Hi Ian,

1) Legalities of working/living/living while working – most important question
2) Setting up an office/renting/owning property

those are my two most urgent questions.

Then after that your #1 is a 5, #2 is a 4 (especially language) #3 is a 2 and #4 is a 3 (IMHO)

By Owen on 02.27.06 6:18 pm

[1] 4
[2] 5
[3] 3
[4] 2

As you can see, I think that cultural differences make the most impact and are the most important. Westerners for example who make an effort to communicate effectively using the cultural more’s (sp?) can make an enormous impact id developing relationships. It’s not just about avoiding offence but also about expediting engagement. Talk more 2morrow

By Hal Josephson on 02.27.06 6:23 pm

2, 4, 3, 1 in that order. Understanding culture is a 24 hour job from which the ability to form productive relationships begins. Without it, your entire life overseas will drive you crazy and signal to your business partners that you are out of your depth and should have staid home.

By Martin Chorich on 02.27.06 8:30 pm

#1 Openness to new experiences and ability to learn quickly. People will respond if you are genuine. Next is communications styles and content. Rest will come with due order as necessary.

By Bepsy on 02.27.06 10:37 pm

My experience has been in a number of countries – for the Middle East every country is a bit different. Dubai is very cosmopolitan so the practical needs are probably at the top of the list (your #1), followed by #2, 3 and 4 in that order. In Libya things are very different, but #1 and #2 are still top of the list. In Germany, things like visas aren’t an issue for anyone European, but #3 and #4 are more important, this is pretty much the same in Belgium – except you need to be sure whether you’re talking to a French speaking Belgian or a Flemish speaking Belgian, there’s a certain amount of friction between the two, but it’s something to be aware of rather than something that will cause major problems.

Hope this helps.

By Lesley Morrissey on 02.28.06 12:52 am

[1] 4
[2] 1
[3] 2
[4] 3

Understanding culture is vital once in the country, not simply to avoid offence but in order to develop a strong relationship of trust. I’ve known millions of dollars to have been left on the table because a potential client was upset by the perceived rudeness of Westerners (Particularly in the Far and Middle East.)

Visa, housing, schooling etc should be able to be delegated to a specialist in the home country and the country of work. It should be easy to locate a firm that specialises in such arrangements for foreign nationals

By Stephen Harvard Davis on 02.28.06 2:23 am

(1) 5
(2) 2
(3) 3
(4) 4

Perhaps not asked specifically, but I would call out ‘business practices’ and protocols – it would have been number one on my list. What do business commitments look like, what are the accepted methods for entering into agreements and contracts. It’s tempting to think of the ‘personal’ cultural elements until you try and get a business commitment!

By MikeRoberts on 02.28.06 8:36 am

1 – 1
2 – 5
3 – 4
4 – 5
I think all the points are valid, but these questions touch on more superficial things; cross cultural communication expertise must be present in effective phone calls, presentations etc. but it is also important to understand the communication style: are they an implicit or explicit cultures, are they formal or informal, how important is it to speak the language – in my opinion, very important. I would have included language in the questions, as I think you can’t understand a foreign culture unless you speak the language – or at least understand it.

And working well with colleagues means you have internalized points 1 and 2 and might have mastered the fine points of the different culture – including understanding the humor and possibly inside jokes and expressions which express the general culture (that is also part of making a team work). Just think what it means for a foreigner to understand “West Wing” or earlier on,â€? Seinfeldâ€? episodes.

Obviously there are many more important issues in being able to classify and work well within foreign cultures; I am teaching a class on a similar topic at Stanford’s Continuing Studies this Spring Quarter and would love to have people who are knowledgeable attend the class to enrich the experience of others attending.

By Angelika Blendstrup on 02.28.06 8:26 pm

Ian –

Well, my answer depends on what you want to do. If you simply want to work overseas and your company is taking care of logistics, then:
Number 2 ranks 5
Number 3 ranks 4
Number 4 ranks 3
At least on the first day at your office you’ll be dressed and can greet people appropriately.

However, if you are responsbile for setting up shop and doing your own logistics, then:
Number 1 ranks 5
Number 2 ranks 4
Number 3 ranks 3
Number 4 ranks 2
This is simply because if you can’t get a work permit, a rent office space, and obtain the required permits to do business, it won’t really help if you have great rapport with your foreign staff, because you won’t have any.

As an FYI, I’m still waiting for the ok to visit my colleagues in Moscow.

By Carine Blanchet on 03.01.06 11:20 am

Most important:
1) 1
2) 5
3) 4
4) 4

I am missing a question about how the legal issues. Would rate that 3 or 4.

Cheers,
Chris.

By Chris Grew on 03.02.06 10:05 am

I think the priorities differ whether you are moving to another country on assignment from your current company, working for a foreign company, starting a new business venture, or expanding your business. If you are moving with your company or working for a foreign company then all 4 of these questions apply. If you’re expanding your business or starting a new business, then I would say understanding the local business climate, government rules/regulations, protocol is most important.

Also a guide to resources specifically targetting foreign business, neworking resources become critical. If you’re expanding your business or opening up shop in a new country, you need a way to get a jump start.

Hope this helps.

Mimi

By Mimi Basu on 03.03.06 4:58 pm