Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: The Guide to Doing Business in More Than 60 Countries

by Terri Morrison, Wayne A. Conaway

Your Passport to International Business Etiquette The most authoritative and comprehensive text of its kind, Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands, 2nd Edition, is your must-have guide to proper international business protocol. With countries such as China and India taking on a more significant role in the global business landscape, you can't afford not to know the business practices, customs, and philosophies of other countries. Now fully revised, updated, and expanded with over sixty country profiles, Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands, 2nd Edition, provides invaluable information on how to handle common business interactions with grace, respect, and an appreciation for different cultures.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Reference, Travel, Management, Leadership, Cultural

610 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Philip]

"Kiss, Bow, Or Shake Hands" - that is, indeed, the question.

The answer, naturally, is that it depends. Not particularly helpful (unless, that is, you are of the delusion that your way is the only way - but I'm guessing not since you found this book).

While I'm sure the book could benefit from being updated a bit for the 2020s, this is a fantastic starting point if you're (cluelessly?) operating in an international business space. It covers some basics, some nitty-gritties, and some proper manners - situationally speaking, of course.

Handy, very handy - or, so I guess, I haven't really had to use it much in a professional capacity. However, it's also super interesting if you're just curious, so I definitely think it's worth picking up should you stumble on it (and that's a real possibility, btw it is a bit brick-y).

[Coqui]

When someone recommended me this book because of my job, I was skeptical but I gave it a try.

It has been one of the more useful and practical books I've ever read. It gives you a quick but deep insight in the mind of citizens of different countries, the first thing I did when I got this book was to check if they had Mexico and what did it said about it, to test if the book was good and serious. It was amazing how it could perfectly describe a culture in a few pages, of course that it is general description but it is all you need.

I would recommend this book for all those out there who have an interest in international relations, consulates, diplomacy or you just like to travel and know different cultures.

[Allison Tebo]

A good source book for anyone doing business and who wants to avoid misunderstands or potential pitfalls with their International customers.

[Dara Grey]

Bit dated (the edition I read was published in 2006) but still has some solid information that holds up even now. I wish it covered more countries, or at least had a brief about some of the less common ones which may share similarities with the major countries covered.

[David]

I received a copy of this book from my company when I was still working and dealing with some international clients. It is an excellent reference for anyone involved in international business as you can go directly to the country of interest and learn things that can be immediately used for you in your work. It is also very useful to anyone who does much international travel for work or fun. It does include information about business etiquette which may not be that useful for vacationers but might still be of interest. You could also just read it straight through from country to country just to learn a lot of trivia to pull out at parties. I have found it to be very helpful to me in work and personal travels. It doesn't cover every country in the world, but it does a great job on the many more common ones that people will likely visit.

[Jen]

Fantastic book spanning countries from A to Z and including history synopsis, cultural IQ, government overview, decision making, equality analysis, dress, introduction and more. I loved learning about the other countries and will consider this a must read before doing business abroad.

This book is obviously written from the sales perspective and going abroad to curry new business.It would be helpful to have something where the perspective is your own company as a multinational because the different cultures & customs still exist but you're not trying to gain favor but rather working as colleagues.

[Marianne]

Great reference

[Oscar]

Even though it is an older--2007--edition, it sure remains quite relevant to make us aware where we are, as a country and as a culture--And how we have changed, if we somehow managed to do so. It is interesting to see that all countries are always changing--and the bottom line idea would be to change for the better.

Well, culture change is the better one to work on--and, based on my initial impression, most countries that have changed have always instituted a change in education to improve their population. I can see and appreciate that Education is always key--And after reading this amazing and quite useful book--we need to educate ourselves by getting to know what other countries say about us. And maybe think about it, shall we change and make it easier for them to do business with us?

How are we? How do we do business? How do we behave and what we should do to be able to do business with each other? It is sad to see when businesses do not get going for a simple lack of understanding, most times in cultural areas, some of them quite silly, when you find out--from either side of the negotiations.

Strongly recommend this book for anyone-however, more important if you are planning on going to a specific country--so, you will not be doing "silly" things or things that may get you in trouble--Like chewing gum when you visit Singapore....that is a no-no. But, you will need to read the book to find out more--I am sure you will love it. I sure did.

[Kaela]

4 ⭐️

This is such a great comprehensive book to doing business with companies and individuals outside of the USA. I thought it was interesting that there was such a long section of doing business within the USA because if you read a book like The Culture Map, you can see how the interpretation of countries changes based on where you are from. Anyway, back to Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands - I would love a new version of this! These types of books should have updates either online or republished every 10 years due to how much changes in that time. I borrowed it from the library, but having this at home would be helpful to know more about the culture for when you visit a country (both for business and for fun)! I also work with individuals around the world and knowing more about the business protocols that they are accustomed to helps me interact more effectively with them.

[fc7reads]

I read this as a supplemental text for a class I'm taking. It is what it proclaims itself to be, a collection of data points specifically aimed at increasing business acumen in various countries around the world. The details provided take into consideration cultural influences on business dealings with the intention that those using the book as a guide will have a greater understanding than a simple list of do and don't bullet points could provide. It is helpful in grasping how to avoid giving offense as well as knowing which actions by others may unintentionally cause one to feel offended. For anyone seeking to understand why business associates in other parts of the world do things the way they do, this book can be very helpful.

[Sharon]

I think this book would have been useful 15 years ago, but it's very outdated. The Israel chapter was written as if you were only going to Hasidic neighborhoods -- women do NOT have to wear long sleeves and skirts to go to a business meeting in Tel Aviv. The US chapter also didn't differentiate between business cultures in different regions (East Coast vs. West Coast vs. the South). Regardless, it's a fun read.

[Nick]

How not to commit a faux pas in business or social settings in other cultures. Handy for anyone who travels a lot and has to meet people from a wide variety of countries. The analyses don't go very deep, but that's not really the point. Get this useful guide and learn to avoid pointing the soles of your shoes at your host in Iraq.

[Maysan B]

Amazing book !!!!!!

Especially for a lost secondary school student that was willing to study International Business.

The understanding of cultures and the easiness to read were true game changers.

I would highly recommend having this book with you at all times when traveling or dealing with different businesses around the world.

[Budd Margolis]

Essential cultural survival guide for the global business warrior.

[K Tan]

a good reference book.

[Paula Brand]

read the marketing and advertising version. just bought the original at Powell's. Yeah.

[Judy Dobles]

A wonderful reminder of the differences in various cultures. One is not better than the other....just different.

[Ayokunle Awoyera]

Essential read and very educational.

[Peter Lauer]

Good information

[Byron Flores]

Good information to understand other cultures keeping in mind not stereotype people

[Eddie Chee]

Presented by Andersen Consulting during CIO World Tour.

[Amber]

A very fascinating insight on doing business around the world!

[Chris]

I really enjoyed this book after reading "the culture map" by Erin Meyer.

[Lew]

Super comprehensive!

[Inspired: Veteran Made]

fantastic as a reference

[Sam]

You're traveling to another country and want to quickly learn about it or afraid to unintentionally insult anyone. There's a limited amount of time, or maybe you're in-route with a several hours to kill on a plane ride. What do you do? How about breaking out this book? I

t's a great reference for the new visitor, with more than just history, geographical and demographic information. Different cultures have different protocols, customs and particulars, both for the casual traveller and the business man. When is it proper to shake hands vs bow? (hence the name of the book) when the host is kept waiting or you are, is that a good thing? If you give a gift, is that a generous thing, or will the host be put in an squared position? Look for it between these pages. Things we take for granted, could start WW3. Best avoid it if possible, or at least some embarrassment.

Is it complete or completely up-to-date? Not necessarily, but considering it covers 60 countries, it does the best it can. The only thing better is to have a native guide or a single book, that covers a single country.

[Amy]

This may be the single most useful book I've ever read in my professional life. It's geared toward people going into international business, or expanding their business, and it IS wonderful for the travelling person.

However, where this book hits an additional home run, if you use it correctly and thoughtfully, is to understand your coworkers. Perhaps they were raised in a house of a particular culture. That could be useful to know a few customs so you're prepared. Your Japanese-descent coworker who invites you over for a drink may not care about shoe removal, but if you're prepared and end up removing shoes, at least you won't be wearing the funky sneakers that reek and your holey socks.

Or you take a visitor from Ethiopia out to lunch. Do you know which hand to use for what? They may not care if you don't do it, but believe me that they WILL notice if you make the effort to avoid offending them.

Also because the book throws in bits of history and culture along the way, you can avoid any missteps in meeting people from all over the world.

[Karen Powell]

You've been sent on a business trip to Japan to negotiate a merger. You know you'll be invited to people's homes and will be expected to conduct yourself in a manner that won't embarrass the company. What do you do? What do you wear? Will you shake hands or be expected to bow? Can you discuss politics, or is that a no-no?[return][return]This book attempts to help the business traveler conquer the anxieties of putting your best self forward in a foreign country. You'll learn a brief history of the country, how the citizens act, what qualities are important to them, and how they like to negotiate. You learn what insults them, the importance or nonimportance of punctuality, and what to do if invited to someone's home. Even small gestures are covered, so you know whether to shake hands, or to avoid the "peace" sign, which is offensive in some places.[return][return]Though tailored towards the business traveler, any traveler to foreign parts can appreciate the tips in this book.

[Cheri]

I will have to purchase this soon and add it to my reference collection. It is not a book that works well to read all the way through (which is exactly what I just did LOL). It is the type of reference that you pull off the shelf to refer to a specific region where you are about to travel (or on which you are about to lecture, etc.). I think that it would be spectacular if this was in an electronic version through which I could get instant updates (as I think it is very easy for this type of sociological information to change quickly); however, this is a great starting point for discussing cultural protocols in a large variety of countries.

[Chris]

I teach ESL to groups of students from over 20 countries and this book is often included in the curriculum as a guide to discussing each others countries. Unfortunately, it is so laden with outdated overgeneralizations that the majority of my students end up panning the book the second they read something about their own culture.