Athens is a great destination to be considered for business, this is because it is ranked as one of the richest cities in the world. It is also known for having low crime rates compared to most cities in the world. It has a rich history in which the first philosophers hailed from their and they are Plato and Aristotle. It is also considered to be the first place to have democracy. Its museums have some of the largest collections of Ancient Greek artefacts (Founda).
LANGUAGE/LANGUAGES SPOKEN - Use of English language?
The mostly used language for speaking especially in the working area is both Greek and English (Thornton). Therefore, it is advisable for people who are doing business with people from Greece to learn a few Greek words and mix it with English in order to have an effective communication with the people.
NEGATIVE NON-VERBAL MESSAGES TO CONSIDER &NON-VERBAL INTERACTION CUES
The Greek people are well known to be very affectionate and interactive when communicating with others. Some of the negative non verbal-messages are nodding numerous times yes or no. They believe that one should say the words instead of nodding or nod upwards a sign of NO or once downwards a sign indicating YES. It is also considered to be very rude when one does the signs of O.K but when they do thumbs up then it is considered to be okay. When appreciating someone’s food it is good to kiss the tips of one’s middle finger, thumb and the index finger (Adare).
ATTIRE (business dress code)What is appropriate? Not appropriate? (men/women)
The type of attire worn by people in Greece is usually very conservative especially when they are doing business. The type of dressing for the men is suits that are in dark colours. Greece women wear dresses or skirt suits that are in dark colours and they tend to have make-ups on (Calotychos). It is considered to not be appropriate when people dress in jeans when they are doing business or are in a working environment.
PRESENTING BUSINESS CARDS – how should it be done?
One should always formulate a great first impression before giving someone a business card. It is not necessary for one to be formal when giving somebody a business card. It is very important that the business cards are written in Greek or on one side of the card should be in English and the other side should be translated to Greek. When giving someone the card ensure that the side that is written in Greek is in front of him or her (Adare).
GIFTS - What is appropriate? Not appropriate?
When it comes to business gifts, they are mostly given from one colleague to another. The gifts that are appropriate to give to someone in the business environment are wines that are expensive, gifts that have the logo of the company they represent, and some of the Greek artefacts. In the business environment, it is not appropriate to give someone a cheap wine or give people sharp objects such as scissors or knives. It is appropriate to ensure that the gifts are well wrapped.
COLORS – special meaning or what should be avoided to avoid
Most people in Greece use blue ink in any function even when doing business. It is inappropriate when people use other colours apart from blue. When someone uses the red ink especially a tourist, they are considered to be communist (Adare). The clothes for most people in Greece are colourful and they dress according to the occasion. Dark coloured clothes are worn when they are in a working environment for both men and women. Most women do not wear black clothes but instead tend to wear bright coloured dresses most especially blue and white. The reason why the Greece people like wearing coloured clothing is because they continue to follow how they used to be in the Ancient Greece. Some of the people in Greece wear white clothes when going to bed because they still believe that it will give them pleasant dreams. In the Easter celebrations, the people paint their eggs red. This is mainly done because they that it will give them good luck.
Work cited
Adare, Sierra. Greece: The Culture. New York: Crabtree Publishing Company, 2008.
Calotychos, Vangelis. Modern Greece: A Cultural Poetics. New York: Berg, 2003.
Thornton, Bruce. Greek Ways: How the Greeks Created Western Civilization,. Encounter Books, 2002.
Founda, D. Evolution of the air temperature in Athens and evidence of climatic change: A review. Advances in Building Energy Research, 2011.
