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When expanding into European markets, many American companies choose Great Britain (England, Wales or Scotland) to establish an operations center or a sales office. Many feel that because we share a common language and have similar cultures it is practical to start with the familiar on a continent with over 25 over languages and business cultures. And while reports of intercontinental business relations are rosy, there are definite differences in business styles that can help keep you out of trouble:
Play Nice… and Serve Tea
The British appreciate politeness, courtesy and above all… avoidance of any type of embarrassment. For instance, a business meeting discussion that has differing points of view would likely be deferred. The meeting’s leader would suggest that the topic needed further study and then take the subject into one-on-one discussions to build consensus. If an unpopular idea were put forth in a meeting, someone would likely call the idea interesting and suggest that everyone think about it for later. In reality, there is no later discussion on the idea. In either case, no one is singled out, embarrassed or walks away with hurt feelings.
Drinks are an expected part of a business meeting. Unlike certain other cultures, you can turn down an offered drink without seeming rude. If you are running the meeting, be sure to have beverages on hand for the attendees. Water, coffee and/or tea are reserved for the meeting only and should not be taken for later or for someone else. To do so might be seen as unethical.
Work Life and Private Life Are Separate
In Britain, there is a clear distinction between work and private life. For Americans, that means that you shouldn’t ask about someone’s spouse or children. It would be considered very intrusive. Also, home life is considered much more important than work life. This needs to be understood when a project might otherwise require additional time from an employee. In many countries, one would expect work colleagues to socialize outside of work. This is not as common in Britain and it would be wise to wait until invited to such an event instead of instigating it. Again, it may be seen as potentially intrusive.
Multicultural Workforce = Multiple Sets of Expectations
Thanks to the former British Empire and smart immigration policies, Britain is home to diverse society. That means that instead of one easy-to-follow set of cultural rules, there are really many sets of hybrid cultural expectations. As a rule of international business, I tend to let my counterpart take lead with their cultural rules. That way, I am able to gain trust from them faster and work more effectively with that person. Another benefit for American companies who are ready to hire locally in Britain is that anyone with more than one culture in their background is likely more flexible in being able to work with another culture – say, the American work culture, for instance. These “Cultural Hybrids” are also more likely to be multilingual. This could prove useful as your company opens new markets in Europe and beyond.
As a final note, if your company is even thinking about establishing a presence in Britain I recommend that you contact the UK Trade & Investment office: www.ukti.gov.uk/invest in case there are any incentive programs available or other helpful information. And if your company is seriously considering the UK, be sure to also investigate Ireland as a possible European location. Ireland is primarily English speaking for business and has the same low corporate tax rates as Britain. For more information about Ireland, contact www.connctireland.com.
| Product Model | Inside Diameter | Outside Diameter | Thickness |
| PBMF210230120M1G1 bearing | 210 | 230 | 120 |
| PBMF21023080M1G1 bearing | 210 | 230 | 80 |