Government Information Services

Finding Sources on Business Etiquette in Foreign Countries

Online Catalog Subject Headings

(Notice that subjects are subdivided by country name when we have something on a specific country.)

Business communication
Business etiquette
Business travel
Culture shock
Corporate culture
Etiquette
National characteristics
Negotiation in business
Americans – foreign countries

Search Strageies for Keyword Searching in Databases or the Online Catalog

• business AND (communications or culture or travel) AND country name
• (etiquette or protocol or nonverbal or intercultural) AND country name
• taboos AND (business or etiquette or culture or cultural)
• taboos and the country name
• DATABASES for Journal Articles:
• ABI/Inform Complete (ProQuest)
• EBSCOHOST - Business Source Complete

Web Sites

Country Commercial Guides
Prepared by U.S. embassy staff and posted on the International Trade Administration web site, these are revised annually and cover the business and economic situation and political climate of foreign countries as they affect U.S. business. Each CCG follows the same format, including topics such as marketing, trade regulations, investment climate, and business travel.

Country Studies (formerly Area Handbooks)In print in Gov. Docs: D 101.22:550- [catalog browse]
"This website contains the on-line versions of books previously published in hard copy by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Army. Because the original intent of the Series' sponsor was to focus primarily on lesser known areas of the world or regions in which U.S. forces might be deployed, the series is not all-inclusive. At present, 101 countries and regions are covered. Notable omissions include Canada, France, the U. K., and other Western nations, as well as a number of African nations. "

Executive Planet.com : Essential Business Culture Guides for the International Traveller
"…guide to international business etiquette and culture in U.S top trading partner nations….Covers numerous aspects of business protocol, including gift-giving, negotiating tactics, appointments, business entertaining, cross-cultural communication and more."

International Gift Giving Protocol – Netique.com

Examples of General Books on Internaional Business Etiquette in the UM Libraries

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ETIQUETTE. ASIA & THE PACIFIC RIM : WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO CONDUCT BUSINESS ABROAD WITH CHARM AND SAVVY.
Call #: HF5389.3.A78 S23 999 – Main Reference [catalog record]

KISS, BOW, OR SHAKE HANDS: HOW TO DO BUSINESS IN SIXTY COUNTRIES.
Call # HF5389 .M67 1994 - Main Reference [catalog record]

BLUNDERS IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS / David A. Ricks
Call # HD62.4 .R53 - latest ed. available online via NetLibrary; earlier editions in stacks [catalog record]

CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION: A PRACTICAL GUIDE
Call # HM258 .B3 1995 [catalog record]

GLOBAL SMARTS: THE ART OF COMMUNICATING AND DEAL MAKING ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD
Call # HF5389 .H63 2000 [catalog record]

INTERCULTURAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATION / Lillian H. Chaney, Jeanette S. Martin
Call # HF5389 .C47 1995 [catalog record]

RULES OF THE GAME: GLOBAL BUSINESS PROTOCOL
Call # HF5389 .L43 1996 [catalog record]

WHEN IN ROME… : A BUSINESS GUIDE TO CULTURES & CUSTOMS IN 12 EUROPEAN NATIONS
Call # HD70.E8 M65 1991 [catalog record]