9.4 波兰商务实践在线视频

Hi welcome back

After learning

all the Polish cultural etiquette

it is time to practice

We are now going to have an in-depth tour

in Polish companies or business enterprises

It is good to know more

about structure and hierarchy

in Polish companies

office culture

appointment culture

meeting culture

business negotiation

and working relationships in Poland

Structure and hierarchy

in Polish companies

The Polish organization

is very respectful

of hierarchy and power

with structure and authority

coming from the top

Traditionally

decisions are made by the boss

although in some workplaces in Poland

decision-making is very democratic

Idea generation can happen

at the lowest level

but in general whether or not your ideas

are accepted

depends on how high up

the hierarchy you are

This hierarchical style

is reflected in many Polish business

etiquette and environments

including decision-making processes

and the use of professional titles

The rules and regulations

are an important part

of the business environment in Poland

so your Polish counterparts

will want you to understand

and appreciate the established etiquette

and business manners

Age and educational background

are often the basis of corporate hierarchies

Therefore

when negotiating

it is advisable to send a representative

who is similarly situated

to your Polish colleague

in terms of age

and professional credentials

Office Culture

In general the official hours of operation

are 8am to 4pm

Monday through Friday

with no break at noon

However

many international businesses

and companies

that employ expatriate employees

take a more Western approach

to working hours

from 9 am to 5 pm

Appointment culture

When booking business

it is recommended that

you book four to five days

in advance and confirm the day

before the meeting

Your Polish partner

can be very flexible

and is often ready to change schedules

when necessary

In business meetings in Poland

it is good business practice

to show up on time

While meetings often don’t have

a specific end time

and can take longer than planned

punctuality is critical

to building your reliability

When arranging appointments

keep in mind that

Poland is a big country

and you need to set aside

enough travel time

Make sure you can get to your destination

by train or car

and know how long it will take to get there

Poland’s rail network

is relatively cheap and comfortable

but its roads are not yet

up to European standards

Meeting Culture

Business talks usually begin

with some small talk

to build trust before any specific

business negotiations begin

Topics of discussion

usually include sports and family life

but issues such as money

and Polish history

and relations with European neighbors

should be avoided

In business meetings

Poles usually get into

substantive issues quickly

and the presentation

doesn’t need to be fancy

just clear and easy to understand

It is possible to speak in English

as long as supporting

documentation is provided

in Polish whenever possible

It is important

to bring samples with you

when visiting Poland for a presentation

or to send samples to potential buyers

agents via consignment

to generate interest

Normal international customs

procedures will apply to any shipment

In business talks

Poles are not allowed

to conceal their emotions

especially when irritable

frustrated or angry

Foreign visitors

should know that it is normal to exhibit

such candor and should not be wronged

or disgusted by it

In fact

condescending attitudes

a only I know what’s best mentality

and stubbornness can be difficult

to accept

and may well isolate one

from important business connections

Business negotiation

Be direct and take every word

at face value

In the Polish business environment

negotiations are often described as

low-context which means that

those at the negotiating table

are usually outspoken

and do not hesitate to say no

to your face

Although being outspoken

may seem a bit aggressiv

e in some cultural contexts

such behaviour

helps Polish-speaking people

to be outspoken

and avoid any assumptions

In Polish

what is said is an accurate reflection

of the meaning

Polish businessmen

tend to exhibit

a rather unusual combination

of cultural traits characterized by a

relationship-centric approach

to business

and a transaction-centric

approach to business

While it is important

to build strong relationships

Polish negotiators

tend to be verbally direct

at the negotiating table

Maintain eye contact

across the negotiating table

eyes straight not as intense

as in the Middle East

and Southern Europe

but more direct than in East

and Southeast Asia

When dealing with government

or the public sector

the negotiation process

usually takes longer than

when doing business with the private sector

All important decisions

will ultimately be made

by the top or boss of the business

Working relationships

When doing business in Poland

it is important to remember

the importance of human relationships

Building personal relationships

is key to successfully

achieving business goals

especially if the business will run

for a long time

In the Polish organization

responsibilities and positions

are clearly defined

Attention should be paid

to seniority and special attention and respect

must be given to both

veteran employees

and those in senior positions in the company

Relationships are important

and anyone doing business in Poland

should have a close and trusting relationship

with their Polish colleagues

as this is a stepping stone

to building strong business relationships

Thanks for watching

See you next time