheads, dump pre-packaged numbers on their audience, and virtually guarantee that we want nothing to do with them. This is your wake-up call. Personality, humanity and candor are being sucked out of the workplace. Let the wonks send their empty messages. Yours are going to connect. Fast Company magazine named Why Business People Speak Like Idiots one of the ideas and trends that will change how we work and live in 2005. So grab your cape and sharpen your sword. It's time to fight the bull! "
Customer Reviews:
A Breath of Fresh Air (No Bull!).......2007-10-16
Within a few weeks of reading this very funny yet worthy book, it has already paid dividends in my work. I am now taking pains to create emails and other types of communication that is clear and crap-free. Not that I was ever terribly guilty of being unclear, but once you're surrounded by corporate drones speaking in that jargon-heavy language they're so fond of, the tendency is to conform and embrace. They just sound so clever and knowledgeable and so, peer pressure factor, you want to emulate them as well.
Along with "Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die," this book has helped me not only streamline the way I present and use information, it has increased the meaning of life for me. If language is a window into the soul, then it follows that muddled, jargon-y language shows a cluttered, unfocused mind. Use this book (and their free Bull Fighter software, which works with Office 2007, by the way) to help you clear your mind and perhaps better your life. Corny yes, but true nevertheless.
So what? Tell your readers the HOW.......2007-09-25
Does it really matter why business speakers give poor presentations? Get to the action quickly and the why is irrelevant. Persuasion is most effective when the speaker focuses on the new way of doing things and avoids any comparison to the old way. Readers searching for better presentation skills will remember new and better presentation techniques by learning them, not by having the bad old ways rehashed again and again.
Please read books with actual action steps, not theory, and you'll be a business speaker who doesn't speak like an idiot.
Fun and compelling, but will the business idiots ever read this?.......2007-08-15
This is a joy to read for those of us who have always been bothered by obfuscatory business jargon. Its ridicule of corporate bull is sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, but it's unlikely to incite a revolution among the business idiots themselves.
Annoyingly, this book doesn't offer a novel explanation for why businesspeople DO speak like idiots. Maybe they're trying to look smarter, maybe they're trying to avoid commitments; all the usual reasons are given. And yet the case against business idiocy is so strong, it leaves me wondering how the world turned out this way.
Most of the arguments here for clear and simple language are anecdotal, clearly selected to entertain. Examples range from the Gettysburg Address to the O.J. Simpson trial to annual corporate reports, with plenty of Dilbert-esque mocking of corporate banality and pointlessness along the way. The authors may not offer decisive scientific proof of their beliefs, but there is more than enough fodder to compel readers to think twice about what we are trying to say. The book also digresses to cover general presentation tips from image selection, to use of humor, to the importance of originality.
All in all, it's an amusing and helpful romp through the sometimes surreal world of business communication.
Enough material for a good article.......2007-04-18
I wanted to like this book, but:
It's a very simplistic idea - Speak like a human not a jargon-addled automaton and people will like you and understand you better. Basically, if you read the first chapter, you've read the book.
I had hoped that there would be some actual research or references to research that supports a lot of the opinions the authors put forward. I was disappointed. Their own research sounds really thin and designed to prove a foregone conclusion rather than really shed light on the subject. And there was little in terms of linking to meaningful, objective research.
The examples they gave of what they consider good communication versus idiotic business-speak weren't very clear, fair or convincing.
I also felt like the tone of the writing and the read were pretty vindictive and self-righteous rather than helpful. I actually started to feel sorry for the "idiots" they are ripping on.
Conclusion: "truthy" ramblings galore, but no real news here.
Only Got halfway through.......2007-02-26
I only got halfway through this disk. It made its point early on and kept going on and on about it. It tried too hard to convince and had too little on solutions. I know some people proactively seek synergies and other stuff like that. I was hoping for a more practical applicable solution.
Book Description
"I Do"...Weddings covers everything you need to operate a successful wedding consulting business. You will learn everything you need to get started, different types of wedding consultants, business plan, on-line marketing, on-line advertising, how to select your advertising media, promotions, public relations, how to prepare a press kit, business management, organizing a home office for under $500, time management, legal aspects, fees, dispute resolutions, customer service, networking, professional organizations, selecting quality vendors, technology, steps to being creative, how to keep up with current and future trends, fifteen golden rules for the professional wedding consultant, and success stories from wedding consultants.
Customer Reviews:
Very Disappointed.......2005-04-14
What a waste. The book is very general in nature. No concrete information on the business itself. The book is not properly bound as it is completely falling apart. Save your money and invest it elsewhere.
Not useful at all..........2004-01-30
This book was not as helpful as it sounds in the description, my book also began to rip apart at the seam after one reading. I found that the information was generic, and have found many other books which are more useful.
"I Do"...Weddings: Guide To Starting Your Own Wedding Consul.......2003-01-31
The book gives very generic information. For the money that I spent I was looking to get a whole lot more. The book's construction is not the best. My copy started to come apart after having it for a week. I would say that this publication is a waste of money.
I agree- Don't bother.......2003-01-14
If you are looking for a book full of lists, then this is the book for you. If you are looking for an insightful book all about how to start a wedding consulting business, then you'd better look elsewhere. I didn't get anything out of reading this book, and I'm glad I only checked it out from the library!
Very Helpful.......2003-01-06
Thank you for this book. It is very helpful for someone that wants to get in to the business and need some guidence. The book is easy to follow give the ins and outs of the business.This is the only book I could fine with all the info in one place. Thanks
Book Description
In a nation recovering from economic turmoil, today's business men and women need every advantage to keep precious jobs and get new and better jobs. In the CHIC SIMPLE DRESS SMART books, veteran style mavens Kim Johnson Gross and Jeff Stone walk readers through the basics of building a work-appropriate wardrobe that provides a look of confidence and competence, and expresses personal style. Whether its buying the right blazer for a middle management position, or assembling the most versatile pieces for someone just entering the workforce, these savvy and informative guides provide the straight answers to how people can put their most positive image forward at work.
Customer Reviews:
Is not worth it.......2007-06-15
Common sense dress code. I read more informative book about dressing.
Found help to professionalize my image.......2007-02-20
My coworkers see a person destined for clerical glory when they interact with me. My wardrobe needs a serious makeover. However, my concern is not so much "the interview, succeeding in the job, and getting a better job". I'm starting a home-based business and I purchased this book to help me to kick up my image as a businesswoman. I didn't know how to put together a serious professional wardrobe until I purchased it. I love the pictures, the suggestions - I love everything about this book. I'm going to obtain the black, navy, gray, and beige suits in the high-quality fabrics recommended, as well as in a couple of other colors. I'm also going to follow pretty much all of the advice in here tweaked to my personal professional style. I most highly recommend this book.
One of the Best.......2007-02-19
I have been purchasing various books on how to dress and this is my favorite book. I love how the information was presented. I bought both the Women and Men books and I have enjoyed both. These books are essential for me in improving my dress from my current wardrobe. I also really enjoy the travel tips, very useful. I dress both my boyfriend and myself from the great tips these books offer. GREAT BOOK.
I have enjoyed and employed this book since the eighties.......2006-11-21
This book is spot-on accurate. I grew up in an exclusive area full of well-to-do people and long-time "well-bred" families. The information in here may seem outdated at times but it is still the right info if you want to make it big-time. There are people and companies that still follow these styles. If you just want to do-alright or be happy in an average job, this book will make you shine above the rest and will give you the extra push needed during an interview. If you are applying to an ivy league college, this book will help you fit in. If you have some common sense and can adapt the information in this book to your current job needs, then use this book as a guideline. Remember, don't outshine your superior! If they dress like a slob or like they shop at ross or macy's, your brooks brothers suits might intimidate them. Many jobs may require you to be less formal, but the information here reminds you that you are an employee, not a prostitute, college kid or someone who has no idea how to dress. Your job as employee is to inform your employer that you are capable and NOT to tell them what music you like, what style you wore in high school and cerainly not to tell them that you are a hottie, even if you are.
Oh, and navy is not always the right colour. Dark grey should be the first choice, navy is the second choice.
Have fun being the best you can and looking it, too!
Good buy.......2006-08-24
If you're fresh out of college and are looking for a guide to how to dress in the workplace, this book is pretty useful. If you've been in the workforce a while then it can be used to enhance your wardrobe. The tips are abundant, the language clear with lots of illustrations. It's a good gift for any college graduate and the male version is good too. Of course job culture is always evolving and sometimes the book can appear dated. In conclusion, this book is a good place to start a professional looking wardrobe but common sense is also needed to fit the adivce to the specific character of your workplace.
Book Description
The ultimate guide to international behavior…now completely updated and expanded! Do's and Taboos Around the World 3rd Edition "Roger Axtell is an international Emily Post." —The New Yorker "Can help you make friends [and] avoid travel trouble." —BusinessWeek "Helpful…fun to read…" —Steve Birnbaum The first two editions of Do's and Taboos Around the World helped thousands of high-powered executives and tourists avoid the missteps and misunderstandings that plague the world traveler. This updated and expanded Third Edition provides even more facts, tips, and cautionary tales—gleaned from the experiences of more than five hundred international business travelers—as well as:
- Information on protocol, customs, and etiquette; hand gestures and body language; tipping; American jargon; and the international communications crisis
- Up-to-date advice on dealing with the monumental changes in Russia, Germany, Eastern Europe, the People's Republic of China, and other locales
- A new chapter on business gift-giving and gift-receiving customs, with country-by-country gift suggestions and precautions
- A special quick reference guide to customs and mores in 96 countries, including revisions and updates from foreign embassies and consulates
Customer Reviews:
not well researched.......2006-03-09
I am from Prague, Czech Republic, Europe.
In the books it says that our country lacks common things and that people will be grateful even for small gifts, such as ball-point pens etc since it is hard to get here.
I could not believe it when I have read it !
Did the author mix up Czech Republic with war-battered Cecnia or something ???
What a nonsence the statement in the book, even if it is from 1993 or whatever. You would look utterly ridiculous giving someone a pen. We actually have a subway, cars, shopping malls....its not like we live up in trees.
The author made CZ look like some third-world hunger stricken country. I do not trust him owith other countries since my country is so mis-judgingly described in the book.
Lots of fun and guidance.......2006-01-22
There is so much data stuffed into this book about so many cultures that its almost overwhelming! This is an impressive book covering many countries and most of the information is still current, despite the fact the last version was copywrited back in the 1990s.
I'd recommend this book for culture buffs as well as for general writers. A great source of ideas.
A Great Resource for International Travelers.......2004-04-12
The basis of this wonderful book is to show the customs, protocol and laws in societies that may be vastly different from the society in which you live.
The book is categorized according to country, and includes cartoon type illustrations of face gestures, hand and arm gestures, and what they mean. In some countries the same gesture has a completely different meaning, which anyone who uses a lot of body language would do well to learn.
The section on Graceful Gift Giving brings valuable insight so as not to insult anyone from different lands, as gift giving is viewed in different ways according to different cultures.
Whether you are going on a business trip, or are traveling for academics or adventure overseas, it is important to learn the customs of each country.
On a personal note, if you ever go to the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, do NOT sit on the rock from which Mohammed Ascended (as I innocently did to pray for world peace) because you can be murdered or jailed for that alone - unless you happen to have a professor who is fluent in Arabic that saves you from harsh penalties, which I was fortunate enough to have. ASK about the Sacred sites in Sacred lands BEFORE you attempt to touch or sit on anything.
Do's and Taboos also provides commonly used terms spelled out phonetically from many lands, so that you can converse among the locals graciously.
Highly recommended for all international travelers.
Barbara Rose, Ph.D. author of Stop Being the String Along: A Relationship Guide to Being THE ONE and If God Was Like Man
Editor, inspire! magazine
advice for the business traveler, tourist, or EFL teacher.......2002-10-22
Doýs and Taboos Around the World was written in the mid-eighties for American businessmen who regularly traveled abroad meeting foreign clients. I bought this book to help teach culture shock to my Japanese EFL students, and, by and large, I am quite pleased that I have it on my shelf. Even though there is a lot less information about women than men, and some information, such as gift giving, appears to be specifically for business people, there is enough general information about many different countriesý cultures to make interesting reading. The chapter on body language and gestures appeared to be well researched, and my students were able to learn many things from teaching material that I made using the book as a reference. There may be some people who would read Doýs and Taboos and say that the author has distilled a nationýs people to a simple stereotype, and to a point I wouldnýt be able to disagree with that. However, if I ever found myself in the company of people whose culture I were ignorant of, it would be nice to be able to scan this book for doýs, taboos, likes and dislikes, and give myself a reasonable introduction on what I might be likely to encounter. This book is most useful for business travelers, but it is also useful for tourists and travelers, or anyone living in a culture other than their own.
Dos and Taboos.......2001-05-28
This title offered so much promise. I was really looking forward to reading it and ofcourse decided to start by checking the two countries I know really well, Australia and Japan. Well disappointment just isn't strong enough. How can you trust a book that makes major errors when talking about cultures that you know? Frankly, I can not recommend this book to anyone given the inaccurate out dated infomation I found in the two countries I know really well... Surely there are better books on foreign cultures than this. If not it is not suprizing that Americans have difficulty in understanding people from other countries!
Book Description
The breakneck speed at which business is "going global" requires a new breed of executives, managers, and front-line employees who are adept at the art of cross-cultural communication, where simple misunderstandings can jeopardize multimillion dollar deals. According to business travel industry forecasts, international travel is expected to increase in 2006 and beyond, reflecting the confluence of trends that are driving businesses of all sizes to penetrate new markets, enter into strategic alliances, improve productivity, and tap into talent and expertise around the world, wherever these resources may be found. Whether you are preparing for a long-term overseas assignment, or a short trip abroad to meet with clients, customers, suppliers, or distributors, Global Business Etiquette will be an indispensable resource for understanding the dynamics of cross-cultural communication, avoiding embarrassing (and costly) gaffes, and successfully navigating the subtleties of social interaction that can set the stage for profitable long-term relationships. Drawing from their many years of research and training in the field; highlighting such important elements of communication as nonverbal gestures, dress, and gift-giving customs; and featuring dozens of colorful examples and useful tips; the authors present a practical approach to interpreting signals and symbols around the world, overcoming stereotypes, and mastering the nuances of international communication.
Customer Reviews:
Covers all the common pitfalls and customs.......2006-06-20
If you're involved in international business, you already know etiquette varies from country to country: the speed of expanding international sales is requiring a new type of executive and manager be able to understand cross-cultural communication to avoid misunderstandings. GLOBAL BUSINESS ETIQUETTE: A GUIDE TO INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION AND CUSTOMS is the place to start. It uses years of research and training in the field to cover both verbal and nonverbal gestures, dress, customs and more, adding examples and tips in their guide to interpreting around the world From dress to conversational customs, GLOBAL BUSINESS ETIQUETTE covers all the common pitfalls and customs.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
International Business Must Read!!!.......2006-05-11
The book is full of tips for international travelers, whether they are business people, vacationers, students, or military/government workers. There are so many ways to convey right or wrong messages to people in other countries, and this book covers the most important ones. It helps the traveler avoid socially embarrassing mistakes while being an easy read. For international travelers, this book is a must read.
Books:
- Improving Business Communication Skills (4th Edition)
- In Mixed Company: Communicating in Small Groups and Teams (with InfoTrac) (Wadsworth Series in Speech Communication)
- Innocent in Death
- Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (4th Edition)
- Introduction to the Foundations of American Education (13th Edition)
- Kaplan GRE Exam, 2007 Edition: Premier Program (Kaplan Gre Exam (Book & CD-Rom))
- Kaplan SAT II: Writing 2003-2004
- Lake and Pond Management Guidebook
- Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't
- Making Your Thoughts Work For You 4-CD Live Lecture
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- A Course in Game Theory
- Run With the Bulls Without Getting Trampled: The Qualities You Need to Stay Out of Harm's Way and Th
- CIMA Exam Practice Kit Management Accounting Business Strategy, Third Edition: 2007 Edition
- How to Succeed in the Game of Life: 34 Interviews with the World's Greatest Coaches
- Healthcare Finance: An Introduction To Accounting And Financial Management
- Shibori: The Inventive Art of Japanese Shaped Resist Dyeing
- Jesus Land: A Memoir
- Accounting Theory and Policy: A Reader
- Fair Not Flat: How to Make the Tax System Better and Simpler
- Frampton Flora
Communications
| Skills
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
What Do I Say Next?: Talking Your Way to Business and Social Success
How to Create Your Own Luck: The You Never Know Approach to Networking, Taking Chances, and Opening Yourself to Opportunity
RoAne's Rules: How to Make the Right Impression: Working the Room, or One-on-One,What to Say and How to Say It
The Art of Mingling: Easy, Proven Techniques for Mastering Any Room
How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less
