How to survive and succeed in Business when expanding into Lithuania

For businessmen around the world there are many cultural issues that arise in business on a day to day basis. Developing a working knowledge of a countries business practices is absolutely essential if one desires to succeed in a global market. Conducting business in Lithuania can be problematic and your company should take effective measures to ensure that everything is approached in a culturally sensitive manner at all times.

All business that is conducted in Lithuania is especially formal – to the extent of verging on old fashioned. This will at first be a shock for any entrepreneur who has conducted business before in other Baltic states, however this is simply the way that things are done. If you wish to conduct business in Lithuania then it is necessary that you conform to their practices. The reactions to the Lithuanian ways of business are often mixed, with many people being amused and some mildly irritated.For those businessmen who are accustomed to the British way of business, these practices, which can be long and complicated, can often cause frustration. It is of course worth bearing in mind that there is no way to avoid this system, it’s always best just to get on with it as keenly as possible.

When you are in a business meeting in Lithuania you will observe that only people of the highest possible status from the Lithuanian company will be allowed to sit in. In the UK you will normally find those in junior positions sitting in on the meetings but this is considered totally unacceptable in Lithuania. Another business custom of theirs which can often cause amusement is that a list of everybody in the meeting, with a short biography of each person, will be distributed at the beginning. This is something that you will be required to do for your own team and it is considered that you will do so for each meeting.

Lithuanian born businesses are made up an ingrained hierarchical structure, it is incredibly uncommon to come across anyone questioning or challenging those in the company. It is also noteworthy to remember that you shouldn’t ever address a more junior member of the staff instead of someone in amore senior position, it is considered offensive. There is of course no need for your company to mirror theirs in this sense, no internal hierarchy need be created for their benefit, but you must acknowledge and respect their system. One remarkable thing about the Lithuanians is that they are always able to complete their business transactions in a calm and collected manner; they will very rarely show emotion. This is something that you should be cautious of during business negotiations. Also, if you and your team compose yourselves in this relaxed manner then you will be more likely to build a successful working relationship with the company in question. Read more about Lithuanian translation.

Translating all of your business documents into Lithuanian isn’t actually expected of you but it will gain you great favour amongst your business counterparts. Although the meetings will be conducted in English, this is something that they will greatly appreciate and will earn you unwavering respect. When you are choosing an agency to translate your documents into Lithuanian it is critical that you find one who can translate your documents perfectly and without even the slightest error. This will ensure your meetings begin in a positive manner and hopefully continue without a hitch.