Burma - Working and dealing with the Burmese
Objectives
The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Burmese enabling them to be operational right from the start.
At the end of this training, participants will have acquired insights and techniques to:
- Be aware of their own cultural baggage
- Fully understand Burmese context and culture
- Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating
- Reduce stress and misunderstandings
- Decipher and understand Burmese decision-making and negotiation processes
Programme Outline
Module 1 : Understanding cultural differences
1. Intercultural awareness, the key to success in international business
- Taking stock of one's own cultural baggage
- The basics of effective intercultural management
- Identifying and going beyond cultural stereotypes
2. Key aspects of Burmese culture
- Myanmar and Burma: historical background
- Colonisation, civil wars and dictatorship
- A multi-ethnic population living under the yoke of a military junta
- A proud history and heritage
- A depleted economy
3. The impact of values and behaviour patterns on professional dealings and relationships
- The Buddhist tradition: spirituality as part of day-to-day life
- Family and community values
- The high profile of Burmese women
- Child worship
- Affability, discretion and self-control
- Discipline and perseverance
- Human and eternal time: the two faces of a single whole
4. The Burmese corporate world
- The prevalence of small, family businesses
- A hierarchical company structure
- A cooperative and meticulous workforce operating under somewhat difficult conditions
- State control and the power of the administration
Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Burmese
1. Effective communication with the Burmese
- The use of implicit communication
- Networking and reputation
- A multilingual environment with English used for business
2. Adapting your working methods
- Building trust and confidence: patience, perspective and an open mind
- Effective management: supervising, teaching and building
- Concerted decision-making
- Recognising and encouraging performance
- Conflict avoidance
3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Burmese
- Defining the right framework for your meeting
- Identifying decision-makers
- The art of negotiation: understanding the true meaning behind the smiles
- Written contracts, their interpretation and implications
- Organising the post-negotiation phase
4. Final handy tips
- Caution, patience and humility
- Protocol and etiquette
- Social standards, gifts, business cards, dress code
- Sensitive subjects: politics, history, religion
- Humour: a double-edged sword
