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Gift-givingEtiquetteBriefIntroduction•Ingerneralpeoplelovetogiveandreceivegifts.Theyareremindersofpleasanttimesandfriendships.Buteachcountryhasitsseasonsandoccasionsforgivinggifts.•Gift-givinginsomeculturesisconsideredanintegralpartofbuildinginterculturalprofessionalandsocialrelationships.•Thecarefulselectionandwrappingofagiftandpresentingitatthepropertimewithpropermannersconveystoothersyoursocialsensitivityandgoodmanners.Part1:TheValueofGift-giving•Oneman’smeatcanbeanotherman’spoison.•Togivethepropergiftonemustunderstandthecultureofthereceiver.Twoexamples:•InGermany,redrosesaresymbolicofastrongromanticintrest.•ToJapanese,presentingaknifeissymbolicallysuggestingsuicide.WhereGift-givingMatters•Highlyimportantinbusiness:Japan•Importantbutnotfatal:MiddleEast,Pacificrimcountries•Somewhatimportant:LatinAmerica,CentralandEasternEurope•Notimportant:Australia,Canada,UnitedStates,UnitedKingdom,NorthernEuropeanPart2:Gift-givingCustoms•Gift-givinginJapan:1.Gift-givingisaninstitutionandareveredcustominJapan.2.FavoritegiftswithJapaneseareimportedliquor,consumablesofhighquality,anddesign-madeproducts.3.Importanceisattachednotonlytowhatonegives,butalsotowherethepresentwasbought.Somerulesforgift-givingwiththeJapanese:•Neversurprisethereceiver.•Wrapthegift.•Don’tinsistthereceiveropenthegiftthenandthere.•Giveandreceivegiftwithbothhands.•Commentonthemodestyandinsignificanceofyourgift.•Nevergivefourofanything.•Thevalueofagiftbefitsthestatusoftherecipient.•Giftareusuallyexchangedattheendofavisit.•Trynottogetcaughtempty-handed.•Expect-andrespect-reciprocity.•Cashhandoutsshouldbeavoided.•Styleisjustasimportantassubstance.Gift-givinginChina:•InChina,highvalueisplacedonthepracticeofGuanxiwhichisrootedinConfucianvalues.•SincetheChineseviewgiftsassymbolsoffriendship,trustandmutualobligation,itisbesttoselectitemsthatrepresentone’sownculture.Thefollowingitemsaresuggested:•Deskaccessories•Kitchengadgets•Framedpaintings•CalculatorsandWatches•FlowersandFood•AcellularphoneorsmallCDplayerGiftstoavoidare:•Foreigncurrency•Greenheadwear•Clocks•Umbrellas•Whiteflowers•SharpobjectslikeknivesorscissorsChinesetendtoacceptthefollowing:•Donotunwrapagiftinthepresenceofthegiver.•Alwaysreceivewithtwohands.•Politelyshowreluctancewhenacceptingagift.•Reciprocationisalsonecessary.Gift-givinginAmerica•Wrappingabusinessgiftisnotnecessary.•Giftsareopenedinfrontofthegiver.•Theoralexpressionofthanksisfollowedbyawrittenone.•Businessgiftstotheofficeordepartmentareopenedimmediatelyandsharedbyall.Gift-givinginsomeothercultures(superstitionsandtaboos):•AvoidgivinggiftstotheFrenchuntilapersonalrelationshiphasbeendeveloped;avoidgiftsofperfumeorwine.•AvoidgiftsofaknifeorhandkerchieftopersonsinLatinAmerica.•AvoidgiftsofliquororwineforanArab.•FlowersgivenmustbeinunevennumbersinGermany.