USA business culture

Working practices in the United States

In the USA, punctuality is an essential part of business etiquette and as such, scheduled appointments or meetings must be attended on time. Americans perceive lateness as a sign of disrespect. Therefore, in situations where you know you will be late, a call should be made to inform your American colleagues of your delay.

Deadlines are strictly adhered to in American business culture. Americans place great emphasis on getting the best results in the quickest time. Your American counterparts may appear to be hasty in their decision-making. This, however, is due to the fact that the concept "time is money" is taken extremely seriously in the USA. Americans are time conscious and expect their counterparts to be as well.

Generally speaking, in the United States the working week consists of Monday to Friday, 9-5pm. However, due to the strong American work ethic the majority of Americans work long hours and overtime is common practice. It is also customary to take as few as ten days holiday per year.

Structure and hierarchy in American companies.

In a country famous for its individualism and diversity, the organisation and structure of companies within the USA may differ according to the industry, region or company history. However, you will generally find that office hierarchy within an American company is extremely important. Therefore, it is advised to learn the rank and titles of all members of the organisation.

Negotiations and final decisions in the USA are frequently made by one person who has chief authority. Team negotiations are rarely carried out in American companies.

In accordance with American business culture, the hierarchical chain of command often supersedes personal relationships.

Working relationships in the USA

Personal competence, professionalism, and accountability for individual performance are highly valued in American business culture. As a result, managers are only approached for help in essential situations. These concepts also contribute to the highly competitive work ethic often experienced in the USA.

Developing personal relationships are not as significant in USA business culture as they are in some Asian countries. In the United States, the overall goal of business is to secure the best deal, therefore forming company relationships are of greater value.

It is common for Americans to make clear distinctions between work colleagues and friends in their social life. In the USA, meetings tend to be rather formal and little time is spent on cultivating social relationships.

Business practices in the United States

It is customary to begin and end business meetings with a brief but firm handshake. Maintaining direct eye contact during this initial greeting and whenever in conversation is also essential, as it demonstrates to your American co-workers your interest and sincerity.

During introductions, listen carefully to the pronunciation of the persons name so that you could address properly. While introducing yourself, give your full name not just the first name.

You could take help of others in your company to find out when it would be appropriate to address someone by their first name only, or whether they should be addressed in a more formal manner (i.e. Mr. Jones). Avoid using nicknames until the person permits you to do so.

The appropriate way of addressing someone may depend partly on his or her position in the company. For instance, it could be acceptable if you address your coworkers by their first name but not the senior officers of the company.

1. http://www.communicaid.com/ - ,,CIA World Factbook - 2008", Anne Foss, BA International Business;

2. http://www.discoverabroad.com/;

3. http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/;