Australia is a huge island continent located in the southeast of Asia. Australia is well known for its natural beauty, presence of numerous cultures and a rather diverse population. The country has an enormous geographical array that forms its character, vast cultural diversity and rich opportunities. Australia is an attractive business location in the world that provides cosmopolitan companies, which are targeting the Asia-Pacific region as a potential market, with a premeditated location. Australia gives room for foreign investors and it is an easy country to conduct business with and in. The national language of Australia is English, thus giving it an upper hand in terms of business as this is an international language. The Australian political system also provides greater contribution to businesses and investors. The stable political system provides investors with security and facilitates investments. Therefore, it is essential to understand the complexity of Australia to be able to have a proper comprehension of its cultures.
Australia has a define culture where the difference in the social status does not mean inequality in the society. This culture creates unity and avoids differentiation among individuals. It ensures parity and develops mutual respect for one another. Another critical aspect is that Australia does not lay much emphasis on academic qualifications, personal achievements, and business success.
Openness is a highly valued aspect of the Australian business culture. Members of the population have a culture of being open and direct in the way they conduct their everyday activities. Australians are factual and get straight to the point in their conversations and actions. Throughout communication, Australians make powerful and challenging opinions. As a nation, they give value to directness in speech and opinions and respect individual views. In business, this virtue encourages greater development of new ideas and faster growth of the business. New ideas create room for both individual and business growth while encouraging lively discussions and debates. In business, Australians appreciate personal privacy. Most people are rather cautious when developing personal relationships.
Working practices in Australia follow the national regulations and are not dependent on the kind of institute or business investment type. The importance of implementing business etiquette is to ensure there is respectful communication among colleagues, people portray an appropriate behavior in any given situation, and networking skills are high enough; all these factors contribute to a great success in business (Gorrill, 2007). Australian business culture is not very different from those in other nations. Considering the culture of an organization assists one in defining the etiquette expected. In Australia, it is vital to have excellent business etiquette. Business etiquette is changing and evolving constantly. Taking time to learn the essential business etiquette serves one well.
The key business practice in Australia is punctuality. Being late for work or a business appointment is a sign of lack of commitment, being unreliable and careless (Gorrill, 2007). When it comes to punctuality, it is not characteristic of the Australians to bend rules even when dealing with foreigners. When it comes to making appointments, it is essential to schedule them one month in advance. This does not mean that getting to meet a business executive is difficult; it is only essential in making monthly plans. Getting a business appointment with business executives in Australia is simple as they are easily accessible and very accommodating. The business working hours in Australia lie between 9.00am to 5.00pm. There are five main working days; from Mondays to Fridays. The majority of business professionals go on holidays during Christmas and Easter. This makes it unreliable to set business trips during these seasons.
Australians are different in terms of working relationships. In Australia, business associates come up with a first name basis in all their dealings. This creates a feeling of mutual respect and equality among employees. The use of titles in Australia is not vital, though, when making introductions, it courtesies to use the last name and precede with the title – Mr., Mrs., or Ms. Establishing a personal relationship with colleagues is also critical (Martin, 2006).
In Australia, when one meets a person for the first time, it is habitual to shake hands at the beginning and at the end of the meeting (Ehow, 2010). Women are the first to make the handshakes though they are not allowed to shake hands with fellow women. With regard to the earlier introductions, negotiations always continue quickly. In Australia, negotiation of key issues is conducted mainly openly and directly while following the laid company policies. Bargaining is not their custom. Presentations also have to be transparent and result-oriented. In addition, they should follow all the acceptable terms and leave minimal allowance for adjustments. Side talks in negations and meetings are not encouraged and everyone has to abide to the rules and laws and not allow individual feelings to take precedence. The business sector in Australia consists of pragmatic individuals; they are efficient and result-oriented (Bosrock, 2010).
Despite the nation has an overall result-oriented outlook headed for business, the decision making phase is slow. There occur great extensions while making decisions in business yet there is no rushing. The Australian culture in business gives room for collaboration where the entire management and their subordinates provide personal input. All the opinions are weighed while viewing the different options available before making a final decision.
Exchanging business gifts is not customary in Australia, though it is acceptable as such a gesture symbolizes appreciation and satisfaction in the services one received. In the corporate sector, it is advisable to have a standard dress code. Dressing in dark suits and ties is the standard attire for both males and females. Wearing business suits is the mainly preferred formal attire. The climate in Australia is relatively hot so one has to ensure their clothing is lightweight and comfortable.
In conclusion, the Australian business culture and etiquette are unique in their own way. One should have a small talk before attending a business meeting. This gives one an opportunity and environment to develop a rapport with the colleague, which is an important practice. Keeping personal distance during business discussions is vital as Australians value personal space. Maintaining a direct eye contact during conversations enables one establish trust among colleagues. When reviewing the Australian business culture, it is crucial to note that boasting about one’s company’s abilities and success in business adds no value as Australians believe in modesty and do not favor self-importance (Gorrill, 2007). Introducing aggressive sales techniques in business negotiations puts off Australian business people as they dislike pressure.
