Professional Document Translations - Must for an International Business

Twenty years back, if you had to get some documents translated from one language to another, the least you could do is to find someone with a good understanding of both the languages and ask him to translate your documents. Not surprisingly, this worked quite well at that time. However, twenty years back, the future of business was not really dependent on the accuracy or quality of your translations. Today, the internet has made it possible for different countries of the world to remain interconnected with each other, resulting in incredible growth in the international markets.

So, professional services for document translations are a must for those running an international business. Irrespective of how simple and easy the documents that you need to get translated are, to make a mark in the international market, you just cannot afford to overlook the competency and expertise of the professional translators. The current age of computers have also made it possible to get this work done through machines, which is not more difficult than just copying and then pasting the content. However, sometimes the outcome is barely readable and thus you cannot afford to rely on the results produced by the machines. Therefore, such incomprehensible translated documents aren't acceptable in the real business situations as well.

Businesses must resist the enticement to go for machine translations just for the sake of saving a few bucks. This way of getting your business documents translated eventually costs more in comparison to what it actually saves. The fact of the matter is that although professional services would mean a slight expenditure for your business, but when comparing the money spent to the money made from having a professional do the work, it can really pay off. The best is to seek the services of reputed translation agencies. The prices might be a percentage higher for professionals, but the quality is certainly worth the price.

Translation services aren't just swapping the words. The professional translation service providers translate meanings of the words, which isn't an easy job for sure. In fact, when it comes to quality translations, it is something which only human beings can do. Losing human factor implies losing meaning, which further may result in ineffective communications and therefore lost opportunities. Just like English language, other languages too are full of phrases and words which may sound similar but mean different. Given this, as well as the intricate cultural factors which should always be considered, you can make out why document translations are so complex and why they should be entrusted only to the professionals.

Professional Document Translation - Your International Business May Depend on It

Document translation is one of the most basic of all translation services, if not the most basic. This is not to say that document translation is simple, which is one of the big misconceptions that can lead to big losses for any business.

Twenty years ago, if you needed a document translated from English to Spanish, or vice versa, you would find someone who understood both languages reasonably well and ask them to translate the document. Not surprisingly, as long as you chose someone who was relatively competent, this worked pretty well. But twenty years ago, more than likely your business future was not dependent upon the quality of the translation; that is not necessarily the case today. The interconnectedness made possible by the Internet has resulted in tremendous growth in international markets and corresponding growth in competition for market share.

No matter how simple the document you need translated is, you need to make sure that you use professional translation services. The computer age brought us machine translation services. Machine translation is fairly easy thing to accomplish with a computer, actually, not really more complicated than copying and pasting. Google will do this for you with the click of a mouse, well, kind of. The results are sometimes just barely readable, and clearly not acceptable in any real business situation. If you are translating a document from English to a language you are not fluent in, can you afford to trust results generated by a machine?

Businesses should resist the temptation to use machine translation services in an effort to cut corners and save a little money. This method of document translation ultimately costs more than it saves. The problem comes from the fact that document translation is not just a matter of swapping out words. Professional translators translate meaning, which is not the same thing as just mechanically replacing words. In fact, quality translation is something that only humans can do. When you lose the human factor, you lose meaning, and losing that meaning results in ineffective communication. Ineffective communication can, in turn, result in lost opportunities.

English is full of words and phrases that mean almost, but not quite, the same thing; other languages are similar. Given this, and the cultural factors that must always be taken into account, you can understand why document translation is so complicated, and why professional translation services are essential. Meaning is the key, and that can only be determined and presently effectively in other languages by people who have the knowledge and expertise to accomplish the task.

International Business Site - Get Help With International Business Negotiation

For many business owners the prospect of trading internationally for the first time can be a very worrying experience. The choice to locally source products has always been a favoured method of conducting business however in today's day and age there is simply so much money in international trade that businesses often cannot afford to miss out. Due to lower labour costs, lower tax and generally lower production costs countries such as China, as a small example, manage to produce high quality products at a fraction of the price; something which could seriously increase your businesses profits.

The first thing that many people have to realise is that international business negotiation is never going to be exactly the same as local business negotiation. As you travel around the world various different countries and business communities have various different business principles. Being able to adapt to these principles is therefore a must if you wish to trade in those regions of the world.

An international business site offers a very in depth look into the cultures and business principles of the most common countries where international business takes place and aims to help those new to international trading get a head start. It will teach you not only about the culture and common practices in the country, but also about the business etiquette and how you should move towards international business negotiation.

Common things you need to know about the country before you start international business negotiation.

The chances are that if you wish to conduct international business negotiation you will be flying out to your country of choice. Even if you find a company you would like to trade with online this is a certainty. Here are some of the things you should know before you make your initial visit:

1. The business practices for greeting / meeting a new person such as handshakes and hellos.
2. What the general business attire is in any given country. Some countries will keep the idea of wearing a suit whereas some may be more relaxed on what you can where to a business meeting.
3. Different countries have different practices when presenting business cards or exchanging credentials. For example in Asia you are meant to treat a potential partners business card with the up most respect, meaning that you receive it in two hands and place it careful in your inside jacket pocket.
4. You should learn about the rules when eating in said country as the company you are negotiating with may take you for a meal. This is important in places such as China, where cleaning your plate is considered an insult; very different to countries such as the UK where it would be a compliment.
5. Look into the countries culture and what they like to do for business entertainment.

International Business and Communication

Today companies trade goods and provide services to global customers. Many companies have facilities in different countries and most companies, small and large, work already with a highly diverse, international workforce.

Communication is clearly the enabler of any kind of cooperation and business activities - nationally and internationally. Different cultures have particular business communication styles, well accepted and adopted by their population. Other cultures have different ways to conduct business and with that, use different styles to open, discuss, negotiate and close business deals and maintain business relations.

What is the best way to communicate for people of different cultural background? The potential customer's style or the one that relates to the language used during the communication? Unfortunately there is no clear answer to this question.

Specific communication styles have developed over long periods based on cultural values. Even with the wish to "speak the language of the customer", these values cannot just be set aside when writing or talking to people of other cultural influence.

Two little anecdotes show the difficulties in communicating internationally. A Japanese corporation hired a professional trainer to teach their people how to communicate with Western customers. The Japanese style uses passive wording, perceived by Western customers "as if they do not want to make business with us". Nothing was further from the truth; the Japanese corporation was of course very interested in Western business. I witnessed another case of misinterpreted correspondence first hand, when a colleague received an email from another colleague in Europe. When reading it he suddenly murmured: "Why is he yelling at me?" I asked him what he meant and he responded that the colleague's use of exclamation marks would be equal to yelling at him. A look at the email confirmed what I thought: the exclamation marks underlined great importance - not to scold the reader. Using the exclamation mark that way is common practice in the country of the writer. But the author wrote in English - so should it not be natural using Anglo-American writing styles and rules?

We will have more fruitful interpersonal and business experience, if:

1. Individuals writing in their second or third language, avoid phrases, formulations and special punctuations that are common in their language but might be unknown or sometimes even offending in other cultural regions. Keep it as simple as possible.
2. Receivers of emails not written in the writer's mother-tongue should read them with extra tolerance. The writer took great efforts to learn this language, but do not expect

The Importance of English in International Business

The major factor involved in the importance of English in international business is the acceptance of English as the international language of the business community for the purpose of uniformity in communication. Accepting English eliminates the need to explore an alternative language. If not English, then what language works better for the international business community?

English as an International Language

Perspective of English as Global Communication

If English as a global language "means that English has the widest distribution on the most continents, it is true. If it means that English is the language most utilized for international communication between and among language communities, it is true. But if it implies that English is the language of all the peoples of the globe, it is manifestly false" (Harris, 2001, 685). What may be good for the functionality of business may not be accepted as being good for the non-business community. With any new project or venture, research and development of the product or service should be done so that words used to communicate with the new market are not received with offense. Be sensitive and respectful concerning the decisions made in regard to the ways communication is used and worded.

Perspective of English as Learned Communication

"It is crucial that students are equipped with-and be aware of-both the linguistic and strategic repertoire that they can draw from in situations where they use English to communicate with those who do not share their first language and culture. In addition to the development of strategic competence, students also need to be reminded that communication is a two-way road. That is, making one's own message clear and trying to understand others is not the sole responsibility of non-native speakers or speakers of 'less standard' English varieties (however that is defined). Everyone is responsible for overall successful communication, whether it is international or not" (Matsuda and Friedrich, 2011, 340). Be mindful that words can have different meanings in different parts of the same country. Therefore, having words that have different meaning in different parts of the world is a reasonable possibility. There can also be different versions of English in different locations. Business English could also be different from the native English of an English-speaking country. Do not assume; technology has been made available to know for sure what is involved in any given business project or transaction.

English in International Business Communication

"In thinking about the impact of English on international business, there will be two effects: the intra-language effect and the inter-language effect. The intra-language effect would relate to the impact that English has in stimulating international business activity between English-speaking countries" (Hejazi and Ma, 2011, 153). If the native English of each of the two countries is slightly different, it still could have the feel of dealing with a non-English speaking country if time is not spent coming to an agreement defining business English. Business professionals new to a market will benefit by finding out how things work and use the same language the other market stakeholders are using.

"The inter-language, commonly referred to as "lingua franca", effect refers to the impact English would have on stimulating FDI activities between countries which have different official languages. The inter-language effect would have two dimensions: the first involves the use of English by a non-English-speaking country when carrying out international business with English-speaking countries; the second involves the situation in which English is used as a vehicle language between two non-English-speaking countries that use different official languages" (Hejazi and Ma, 2011, 153). Even though cooperation in using English in both cases may result in positive benefits for the countries involved, sensitivity in communication should be exercised to avoid miscommunication that may offend members of the markets involved. Good judgment with word choice is very important.

International Business Opportunity - How to Make Big Profits All Over the World

When it comes to making profit all over the world one of the best ways to do so is to take advantage of an international business opportunity. This kind of opportunity can be done on the Internet and it can be promoted to all types of people all over the world. This is one of the biggest advantages since you literally do not have any limitations when it comes to marketing your product or service.

Even though you will have to deal with people that do not know your language it will be a huge market for your capture because not only are you going to be successful for getting people in your specific country but also the different countries around the world. When it comes to limitations the only thing that restricts your profit is not being able to promote all over the world and this is why a lot of people who just get involved in local businesses are never able to go to another level in profits.

Dedicating the time to learning about the facts of the international business opportunity will pay off in the long run when you're finally able to start your own international business. It will take some time for you learn and get familiar with the different languages and countries that you will be dealing with but remember that it's worth it in the long run even though it will take some time to investment into it.

There are many different types of international business opportunities available on the Internet so just make sure you take your time when it comes to choosing one. Make sure you're comfortable with the opportunity and that they offer a very valuable service at a very affordable price. This will prove to be a huge help in the long run when people are very satisfied with what you are offering and continue to stick around.

Understanding the Importance of International Business

International business is all business transactions-private and governmental-that involve two or more countries. Why should one be interested in studying international business? The simplest answer is that international business comprises a large and growing portion of the world's total business. Today, almost all companies, large or small, are affected by global events and competition because most sell output to and/or secure suppliers from foreign countries and/or compete against products and services that come from abroad.

More companies that engage in some form of international business are involved in exporting and importing than in any other type of business transaction. Many of the international business experts argue that exporting is a logical process with a natural structure, which can be viewed primarily as a method of understanding the target country's environment, using the appropriate marketing mix, developing a marketing plan based upon the use of the mix, implementing a plan through a strategy and finally, using a control method to ensure the strategy is adhered to. This exporting process is reviewed and evaluated regularly and modifications are made to the use of the mix, to take account of market changes impacting upon competitiveness. This view seems to suggest that much of the international business theory related to enterprises, which are internationally based and have global ambitions, does often change depending on the special requirements of each country.

Another core issue is the company's growth and the importance of networking and interaction. This view looks at the way in which companies and organisations interact and consequently network with each other to gain commercial advantage in world markets. The network can be using similar subcontractors or components, sharing research and development costs or operating within the same governmental framework. Clearly, when businesses formulate a trading block with no internal barriers they are actually creating their own networks. Collaborations in aerospace, vehicle manufactures and engineering have all sponsored the development of a country's or a group of countries' outlook based on their own internal market network. This network and interaction approach to internationalisation shows the substance of being able to influence decisions when knowing how the global network players work or interact.

For example, a crucial market network is that of the Middle East. Middle East countries are rich, diverse markets, with a vibrant and varied cultural heritage. This means that although there has been a harmonisation process during the past few years, differences still exist. Rather than business being simpler as a result, it should be recognised that because of regulations and the need those countries have to restructure as they enter the global market, performing any kind of business can be highly complex. It should be remembered though that the Middle-Eastern countries have a low-income average and like to have their cultural differences recognised. Those firms that will or have recognised these facts have a good chance of developing a successful marketing strategy to meet their needs. Fortunately some firms have realised these important differences and reacted adequately when strategic decisions had to be made regarding their penetration to this kind of markets.

International Business Cooperation - Does The Olympics Help the Process?

No one can deny that the Olympic Games bring nations together, and help humans understand that we aren't all that different, and that we all very much care about doing our best, our country, and competition. Recently, some scholars have gotten together and noted that the Olympic Games have not stopped humans from having wars, and while that may be true, we don't know for sure how many wars have been prevented due to the mutual benefit and coming together of humans across the planet in these Olympic Games over the years.

Now then, let me ask you a question; "do the Olympic Games also help international business cooperation, free and fair trade, and working together to help economic development and our global economy?" I believe the answer is yes, and I have noted in discussing with my international business acquaintances about the Olympic Games, and I have congratulated them on one of their athletes or teams in winning a gold medal or competing quite handedly in Olympic competition. Indeed, I have also noted the topic being brought up by them to me.

If anything else, this becomes an icebreaker, a celebration of humanity and human competition across the planet. We are much better off if we can compete in sports competition rather than in wars. Perhaps this is what the International Olympic Committee had considered around the turn of the 1900s. In hindsight, and we can mathematically point to these issues, there have been more wars, not fewer, and more people killed in wars as well. Of course we can't blame this on the Olympic Games, nor should we pretend that the Olympics could stop all human conflict.

Nevertheless, it has helped in so many other ways such as; international trade and negotiations, and in international business. More deals are made across borders when we are better able to understand the person on the other side of the phone or across an ocean. Therefore, it would be very hard to debate that the Olympics haven't been good for international business and trade, the evidence is indeed clearly there, and I can attest to that from direct experience and observation, as can a number of other business owners, and corporate multinational conglomerate executives.

I would say that is a good thing, and it's just too bad that the Olympics only come around every four years. Perhaps it would be nice if they could come twice as often, which is another concept altogether. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it, let's unite the world.

Global Business - Licensing and Franchising

Another approach to international business is licensing. Important point, license agreements entitle one company to produce or market another company's product or to utilize its technology in return for a royalty or fee. Sounds good with our company. Here's an example - a U.S. business might obtain the rights to manufacture and sell a Scandinavian skin lotion in the United States, using the Scandinavian formula and packaging design. The U.S. company would be responsible for promoting and distributing the product, and it would pay the Scandinavian company a percentage of its income from sales in exchange for the products rights.

Licensing deals can also work the other way, with the U.S. company acting as the licenser and the overseas company as the licensee. Another important point, the U.S. firm would avoid the shipping costs, trade barriers, and uncertainties associated with trying to enter other markets, but it would still receive a portion of the revenue from overseas sales. Moreover, licensing agreements are not restricted to international business. A company can also license its products or technology to other companies in its domestic market.

Just going to expand a little on franchising. This technique is getting expensive everyday. Franchising is another was to expand into foreign markets. With a franchise agreement, the franchisee obtains the rights to duplicate a specific product or service (ex. restaurant, photocopy shop, or a video rental store). And the company selling the franchise obtains a royalty fee in exchange. Holiday Inn WorldWide has used this approach to reach customers in over 60 countries. The point is that by franchising the operation, a company can minimize the costs and risks of global expansion and bypass certain trade restrictions.

Risks in International Business

Just as there are reasons to get into global markets, and benefits from global markets, there are also risks involved in locating companies in certain countries. Each country may have its potentials; it also has its woes that are associated with doing business with major companies. Some of the rogue countries may have all the natural minerals but the risks involved in doing business in those countries exceed the benefits. Some of the risks in international business are:

(1) Strategic Risk
(2) Operational Risk
(3) Political Risk
(4) Country Risk
(5) Technological Risk
(6) Environmental Risk
(7) Economic Risk
(8) Financial Risk
(9) Terrorism Risk

Strategic Risk: The ability of a firm to make a strategic decision in order to respond to the forces that are a source of risk. These forces also impact the competitiveness of a firm. Porter defines them as: threat of new entrants in the industry, threat of substitute goods and services, intensity of competition within the industry, bargaining power of suppliers, and bargaining power of consumers.

Operational Risk: This is caused by the assets and financial capital that aid in the day-to-day business operations. The breakdown of machineries, supply and demand of the resources and products, shortfall of the goods and services, lack of perfect logistic and inventory will lead to inefficiency of production. By controlling costs, unnecessary waste will be reduced, and the process improvement may enhance the lead-time, reduce variance and contribute to efficiency in globalization.

Political Risk: The political actions and instability may make it difficult for companies to operate efficiently in these countries due to negative publicity and impact created by individuals in the top government. A firm cannot effectively operate to its full capacity in order to maximize profit in such an unstable country's political turbulence. A new and hostile government may replace the friendly one, and hence expropriate foreign assets.

Country Risk: The culture or the instability of a country may create risks that may make it difficult for multinational companies to operate safely, effectively, and efficiently. Some of the country risks come from the governments' policies, economic conditions, security factors, and political conditions. Solving one of these problems without all of the problems (aggregate) together will not be enough in mitigating the country risk.

Technological Risk: Lack of security in electronic transactions, the cost of developing new technology, and the fact that these new technology may fail, and when all of these are coupled with the outdated existing technology, the result may create a dangerous effect in doing business in the international arena.

Cross Cultural Solutions for International Business

Globalisation, the expansion of intercontinental trade, technological advances and the increase in the number of companies dealing on the international stage have brought about a dramatic change in the frequency, context and means by which people from different cultural backgrounds interact.

Cross cultural solutions to international business demands are increasingly being viewed as a valid and necessary method in enhancing communication and interaction in and between companies, between companies and customers and between colleagues.

Cross cultural consultancies are involved in aiding companies to find solutions to the challenges cross cultural differences carry.

International and national businesses are ultimately the result of people. As with incompatible software, if people are running on different cultural coding, problems can occur. Cross cultural consultancies therefore concentrate their efforts on interpersonal communication.

Different cultures and cultural backgrounds between a highly diverse staff base brings with it obstacles, challenges and difficulties. Cross cultural differences manifest in general areas such as in behaviour, etiquette, norms, values, expressions, group mechanics and non-verbal communication. These cross cultural differences then follow on through to high level areas such as management styles, corporate culture, marketing, HR and PR.

In order to overcome potential pitfalls, specialist attention is required in the form of a cross cultural consultant. As one would approach a doctor for a medical diagnosis or an accountant to examine finances, cross cultural consultants offer the expertise, experience and know-how to diagnose problems and provide solutions to interpersonal cultural differences.

Within companies there are many facets in which cultural differences manifest. Some key areas which cross cultural consultants deal with include, but are not exclusive to, the following:

Cross Cultural HR: HR covers a wide range of business critical areas that need cross cultural analysis. Consultants may offer advice on a number of areas including recruitment, relocation, international assignments, staff retention and training programmes.

Cross Cultural Team-Building: in order to have a well functioning business unit within a company, communication is critical. Cross cultural consultants will provide tools and methods to promote staff integration, reduce cross cultural conflicts and build team spirit. This is essentially done through highlighting differences and building on strengths to ensure they are used positively.

Cross Cultural Synergy: international mergers, acquisitions and joint-ventures require people from different cultural backgrounds to harmonise in order to succeed. Cross cultural consultants counsel on group mechanics, communication styles, norms, values and integration processes.

Cross Cultural Awareness Training: working with colleagues, customers or clients from different cultural backgrounds, with different religions, values and etiquettes can occasionally lead to problems. Cross cultural awareness training is usually a generic introduction into a culture, country, region or religion. The aim is to equip the trainee with the adequate knowledge to deal comfortably with people from different cultures, avoiding misunderstandings and mistakes.

Cross Cultural Training for Expatriate Relocation: staff that travel overseas need to understand the cultural basics of the host country or region. Knowledge of the country's history, culture, laws, traditions, business practices and social etiquettes all help to minimise the impact of culture shock and hence smooth their transition overseas.

Cultural Conflicts in International Business Negotiations

One day, a delegation from Dubai visited Company H. Mr. L, the chief representative of the company, received them. As the negotiation went on, Mr. L felt confused and bored because the Arabs asked for a break every hour. Then they went to toilet to wash their hands and faces. When they came back, they knelt down to pray. As there was no towel in the toilet, the Arabs prayed with wet hands and faces. Mr. L found himself in a dilemma, because he did not know whether he should withdraw from the scene or not.

When it was time for lunch, the Arabs were treated to a rich dinner. When everyone was seated, the waitress started introducing the different dishes in English to the Arab visitors. They all looked surprised and pleased at the variety. When the waitress mentioned some specially cooked pork, the smiles disappeared from all those visitors' face and all of them looked angry. No one said a word. Quickly they stood up and left the dinner without saying goodbye to anyone, though there were some important Chinese local guests present. The same day, this Dubai delegation left the city without notifying Company H.

In this case, the staff in Company H is unfamiliar with the Muslim culture. Thus a sharp conflict destroyed their business. In Muslim culture, people pray for five times every day; they are extremely sensitive to pig or any topic related to pig and do not eat pork in their life time. Therefore, people should be very careful when doing business with people from Muslim culture.

From this case, we can also learn that people in doing business are often faced with employees, partners and colleagues of different cultural background. Multiculturalism in the workplace has increased, thus cultural conflict becomes very common. It means depression, serious physical reactions, anger, aggression toward the new culture, and even total failure. All of these reactions would obviously hamper cross-cultural communication. Therefore, to be successful in cross-cultural communication, we should know not only our own cultural rules but also other's cultural rules. Knowing cultural differences, business people could manage the problem of cultural conflict and the consequent frustration.

International Business Travel - Dos and Don'ts

My first business meeting in a country where English was not the native tongue was in Germany. I was terribly nervous. I didn't know German, and no one was with me that could speak it. I fell all over myself trying to make apologies for speaking in English and not knowing their language. They brushed it off as no big deal. It turns out that English is widely accepted in Germany as the language of business and most Germans are taught it as a second language throughout their early school years.

So began my journey into the new world of international business travel. I made many mistakes along the way, but eventually I was able to make these trips and hold business meetings routinely without all the drama. I'll spare you the learning curve and share these international business travel Dos and Don'ts with you:

• Do use the buddy system. It's very important to have someone with you when you travel internationally. Making your way in an unfamiliar country can be bewildering and is more work than you realize. It usually takes two sets of eyes and ears to do things that you would normally do on autopilot when you're at home.
• Do find local help. If you can have someone meet you at the airport, get you settled at the hotel, help you with logistics, and join you for your meetings, then don't pass up the opportunity. It simplifies things greatly. And even though English is the language of business, don't take it for granted. There are important points that will be missed in a meeting just because it's too hard for your hosts to think of the right words to say in English. A helper who knows the language will pick up on this nuance and take the time to get everything on the table and make sure you understand.
• Do speak slowly. You need to slow it down and pause frequently so that your hosts have time to translate in their heads. This way of speaking will feel unnatural, but if you don't do it they will either stop you repeatedly so that they can catch up, or they'll give up altogether and tune you out.
• Don't cram too much into a meeting agenda. You need to cut your expectations in half at least. It takes twice as long to exchange ideas when there are translations going on.
• Don't be an ugly American. Keep the mindset at all times that you are a guest and that their time and company is a gift to you. Try to learn a few phrases of their language for little things like, "thank you", "pleased to meet you", "good morning", and "good bye". Show an interest in their culture and history, and be respectful of their traditions and past.
• Do be prepared for culture shock. Total immersion in another culture will take it's toll on you. Between this and the jet lag your mental energy will run out and you will crash hard the first couple nights. Don't be surprised if you are dying for a cheeseburger and all you want to do at night is hide in your room. But resist these urges and get out and see the world. Your chances to do this are few and far between, and the memories will last you a lifetime.

International Business Dealings

When one talks about international business, it simply connotes business dealings between two countries. Transactions would include a country's resources; whether it be the goods exported, the skills of people and/or financial assets that will benefit either the construction industry, finance, banking and other services.

Nowadays, our society is considered global in terms of business, technology and communication despite the many issues and debates going around it.

Pursuing an international business career can be quite a challenge for many. Unlike the local trade, one needs to understand the different cultures of other countries to be successful. Other than it gives the opportunity to travel, one gets to learn other language and study their different principles and beliefs. You should have a deep interest to be successful in this career.

Other than that, it is also a requirement that you have a background and skills in Math, communication and the most important one's creativity and uniqueness. You cannot simply expect to use the same method in dealing with one group of people to another. You must instead learn to adapt each time or you will be left behind.

Modern technology in communication does not hold any barrier in dealing in any business dealings because of easy access. Take the Internet for example. Because of it, business can be conducted within minutes despite the distance of the different contracting parties.

Information is easily passed from one country to another because of Internet access and all the fast abilities it presents to people. This makes collaboration between other countries easy when it comes to sales, marketing, manufacturing and even outsourcing of tasks. Whatever problems you face may it be financial or technical, it can be easily addressed.

It is not surprising that many are considering pursuing an international business career as it is one potential profession. To be successful, you need to understand how business is done based on the different cultures of every country. Once you achieve this, you can establish a strong business relationship with colleagues from other nations.

Always be prepared by researching about your clients before you venture out to talk business with them. An open mind is essential for you to be able to deal with the differences of culture, language and political system. Without thinking that way, I am afraid you will always struggle with fulling getting the concept of international business and all the positives it can bring to the table.

International Business and Communication

Today companies trade goods and provide services to global customers. Many companies have facilities in different countries and most companies, small and large, work already with a highly diverse, international workforce.

Communication is clearly the enabler of any kind of cooperation and business activities - nationally and internationally. Different cultures have particular business communication styles, well accepted and adopted by their population. Other cultures have different ways to conduct business and with that, use different styles to open, discuss, negotiate and close business deals and maintain business relations.

What is the best way to communicate for people of different cultural background? The potential customer's style or the one that relates to the language used during the communication? Unfortunately there is no clear answer to this question.

Specific communication styles have developed over long periods based on cultural values. Even with the wish to "speak the language of the customer", these values cannot just be set aside when writing or talking to people of other cultural influence.

Two little anecdotes show the difficulties in communicating internationally. A Japanese corporation hired a professional trainer to teach their people how to communicate with Western customers. The Japanese style uses passive wording, perceived by Western customers "as if they do not want to make business with us". Nothing was further from the truth; the Japanese corporation was of course very interested in Western business. I witnessed another case of misinterpreted correspondence first hand, when a colleague received an email from another colleague in Europe. When reading it he suddenly murmured: "Why is he yelling at me?" I asked him what he meant and he responded that the colleague's use of exclamation marks would be equal to yelling at him. A look at the email confirmed what I thought: the exclamation marks underlined great importance - not to scold the reader. Using the exclamation mark that way is common practice in the country of the writer. But the author wrote in English - so should it not be natural using Anglo-American writing styles and rules?

We will have more fruitful interpersonal and business experience, if: 

1. Individuals writing in their second or third language, avoid phrases, formulations and special punctuations that are common in their language but might be unknown or sometimes even offending in other cultural regions. Keep it as simple as possible.
2. Receivers of emails not written in the writer's mother-tongue should read them with extra tolerance. The writer took great efforts to learn this language, but do not expect impeccable wording. Try to understand what the writer had in mind.
3. Openness and willingness to understand different cultures and how they express themselves in business communication, bears a huge potential of additional possibilities. There is benefit in learning the ways of other cultures. Adapting some of them may even give the own company a head start.

Intercultural Tips For International Business

In the last few decades International Business has rapidly increased making Intercultural communication crucial to effective, profitable business management. It has not always been fully understood that International business relies upon the trust and goodwill of those who conduct the business or that there are many Intercultural differences between countries and, indeed locations within a country relating to communication style. It is not enough to learn by trial and error regarding Intercultural styles, as to get it wrong can mean a negative impact upon business.

The following tips can aid effective International business communication and positive intercultural relationships:-

a) Tip - Conversation Interaction - it is crucial to understand intercultural concepts of relationships between parties and the manner in which business is conducted. It is important to know when to intervene in a conversation and when to listen. To interject into a conversation can be an unfortunate intercultural mistake affecting business negatively.

b) Tip - Beginning and ending a discussion - Again, there are diverse International cultural differences which need to be observed, greetings, the level of respect shown regarding social position, gender and age. There is often an accepted behaviour and it is essential in business to fully understand the intercultural aspects unique to each country.

c) Tip - In some Cultures it is regarded as offensive to interrupt a conversation. In another Cultural area however, it may be seen as a failure among equals, especially men, if they do not interject. In more Western societies culture often dictates that to interrupt is to be argumentative.

d) Tip -In some countries humour may not be a cultural means by which to relax any tension in new business relationships and can be viewed as disrespectful.

e) Tip - For some, the intercultural process of business conversation focuses around response. It is not acceptable in some areas to pause before responding and can be seen as rude, whereas, in other areas it is seen as respectful in business discussion.

International Business May Be For You

It is a big world out there and your small business could find a way to capture some of the customers that are just waiting to hear about you and your products. Do your products or services lend themselves to "overseas" trade? If they do, then maybe it is time for you to find out how you can take advantage of all the opportunities, just waiting to be won.

International trade is one way to find new and exciting markets for your business and a way to expand and find new customers or suppliers. Over the years, I have worked with many businesses that have seen their sales skyrocket because of the new markets they have found in other countries. Some of the products they import have helped the business owner reduce costs, by doing away with the middleman.

There are a number of government programs to help the small business owner with export business. The Small Business Administration (SBA) has workshops and loan guarantees that can help you figure out how to get started and even finance your sales. There is also the Export Import Bank of the U.S. (EXIM Bank) which offers various direct loans to exporters. A large number of banks have International Banking departments that can help you get started too. Banks offer products like, commercial letters of credit, trade finance, foreign exchange and international wire transfers, which all can help you execute your foreign transactions. Most states, and many municipalities, have foreign trade offices to help facilitate trade with local business and foreign buyers and sellers. They sponsor trade missions to specific countries and workshops about international trade and other related events, to help build awareness of the State or City in which they are founded.

If you have any interest in this kind of business expansion, you should begin to ask questions of others who already have an overseas component to their business. Make a visit to your bank's international department to find out what they offer. The bank will also know what resources are available in your city, county or state. Get on the internet and do as much research as you can and then begin to speak to your sales team and suppliers to obtain further information and input.

Once you have obtained as much information as you can, develop a marketing plan to take your business to the world. If you want to export, find only one or two of the most promising countries and focus on those markets to begin with. Then expand as you find success and gain familiarity with the idiosyncrasies of doing business globally. You may find it fun and rewarding to expand your business outside your established market. Be prepared to travel, however. Like any customer you already have, most foreign business owners want to meet and greet their suppliers or customers. Most business people in the world operate very much as we do here in the USA. International business may not be for you, but it can be a fun challenge and very rewarding. Good luck.

Professional Document Translations - Must for an International Business

Twenty years back, if you had to get some documents translated from one language to another, the least you could do is to find someone with a good understanding of both the languages and ask him to translate your documents. Not surprisingly, this worked quite well at that time. However, twenty years back, the future of business was not really dependent on the accuracy or quality of your translations. Today, the internet has made it possible for different countries of the world to remain interconnected with each other, resulting in incredible growth in the international markets.

So, professional services for document translations are a must for those running an international business. Irrespective of how simple and easy the documents that you need to get translated are, to make a mark in the international market, you just cannot afford to overlook the competency and expertise of the professional translators. The current age of computers have also made it possible to get this work done through machines, which is not more difficult than just copying and then pasting the content. However, sometimes the outcome is barely readable and thus you cannot afford to rely on the results produced by the machines. Therefore, such incomprehensible translated documents aren't acceptable in the real business situations as well.

Businesses must resist the enticement to go for machine translations just for the sake of saving a few bucks. This way of getting your business documents translated eventually costs more in comparison to what it actually saves. The fact of the matter is that although professional services would mean a slight expenditure for your business, but when comparing the money spent to the money made from having a professional do the work, it can really pay off. The best is to seek the services of reputed translation agencies. The prices might be a percentage higher for professionals, but the quality is certainly worth the price.

Translation services aren't just swapping the words. The professional translation service providers translate meanings of the words, which isn't an easy job for sure. In fact, when it comes to quality translations, it is something which only human beings can do. Losing human factor implies losing meaning, which further may result in ineffective communications and therefore lost opportunities. Just like English language, other languages too are full of phrases and words which may sound similar but mean different. Given this, as well as the intricate cultural factors which should always be considered, you can make out why document translations are so complex and why they should be entrusted only to the professionals.

Global Business - Licensing and Franchising

Another approach to international business is licensing. Important point, license agreements entitle one company to produce or market another company's product or to utilize its technology in return for a royalty or fee. Sounds good with our company. Here's an example - a U.S. business might obtain the rights to manufacture and sell a Scandinavian skin lotion in the United States, using the Scandinavian formula and packaging design. The U.S. company would be responsible for promoting and distributing the product, and it would pay the Scandinavian company a percentage of its income from sales in exchange for the products rights.

Licensing deals can also work the other way, with the U.S. company acting as the licenser and the overseas company as the licensee. Another important point, the U.S. firm would avoid the shipping costs, trade barriers, and uncertainties associated with trying to enter other markets, but it would still receive a portion of the revenue from overseas sales. Moreover, licensing agreements are not restricted to international business. A company can also license its products or technology to other companies in its domestic market.

Just going to expand a little on franchising. This technique is getting expensive everyday. Franchising is another was to expand into foreign markets. With a franchise agreement, the franchisee obtains the rights to duplicate a specific product or service (ex. restaurant, photocopy shop, or a video rental store). And the company selling the franchise obtains a royalty fee in exchange. Holiday Inn WorldWide has used this approach to reach customers in over 60 countries. The point is that by franchising the operation, a company can minimize the costs and risks of global expansion and bypass certain trade restrictions.

International Business Site - Get Help With International Business Negotiation

For many business owners the prospect of trading internationally for the first time can be a very worrying experience. The choice to locally source products has always been a favoured method of conducting business however in today's day and age there is simply so much money in international trade that businesses often cannot afford to miss out. Due to lower labour costs, lower tax and generally lower production costs countries such as China, as a small example, manage to produce high quality products at a fraction of the price; something which could seriously increase your businesses profits.

The first thing that many people have to realise is that international business negotiation is never going to be exactly the same as local business negotiation. As you travel around the world various different countries and business communities have various different business principles. Being able to adapt to these principles is therefore a must if you wish to trade in those regions of the world.

An international business site offers a very in depth look into the cultures and business principles of the most common countries where international business takes place and aims to help those new to international trading get a head start. It will teach you not only about the culture and common practices in the country, but also about the business etiquette and how you should move towards international business negotiation.

Common things you need to know about the country before you start international business negotiation.

The chances are that if you wish to conduct international business negotiation you will be flying out to your country of choice. Even if you find a company you would like to trade with online this is a certainty. Here are some of the things you should know before you make your initial visit:

1. The business practices for greeting / meeting a new person such as handshakes and hellos. 

2. What the general business attire is in any given country. Some countries will keep the idea of wearing a suit whereas some may be more relaxed on what you can where to a business meeting. 

3. Different countries have different practices when presenting business cards or exchanging credentials. For example in Asia you are meant to treat a potential partners business card with the up most respect, meaning that you receive it in two hands and place it careful in your inside jacket pocket. 

4. You should learn about the rules when eating in said country as the company you are negotiating with may take you for a meal. This is important in places such as China, where cleaning your plate is considered an insult; very different to countries such as the UK where it would be a compliment. 

5. Look into the countries culture and what they like to do for business entertainment.

Understanding the Importance of International Business

International business is all business transactions-private and governmental-that involve two or more countries. Why should one be interested in studying international business? The simplest answer is that international business comprises a large and growing portion of the world's total business. Today, almost all companies, large or small, are affected by global events and competition because most sell output to and/or secure suppliers from foreign countries and/or compete against products and services that come from abroad.

More companies that engage in some form of international business are involved in exporting and importing than in any other type of business transaction. Many of the international business experts argue that exporting is a logical process with a natural structure, which can be viewed primarily as a method of understanding the target country's environment, using the appropriate marketing mix, developing a marketing plan based upon the use of the mix, implementing a plan through a strategy and finally, using a control method to ensure the strategy is adhered to. This exporting process is reviewed and evaluated regularly and modifications are made to the use of the mix, to take account of market changes impacting upon competitiveness. This view seems to suggest that much of the international business theory related to enterprises, which are internationally based and have global ambitions, does often change depending on the special requirements of each country.

Another core issue is the company's growth and the importance of networking and interaction. This view looks at the way in which companies and organisations interact and consequently network with each other to gain commercial advantage in world markets. The network can be using similar subcontractors or components, sharing research and development costs or operating within the same governmental framework. Clearly, when businesses formulate a trading block with no internal barriers they are actually creating their own networks. Collaborations in aerospace, vehicle manufactures and engineering have all sponsored the development of a country's or a group of countries' outlook based on their own internal market network. This network and interaction approach to internationalisation shows the substance of being able to influence decisions when knowing how the global network players work or interact.

For example, a crucial market network is that of the Middle East. Middle East countries are rich, diverse markets, with a vibrant and varied cultural heritage. This means that although there has been a harmonisation process during the past few years, differences still exist. Rather than business being simpler as a result, it should be recognised that because of regulations and the need those countries have to restructure as they enter the global market, performing any kind of business can be highly complex. It should be remembered though that the Middle-Eastern countries have a low-income average and like to have their cultural differences recognised. Those firms that will or have recognised these facts have a good chance of developing a successful marketing strategy to meet their needs. Fortunately some firms have realised these important differences and reacted adequately when strategic decisions had to be made regarding their penetration to this kind of markets.

International Business Opportunity - How to Make Big Profits All Over the World

When it comes to making profit all over the world one of the best ways to do so is to take advantage of an international business opportunity. This kind of opportunity can be done on the Internet and it can be promoted to all types of people all over the world. This is one of the biggest advantages since you literally do not have any limitations when it comes to marketing your product or service.

Even though you will have to deal with people that do not know your language it will be a huge market for your capture because not only are you going to be successful for getting people in your specific country but also the different countries around the world. When it comes to limitations the only thing that restricts your profit is not being able to promote all over the world and this is why a lot of people who just get involved in local businesses are never able to go to another level in profits.

Dedicating the time to learning about the facts of the international business opportunity will pay off in the long run when you're finally able to start your own international business. It will take some time for you learn and get familiar with the different languages and countries that you will be dealing with but remember that it's worth it in the long run even though it will take some time to investment into it.

There are many different types of international business opportunities available on the Internet so just make sure you take your time when it comes to choosing one. Make sure you're comfortable with the opportunity and that they offer a very valuable service at a very affordable price. This will prove to be a huge help in the long run when people are very satisfied with what you are offering and continue to stick around.

The Importance of English in International Business

The major factor involved in the importance of English in international business is the acceptance of English as the international language of the business community for the purpose of uniformity in communication. Accepting English eliminates the need to explore an alternative language. If not English, then what language works better for the international business community?

English as an International Language

Perspective of English as Global Communication

If English as a global language "means that English has the widest distribution on the most continents, it is true. If it means that English is the language most utilized for international communication between and among language communities, it is true. But if it implies that English is the language of all the peoples of the globe, it is manifestly false" (Harris, 2001, 685). What may be good for the functionality of business may not be accepted as being good for the non-business community. With any new project or venture, research and development of the product or service should be done so that words used to communicate with the new market are not received with offense. Be sensitive and respectful concerning the decisions made in regard to the ways communication is used and worded.

Perspective of English as Learned Communication

"It is crucial that students are equipped with-and be aware of-both the linguistic and strategic repertoire that they can draw from in situations where they use English to communicate with those who do not share their first language and culture. In addition to the development of strategic competence, students also need to be reminded that communication is a two-way road. That is, making one's own message clear and trying to understand others is not the sole responsibility of non-native speakers or speakers of 'less standard' English varieties (however that is defined). Everyone is responsible for overall successful communication, whether it is international or not" (Matsuda and Friedrich, 2011, 340). Be mindful that words can have different meanings in different parts of the same country. Therefore, having words that have different meaning in different parts of the world is a reasonable possibility. There can also be different versions of English in different locations. Business English could also be different from the native English of an English-speaking country. Do not assume; technology has been made available to know for sure what is involved in any given business project or transaction.

English in International Business Communication

"In thinking about the impact of English on international business, there will be two effects: the intra-language effect and the inter-language effect. The intra-language effect would relate to the impact that English has in stimulating international business activity between English-speaking countries" (Hejazi and Ma, 2011, 153). If the native English of each of the two countries is slightly different, it still could have the feel of dealing with a non-English speaking country if time is not spent coming to an agreement defining business English. Business professionals new to a market will benefit by finding out how things work and use the same language the other market stakeholders are using.

"The inter-language, commonly referred to as "lingua franca", effect refers to the impact English would have on stimulating FDI activities between countries which have different official languages. The inter-language effect would have two dimensions: the first involves the use of English by a non-English-speaking country when carrying out international business with English-speaking countries; the second involves the situation in which English is used as a vehicle language between two non-English-speaking countries that use different official languages" (Hejazi and Ma, 2011, 153). Even though cooperation in using English in both cases may result in positive benefits for the countries involved, sensitivity in communication should be exercised to avoid miscommunication that may offend members of the markets involved. Good judgment with word choice is very important.

International Business Cooperation - Does The Olympics Help the Process?

No one can deny that the Olympic Games bring nations together, and help humans understand that we aren't all that different, and that we all very much care about doing our best, our country, and competition. Recently, some scholars have gotten together and noted that the Olympic Games have not stopped humans from having wars, and while that may be true, we don't know for sure how many wars have been prevented due to the mutual benefit and coming together of humans across the planet in these Olympic Games over the years.

Now then, let me ask you a question; "do the Olympic Games also help international business cooperation, free and fair trade, and working together to help economic development and our global economy?" I believe the answer is yes, and I have noted in discussing with my international business acquaintances about the Olympic Games, and I have congratulated them on one of their athletes or teams in winning a gold medal or competing quite handedly in Olympic competition. Indeed, I have also noted the topic being brought up by them to me.

If anything else, this becomes an icebreaker, a celebration of humanity and human competition across the planet. We are much better off if we can compete in sports competition rather than in wars. Perhaps this is what the International Olympic Committee had considered around the turn of the 1900s. In hindsight, and we can mathematically point to these issues, there have been more wars, not fewer, and more people killed in wars as well. Of course we can't blame this on the Olympic Games, nor should we pretend that the Olympics could stop all human conflict.

Nevertheless, it has helped in so many other ways such as; international trade and negotiations, and in international business. More deals are made across borders when we are better able to understand the person on the other side of the phone or across an ocean. Therefore, it would be very hard to debate that the Olympics haven't been good for international business and trade, the evidence is indeed clearly there, and I can attest to that from direct experience and observation, as can a number of other business owners, and corporate multinational conglomerate executives.

I would say that is a good thing, and it's just too bad that the Olympics only come around every four years. Perhaps it would be nice if they could come twice as often, which is another concept altogether. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it, let's unite the world.

Barriers to International Business

Firms desiring to enter international business face several obstacles; some are much more severe than others. The most common barriers to effective business are cultural, social, and political barriers, and tariffs and trade restrictions.

The first one to effective business is the cultural and social barriers. A nation's culture and social forces can restrict international business activities. Culture consists of a country's general concepts and values and tangible items such as food, clothing, and building. Social forces include family, education, religion and customs. Selling products from one country to another is sometimes difficult when the cultures of the two countries differ significantly. For example, when McDonald's opened its first restaurant in Rome, it was met with protest. The people of Rome objected to the smell of hamburgers frying. McDonald's overcame this objection by changing the exhaust system of the restaurant.

The second barrier is the social forces that can create obstacles to international trade. In some countries, purchasing items as basic as food and clothing can be influenced by religion. In many nations, individuals do not have the same choices in food, clothing, and health care.

The third one is political barriers. The political climate of a country can have a major impact on international business. Nations experiencing intense political unrest may change their attitude toward foreign firms at any time; this instability creates an unfavorable atmosphere for international trade.

The last one is the tariffs and trade restrictions. Tariffs and trade restrictions are also barriers to international business. A nation can restrict trade through import tariffs, quotas and embargoes, and exchanges controls.