BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION
in SINGAPORE

RAVINDER | RAVI RAJ RANA

ROHIT KANGRA | RIJUL JAIN
About the country

SINGAPORE
 Facts and Statistics

 Known as: officially the Republic of Singapore, sometimes referred to as the Lion City

 Location: Southeast Asia, it’s a group of 63 islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

 Capital: Singapore, as a city-state, Singapore is both the country and its capital

 Population: Over 5.6 million (2016 est.)

 Ethnic Make-up: Chinese 77%, Malay 14%, Indian 8%, other 1%

 Religious beleifs: Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist,
Confucianist
 The Language

 Due to the diverse ethnic mix in Singapore, there are four languages in common usage –
Malay, Mandarin Chinese, Tamil and English.
 There is a local vernacular, Singlish, which is essentially English generously peppered with
local slang and dialects.
 English is widely used as the common language because of its apparent neutrality as well as
its importance in the international business arena.
 Many Singaporean schools run the curriculum in English. Therefore, levels of English are
extremely good in Singapore.
 Foreign business people who also have a good command of the English language will have
little difficulty communicating.
 For business and politics, English is the language of choice.
 Greetings

 Younger people or those who work in multi-national companies may have adopted the
western concept of shaking hands with everyone, but this is not the case with older or more
reserved Singaporeans.
 Greetings follow a strict protocol often based on both the ethnic origin and age of the
person.
 In Singapore, different ethnic groups also have their own ways of addressing each other.
When you are addressing a Chinese individual, you should use their title and then follow
with their surname.
 A Malay or Indian person might introduce themselves by their first name and then follow it
with their professional title.
 Ethnic Chinese shake hands. Their grasp is rather light although the handshake itself can be
rather prolonged.
 Men and women may shake hands, although the woman must extend her hand first.
Introductions are always done in order of age or status.
 Greetings (contd.)

 Between men, ethnic Malays shake hands.

 Men and women do not traditionally shake hands, since Muslim men do not touch women in
public.
 When being introduced to someone of the opposite sex, nodding the head and smiling is
usually sufficient.
 Younger Malays may shake hands with foreign women, but it is more appropriate to use the
'salaam' (bowing the head) greeting.
 This is also the greeting to be used when two women meet.
 Ethnic Indians shake hands with members of the same sex.
 As with the other groups, the elderly or the person with the most status is introduced first.
 Gift Giving Etiquette

 Since there are cultural differences in how the three main ethnic groups treat gifts, they are
listed separately:

 Gift giving to ethnic Chinese

 A gift may be refused three times before it is accepted. This demonstrates that the recipient is
not greedy.
 Do not give scissors, knives or other cutting utensils as they indicate that you want to sever
the relationship.
 Do not give clocks, handkerchiefs or straw sandals as they are associated with funerals and
death.
 Do not wrap gifts in white, blue or black paper as these are mourning colours.
 Wrap gifts in red, pink, or yellow since these are happy colours
 Flowers do not make good gifts as they are given to the sick and are used at funerals.
Gift Giving Etiquette (contd)

 Gift giving to ethnic Malays:

 Never give alcohol.
 Do not give toy dogs to children.
 Do not give anything made of pigskin as Malays are Muslim.
 Give the gift when you are departing, rather than when you arrive.
 Avoid white wrapping paper as it symbolizes death and mourning.
 Wrap gifts in red or green paper.
 If you give food, make sure it is halal.
 Offer gifts with the right hand only or both hands if the item is large.
 Gift Giving Etiquette (contd)

 Gift giving to ethnic Indians:

 If you give flowers, avoid frangipani as they are used in funeral wreaths.
 Money should be given in odd numbers, so give S$11 rather than S$10.
 Offer gifts with the right hand only or both hands if the item is large.
 Do not wrap gifts in white or black.
 Wrap gifts in red, yellow or green paper or other bright colours as these bring good fortune.
 Do not give leather products to a Hindu.
 Do not give alcohol unless you are certain the recipient imbibes.
 BUSINESS RELATIONS

 Doing business in Singapore involves building relationships. Singaporeans generally prefer to deal with
those they know and trust. However, business relations are above all personal relations.
 MEETINGS:
 Appointments are necessary and should be made at least 2 weeks in advance, whenever possible.
 The most formal way to schedule a meeting is to write to the person concerned, although most
Singaporeans will schedule an appointment by telephone, fax, or e-mail.
 Do not try to schedule meetings during Chinese New Year (late January/early February), since many
businesses close for the entire week.
 You should arrive at meetings on time. Punctuality is a virtue. lateness implies a lack of respect .Call
them if you are unexpectedly late.
 There will be period of small talk before getting down to business discussions.
 Since questioning authority is a taboo, it is important to encourage questions when after making a
presentation and answer with a smile when a question is eventually asked.
 MEETINGS(contd.):

 The focus of any meeting should be on co-operation and the preservation of harmony.
 Therefore, it is often a good idea to let any sticking points drop, returning to them later through
another approach ,
 or even saving them for later in the negotiation process when further progress has been made
and the relationship further strengthened.
 Respect should be given to the hierarchy during the meeting, which includes thoughtful pauses
prior to answering questions posed by senior managers.
 The use of coded and diplomatic language can make meetings seem inconclusive and
confusing, with many items seemingly left hanging in the air. It is important to have a good
understanding of Singaporean communication patterns.
 Building Relationships &
Communication
 Personal relationships are the cornerstone of all business relationships.
 Business is a matter of being tied into the proper network, which is the result of long- standing
personal relationships or the proper introductions.
 Relationships take time to develop.You must be patient as this indicates that your organization is
here for the long-term and is not looking only for short- term gains.
 Always be respectful and courteous when dealing with others as this leads to the harmonious
relationships necessary within business.
 Most Singaporeans are soft-spoken and believe a calm demeanour is superior to a more
aggressive style.
 Watch your body language and facial expressions. Both verbal and non-verbal
communications play a vital role in business communication.
 Singaporeans rely on facial expression, tone of voice and posture to tell them what someone
feels. They tend to be subtle, indirect and implicit in their communications.
 Building Relationships &
Communication(contd.)
 In Western environments, looking a person straight in the eye says: "You have my full attention."
In Singapore, the direct look may be interpreted as disrespect, or worse – as aggression. Catch
your counterpart's eyes for a second, then immediately lower your head and look down. Your
body language expresses that you are honouring the person in your presence.
 As in many Asian cultures, ‘no’ is a difficult word and other ways of expressing disagreement
should be sought. Vagueness and substitutions are often used to avoid disagreement. Thus no
becomes, ‘Yes, but it might be difficult’ and ‘yes’ might merely imply ‘I have understood your
point’.
 Humour can often be misunderstood or not understood at all and as such is best avoided.
 It is better to underplay your personal merits, majoring rather on the merits of your organisation
or department.
 Conversation about deeply personal issues should be avoided, as should comments about the
Singaporean system.
 Business Etiquette

 When making introductions for the first time and in formal meetings, always use the person’s title and
family name followed by his personal name, if he has a Chineese name.
 If he has a western name like "Peter", he should be introduced in the same way as in the West,
i.e. given name before family name.
 The Malays do not use a family name. They use their own personal name followed by bin (son of) or
binti (daughter of) before their father’s personal name.
 The Indians use their personal name followed by s/o (son of) or d/o (daughter of) and the father’s
personal name.
 Business cards should be exchanged upon meetings and treated respectfully. Ideally, they should be
given and received with both hands. Never write on the business card, put it casually in your back
pocket or haphazardly stash it in a folder. Any of these actions can be misconstrued as disrespect.
 There is an emphasis on equality of the sexes in Singapore. Women do hold positions of authority in
business. Spouses of both sexes do not usually attend business events or functions, unless specially
invited.
 Business Etiquette(contd.)

 Office hours in Singapore

 Offices: 08.30 to 17.30 Monday to Friday.
Banks: 09.00 to 16.00 Monday to Friday. Some banks are also open on Saturdays and Sundays.
Shops: 10.00 to 22.00 daily
 Dress code
 Due to its position on the equator, Singapore is hot and humid all year round.
 Dress codes in business reflect the climatic conditions and tend to be more informal than in many Western countries
or even other Asian countries such as Japan and Korea.
 Most Singaporeans tend to dress business casual. Thus men will often wear shirt and trousers with no tie (jackets are
not usually worn.) Colours can be lighter than the dark blues and greys of the UK and Japan.
 Women tend to wear lightweight business suits. Accessories should be of good quality but not overly ostentatious.
 Women have a few more options. They can pair long-sleeved blouses with knee-length or mid-length skirts. Some
women may also enjoy wearing summery shirt-dresses.
 The key is to appear fresh, dry, and professional.
Business entertainment

 Dinner is the most common form of business entertainment, but it is a time to

socialize and build relationships rather than discuss business. Don't be surprised
if business dinners are scheduled for every night of the week. Most
entertainment is done in restaurants.
 Food is usually put on the table with all dishes served at once and to be shared
by all. Drinks and appetizers are uncommon, though they are available in
Western restaurants.
 Allow the host to order all the dishes.
 Chinese may offer a banquet. A Westerner should always reciprocate with a
banquet of equal value before departing.
 Allow a Chinese host to invite you to start your meal and begin eating before
you start to eat.
 Business entertainment(contd.)

 When entertaining Malay associates (who are Muslim) avoid conducting business on Fridays or
during the Ramadan (the Muslim fasting month). Never serve alcohol or pork.
 Most Indians do not eat beef as well. The inviting party of a business social event usually picks
up the bill. The other party can reciprocate next time around.
 Malays and Indians use a spoon along with their hands to eat, but never use your left hand to
eat (unclean). If given a spoon and fork, hold the spoon in your right hand and use your fork
(left hand) to push food onto the spoon.
 It is impolite to refuse initial offers of food or drink. To refuse seconds, place your hand above
your plate and say, "No, thank you." When finished, place your spoon and fork together on your
plate.
 After a meal with Indians, expect to stay for approximately one hour of conversation.