Comparing Brazil and US
The purpose of this essay is to look at cultures and diversity on the example of the comparison of two countries with very different profiles: Brazil and the United States. To ensure the quality of this high-level analysis, it was decided to focus on only three aspects: work, food and drinks and transportation.To begin with, it is important to choose a framework that could structure the analysis. Hofstede (2001) conducted a study, which made a significant contribution to the field of social and political studies.The author outlined six major dimensions for cultural analysis of nations. These dimensions include the following: power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity as opposed to femininity, collectivism as opposed to individualism, long-term versus short-term orientation and indulgence versus restraint.
The above provides a ground for specific analysis. From the business perspective, it is interesting to look at the employment relationships and work environment. When it comes to the acceptance of inequality, in Brazil, people have the higher level of power distance and authority acceptance, demonstrating the score of 62 as opposed to the 40 in the United States and Brazil respectively. At the same time, work culture differs, as Brazil scores only 38, while the US is 91, indicating very individualistic culture. Busines environment in both countries is very short-term orientedas they score 29 and 44 points accordingly. One of the important characteristics is the ability to work under pressure of uncertainty. This dimension along with short-term orientation allows arguing that business environment in the US is more prepared to handle uncertainty as individuals are less sensitive to it. For Brazil, uncertainty avoidance index is high, which indicates the need for planning and importance of goals and specific targets for increased productivity.
Eating out culture in the US and Brazil is similar in a way that both countries demonstrate the high level of interest and openness to various cuisines. An insight into Hofstede's (2001) dimensions allows explaining this similarity. First of all, both nations are are very touristic and at different points in time attracted immigration from other cultures, which built on the profile of the society and better exposure to different foods and drinks. Alcohol consumption per capita reflects that individuals in both countries consume on average 9 liters of alcohol per year. Individuals from both nationalities give preference to beer and spirits (WHO, 2015). At the same time, eating habits in terms of times, the frequency of meals and people attitude towards healthy foods differ a lot. The US is one of the countries with the highest level of awareness of green products and services and preferences for healthy and organic food. This culture in Brazil is still in the development stage and such preference is linked more to high-class and luxury consumption rather than anything else.
Finally, both countries are highly dependent on transportation. Based on the statistic for 2011, United States has one of the highest per capita number of vehicles, while Brazil occupies only 63rd place (OICA, 2013). This is explained by the cost of living and access to private transportation as well as cultural preferences. Metro and bus are the most common means of transportation in both countries while air transport is significantly more popular in the US due to its cost and accessibility to middle and lower middle class. The similarities between the nations can be seen through the business models of the companies and innovative solutions developed for transport, such as entrance of Uber and Cobify as alternative to traditional taxis in the countries (Hogan, 2012).
The above outlines the high-level comparison between the United States and Brazil in terms of transport, food and drinks as well as work. It is evident that each of the discussions could be taken further to offer more specific and quantitative insight. It does, however, give a glimpse into similarities and differences on a cultural level and provides ground for further studies in the field.
Visiting Brazil
Geography and climate of Brazil are very different from what we are all used to. The country is geographically spread and has several climate zones. There are several "must visit" places in the country. I believe that you should find time to visit Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and São Paulo. Rio is very famous among tourists for Christ Statue, Sugar Loaf, and amazing coastal line. São Paulo is a large city with totally different culture. It is an interesting place for gourmet and gastro-tourism. Finally, Salvador is a capital of Bahia state in Brazil, one of the oldest towns with beautiful beaches and architecture that provides a glimpse into the cultural heritage and social discrepancy in the country with such atractions as the church of Nossa Sra. Do Bomfim church, which is one of the first religious constructions in Latin America. While the climate in the country is mostlytropical strong rains are very common during the reain season. It is important to choose the time of your trip to avoid rains.
If you have time for eco-tourism, you should not miss an opportunity to visit Amazon rainforest and sand dunes. These trips require specific preparation and should be organized with the professional travel agency as there are some climate, equipment and security concerns that have to be tackled before your trip.
Brazil is a young country, populated with descendants in their second and third generation. It is possible to see that culture is the mix of Portuguese, Japanese, Uruguayan, Italian, German and other local cultures as aresult of wide immigration in the 20th century. With that in mind, overall culture is very permissive and open. People are very welcoming and will be open to help in any possible way. While most of the cities offer very good infrastructure for tourists, such as signs in English, menus in different languages and guides, but little people speak English on the street. Brazil has one of the highest poverty levels in the world. Social discrepancy and class conflicts are very common. Cities like São Paulo, Salvador and Rio have strong contrast where extremely rich people live side by side with misery. This can be shocking for a foreigner, especially, visiting from developed economy.
Finally, when it comes to visiting the foreign country, you should be aware of the basics of common etiquette. As I mentioned before, Brazilian culture is very heterogeneous, which means that every household will have differences in their internal etiquette. Some of the common elements, however, can be highlighted. Brazil is extremely family culture and families tend to be large. In spite of the mix of ethnicities in the country, Brazil is the class society with strong avoidance of any racist's behavior and discrimination on the basis of ethnical background. Some basic hints on meeting etiquette include shaking the hand when greeting each other and kissing each other on the cheek when meeting informally. When ou are invited to a Brazilian house, you should bring along some small gift for the family. Be aware that gifts are opened when received in Brazil, which is different from many other cultures. Dress code in Brazil is international; however, you may find that casual dress is more formal than in many other cultures
The above hint should help you to build your itinerary and plan the stay in Brazil in general. The country is extremely diverse and attractive for the tourists. It is important to plan well to be able to visit the most and enjoy your stay as the country is big and logistics is an essential part of planning.
References
Hofstede G. (2001). Culture Consequences. Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations Across Nations. London: Sage Publications. Print.
Hogan M. (2012). The Four Skills of Cultural Diversity Competence. 4th Edition.Belmont: Brooks Cengage Publishing. Print.
WHO (2015). Alcohol Consumption Index per Capita per Country. World Health Organization [Online]. Retrieved 03 May 2016, http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/global_alcohol_report/msb_gsr_2014_3.pdf
OICA (2013). World Vehicles in Use. World Bank [Online]. Retrieved 3 May 2016, http://www.oica.net/wp-content/uploads//total-inuse-2013.pdf
