Historically, business culture was more similar to Middle Eastern in practice, whereas nowadays it is a mix of Western and Middle Eastern. It all depends on the company you are dealing with in which way it leans.
Expats often comment about their work experience that the management may appear more Western in style but it may not be as you expect. I have learned that you can better understand this aspect of culture and etiquette as you get a feel for the person you are doing business with.
Turkey is unique in many ways. The role of Islam has a Turkish flavor -- Islam here takes on both that of a cultural feel and a religious role. You will notice after having spent some time traveling around Turkey that it has a sort of West-East divide on the issue of Islam. For the most part, Turks in the eastern part of the country tend to be more conservative due to their closer adherence to Islamic values. Of course, there are pockets in urban centers such as İstanbul, too. Fatih on the European side or Üsküdar on the Asian side of the city have many more mosques, and local businessmen faithfully go to noon prayers every day where the average businessperson in Maslak or Levent may not. Turks living in major urban centers, such as İstanbul and İzmir, tend to be more Westernized. A word of advice: Depending on where you are, be careful how you approach any topic about Islam. Say the wrong thing and ties can easily be severed.
Western expats are perplexed to see in Turkey shops selling wine and beer and liquor. It is the beginning of not knowing what to think. After all, in most countries where Islam is the religion, alcohol is not readily available. Best to not assume all Turks drink alcoholic beverages. Building business relationships with Turks will usually take the form of dining out but it may not always include with an alcoholic drink. Turkey is a Muslim country. Certainly before giving alcohol to anyone as a gift, be 100 percent sure that they drink.
Most Western expats can find it difficult to navigate the waters of Turkish business culture and etiquette. Initial impressions can lead you to believe that it will be similar to doing business back home. Gradually you begin to realize that it is not always quite so.
I remember when I first opened the bookstore 15 years ago I could not believe the number of sales representatives who came in to see the “yetkili kişi” (manager/ owner) without an appointment. In the United States, you would not dream of arriving unannounced at an office or business place and expect to see a particular person without an appointment. Gradually, I realized this is how people did business. This is not as common now. In fact, any book on the subject of Turkish business culture will advise you to make an appointment.
An exciting and crucial special event, which includes a dinner and a seminar, is going to be given on Jan. 19 on the topic of how to survive in the Turkish work culture. The event is being organized by the International Professional Women of Istanbul Network (IPWIN). The two female presenters are women with impressive cross-cultural professional experience. Martha Hooper of Hooper Consulting International and Cerstin Diewald, certified facilitator for Cultural Detective, will give some insights about how to raise intercultural awareness and gain an overall appreciation for different cultural values and how to build productive working relationships with others on a multicultural team by learning to observe from an intercultural perspective.
Often Turks wonder why foreign women come to Turkey. Turkey and Central Asia are a wide open field of career opportunities. My next piece on Saturday will include an interview with Martha Hooper and some tips and insights from her.
Briefly, I’d like to share a little about these two exceptional women: Martha Hooper has spent the past two decades in Central Asia and Turkey, where she served as director of marketing and public relations for Accenture, leading the firm’s rebranding program in Turkey. Cerstin Diewald, the other presenter, has worked on different international assignments in human resources departments for multinational companies including Motorola, AC Nielsen, Philips and NXP, lastly as HR business partner for the automotive industry.
“Awareness about the others’ cultural behaviors helps to understand the expectations!” -- Cerstin Diewal
Note: Charlotte McPherson is the author of “Culture Smart: Turkey, 2005.” Please keep your questions and observations coming: I want to ensure this column is a help to you, Today’s Zaman’s readers. Email: c.mcpherson@todayszaman.com
