In brief...: Executives' culture hitch

Nov 30 2007

Most company executives are embarrassed by their ignorance of foreign cultures when they travel abroad on business, claims a survey.

It found that most were making more business trips than before, but felt daunted if they had to meet people in countries with a different business culture such as Japan or the Middle East.

Few companies offered any training to help staff understand different business cultures, according to the study by the Aziz Corporation.

Chairman Khalid Aziz said: "British bosses hoping to be a success in a globalised economy should make all the more effort to be knowledgeable about foreign etiquette."