The resources listed below provide helpful information for business travelers. These links can be used for traveling abroad, hosting a foreign partner in the United States, studying another culture, or when preparing for cultural interaction. All information is sorted by topic, brief description, and then web link.
Travel Warnings - Travelers will
want to find out about the latest travel warnings from the State
Department before deciding whether to go abroad.
The World Factbook - This CIA resource can
be used in a number of different ways. Business leaders may
want to consider this information
before deciding whether to enter a foreign market,
for example. The CIA World Factbook can be used to
determine important information such as the size of a
country's market, its political risk, and other factors.
This factbook can also be used to determine whether to
travel to a country or not.
World Citizens Guide - American business travelers
should conduct themselves in a manner that reflects well on
the U.S. They should use the World Citizens Guide to learn
about what foreign hosts expect of them, how
foreign customs differ from our own, and then act
accordingly.
Country Studies - The Country Studies
Series is a great resource to use for getting an in-depth
overview of a country. It analyzes and describes the historical
settings, social, economic, political, and national security
systems, and institutions of countries all over the world. It
also analyzes how these systems relate to one another,
and describes how culture shapes them.
Business Etiquette - It goes without saying that employees
should know how to conduct themselves during business in a
foreign country, or when hosting an overseas partner in the
United States. These Business Culture
Guides provide information on the business etiquette for more
than 40 countries.
Country-Specific Holidays - The vast array of holidays
around the world can potentially conflict with international
meetings, travel dates, or other scheduled events. Find out if
your business or travel plans will be affected by an
international holiday. Search for holidays by date using the
Earth Calendar.
Electricity Outlets - Foreign countries often have
electricity outlets and currents that differ from the United
States. In order to see if an electronic device will work abroad,
visit the Electric Current Abroad manual.
Languages - Business travelers should know
something about the host country language before
going abroad. The National Virtual Translation Center has a
website entitled "Languages of the World" that can
teach travelers a great deal about language-related
topics. It offers in-depth information about languages, their
origins, their difficulty level for English speakers, and
also links to help travelers learn foreign languages.
Geert Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions - For a look at how a
country's culture influences the way individuals act
in the work environment, read about Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions. This
information can give valuable insights into how to act around
foreign partners, as well as explain international workplace
behavior.
International Telephone Codes – Telephone codes differ
everywhere you go, so make sure you dial the right number when
trying to reach an international business contact. The Library of
Congress Business Reference Services
website provides direct links to pages with multiple
countries’ telephone codes. This webpage also includes
information about international postage rates.
Time Zones - The time difference between countries
almost always takes some getting used to. Before going
overseas, business travelers also find it difficult to
know when to call a potential foreign partner so
that it falls during acceptable calling hours. Visit Time Zone
Check to find out what time zone another country is
using, as well as what time of day it is.
Currency Exchange Rates - Money will prove to be an
important issue when traveling overseas. To get an idea of what
the currency exchange rate is per dollar for a list of
foreign currencies, visit the Federal Reserve Statistical Release on foreign
exchange rates. The exchange rates update Monday
through Friday, and the website even provides information on the
Euro exchange rate in various countries.
*Being listed above is not an endorsement by the Salt Lake City
USEAC, nor by the U.S. Government, or any listed organization
and/or its products or services.
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