Greek Business Tips

Tip 1
Greece is a country which is transitioning from an economy which has traditionally been dominated by state-run organisations, to a more modern, open approach.

Tip 2
As companies (both state-owned and private) tend towards the hierarchical, decision-making powers lie in the hands of a few senior managers at the top of the organisation.

Tip 3
Make sure you are dealing with the right people. Don’t waste time trying to get people to make decisions who do not have the real authority anyway.

Tip 4
Management style is paternalistic and managers are expected to manage through giving clear instructions.

Tip 5
Subordinates will rarely disagree openly with senior people – they will, however, raise any concerns in private.

Tip 6
Meetings can seem both noisy and chaotic to those from a culture used to a more structured approach.

Tip 7
Several people may speak at the same time during meetings – which is viewed as lively debate rather than lack of discipline.

Tip 8
Agendas will tend to be used only for the most formal types of meetings.

Tip 9
Punctuality is less rigid than in some other countries. People may arrive late for meetings; deadlines may be seen as guidelines.

Tip 10
Teams are defined as individuals working to a strong leader – information does not necessarily flow freely between team members.

Tip 11
Women are making rapid progress in the business world and foreign businesswomen expect to be treated with professional respect.

Tip 12
Appearance is important and smart clothes should be worn.

Tip 13
Although English is widely spoken, you cannot assume that everything you say will be understood.

Tip 14
Emotion is seen as a positive in most business situations as it indicates an interest in the matters being discussed.

Tip 15
Business structures tend to be hierarchical in nature.

Author

This country-specific business culture profile was written by Keith Warburton who is the founder of the cultural awareness training consultancy Global Business Culture. 

Global Business culture is a leading training provider in the fields of cross-cultural communication and global virtual team working.  We provide training to global corporations in live classroom-based formats, through webinars and also through our cultural awareness digital learning hub, Global Business Compass.

This World Business Culture profile is designed as an introduction to business culture in Greece only and a more detailed understanding needs a more in-depth exploration which we can provide through our training and consultancy services.