1. THE UNITED KINGDOM
BUSINESS PROTOCOL

2. CULTURAL FACTS
•The United Kingdom is
comprised of four countries:
•England
•Scotland
•Wales
•Northern Ireland
•Official language: English
(Other languages: Welsh,Irish,
Gaelic,Cornish)

3. CULTURAL FACTS
•For geographic and cultural reasons,
people from UK feel different from European
people.
• Even between them they prefer to be
called English, Welsh , Scottish, and
Northern Irish instead of British. There is a
strong sense of identity and nationalism.
•You mustn´t call someone Welsh, Scottish
or Irish `English´ or they will feel offended.

4. BUSINESS PROTOCOL
•Business people in the UK are usually
widely experienced in interacting with other
cultures.
•When negotiating, business people may
often expect things to be done `their way´.
•The British use `understatement´ and irony
very widely when speaking. They tend to
use terms such as `perhaps´, `possibly´, `it
could be´.

5. •The handshake is the most common way of
greeting someone when meeting and leaving.
•Kissing is reserved for family members in
private.
•They prefer to maintain a few feet of
distance between them and the person they
are talking to.
GREETINGS
do´s and dont´s

6. •Physical contact is rare and best avoided.
•British people don´t like to show their
emotions in public.
•They are very reserved, so asking open
personal questions should be avoided.
•Gestures are usually subtle in the U.K. It is
advisable to restrict your body language.
They may seem stiff and formal at first.
GREETINGS
do´s and dont´s

7. GREETINGS
do´s and dont´s
•Avoid prolonged eye contact as they may
feel rather uncomfortable.
•Business cards are exchanged at the initial
introduction without any formal ritual.
•Introduce a younger person to an older
person, or the one with the lowest status
first.

8. BUSINESS MEETINGS
•Punctuality is generally expected. Avoid
being more than 5 to 10 minutes late, and
call ahead if you will be.
• Meetings usually start with a small talk
about your trip, the weather, traffic,etc.

9. BUSINESS MEETINGS
•At restaurants, especially those used for
business lunches and dinners, keep
conversations at a quiet level. Being loud may be
regarded as bad manners.
•Business people in this country usually speak
in a controlled way.