Business Culture in Central and Eastern European Countries : The Role of the Manager’s Etiquette and Image

The aim this paper is identifying the behaviours and image of managers in terms of business culture and their synthetic description with the consideration of cultural differences pertaining to Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs). The analysis was used of existing sources (desk research), i.e., Polish and foreign theoretical and empirical output concerning business culture. In the literature on the subject it has not been fully empirically proven that the way in which a manager behaves and the business image he or she projects are translated into the success or failure of the company. It is assumed that business etiquette matters in global business. There are opinions that managerial staff are not fully prepared to carry out tasks in the conditions of international business. It is necessary to redefine educational programmes in the field of management to include also the topic related to good manners and business etiquette. When considering the situation of managers of CEEC companies, their approach towards business culture may vary. These differences and discrepancies are most frequently reflected in the context of interpersonal communication as well as organizing and holding of meetings, negotiations and business events. The perceived decline with regard to the level of culture and the increase of the value of individuality among managers may constitute a basis for consideration for managers in charge of personnel, representatives of training centres as well as researchers dealing with the issue of business culture. The presented information concerning business etiquette and the manager’s image may be directly applied in business practice