Culture and Main Business Practices

Culture and Main Business Practices

Brazil is the largest country in South America with a total area of 8,511,965 sq. km. being the largest country in the region, it shares boundaries with all the south American countries expect Chile and Ecuador (CIA, 2011). It has a population of close to two hundred million. The country has a mostly tropical climate with dense forests, which include the AmazonBasin, semiarid regions in the northeast, rolling plains in the southwest, savannahs, mountainous and hilly regions, coastal lowlands and the largest wetland areas. Brazil is a vast land and most of that land is forested. Brazil boasts of having the largest portion of the world’s largest rain forest, the Amazon. This has however changed over the last couple of years as deforestation continues to make way for agriculture and illegal logging (U.S. Department of State, 2011).

The main ethnic groups in the country are whites, mulatttos (both white and black races) and blacks. It also has smaller ethnic groups such as the Japanese, Arabs and Amerindians. Most of the people in the country speak Portuguese and it is the country’s official language. Christianity is the dominant religion in the country, and more than seventy percent of the people are Roman Catholics. Some of the people belong to traditional protestant religions and others practice traditional religions, which originated from Africa. The cultural practices in the country are a mixture of different world cultures from Portugal, South America, Europe, African and some countries in Asia. Like most countries in Latin America, Brazil ranked high in uncertainty avoidance, scoring 76 points. This is an indication that the people do not feel comfortable taking risks or being in situations that are not familiar. The country is mostly a collective society. It ranked 38 in individualism/collectivism. The country was ranked average in power distance and masculinity/femininity (Maley, 2009).

Brazil is a federal republic with a federal government, made up of the executive, legislative and the judiciary. The president is the chief of state and acts as the head of government. He is elected by the people and he serves for only one term. The president appoints the cabinet and the ministers in the judiciary, with approval from the senate. The country’s GDP rate is 2.1 trillion dollars with an annual growth rate of 7.5%. It is rich in natural resources such as wood, bauxite, hydropower, iron ore and manganese. The government has put up measures to manage the environment through conservation units, forest concessions and designated indigenous land, and it does so at the national, state and municipal levels (U.S. Department of State, 2011). This has reduced deforestation and has saved a large part of the forest. The government is taking advantage of the country’s rich natural resources and it looking for viable options to introduce biofuels in the country. It has utilized its large sugarcane production to this effect and has produced ethanol for use as a form of energy.

The country has invested many resources into research and it is encouraging the scientific community to research on agriculture and technology, remote sensing and medical research. Agriculture accounts for 6% of the GDP and close to 40% of the exports are agricultural products. Some of the agricultural products produced in the country include sugarcane, coffee, tropical fruits, soybeans, cocoa and corn among other products. The country is also rich in animal products and it has the largest commercial herd. Beef, poultry and pork are major products in this sector. The services sector is the largest in the country and it accounts for 66% of GDP. The main services are in telecommunications, banking, commerce and energy. The industry sector is involved in the production of steel, chemicals and petrochemicals, commercial aircraft and machinery, vehicles and auto parts among other items. The country has developed offshore fields, providing it with the oil it needs (BBC, 2011).

The country’s major markets are the US, China and Argentina. The country has grown tremendously over the past few years and the rates of unemployment have reduced considerably. This has been enabled by the increased exports and different development social programs, control of inflation, a floating exchange rate and the use of good fiscal policies. Most of the country’s population lives in the urban areas. The two major cities are Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and they hold more than thirty million people. The standards of living in the two cities are the highest in Brazil as people often migrate there in search of employment. There is a wide disparity between the rich and the poor although the government is seeking ways of addressing the problem. A third of the people in the major cities live in the slums, or favelas, as they are commonly known (BBC, 2011).

Managers often strive to have a good working relationship with their employees. The business culture in the country is hierarchical and employees are expected to show respect to their seniors. The employees are expected to follow orders and to restrain from arguing with their employers. Teamwork is practiced in Brazil but the members take time in knowing each other and understanding their particular roles and responsibilities. When communicating, most people use gestures and making eye contact is very important (World Business Culture, n. d.). When seeking employment in Brazil it is important and mandatory for one to have a work permit. The employer usually applies for the work permit on behalf of the employee in the ministry of labor and employment. The process of applying the permit usually takes two months and the permit is valid for two years. Having personal contact is important in Brazil especially if a person is considering working there. Brazilians take their time before doing business with a person. It is usual to find members of the same family working in the same organizations as Brazilians prefer to work with people who they can trust. Although English is becoming more widely used in the country, Portuguese remains the main language and one has to strive to learn it or have someone to interpret for them. Knowing the language is important as it increases the person’s chances of fitting in with the community (Prospects, 2011).

The work culture is less formal than in the US but that does not mean that it should not be taken seriously. They prefer to talk about informal matters such as enquiring about one’s health and other social issues before the main business agenda begins. They prefer to have a formal look especially at the work place. Even when one is dressing casually, he or she is expected to be neat and smart especially if there is any kind of business that will take place. Although many Brazilians embrace color, it is usually recommended that one should stick to neutral colors when working. When dressing it is important to remember not to mix any green and yellow colors. The people respect these colors, as they are the colors in their flag. As in most places, courtesy is important and necessary regardless of whether a person is in a business environment or in a social place. It is custom to see Brazil women kissing each other on the cheeks as a way of greeting. Men will usually give each other a firm handshake or a pat on the back. This is sometimes extended to foreigners depending on the length of time that he or she has been there. Brazilians are keen on rank and names and using a person’s first name especially in business environment is not appreciated. Titles are respected and it is common for people to use titles such as doctor and professor especially if the person they are addressing has a higher status (Thomson, 2011).

Brazil is a country of many opportunities and challenges. Despite the major accomplishments and changes that have taken place in the country, poverty remains a big challenge. This has led to the increase of crime especially drug related crime. The country is the second largest consumer of cocaine and it produces cannabis (CIA). This has contributed to increased levels of crime as drug lords operate major cartels in the country. Cannabis that is destined for Europe passes through the country and this creates yet another challenge for the government, which is working towards eliminating drugs in the country. Every country faces different challenges and Brazil has shown that it is committed to improving the living conditions of its people and developing the economy.

References

BBC (2011). Brazil country profile. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/1227110.stm

CIA (2011). South America: Brazil. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html

Maley (2009). International business: business in Brazil. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/cmaley/international-business-brazil-slides

Prospects (2011). Brazil: Job market. Retrieved from http://www.prospects.ac.uk/brazil_job_market.htm

Thomson, S. (2011). Doing business in Brazil. Retrieved from http://www.maria-brazil.org/business_in_brazil.htm

US Department of State (2011). Background note: Brazil. Retrieved from http://m.state.gov/md35640.htm

World Business Culture. Doing business in Brazil. Retrieved from http://www.worldbusinessculture.com/Business-in-Brazil.html

 

Use the order calculator below and get started! Contact our live support team for any assistance or inquiry.

[order_calculator]