Cyborlink · International Business Etiquette
Latin America · Country Profile

Doing business in Brazil

A working reference on Brazilian business etiquette, culture, and cross-cultural communication — updated for the contemporary workplace.

BrazilCapital: Brasília
Language: Portuguese
Currency: Real (R$)
§ 01 — Orientation

Introduction

Brazil has a population of 216 million people concentrated on its two hundred miles of east coast. Over 90 percent of the people live on 10 percent of the land, and over 12 million live in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro each. Brazil’s ethnic composition is diverse, reflecting centuries of immigration and cultural mixing among Indigenous, Portuguese, African, German, Japanese, and other populations. Brazil is a multiparty federal republic. The president is both the chief of state and the head of the government. There are two legislative houses: an 81-member Senate and a 513-member Chamber of Deputies.

Portuguese is the official language, although some of the population speak Spanish, Italian, or various Indigenous languages. There is no official religion, however approximately 65 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, with Evangelical and Protestant churches growing rapidly to approximately 22 percent. Spiritism, Afro-Brazilian religions, and other faiths account for the remainder.

Fun Fact

Brazil is the World’s 5th largest country… both by population and land area. Despite massive economic problems, Brazil is often regarded as a potentially rich country with a strong industrial sector, large agricultural production, and rich natural resources. An example of its potential for efficient utilization of resources is its processing of sugarcane into ethyl alcohol for fueling 1.5 million Brazilian cars.

§ 02 — Cultural Analysis

Hofstede Analysis

Brazil — Six-Dimension Scores
Power Distance
69
Individualism
38
Masculinity
49
Uncertainty Avoidance
76
Long-Term Orientation
44
Indulgence
59
Source: Hofstede Insights. Scores on a 0–100 scale.

The Geert Hofstede analysis for Brazil is similar to its Latin American neighbors. Uncertainty avoidance ranks highest which indicates a high concern for rules, regulations, controls and issues with career security – typically, a society that does not readily accept change and is risk adverse. A large power distance indicates that inequalities of power and wealth have been allowed to grow within Brazilian society. High long-term orientation ranking signifies Brazil has respect for tradition and supports a strong work ethic where long term rewards are expected as a result of today’s work.

Brazil’s highest Hofstede Dimension is Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) at 76, indicating the society’s low level of tolerance for uncertainty. In an effort to minimize or reduce this level of uncertainty, strict rules, laws, policies, and regulations are adopted and implemented. The ultimate goal of this population is to control everything in order to eliminate or avoid the unexpected. As a result of this high Uncertainty Avoidance characteristic, the society does not readily accept change and is very risk adverse.

Brazil has a slightly higher Individualism (IDV) rank of 38 compared to the average Latin population score of 21. However, virtually all the Latin countries are considered to be Collectivist societies as compared to Individualist cultures. This is manifest in a close long-term commitment to the member ‘group’, be that a family, extended family, or extended relationships. Loyalty in a collectivist culture is paramount, and over-rides most other societal rules.

In many of the Latin American countries, including Brazil, the population is predominantly Catholic. The combination of Catholicism, and the cultural dimensions shown above, reinforce a philosophy predicated in the belief that there is an absolute “Truth.” As Geert Hofstede explains about peoples with a high Uncertainty Avoidance Index, their attitude is, “There can only be one Truth and we have it.”

Read the full Hofstede framework →

Religion.  In a country that has over 50% of its population practicing the Catholic religion, we found the primary correlating Hofstede Dimension to be Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI). There were only 2 countries out of 23 that did not follow this correlation, they were Ireland and the Philippines.

§ 03 — Dress & Presence

Appearance

Dress, clothing,
body language
& gestures
  1. Three-piece suits carry an “executive” connotation, whereas two-piece suits are associated with office workers. Conservative attire for women in business is very important. Also make sure your nails are manicured.
  2. The colors of the Brazilian flag are yellow and green. Avoid wearing this combination in any fashion.
  3. Touching arms and elbows and backs very common.
  4. The O.K. hand signal is a rude gesture in Brazil.
  5. To express appreciation, a Brazilian may appear to pinch his earlobe between thumb and forefinger.
  6. To invoke good luck, place your thumb between your index and middle fingers while making a fist. This is also known as the “fig.”
  7. Flicking the fingertips underneath the chin indicates that you do not know the answer to a question.
§ 04 — Conduct

Behavior

Dining, gifts,
meetings &
general conduct
  1. Make appointments at least two weeks in advance. Never try to make impromptu calls at business or government offices.
  2. Be prepared to commit long term resources (both in time and money) toward establishing strong relationships in Brazil. This is the key to business success.
  3. Some regions have a casualness about both time and work. However São Paulo is not one of those, and in Rio casual refers to the personal and social events, not business. In these two cities, business meetings tend to start on time.
  4. Never start into business discussions before your host does. Business meetings normally begin with casual ‘chatting’ first.
  5. Midday the normal time for the main meal. A light meal is common at night, unless entertaining formally.
  6. American coffee is a mere shadow of Brazilian coffee. Expect to be served small cups of very strong coffee.
  7. In Brazil, restaurant entertainment prevails versus at home.
  8. If entertained in the home, it is polite to send flowers to the hostess the next day, with a thank-you note.
  9. Giving a gift is not required at a first business meeting; instead buy lunch or dinner.
  10. Purple flowers are extensively used at funerals, so be cautious when giving someone purple flowers. Violets are OK to give.
  11. Toast: Saúde or Viva (Sah-OO-Day, VEE-va).
  12. Tipping is typically 10% in Brazil.
  13. If you hear the term jeito – it refers to the idea that nothing is set in stone, that a good attempt can break a rule.
§ 05 — Communication

Communication

Greetings,
introductions &
conversation
  1. Handshaking, often for a long time, is common. Shake hands for hello and goodbye; use good eye contact; when leaving a small group, be sure to shake hands with everyone present.
  2. When women meet, they exchange kisses by placing their cheeks together and kissing the air.
  3. First names used often, but titles important.
  4. Music and long, animated conversation are favorite Brazilian habits. When conversing, interruptions viewed as enthusiasm. Brazilians enjoy joking, informality, and friendships.
  5. Portuguese is the language of Brazil.
  6. Good conversation topics: soccer, family, and children.
  7. Bad conversation topics: Argentina, politics, poverty, religion, and the Rain Forest.
  8. Stay away from phrases such as, “Is it true that everyone in Brazil is either very rich or very poor?” It is very likely you will be talking with someone that isn’t either one.
§ 06 — Further Reading

Resources

Government & Data

News & Culture

Cultural Framework