If you're in any type of business, you're going to give some business gifts every once in a while. Be it Christmas or an important client's birthday, gift-giving is one of the most effective ways of establishing stronger ties to those who matter to you and your business. But while this is the most common perception, this may not be entirely true. Yes, there are cases when gift-giving can be one of the worst things you can do, especially if you are involved in international business. That's because most differences in the perception towards business gifts have a lot to do with race or nationality.
It's interesting that while some countries may be very open to gift-giving, others can actually take the act to be completely unacceptable. For example, in the Czech Republic, Columbia, Indonesia and some others, giving gifts is a warm gesture between corporate people. But in other countries such as Australia, Uruguay and Denmark, this can be misconstrued as bribing.
If you're involved in international business, it can be crucial for you to take time to research on the gift-giving customs of the people you deal with. Sometimes, it can be easy to conclude that a gift on a client's birthday is going to make your ties stronger. But sometimes, it will not work this way. It may even create negative vibes that can significantly affect the business relationship. Hence, it is important to always know the background of the people you consider gifting.
The issues around gift giving may not even be purely cultural but religious as well. Even when working for a company, it will be a wise idea to research on the culture of the people you might plan giving a gift to. For example, you might think of giving your boss a little token on his birthday. If this person is Indian, you cannot possibly give him anything made of cowhide as in India, cows are considered sacred.
While giving gifts is not exactly discouraged in some cases, there will be rituals or "rules" that have to be followed. The Chinese, for instance, consider red a lucky color. The monetary value of a gift may also affect its meaning in almost all cases. Anything that is too expensive can make the receiver feel awkward or even embarrassed. In other cases, a gift should fit the level of relationship that the giver has with the receiver.
There are more differences among nationalities in terms of their gift-giving customs and it is important to consider these before you give anything, no matter how well-meant.
