While most universes around the world teach you the basic business modules – sales, finance, marketing, HR, PR, advertising, economics, business law, organisational behaviour etc. There is an area that is frequently overlooked, and that is the cultural differences between different nations. Remember when you’re doing business, you’re doing business with people; if you take the time and the effort to understand the people you interact with this will be to your advantage. Plus it is worth thinking about taking a business degree which allows you to spend time in another country thus exposing you to another culture.

Just a quick example of what is meant here: when you give your business card to someone in China you hold the card with two hands and offer it to that person looking them in the face; in Europe and North America you just hand over your card, one-handed, casually. This may seem like a small thing, but sometimes the details can make the difference between clinching a business deal, or not.

The cultural differences and expectations of doing business from country to country is a huge topic and beyond the scope of this module; however it is worth your while to think about this.