英语作业:巴西国家民俗介绍

国家介绍

República Federativa

The Federative Republic of Brazil is the largest country in Latin America, population ranks fifth in the world, the area ranks fifth in the world.

国旗 国徽

Dress

Appearance is extremely important in Brazil and it is vital that you look your smartest. First impressions count for a lot in the early stages of the relationship building process.

Men are best advised to wear conservative dark suits and traditionally, three-piece suits have indicated an executive position whereas two-piece suits have indicated office worker status.

Women tend to be less conservative in their dress sense at the office than women from many other countries. They ‘dress to impress’ and are more flamboyant that in many other countries.

Women

Foreign business women are treated fairly and with respect which reflects a trend in Brazil which sees women increasingly joining the business world and making significant advances. However, despite this trend, it is still fairly unusual to find senior female managers at the very highest levels of Brazilian owned organizations.

This does not mean however that Brazilian men will forget 'old world' traditions and may mean, for example, that they may not allow a woman to pay for a lunch or dinner and that women can expect to be complemented on their looks, appearance and dress sense.

Entertment

Business entertaining forms an integral part of business life in Brazil and business meals can be lengthy affairs. Do not be surprised to spend two hours over lunch and three hours or more over dinner. If you are entertaining business guests, make sure that you do it in style — do not be tempted to cut corners.

Business meals are really about getting to know each other as people so don't be tempted to try to use the meal as an extension of a meeting. Keep the conversation at the social level and if business is to be discussed, wait until the coffee is served.

Brazilians tend to use their knife to cut up the food and then place it against the plate whilst continuing to eat using only the fork. All food is eaten with a fork — don't use your fingers as this is considered bad form.

Although most social events will start much later than the official start time, it is good idea to arrive at any business functions on time — you may find that you are the first person their, but then again, you may not.

Most restaurants will automatically add a 10% service charge on to the bill, but it is still a good idea to leave a further tip of between 5 — 10%.

Tips（面试or工作）

Tip 1

Brazil offers a wealth of opportunities to prospective investors but is also a country beset with bureaucratic and cultural difficulties - it is imperative to do your homework in advance.

Tip 2

Due to the various cultural and administrative complexities of the country, local advice and expertise is imperative in the early stages of business development.

Tip 3

Companies tend to be organised along strictly hierarchical lines (although this may vary if

dealing with the subsidiary of a multi-national).

Tip 4

If possible, make sure you are dealing with the decision-maker rather than an influencer of the decision-maker.

Tip 5

Managers are expected to manage - don't be afraid to give clear, precise instructions.

Tip 6

Organisational hierarchy can be complicated by an intricate web of political alliances and

relationships. Who is the real decision maker?

Tip 7

Relationships come first, second and third in Brazil. Time spent working on the development of long-term friendly relations is never a waste of resource.

Tip 8

It is always a good idea to stress long-term commitment to Brazil and your Brazilian contacts. Try to keep in touch between contracts or projects. Your relationship with your Brazilian

counterparts is not purely transactional. It is personal as well.

Tip 9

Although first meetings can be more formal. They are generally quite informal and relaxed. Tip 10

Punctuality is a variable commodity in Brazil. Meetings often start and finish late. It can be difficult to schedule more than one or two meetings per day

Tip 11

Meetings usually start and finish with quite a lot of small talk - this is an important section of the meeting and should not be rushed.

Tip 12

Agendas are not always used and if present may be ignored by everybody except you.

Tip 13

Effort needs to be put into the process of melding a team together. Provide time space and opportunity for the all-important relationship-building process.

Tip 14

Although many Brazilians speak very good English, it is not universally spoken. When dealing with people outside the major cities, you may need to check if translation to Brazilian

Portuguese is necessary.

Tip 15

Great emphasis is placed on the value of verbal communication. The things that people say are often given greater weight than anything in a written format.

Tip 16

Don't simply rely on emails to give information. Follow things up with a phone call or a

meeting to discuss the matter.

Tip 17

The use of emotion in communication should be seen as a sign of enthusiasm and emphasis rather than as anger or loss of control.

Tip 18

Brazilians use a great deal of body language, stand at relatively close proximity and have

strong levels of eye contact. Try to become comfortable with these - don't act in a reserved fashion.

Tip 19

Although it is important to give the impression of being an easy-going lover of life, humour is best avoided in serious situations.

Tip 20

Appearance is very important for both men and women. Your appearance should reflect your level of importance.

Custom：1. Brazilian social occasions to meet with the guests, the most commonly used courtesy smile and facilities handshake ceremony gift business card。General, when you meet with another you will express greet and pay tribute by hold fists on hips (line ceremony first clenched fist, then stretched out to over thumb);

习俗

1、巴西人在社交场合与客人相见时，最常用的礼节是微笑和施握手礼交换名片。一般相见时，往往以

拳礼相互表示问安和致敬（行此礼要先握紧拳头，然后向上空伸出姆指）；

2、巴西人在与亲朋好友、熟人或情人之间相见时，大多都习惯施拥抱礼或亲吻礼。妇女之间最常用吻礼（在施礼时要脸贴脸用嘴发出接吻的吻声，以此来舒发她们的亲热之情，但她们虽吻而嘴却不接触脸）；

3、一般礼仪葡萄牙语是巴西的通用语言；

1）称谓与问候：巴西人不以表露感情为羞，在马路上也会相互拥抱。男人与女人见面和分手时一般总是握手为礼。妇女们相遇时，交换亲吻的方式是脸颊相贴，空吻一下。与一小群人告别时，必须与在场的人一一握手。

2）约会与准则：像大多数拉丁美洲人一样，巴西人对时间与工作都很随便。事实上，通常比约定的时间迟到10分钟或15分钟。切不要一开始就讨论商业事务，除非你的主人先开始谈。

3）款待与馈赠：预期会接二连三地给你送上一小杯很浓的咖啡。如果你是在巴西人家里接受了招待，礼貌的做法是在翌日给女主人送去一束鲜花并附上一封感谢信。切忌送紫色的花，紫色是死亡的象征。

4）交谈：巴西人爱夸耀自己的孩子，对他们的孩子表示关注会使他们高兴。巴西男人喜爱逗人的笑话，也爱放声大笑，但别谈带有种族意识的笑话，也不要谈论阿根廷。还应回避谈论政治、宗教以及其他有争议的话题。[14]

社交礼仪 礼物

从民族性格来讲巴西人在待人接物上所表现出来的特点主要有二。一方面，巴西人喜欢直来直去，有什么就说什么。另一方面，巴西人在人际交往中大都活泼好动，幽默风趣，爱开玩笑。巴西人在社交场合通常都以拥抱或者亲吻作为见面礼节。只有十分正式的活动中，他们才相互握手为礼。除此之外，巴西人还有一些独特的见面礼。其一，握拳礼。其二，贴面礼。其三，沐浴礼。

服饰礼仪

在正式场合，巴西人的穿着十分考究。他们不仅讲究穿戴整齐，而且主张在不同的场合里，人们的着装应当有所区别。在重要的政务、商务活动中，巴西人主张一定要穿西装或套群。

餐饮礼仪

巴西人平常主要吃欧式西餐。因为畜牧业发达，巴西人所吃食物之中肉类所占的比重较大。在巴西人的主食中，巴西特产黑豆占有一席之地。

禁忌

吉祥象征：蝴蝶

适于谈论的话题：足球、笑话、趣文等等。

与巴西人打交道时，不宜向其赠送手帕或刀子。信仰忌讳巴西人大多数信奉天主教， 另外也还有少部分人信奉基督教新教、犹太教以及其他宗教。他们忌讳数字"13"，他们普遍认为"13"为不祥之数，是会给人带来厄运或灾难的数字。

Doing Business in Brazil

Brazil is a major exporter of many of the world’s most sought after commodities which has, for example, seen its trade flows with the emerging super-economy that is China explode over the

past decade or so. Couple this fact with the enormous surge in commodity prices over the same period and it’s an easy assumption to make that Brazil is in a very good place at the

moment. Indeed, Brazil weathered the economic storms of 2008 pretty well and didn’t really dip in the manner of many other advanced industrial countries. The oft used phrase which Brazilians use when things are going well in the country; ‘God is a Brazilian’ has probably been much in use of late.

In addition to this Brazil is fast becoming the South American economic super-power – hardly surprising given its mineral wealth, massive population (and therefore domestic market) and geographic

location. (The only countries that Brazil does not share a border with in South America are Chile and Ecuador and it is the fifth largest country by landmass in the world).

However, look below the surface of these facts and things may not be as positive as they might at first appear. The Brazilian currency the real has remained stubbornly expensive over many years and the impact of this can be seen in the cost of living that hits the visitor between then eyes as soon as they book a hotel room or buy themselves a meal. The disparity of income levels between the urban rich of Brazil and the rural poor continues to widen and this inequality risks destabilizing the fragile political peace which followed decades of turmoil and military intervention. Add to these problems the never-ending struggles against corruption and it is probably true to say that Brazil is poised between a very bright future and the danger of slipping back into some old, familiar problems.

This combustible mixture of positive signs and potential pitfalls mean that it imperative that those looking to do business in Brazil or with Brazilians, really need to do some careful preparation and one of the key elements of that preparation should be to look carefully at the business culture of the people you are likely to meet. In Brazil they do things the Brazilian way and the business culture and etiquette you will meet there are as distinct and unique as those you might find in Germany or India.

This Brazil country profile is designed as a starting point to help you begin to wrestle with the way things are done in Brazil – but it is only a starting point. When you have read this country profile, why not invest in one of the books suggested in the reading list or, better still, talk to Global Business Culture at

[email protected]. Global Business Culture are world leaders in the field of the impact of cultural differences on international business performance and have assisted a large number of companies who are working with or wish to work with Brazil.

Background To Business in Brazil

Over the past few years, Brazil has moved from a country with great promise 'some time in the future' to being seen as one of the hottest investment opportunities in the world. A more stable political system and currency, coupled withe vast mineral wealth of the country make Brazil a 'must' for all companies with truly global ambitions.

With a population of 194 million, Brazil represents the fifth largest market opportunity in the world — after China, India, Indonesia and the USA. It is also the fifth largest country in the world by geographic size. An IMF (International Monetary Fund) report indicates that Brazil leads all other South American countries in

terms of infrastructure and technological development. Combine these facts with the stabilising economic and political landscape — (the twin nightmares of corruption and hyper-inflation ravaged the country for decades) — and it is easy to see why Brazil attracts a higher percentageof total global foreign direct investment year on year.

However, anybody wishing to do business with Brazil and the Brazilians should be aware of the various cultural and structural barriers which might confront them. Probably the most pervasive barrier

encountered by the unwary traveller would be the 'Custo Basil' or the 'Brazil Cost'. This term refers to the very real extra costs of doing business in Brazil — corruption, governmental inefficiency, legal and bureaucratic complications, excessive taxation, poor infrastructure, inflation etc. Although this 'costa' is difficult to define and has lessened in recent years, it remains real and the cause of great frustration for international business people. Due to this 'Custo Brasil', it is important to work closely with local lawyers and accountants. Many people have found the services of local middlemen (despachante) extremely useful in overcoming many of the unfathomable local complexities. So, as with many countries, the opportunites are there and they are real but it essential to understand the local business landscape if you are to reap the rewards - rgardless of whether your sector is banking and finance, computing or pharmaceuticals, local knowledge is vital.

Brazilian Business Structures

As with most South American countries, Brazilian companies will tend to be organised along strictly hierarchical lines with information flowing in a very structured way up and down the various chains of command. As in most structured hierarchies, most key decisions will be made at the most senior levels of an organisation and all international negotiators are well advised to try to develop a good understanding of the corporate structure of any potential partner - as a great deal of time and resource could potentially be wasted by trying to get a decision out of somebody who does not really have the requisite level of authority.

Try to find out the exact structure of the organisation, people's position within a department relative to their colleagues etc., but be aware of an added complication. The organisation chart you are shown may not reflect the way in which power actually flows within the organisation due to the complicating factor of the power of personal relationships. Business organisations are riddled with internal politics where one's allegiance to an individual may be considered of greater importance than any reporting lines on an organisation chart. (Trying to understand the intricacies of these internal relationships could be another example of where the use of a local middleman or despachante could prove invaluable.)

Brazilian Management Style管理模式

A manager's personal style is considered to be of great significance and it could almost be said that his or her bearing is viewed as of great an importance as their technical abilities. The respect, which is afforded

the manager by subordinates, is directly proportionate to the personality of the boss. Relationships are of key importance in this Latin culture and the boss and subordinates work hard to foster a relationship based on trust and respect for personal dignity.

First and foremost, managers are expected to manage. The boss is expected to give direct instructions and it is expected that these instructions will be carried out without too much discussion or debate (if there is debate it should be done in private to avoid showing public disrespect to the hierarchy). If giving instructions to Brazilian subordinates, try to be as clear, precise and comprehensive as possible. If tasks remain undone after having asked for them to be done, start by questioning yourself. Were my instructions given clearly? Was I too vague? If you only give partial instructions, only part of the task will be performed. (As in most strongly hierarchical cultures, subordinates will undertake the exact tasks they are given but no more — to do more might be seen as disobeying the boss!)

Brazilian Meetings

Initial meetings can be somewhat formal - where you are expected to shake hands with everybody present on arrival, but any subsequent meetings are likely to become much more informal. There is likely to be a great deal of small talk before the meeting proper starts. Do not be in too much of a hurry to end this initial part of the meeting as the tone you set here could be important in the relationship development cycle. Do not make yourself appear impatient or overly pushy.

Although non-confrontational, Brazilians have a Latin temperament and will often appear extremely emotional during meetings (especially to those cultures who have a more reserved approach). Emotion is merely an expression of commitment and interest and does not indicate a lack of control or anger. Less emphasis is placed on the importance of absolute punctuality than in some Anglo and Asian cultures and you should not be surprised if meetings start late and finish even later. Again it is important that you do not become obviously frustrated by this flexible attitude to time. The relationship is seen of far greater importance than time-related issues.

If an agenda is produced, do not expect it to be followed. All the issues on the agenda will be covered, but not necessarily in the order they appear on the written document. In a country which is severely hampered by red-tape and bureaucracy, this flexible approach ('jeito') is of real importance and may prove to be your greatest asset.

Don't be in too much of a hurry to rush off at the end of a meeting, even if the meeting is running late. Take the time to seem relaxed and easy-going as these are qualities much admired in Brazil. Brazilian Teams In order to ensure good, collaborative team-working within Brazil or from Brazilian colleagues working in international teams, it is important that everybody has the opportunity to get to know each other well and form those all-important relationship bonds. This might mean that it takes longer to mould a Brazilian

team than it would a similar team in the USA or the UK. Team members will be very keen to fully understand their exact role and responsibilities within the team — as well as the roles and responsibilities of all the other team members. People do not like to be seen encroaching onto somebody else's area of responsibility. It is also seen as difficult to know if you have done a good job if your role is ill-defined. Each team member will expect to see a chain of command within the team (as befits a hierarchical culture) and if no such chain of command exists, the team leader can expect that every small problem will be brought to them directly — it is difficult to get inter-team communication on such matters. Brazilian Communication Styles

Many senior and middle ranking Brazilian business executives speak excellent English and in fact many of them may have studied abroad in the USA or Europe. However, English is by no means universally spoken and when dealing with people outside the major commercial centres, an ability to speak Brazilian Portuguese is extremely useful. (Try to avoid using Spanish as this can be seen as culturally insensitive. Brazilians are proud of their uniqueness in South America as non-Spanish speakers.) If doing business in Brazil for the first time, check out whether you will need a translator or not.

As with many Latin countries, communication tends to be predominantly oral rather than through the written word. Brazilians tend to put the spoken before the written word. When sending something in a written format it is usually a good idea to follow it up with a phone call or a visit.

Verbal communication in Brazil can often be viewed as being theatrical and over-emotional by those cultures which place a great significance on the maintenance of professional reserve in all situations. In a country like Brazil, if you feel something strongly, you show it. Overt signs of emotion definitely do not imply lack of conviction and should be taken as the deeply felt belief of the speaker.

The use of significant amounts of exaggerated body language (by the standards of less tactile cultures) plays a significant role in normal communication. Brazilians are very tactile — even across the sexes — and work at very close proximity. They also exhibit strong levels of eye contact when speaking to people. This combination of tactility, proximity and a steady gaze can be intimidating for some culture (many Asian cultures for example), but it is important that you adapt to these issues as quickly as possible otherwise your own reserve could be misinterpreted as unfriendliness.

Be careful when using humour in very serious situations as it can be viewed as lacking in gravitas. However, in everyday situations it is important to be seen as good company and entertaining. Life is to be lived and enjoyed.

Women in Business in Brazil

Foreign business women are treated fairly and with respect which reflects a trend in Brazil which sees women increasingly joining the business world and making significant advances. However, despite this trend, it is still fairly unusual to find senior female managers at the very highest levels of

Brazilian owned organizations.

This does not mean however that Brazilian men will forget 'old world' traditions and may mean, for example, that they may not allow a woman to pay for a lunch or dinner and that women can expect to be complemented on their looks, appearance and dress sense.

Brazilian Dress Code

Appearance is extremely important in Brazil and it is vital that you look your smartest. First impressions count for a lot in the early stages of the relationship building process.

Men are best advised to wear conservative dark suits and traditionally, three-piece suits have indicated an executive position whereas two-piece suits have indicated office worker status.

Women tend to be less conservative in their dress sense at the office than women from many other countries. They ‘dress to impress’ and are more flamboyant that in many other countries.

Successful Entertaining in Brazil

Business entertaining forms an integral part of business life in Brazil and business meals can be lengthy affairs. Do not be surprised to spend two hours over lunch and three hours or more over dinner. If you are entertaining business guests, make sure that you do it in style — do not be tempted to cut corners.

Business meals are really about getting to know each other as people so don't be tempted to try to use the meal as an extension of a meeting. Keep the conversation at the social level and if business is to be discussed, wait until the coffee is served.

Brazilians tend to use their knife to cut up the food and then place it against the plate whilst continuing to eat using only the fork. All food is eaten with a fork — don't use your fingers as this is considered bad form.

Although most social events will start much later than the official start time, it is good idea to arrive at any business functions on time — you may find that you are the first person their, but then again, you may not.

Most restaurants will automatically add a 10% service charge on to the bill, but it is still a good idea to leave a further tip of between 5 — 10%.

Tip 1

Brazil offers a wealth of opportunities to prospective investors but is also a country beset with bureaucratic and cultural difficulties - it is imperative to do your homework in advance.

Tip 2

Due to the various cultural and administrative complexities of the country, local advice and expertise is imperative in the early stages of business development.

Tip 3

Companies tend to be organised along strictly hierarchical lines (although this may vary if dealing with the subsidiary of a multi-national).

Tip 4

If possible, make sure you are dealing with the decision-maker rather than an influencer of the decision-maker.

Tip 5

Managers are expected to manage - don't be afraid to give clear, precise instructions. Tip 6

Organisational hierarchy can be complicated by an intricate web of political alliances and relationships. Who is the real decision maker?

Tip 7

Relationships come first, second and third in Brazil. Time spent working on the development of long-term friendly relations is never a waste of resource.

Tip 8

It is always a good idea to stress long-term commitment to Brazil and your Brazilian contacts. Try to keep in touch between contracts or projects. Your relationship with your Brazilian counterparts is not purely transactional. It is personal as well.

Tip 9

Although first meetings can be more formal. They are generally quite informal and relaxed. Tip 10

Punctuality is a variable commodity in Brazil. Meetings often start and finish late. It can be difficult to schedule more than one or two meetings per day

Tip 11

Meetings usually start and finish with quite a lot of small talk - this is an important section of the meeting and should not be rushed.

Tip 12

Agendas are not always used and if present may be ignored by everybody except you. Tip 13

Effort needs to be put into the process of melding a team together. Provide time space and opportunity for the all-important relationship-building process.

Tip 14

Although many Brazilians speak very good English, it is not universally spoken. When dealing with people outside the major cities, you may need to check if translation to Brazilian Portuguese is necessary.

Tip 15

Great emphasis is placed on the value of verbal communication. The things that people say are often given greater weight than anything in a written format.

Tip 16

Don't simply rely on emails to give information. Follow things up with a phone call or a

meeting to discuss the matter.

Tip 17

The use of emotion in communication should be seen as a sign of enthusiasm and emphasis rather than as anger or loss of control.

Tip 18

Brazilians use a great deal of body language, stand at relatively close proximity and have strong levels of eye contact. Try to become comfortable with these - don't act in a reserved fashion.

Tip 19

Although it is important to give the impression of being an easy-going lover of life, humour is best avoided in serious situations.

Tip 20

Appearance is very important for both men and women. Your appearance should reflect your level of importance. 习俗

1、巴西人在社交场合与客人相见时，最常用的礼节是微笑和施握手礼赠送名片。一般相见时，往往以拳礼相互表示问安和致敬（行此礼要先握紧拳头，然后向上空伸出姆指）；

2、巴西人在与亲朋好友、熟人或情人之间相见时，大多都习惯施拥抱礼或亲吻礼。妇女之间最常用吻礼（在施礼时要脸贴脸用嘴发出接吻的吻声，以此来舒发她们的亲热之情，但她们虽吻而嘴却不接触脸）；

3、一般礼仪葡萄牙语是巴西的通用语言；

1）称谓与问候：巴西人不以表露感情为羞，在马路上也会相互拥抱。男人与女人见面和分手时一般总是握手为礼。妇女们相遇时，交换亲吻的方式是脸颊相贴，空吻一下。与一小群人告别时，必须与在场的人一一握手。

2）约会与准则：像大多数拉丁美洲人一样，巴西人对时间与工作都很随便。事实上，通常比约定的时间迟到10分钟或15分钟。切不要一开始就讨论商业事务，除非你的主人先开始谈。

3）款待与馈赠：预期会接二连三地给你送上一小杯很浓的咖啡。如果你是在巴西人家里接受了招待，礼貌的做法是在翌日给女主人送去一束鲜花并附上一封感谢信。切忌送紫色的花，紫色是死亡的象征。

4）交谈：巴西人爱夸耀自己的孩子，对他们的孩子表示关注会使他们高兴。巴西男人喜爱逗人的笑话，也爱放声大笑，但别谈带有种族意识的笑话，也不要谈论阿根廷。还应回避谈论政治、宗教以及其他有争议的话题。[14]

社交礼仪

从民族性格来讲巴西人在待人接物上所表现出来的特点主要有二。一方面，巴西人喜欢直来直去，有什么就说什么。另一方面，巴西人在人际交往中大都活泼好动，幽默风趣，爱开玩笑。巴西人在社交场合通常都以拥抱或者亲吻作为见面礼节。只有十分正式的活动中，他们才相互握手为礼。除此之外，巴西人还有一些独特的见面礼。其一，握拳礼。其二，贴面礼。其三，沐浴礼。

服饰礼仪

在正式场合，巴西人的穿着十分考究。他们不仅讲究穿戴整齐，而且主张在不同的场合里，人们的着装应当有所区别。在重要的政务、商务活动中，巴西人主张一定要穿西装或套群。

餐饮礼仪

巴西人平常主要吃欧式西餐。因为畜牧业发达，巴西人所吃食物之中肉类所占的比重较大。在巴西人的主食中，巴西特产黑豆占有一席之地。

禁忌

吉祥象征：蝴蝶

适于谈论的话题：足球、笑话、趣文等等。

与巴西人打交道时，不宜向其赠送手帕或刀子。信仰忌讳巴西人大多数信奉天主教， 另外也还有少部分人信奉基督教新教、犹太教以及其他宗教。他们忌讳数字"13"，他们普遍认为"13"为不祥之数，是会给人带来厄运或灾难的数字。