Chinese Expertise in Pohjanmaa

Meet Chinese Xport Associates Winnie and Jane.

As interest grows in the opportunities offered by China, take a moment to see if Xport’s two Chinese Associates have the skills you need in your company. There is demand in China for food that is manufactured in the ‘clean, Nordic’ environment, there are also opportunities for exporting Finnish education by bringing Chinese students to Finland. Also consider if you could source parts for your products in China, making your product more price-competitive.

Hard Work with Freedom and Support to Explore New Ideas

Working at Xport has definitely been an enriching experience in my professional development as well as in my knowledge of business culture, for many reasons.

Firstly, Xport offers a perfect working environment. Something as simple as good working tools, and a spacious, light and clean office, with Mark’s ‘interesting’ background music and full of hard-working people, can do magic when it comes to focusing and motivation.

International. Multi-cultural. Teamwork. Han’s Internship at Xport

Han’s lightbulb moment – “Now I understand clearly what the company does.”

My 10 weeks working for Xport as an intern has gone by quickly. It’s neither long nor short time, it’s been enough for me to enrich both my knowledge and experience.

First of all, it was great to work in an international environment where English is the main language. I got a chance to communicate in English with various accents including German, Finnish, British and American.

GUEST BLOG POST: COMMON MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT DOING BUSINESS WITH AMERICANS

Katarina Holm-DiDio, President and Founder of KHD Consulting International based in New Jersey USA.

Katarina grew up in Kokkola, moved to the US in her youth and now works with expatriates moving to the US and those in business working with Americans and with global careers.

---

As a Finn who has lived in the US for 17 years and who works with expats and global staff of multinational organizations, I help clients navigate the world of work and business across cultures. Our exploration of cultures begins with naming common stereotypes and then putting them aside to explore a deeper understanding of the local culture.

Here are a couple of what I call cultural misunderstandings about Americans.

#1 Americans are mainly motivated by money and love to talk about how much money they make

You might recall the quote ‘Show me the Money’ from the movie, Jerry McGuire (1996). The quote has come to symbolize the negative stereotypes of Americans valuing money and consumerism, especially now as we hear stories of “Black Friday Mayhem” when people literally kill each other for a good deal during the holidays. These extreme behaviors and cultural exaggerations make for excellent entertainment.

GUEST BLOG POST: CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN BUSINESS BETWEEN BRITS & FINNS

Guest Blogger: Martin Williams

Martin Williams has been working with foreign companies in the UK for over 30 years. His company European Business Solutions (EBS), which provides administrative and operational support to businesses setting up in the UK, has helped over 600 businesses to successfully grow in the British market. EBS is also a founding partner of UK Market Access Program, working in cooperation with University of Warwick Science Park and UK Trade and Investment.

---

Many Nordic people visiting the UK for business underestimate some of the small differences between the commercial cultures. I have been working exclusively with foreign-owned companies setting up in and trading with the UK for over 20 years, and have considerable experience with all the Nordic and Baltic countries. Whilst any differences may appear small at first, an understanding of these things can make all the difference between a profitable outcome, and a poor one.