India's Business Culture

India’s Culture and Its Impact on Communication

Melissa CennenoDenise CollinsTyler McNee

Patricia Voight

Social Customs, Collectivism & Tolerance for Conflict

• Meeting etiquette• Exchanging business cards and gifts• Set aside personal goals• Focus on the group• Dislike confrontation• Relationship building and harmony

High-Context, Time & Formality

• Communication is high-context• Social cues are through people or

surroundings• Monochronic (tangible) vs. polychronic (fluid)• Time for meetings, deadlines, and business• Relationships, business etiquette, and dress• Hosting more formalized business practices

Uncertainty Avoidance, Masculinity & Future Orientation

• Types of Uncertainty Avoidance:• High – more careful, etc.• Low – less careful, etc.

• Types of Masculinity:• More• Unmanly

• Types of Future orientation:• High – save now, spend later• Low – spend now, save later

Dress, Gender Roles & Power Distance

• Men: Suit & Tie• Women: Conservative dresses or pantsuits• Use of leather products is offensive• Women have low social status• Women are less educated than men• Modern women with jobs is frowned upon• Power distance indicator: 77

References• http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/etiquette/doing-business-india.html• http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/india-countr

y-profile.html• http://indiathink.com/collectivism/ • http://www.culturecrossing.net/basics_business_student_details.php?Id=

22&CID=96• http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/india.htmhttp://www.lifepaths360.com

/index.php/indias-views-on-gender-roles-15166/• http://www.clearlycultural.com/geert-hofstede-cultural-dimensions/unce

rtainty-avoidance-index/

• http://futureorientation.net/2010/07/29/what-is-organizational-future-orientation/

• http://geert-hofstede.com/india.html• http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/ci-ic-eng.asp?iso=in• http://www.marin.edu/buscom/index_files/Page605.htm