Business communication culture in Moldova - with Vitalie Popa

From which place (village, city, region) and which country are you?

Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

What is your current job title or position?

Vice-director for AXA Management Consulting

How many years of work experience do you have in your own country?

I have been working since 1996.

What language(s) are foreign business people expected to know when doing business with and in your country?

In the first place, English. If you come from a country of the former Soviet Union, people would probably expect you to be able to speak Russian. In general, native speakers of Russian would more likely expect that you speak Russian. Native speakers of Romanian would expect you to speak English. Normally, nobody would expect members of a business delegation to speak Romanian.

What foreign languages do business people in your country typically know?

Almost certainly they know Russian – around 95%. More and more business people know English – about 30-40%. The younger they are, the more probable that they speak English. It always depends on with whom you are speaking. Managers might be more proficient in English, as well as receptionists or telephone operators.

What are foreign languages people in your country typically struggle with?

I have not observed problems with English. The same goes for Russian. French is less spoken. Maybe people have problems with Asian languages like Chinese or Japanese, but I do not anybody personally who is learning such a language.

How do locals react when foreign business people try to speak in the local language(s)/accent?

Very positively. Many are very impressed when a foreigner tries to speak Romanian. They are very patient and tolerant in such a situation. That is the typical reaction I have observed.

What would be considered an acceptable gift to bring if a foreign business contact visits your country?

It depends on the type of your company. It could be a gift that is related to your line of products. Or something more universal. In such situations, Moldovan often give a bottle of Moldovan wine. Therefore, they would expect you to give something similar. Or a box of chocolates or other sweets.

Have you observed instances of inacceptable gifts brought by foreigners, that are considered awkward in your country? What gifts should be avoided?

I have never observed or heard of such an instance. Independently of what you give, people will be grateful for the gift, even if they do not need it.

What nationalities have it especially easy to do business in and with people from your country? Why?

From European countries, especially the UK, as well as from the US. I have experience in working with people from Germany, the Netherlands and France, and everything worked out fine. If the entrepreneur is from a country of the former Warsaw Pact, from a former socialist country, like from Poland, Czech Republic or Bulgaria, there are additional opportunities for talking about common topics. Also with Romania, there is good mutual understanding. There is, however, the stereotype on behalf of some Moldovan entrepreneurs, that the Romanian counterparts are not always sincere and entirely committed. But this depends on the subjective perception of the individual.

What nationalities have it especially difficult to do business in and with people from your country? Why?

I do not know. I have not encountered such examples. But I have no experience in working with entrepreneurs from Asia or Latin America. However, there are some areas where local entrepreneurs in Moldova still need to catch up. Like with email etiquette or other communicational issues.

What are typical mistakes in communication that foreigner business people make in and with people from your country?

I learned from my German partners, that in Germany they mention all their conditions at the beginning of a negation. In Moldova, you do not show all your cards. You need to have something kept secret. You do not say everything directly at the beginning.

And, Moldovans do not like it if you do know nothing about Moldova. If the business partner asks: “Moldova, where is that?” Then a Moldovan thinks: “Don’t you even know the map of Europe?!” I myself almost present myself saying that I am from Moldova, a country between Romania and Ukraine.

Name one aspect of politeness/etiquette that you consider specific for your country?

You should not blow your nose during a meeting. If a Moldovan feels like doing it, he would try to leave the room or do it as discretely as possible.

What is an acceptable timeframe in your country within which you are expected to answer to an e-mail?

In companies doing business internationally, it is already known that others expect a reply by the end of the day or within 24 hours. Of course, this depends on the individual’s time management. Otherwise, it may take two or three days, especially if it is connected to doing a task. If it is just about confirming the receipt of a message, this can happen quite fast. In communication between Moldovan companies, you might not get any answer at all if you contact a company for the first time. The person opening the email might need to get approval of a superior whether to answer or not, which may take several days. If the person has no interest in doing something, he or she simply does not answer. In our country, people prefer to say nothing instead of refusing to somebody directly: “Thank you very much, but I am not interested.”

How is criticism expressed at the workplace? Is it typical that people acknowledge their mistakes publicly? Is it OK to contradict your superior, privately and publicly?

It depends on the company, on the age and the position of the person and on many others aspects. In the traditional post-Soviet culture, criticism is often made in public. The superior may scold one or more employees during a meeting in a very direct and even violent manner. In many companies, this has changed. I myself do communication training for companies, and both feedback and leadership culture have changed, especially in higher-level companies that invest in training. But not in all companies, especially not in smaller and more local ones, or in those with strong roots in Russian culture.

During a meeting, you should not contradict your boss directly and say “Your idea is not good”, but you would say “I have a different opinion.”

What happens if you are late on a business meeting? Is it acceptable and if, yes, what are typical, accepted limits?

In general, people expect punctuality. If something happens, like a traffic jam, it is good practice to call and announce that you will be 5 or 10 minutes late. However, not everybody does this.

What other advice would you give you a foreigner when communicating in and with people from your country?

People are quite open. If you as a foreigner communicate well, local partners will quickly think you are their friend already. Good communication means friendship. For a foreigner this is not always the case. And you might receive invitations for social events, like visiting a winery. Those invitations are typically sincerely meant and people expect you to accept them. And you should accept them if you can, because they strengthen the relationship with your partners. If you do not want to participate, you need to invoke irrefutable motives for why you cannot accept.

Thank you very much for the interview!

Please visit Vitalie Popa here: www.linkedin.com/in/vitalie-popa-48995b3b/

____

This interview will be part of my next book “The Global Map of International Business Communication”. For more information about previous books, as well as for listening to my weekly podcast “International Business Communication without fear”, go to my website: www.thegomethod.org .

If you want to be featured in this interview series, please contact me on LinkedIn or via e-mail.