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Home , Slovakia

- people, culture, language A guide for businesses

The country BBuussinineessss e ctiuqlutuerttee a nd etiquette

There are two Slovak .. On the surface is a Overview: Slovakia has a small business community land of rugged mountains whose steep slopes attract and is a very relationship based culture. People are climbers, hikers and sports enthusiasts. Long informal and happy to work on a first name basis. valleys are guarded by romantic castles. A string of They enjoy charm and good humour and tend to be 13 th-century medieval shelter Gothic artworks indirect in public but frank in private. prefer and the capital is a cosmopolitan city with a face-to-face meetings and telephone communication rich cultural life. Slovakia's cities and folk culture to faxes and emails but written communication, reflect a long and varied history. especially minutes and action points, are useful ways Deep below the surface, however, lies another of cementing understanding. fascinating of mines and caverns, underground Adaptability: the Slovakian population has proved rivers and ice . Rich ore seams in the mountains its excellent ability to adapt to new market have been mined since the . The world's conditions, through its sense of enterprise, first technical university - the mining academy - was commercial talent, management skills and flexibility. established in 1762 and trained many leading mining Relationship-building: Personal relationships are engineers. crucial in successful business. Be prepared to spend A great system of 700 caves and chasms underlies the time on this. , a vast of limestone and dolomite. Centralised decision-making: leadership is top These underground caverns contain stalactites, down with decision making lying with a few, or one, stalagmites and a beautiful display of aragonite crystals. senior manager. Teams are dominated by a senior Heat from the earth's core warms the underground figure who takes decisions and delegates tasks. water to provide thermal baths, hot springs and spas. Consensus is not seen to be necessary. People are on time for meetings and agendas and action plans are kept to. People follow deadlines without being reminded. Meetings: it is recommended to start a business meeting with polite conversation of a general nature, accompanied by a toast with a local alcoholic drink. Only after that, should the conversation turn to business matters. Highly-skilled workforce: there are 24 universities in Slovakia, and 88% of the Slovak population receives a higher or secondary education. New technologies: there are almost 4 million Dobšiná with its spectacular ice formations. Source: mobile phone users in Slovakia today. Since the fall of the Wall in 1989, Slovakia's Gifts: acceptable gifts for business meetings are population of 5.4 million have lived in a fully- items for the office, quality pens (including pens with democratic political system, and the country has made your company logo) or specially selected wines. On remarkable progress in its transition from a command- receiving an invitation to a home, luxury chocolate, a driven to a . scarf for the hostess or flowers are welcome gifts. The people: Slovaks are a Slav people of whom half a Holidays: try to avoid business meetings in the million live in the capital, Bratislava and 250,000 in the months of July and or around the times of second city Kosice. 10% of the population is of national holidays. Hungarian extraction and about 500,000 Slovaks are Roma. Key sectors: Slovakia now offers an attractive environment and key sectors are metal and metal products; and beverages; , gas, coke, oil and nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibres; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; and rubber products. Information correct on 9 February 2005

Language Using an interpreter

Official language: Slovak. Before the assignment: Other languages: some Hungarian is spoken, and many firstly, define the type of Slovaks also have knowledge of German and Russian. interpretation required English: some business people have a good command of (whispering or English, and English is becoming more popular, particularly simultaneous). Fully explain among the young. Nevertheless, German is better the goals and objectives of understood. To conduct meetings effectively, it make the meeting or sense to use an interpreter. presentation. If you are Finding translators/interpreters: in the UK and Slovakia making a speech or you can search for local, quality-assured translators and presentation, let your interpreters with Expert Language Solutions at interpreter have a copy of www.expertlanguages.com the text in advance. Explain any important or difficult Traditional St. Mary concepts and points. If you pilgrimage of Slovak believers near the of are part of a group, make Levoca, east Slovakia. sure they understand that Source: European only one person should Commission speak at a time.

At the assignment: appreciate that interpretations may take much longer than the original speech. Speak clearly and slowly, and pause regularly - every minute; after a thought is complete; or after you have made a major point. Make sure you avoid: long or complex sentences; slang, jargon, or colloquial expressions; jokes and Cows on a grass field below the mountain. humorous stories (humour seldom travels well and Source: European Commission risks creating misunderstanding or causing offence); and interrupting the interpreter (unless it is really necessary, Basic Slovak phrases this can be confusing and appear rude).

The positive impression you will make by learning to speak a few basic Slovak phrases cannot be overestimated. Below are some commonly-used phrases - if you are interested in learning the , you can search for quality-assured trainers and courses at www.expertlanguages.com

Slovak Pronunciation Hello Ahoj, , Good day/ Dobrý deň / Do-bree den / morning Dobré rańo Do-byre ra-no The National Park in the Mala Fatra mountains, north- Goodnight Dobrú noc Dob-ruh nots Slovakia. Source: European Commission Goodbye Dovidenia Doh-vee-den-eeyah Yes / no Áno / Nie Ahno / nyeh Signposting and resources Please/Thank Prosím / Pro-seem/da-kooh- you Dăkujem Yahm Expert Language Solutions (www.expertlanguages.com) - a quality-assured service for transcription, subtitling, proof Excuse me Prepáčte (mi) Pre-pach-te me reading, translation, interpreting, language and business My name is… Volám sa….. Vol-am sa culture and etiquette training. You can contact ELS for more What's your Ako sa volate? Akoh sa volate detailed information on their Slovakian language services. name?

Sources Expert Language Solutions Ltd.: Accelerating your business growth and reaching new markets with professional language Research and text: Central European Development Agency (CEDA) 01302 367662 services Information Centre www.euro-info.org.uk Tel: 0151 324 4992 International House www.ihworld.com Email: [email protected] Mole, John (2003) Mind Your Manners. : NB Publications www.expertlanguages.com Other Resources: UK Trade & Investment www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk Photographs: European Commission www.europa.eu.int