Beware Businessmen Not Bearing Gifts

By Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conaway
© Copyright 2004, All Rights Reserved

  1. Match the occasion when a gift is absolutely required with the country.

    A. July 15 and January 1 1. United Arab Emirates
    B. Every stage of a deal 2. Nicaragua
    C. Secretarial services 3. Japan

  2. Your Singaporean client looks stricken when he sees the gorgeous hand-tooled cowhide boots you had made especially for him. True or false: Your client is probably a practicing Hindu.

  3. True or false: Wine would be an appropriate gift for dinner at a French client's home.

  4. Local handicrafts, wines and liqueurs, gourmet items, and illustrated books from your home country generally make good gifts. Match the following liqueurs with their places of origin.

    A. Bacardi Rum 1. Jamaica
    B. Tia Maria 2. Cura&ccedilao
    C. Grand Marnier 3. Puerto Rico
    D. St. James Rum 4. Martinique

  5. All of the following flowers are bad selections in most business or social settings, except:

    A. Roses for an Uruguayan hostess
    B. White flowers for a citizen of El Salvador
    C. An even number of flowers for a Japanese associate
    D. Dahlias or chrysanthemums for a Spaniard
    E. Yellow flowers for a Mexican
    F. An odd number of flowers for a Chinese

  6. True or false: A gift should always be wrapped in its country of origin.

  7. True or false: In Asia, the recipient of a gift will place the gift aside, rather than opening it in the presence of the giver.

  8. What is the only appropriate gift businessman John Doe has presented?

    A. A knife with a handsomely carved and inlaid wood handle to a Honduran client
    B. A finely made compass, mounted in a highly polished case to a prospect from Qatar
    C. A purebred dog to an executive from Oman
    D. A beautiful clock to a Chinese contact

  9. Sport-related gifts are often appreciated. Of course, you need to know your client's sport. In the Caribbean, you'll find golf, tennis, snorkeling, and fishing, but other sports are present as well. Match the following sports and countries:

    A. Cricket and polo 1. Aruba
    B. Soccer and baseball 2. Barbados
    C. Bowling 3. Cura&ccedilao

  10. True story! A US government official hosted an important delegation and decided to have special, personalized leather book jackets covering copies of the Koran at each delegate's place setting. When the Middle Eastern officials saw the gifts, they refused to sit down. Why?

    A. Because their names were spelled wrong
    B. Because the copies of the Koran were wrapped in leather, possibly pigskin
    C. Only a Muslim is allowed to touch the Koran and the copies had been defiled

    Answers