SELECTED COUNTRY BUSINESS PROTOCOL RESEARCH

Research three (3) specific facts related to EACH of your ten (10) selected business protocols (describe EACH specific fact in 3-4 lines);

Describe the country location, brief history, and demographics (one-page, single-spaced paragraphs, 12-point font, one-inch side margins);

Identify each business protocol by number (1 through 10) and the three specific facts for each protocol by letters (a, b and c);

List, number, and annotate citations (briefly describe) a minimum of five (5) resources used to research facts for the ten business protocols

REFERENCE: India's emerging economy encourages international business relationships and more companies are looking to do business in India. The ability to attract large scale Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into India has been a key driver for policy making by the Indian Government. India has received FDI inflows worth USD 60.1 billion in 2016-17, which was an all-time high.

Historically speaking, India is a post-colonial country and that has an impact on how business is done there. Having been a British colony, some of the laws and ways to do business are an interesting mix of local customs and English style. Some may feel familiar to you and others will be surprising.

In India it is very important to know who you are doing business with. In India they prefer to do business with those they know. They like to build business relationships on trust and respect. Indians prefer to have a relationship for a long time before doing business.

1. Business Attire in general, Indians business meeting attire is fashionable and conservative. Jackets, shirt and ties for men, and skirts that cover the knees for women or pant suits are acceptable also. The startup and IT world has pockets of less conservative dress but it's best to start conservative unless you know the people you're meeting with.

2. Religions Indians are strongly guided by their respective religions and their shared values. Respect for elders and hierarchy are core values that permeate all aspects of Indian society. Indians also place huge importance on family and community. And as in many Asian cultures, the concept of saving face - avoiding blame or any type of shameful situation - can influence decision-making processes and affect your business dealings in India.

India is a relatively conservative society, and it is important for visitors to be respectful of societal norms and traditional values, which continue to underpin many customs and business practices. Younger Indians are less particular about decorum than older generations, but will still adhere to many traditions and conventions, especially when around superiors or elders.

Positions of power and authority are highly valued and revered. At the same time, Indians are proud of being citizens of the largest democracy in the world and consider their rights under this system paramount.

Key principles of democracy, such as the right to speak freely, can become exaggerated in a business context. It is not uncommon for middle managers to seek time with the CEO to air grievances - whereas in Australia, by contrast, it might only be appropriate to share grievances with a direct superior or a human resources representative

3. Time Management

In Indian culture, punctuality is even lower on the list of importance than in Spain or France. Indian Standard Time is often referred to as "Indian Stretchable Time" for this reason. Here, personal relationships are generally considered more important than efficient use of time. So, while it's not uncommon for meetings and appointments to start late, Indian employees are also more likely to work extra hours when needed to help the business or to help a colleague.

4. Gender Roles In India, gender roles are determined largely by sex, religion, oppressive tradition and culture, according to LifePaths360.com. The male-dominated culture calls for subordination of women.

Dating back to 200 B.C., Indian tradition dictates that a woman's sole purpose in life should revolve around her husband, children and home. Though some women work alongside men in society, their efforts are expected and unappreciated. A wife is subject to her husband's authority and is required to honor him and bring him happiness. However, mothers are disciplinarians and demand obedience from their children. A son's birth is celebrated, while the birth of a daughter is considered painful to the family. Boys are lavished with love and respect and are provided better food and health care than girls. The Azad India Foundation reports that 120 million of the country's women live in poverty, because they are considered of no value. Males generally receive better education opportunities than females. Girls are often removed from classes to perform chores, and well-educated women may suffer social stigma. Since 1993, however, women have been overcoming gender bias and filling positions in local governance. A national policy in India was drafted in 2001 in an effort to bring about advancement and empowerment of women.

5. Ethics Ethics in India is based on a number of scriptures, thoughts, ideas, and Vedas. In India, the organizational culture is divided into two broad divisions, namely professional culture and community culture. The professional culture helps the, employees to maintain a certain acceptable level of discipline in the enterprise.

The community culture of an enterprise emerges from the varied cultural backgrounds to which its employees belong. One important aspect of organizational community culture is that the beliefs and views of any particular culture or religion should not alienate any individual belonging to another culture. The Indian corporate culture has borrowed many ethical values that have been taught by Indian scriptures.

Some of these ethical values are as follows:

i. Respect - Respect means that every individual should have respect for the beliefs and values of other individuals. In a multiethnic country as India, the people should respect each other's views, beliefs, and ideas to maintain good mutual relationships.

ii. Trust - Trust means that the employees of an enterprise should cultivate mutual trust and faith in each other. Doubts may create misunderstandings, problems, and chaos among individuals, and thus need to be avoided. Such doubts can be solved by placing trust in each other to facilitate a better working of an enterprise.

iii. Spirituality - It emphasizes the positive inner transformation of an individual's life. An individual performs efficiently and feels satisfied at workplace when he/she is in peaceful and contented frame of mind. Now-a-days, the enterprises are realizing the importance of spirituality, contemplation, meditation, and yoga practices, which are the essence of the Indian culture. Such practices help people to lead a more sensible life, increase work efficiency, and decrease stress levels.

iv. Tolerance - It helps to maintain cordial relationships among the employees of an enterprise. Tolerance refers to increase in the level of adaptability of an employee to various organizational changes. The individuals need to be permissible and receptive to the challenges of their work. They should accept people as they are without judging them.

v. Flexibility - Flexibility refers to the degree at which an individual can adapt with the surroundings in the organizational environment. It takes into account the receptive and adaptive nature of an individual towards fellow employees and assigned tasks.

vi. Sincerity - Sincerity refers to truthfulness and transparency in the nature and behavior of employees in an enterprise. It also necessitates an honest code of conduct in an enterprise.

vii. Patience - Patience refers to the degree at which the individuals can tolerate any delays in the fulfillment of their wishes or goals. Individuals with high degree of patience are not affected by delays in getting rewards for their accomplished tasks.

viii. Perseverance - Perseverance refers to the quality of an individual to not to give up soon and keep on trying for achieving goals. Individuals with perseverance can keep their spirits high to achieve the desired goals.

6. Economics

The Indian economy is one of the fastest growing in the world. Indian labour force is estimated at 509.3 million 60% are employed in agriculture or related industries. India has established Special Economic Zones to encourage and support business. India's long-term growth is considered moderately positive due to a young population and corresponding low dependency ratio, healthy savings and investment rates GDP 7.6% (2016 Est.)

7. Language

As India is one of the world's oldest cultures it has been subjected to a plethora of language influences.

The primary ones are; Hindi 41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%, Urdu 5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9%. English is used primarily in business, and for economic and political purposes.

Language is regional and dialects play a role in the variety of languages spoken throughout India, with some sources suggesting that there are possibly 1,652 different languages or dialects. These come from four main linguistic families and are centred on different regions.

Local guides and translators may be beneficial if you are conducting meetings in a variety of locations throughout the country as difference in language is ubiquitous.

8. Dining Etiquette

Many strict Muslims, and Hindu women, do not drink alcohol You may be invited to wash your hands before eating Food is often eaten with the right hand Guests are generally served in a hierarchical order; guest of honour, men and then children (Women may eat later) Meals often end with a variety of sweets (paan), betel nut served with lime and wrapped in a betel leaf A host will always serve their guests. Accept whatever you are offered but don't feel obliged to finish everything on your plate If food is placed in communal dishes for you to help yourself, always use a spoon Breads can be used to scoop up food Reciprocate your invitation to dine with one of a comparable value In a restaurant the host will generally pay the bill

9. Technology

With more than half a billion internet subscribers, India is one of the largest and fastest-growing markets for digital consumers, but adoption is uneven among businesses. As digital capabilities improve and connectivity becomes omnipresent, technology is poised to quickly and radically change nearly every sector of India's economy. That is likely to both create significant economic value and change the nature of work for tens of millions of Indians.

By many measures, India is well on its way to becoming a digitally advanced country. Propelled by the falling cost and rising availability of smartphones and high-speed connectivity, India is already home to one of the world's largest and fastest-growing bases of digital consumers and is digitizing faster than many mature and emerging economies.

10. Safety and Security

The safety and security industry in India has experienced steady growth in recent years, and various industry segments are estimated to grow between 10 to 15 percent annually.

Population growth, rapid urbanization, expansion of industries, vast infrastructure and mass transportation systems are driving expectations for greater safety and security measuresparticularly in critical national infrastructure projects. Key sub-sectors include communication networks, border security, government research facilities, emergency and disaster management systems, healthcare facilities, ports, oil refineries, power plants, critical manufacturing facilities, and mass transportation systems.

India's security industry can be broadly classified into cyber security, electronic security, fire safety/detection/prevention, road safety, private and industrial security, and personal protective apparel and equipment. The industry is highly fragmented and consists of local manufacturers, system integrators, sub-contractors, regulatory and certification agencies, distributors, consultants, and service providers.

While the market is price sensitive, an increased awareness of quality, reliability, and timely after-sales service has led certain customer segments to be willing to pay a premium for innovative and technologically advanced products from U.S. manufacturers, suppliers, and solutions providers.

The federal government in India has initiated many vital infrastructure projects including new airports, mega ports, highway projects, metro systems and the development of smart cities across the country. The rapid growth in hospitality, commercial and residential structures, railways, and roadways, coupled with greater presence of multinational companies, the internet of things (IoT), and smart technologies are the primary factors driving demand in the security industry.

End users of safety and security products and services include airport, mass-transportation, government enterprises, law enforcement and intelligence agencies, military, emergency and disaster management agencies, private security agencies, and commercial and non-commercial enterprises.