Punctuality and reliability in Ukraine

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 491.

Ukraine's Business Culture

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INTERNET EXERCISE

Written in 2005

Doing business in Ukraine is different from doing business in other countries, especially the U.S., England, Germany, and other northern and central European countries. Here we'll look at what foreign expatriates say about how Ukraine's business culture differs from other countries. Don't be surprised that most of the comments here are negative. Ukraine's culture is not by nature very production-oriented, and it may not be the easiest place to do business, but Ukraine has other virtues — for example, it is a great place to make friends, meet interesting people, and have fun.

Foreigners in Ukraine find that being late is the norm for Ukrainians. Arriving five minutes late to an appointment or meeting is usually seen as perfectly fine. This trait can cause aggravation between foreign and Ukrainian business partners. Foreigners usually adjust to the lack of punctuality over time, and eventually they end up on the other side of the fence and are late to a business meeting with a foreign partner themselves and are surprised at the other person's "profound irritation." This is a sign that cultural adaptation is well underway...

In Ukraine, meetings are frequently rescheduled and cancelled, often at the last minute. Therefore, it's always a good idea to confirm meetings. On the other hand, by confirming a meeting, you're giving your business partner a convenient opportunity to reschedule.