Israel Africa | Business Guide | 2020

Suits Meet African and Israeli business etiquette show cultural differences– and being aware of them could pave the way to successful deals By Bar Eitan T wo non-western culturesmeet – very little couldgowrong. Right? Not exactly. Israeli culture and themanyAfrican cultures surely do not oppose each other. Still, many aspects are different, and being aware of differencesmight helpbusinesspeople navigate meetings successfully Doing business in an African territory requires awareness of its culture and customs. Therefore it is essential to get familiarized with its cultural background and basic ethical philosophy to understand how to establish a business relationshipwith an African businessman. Getting Acquainted When researching the web about an African organization, remember that the business culture in Africa does not consider maintaining an updated website a high priority. Only a small percentageof thecompaniesarepublic companies obligated to make public their results and economic media is limited. Collaborating with other Israeli companieswill help in collecting information, jointly benefiting from local windows of opportunity, or by giving African partners a package of Israeli technology that complements each other’s features. Israeli entrepreneurs and executives are often considered flexible and spontaneous. The Israeli style of communication is direct - sometimes seen by others as too straightforward - and theywould expect their business partners to be just as honest. Informality also exists in the dress code, which is usually business casual, far froma suit and a tie. An invitation to go for a beer downtown for the evening is a common way of entertaining a potential business partner. On the African side, however, there are many facets: cultural diversity is a central part of the African identity. No two nations are the same, and Israelis should make enquiries about the specific country they are aiming at doing businesswith. Whatmight be acceptable in S.E. Asia, for example, may be unacceptable in Africa. While meeting them, Israelis should remember that Africans are usually conservative and sensitive, so they follow formal business etiquette and a hierarchical system. Knowing African entrepreneurs on an amiable personal level will create a sound basis for further business negotiations. It is considered polite to ask about the welfare of the other party and their family's health and other personal inquiries. This particular way of communicating could go down well with Israelis, who like to get on familiar terms in a business relationship rather soon. Africansgreetpeoplewithhandshakes. However, it is advisable to avoid shaking hands with a lady, as she might be of the Muslim faith. Just a bow could do the job. Frenchor Portuguese-speakingAfrican business people may prefer not to communicate in English with foreign partners even if they understand it. Negotiations In Africa, given their ‘group-oriented’ culture, consensus and consultation tend to guide the decision-making process .One should expect to get plenty of "yesses" as answers in business meetings, as saying "no" is considered impolite in many African countries. Israelis, who are used to openanddemocratic argumentswithin their organization, might interpret this asdishonesty - is thepotential business partner earnest about proceedingwith the project they offered? It would be wise tofind a trustworthy local person to co-attend meetings and interpret what is being said. Impatient and generally aggressive Israelismight find that doing business inAfrica requires the stamina of a long distance rinner. Years might pass before getting approvals to reach the milestones on your road to start earning income froma deal. That's not unusual inAfrica, and inmost cases, it Israel Africa > Business Guide > 2020 18 > General Information > Business Culture