Country Profile of CROATIA in English

8/20/2019 Country Profile of CROATIA in English

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/country-profile-of-croatia-in-english 1/20



56,594 km2

4,284 mlnPOPULATION

GDP per capita

CURRENCY

$18,314

Language CROATIAN

Croaan kuna (HRK)



Geographical posion: Croaa extends from the foothills ofthe Julian Alps in the north-west and the Pannonian Plain inthe east, over the Dinara mountain range in its central region,to the Adriac coast in the south. There are 1,185 islands, thelargest ones are Krk and Cres. 67 islands are inhabited.

Capital: Zagreb with 779,145 inhabitants

Climate in Croaa: Northern Croaa has a connental cli-mate; Central Croaa has a semi-highland and highland cli-mate, while the Croaan coast has a Mediterranean climate.

Populaon of Croaa: 89% Croats. Naonal minories in-clude Serbs, Muslims, Slovenes, Italians, Hungarians, Czechs,Slovaks, and others.

Ocial language: Croaan 96%, other 4% (Serbian, Italian,Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German)

Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Chrisan 0.4%,Muslim 1.3%, other and unspecied 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001census)

Naonal Flag

Coat of arms

COUNTRY BACKGROUND

Zagreb

CROATIA

SLOVENIA

HUNGARY

BOSNIA

HERZEGOVINA

3 Country profle CROATIALearnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com3 Country profle CROATIALearnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com



CROATIA FACTS

ReligionMost Croaans are Roman Catholic, and religion is a unifyingfactor of Croaan culture. Though religion is not discussed inthe workplace, Catholicism has a great impact on everydaylife and many businesses close for Roman Catholic holidays.Each town and city has a patron saint and celebrates thesaint’s feast day with ceremonies and fesvals. Catholic reli-gion has also played a large part in the historical and culturaldevelopment of Croaa, and connues to be seen in every-

day Croaan life.

Naonal PrideCroaans are very proud of their country and heritage andcan take cricism personally. Because of this, Croaans maycome o as being haughty and pretenous and can seemslightly arrogant to foreigners. Croaans feel a strong sense

of naonalism aer years of foreign control, and oen referto their country as ‘Our Beauful Homeland’.

TieDuring the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th century, thetradional small, knoed neckerchiefs worn by Croa-an mercenaries aroused the interest of Parisians who

for some reason immediately took to the new fashionaccessory. The term for this new trend, cravat, derivesfrom the Croaan word.

CurrencyCroaa’s currency, Kuna, was named aer Kuna, a smallrodent, whose fur was used for payment in the regionmany centuries ago. The animal is called ‘Marten’ inEnglish. Kuna is subdivided into 100 lipa. The word lipameans “linden (lime) tree”.




CROATIA FACTS

Famous invenonsCroaan Slavoljub Penkala invented a mechanical pencilin 1906. The patent was registered in 35 countries and hiscompany TOZ–Penkala is sll in operaon today in Zagreb.

The world’s rst torpedo was built Constructed by Ivan Lu-pis Vukic in Rijeka Istria in the 19th century. was the worldsrst torpedo.

Ivan Vucec, criminologist and anthropologist, was born onthe island of Hvar (later emigrated in to Argenna, and wasknown as Juan). He became was the pioneer of sciencdacloscopy (idencaon by ngerprints), and his meth-ods of idencaon are used worldwide.

Economic situaon

Croaa has successfully established macroeconomicstabilisaon. Though the state sll has a large presencein the economy, GDP is rising and the Croaan market isexperiencing moderate expansion. Croaa spent the rstve years of its independence ghng the presence of theSerbian military, and has only recently begun to improveliving standards and to make crical economic changes.Tourism and an increase in consumer spending have alsorened Croaa’s economic climate. A member of NATO

and the UN, Croaa also joined the EU in July 2013.

Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com5

HumourCroaans enjoy irony and dark humour and will oen laugh

at dicult situaons and personal aws. Croaans nd

humour in sarcasm and do not typically change their tone

of voice or facial expression when telling a joke. For these

reasons, it can be dicult for foreigners to understand

Croaan humour. Croaans tend to tease others, especiallyforeigners, but mean no ill intent and expect you to behave

the same towards them.




CROATIA FACTS

Nikola TeslaArguably the greatest genius of the 20th century, NikolaTesla was born in modern-day Croaa. While he was born ofSerbian parents, Tesla is celebrated around the country, fromstatues to events in his honour. He developed the alternangcurrent method of delivering electricity (AC) as well asandpower generaon systems by which almost all electrical

power is sll delivered today. Tesla developed the processesthat led to the radio as well as other forms of wireless deliv-ery. Neon and uorescent lighng, the radar, faxes and otherTesla’s other ideas were yearsfar ahead of his me.

LanguageBefore 18th century, Croats used an alphabet which wascalled “glagoljica” or Glagolic. Modern Croaan uses theLan alphabet and is a standardized variety of the Ser-bo-Croaan language used principally in Croaa, Bosniaand Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina andother neighbouring countries.

The Serbian, Bosnian and Croaan languages are all verysimilar in the spoken form. In fact, they dier even less

than American, Brish, and Australian English do from oneanother. All three languages share three primary dialects,and dier primarily in terms of vocabulary. As far as thewrien language, dierences exist in that Serbian usesa Cyrillic alphabet while Croaan uses a Lan alphabet.The Serbian, Bosnian and Croaan languages are all verysimilar in the spoken form. In fact, they dier even lessthan American, Brish, and Australian English do from oneanother. All three languages share three primary dialects,

and dier primarily in terms of vocabulary. As far as thewrien language, dierences exist in that Serbian uses aCyrillic alphabet while Croaan uses a Lan alphabet.

Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com66 Country profle CROATIALearnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com6 Country profle CROATIALearnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com



1 January: New Year’s Day

New Year’s Day is a pub-

lic holiday in many placesaround the world and Croa-a is no excepon.

6 January: Epiphany

Epiphany is celebrated tocommemorate the visit ofthe Biblical Magi to the BabyJesus.

Moveable Sunday in spring:

Easter Sunday The resurrecon of JesusChrist is celebrated on EasterDay.

Moveable Monday in

spring: Easter Monday Easter Monday is the dayfollowing Easter Day.

1 May: May Day Many public events are or-ganized all over the country,and military style bean soupis given out to all people asa symbol of a real workers’dish as well as red carna-ons as a symbol of blood offallen workers.

Moveable date – 60 days

post Easter, Corpus Chris

Corpus Chris is a Chrisanobservance that honors theHoly Eucharist.

22 June:

An-Fascist Struggle Day

It marks the beginning of theuprising of Croaan an-fas-cist Parsans against Ger-

man and Italian occupyingforces.

25 June: Statehood Day

It is a day to celebrate thecountry’s 1991 declaraonof independence from Yugo-slavia.

5 August:

Victory and Homeland

Thanksgiving Day and the

Day of Croaan defenders

It is held as a memorial tothe War of Independence(1991-1995).

15 August:

Assumpon of Mary

The feast day of the Assump-on of Mary celebrates the

day that God assumed theVirgin Mary into Heaven

following her death.

8 October:

Independence Day

It and marks the day in 1991when the Croaan parlia-ment decided to terminatethe constuonal linksbetween Croaa and Yugo-

slavia.

1 November: All Saints’ Day

On this day people light can-dles and visit the graves ofdeceased relaves.

25 December: Christmas

Christmas is a family holidayspent together with familyand loved ones.

26 December:

St. Stephen’s Day

This day commemoratesthe life of St. Stephen, aChrisan deacon in Jerusa-lem who was known for hisservice to the poor and hisstatus as the rst Chrisanmartyr.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS




Dubrovnik is one of the most prominent tourist aracons in Croaa and the Mediterra-

nean. In the Middle Ages, it became the only city-state in the Adriac to rival Venice andachieved a remarkable level during the 15th and 16th centuries. Dubrovnik boasts spec-tacular churches, monasteries, fountains and the famous walls that surround the old city.

The Plitvice Lakes are considered to be one of the most beauful natural desnaons inEurope. This system of 16 interlinked lakes and a large forest complex around it are fa-mous for their unique colors and a wide variety of rare animal and bird species.

Hvar town, set in a picturesque natural bay, with the Pakleni island chain protecng it to

the south, is a popular port for yachts sailing around the Adriac, especially in the sum-mer months.

The area around Rovinj city has been described as an “outstanding scenic wonder” be-cause of the prisne beauty of the indented coastline and its forests.

The sixth largest Croaan island, Korcula is separated from the mainland by a narrowstrait. The ancient Korcula city is among the most beauful towns on the Croaan coastand is known for the alleged house of birth of Marco Polo.

The amphitheater in Pula is the sixth largest surviving Roman arena and one of the best

preserved Roman monuments in Croaa. The Pula Arena was built around the 1st century

AD and could seat over 26,000 spectators.

The island of Mljet is one of the larger islands o the coast of Southern Croaa. With 72%

of the island covered by forests and the rest doed by elds, vineyards and small villages,

Mljet is a perfect place to relax.

The 6th century Euphrasian Basilica is the top aracon of Poreč, a 2,000 year old town inIstria. It is one of the best examples of early Byzanne architecture in the Mediterranean

region and has retained its original shape, though accidents have altered a few details.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONSCroaa has become an increasingly popular tourist hotspot over the last few

years. In 2012, Croaa had 11.8 million tourist visitors, and in 2013 over 14 million

tourists and 73.25 million nights. With its rocky, indented shore and more than a

thousand islands, Croaa boasts one of the most beauful stretches of coastline

that Europe has to oer. In addion, many of Croaa’s coastal towns and cies

have a fascinang history and are lled with the historical remains of Roman and

Venean mes.




CROATIAN FOOD

Croaan cuisine is as diverse as the country’s past. The turbulent history of dier -

ent naons’ inuences (ancient Greeks and Romans, Italians, Turks, French) le its

mark on both culture and food. Croaan cuisine can be divided into coastal and

interior, the rst being more Mediterranean, and the laer more connental.

1. Pršut is a dry-cured ham, an essenal part of every type of celebraon in Croaa andevery restaurant menu. Tradionally it is cut in thin, long slices and served with cheese

and olives as an entree or a healthy snack in between meals.

2. Paški sir is cheese from Pag Island made enrely frommilk produced by sheep grazing freely local sparsegrass, various herbs and aromac plants. The resultof all this is its special avor which has been rec-ognized globally and awarded year aer year.During its preservaon it is coated with oliveoil and wrapped in cloth. The most popular

variees of Paški sir are the mature onesdue to their strong, disncve taste. Tradi-onally it is cut in thick triangle slices andserved with pršut, or grated over seafoodpasta.

3. Ispod peke is a term describing a meth-od of food preparaon. The cook putsingredients (in most cases it’s lamb, octo-

pus or veal, paired with seasoned potatoes)into a stone oven under a heavy metal cover,placing the hot coals on its top. The ingredi-ents are le to cook slowly in their own juices.

4. Pašcada is a tradional meat dish from Dalmaa.Beef is the main ingredient which is marinated for 24hours in red wine, garlic and various herbs such as rosemaryand sage, before cooking it for a few hours. Its taste is enriched

with dry plums, carrots, onions, cloves and nutmeg, and therefore the re-sulng sauce is thick, dark and rich in avors. Tradionally pašcada is served with home-made potato gnocchi.




CROATIAN FOOD

5. Crni rižot is a black seafood risoo with culesh and squid as main ingredients. Itsname and black color are a result of squids’ ink which gives this delicacy its disncveMediterranean avor and personality. Tradionally it is sprinkled with grated cheese.

6. Riba na gradele i blitva is tradionally the most common combinaon in Dalmaa:mixed grilled sh paired with chard boiled with potatoes. Fresh sh prepared on gradele(i.e. grilled on woodre), seasoned with garlic, parsley and olive oil, is something you’llsee locals preparing all along the coast. It is not the rule, but in most cases people roundit with sweet tasng chard, an ideal vegetable for hot summer days. This is one of thoseCroaan dishes which perfectly embody Dalmaan tradion of simple yet delicious quali-ty food.

7. Brudet is a sh stew tradionally made in Istria and Dalmaa. It ismade of severaltypes of sh, put in layers in a single pot and cooked in tomato sauce. You’re not allowedto sr the ingredients but only shake the pot from me to me. The dish is prepared atlow tem-peratures, allowing the sh to cook slowly in its own juices. Tradionally brudet

is served with thick, gold polenta.

8. Tartu are trues, rare and highly valued mushrooms. They grow underground andonly specially trained dogs can locate them. Though small and unsightly, they are of su-perb, disncve avor and fragrance. Tradionally in Istria, slivers of white or black truegarnish the taste and look of omelees, pastas and venison sauces.

9. Fuži i pljukanci are yet another dish tradional for Istria. It is actually a homemadepasta which comes in various sorts, of which fuži and pljukanci are the most famous ones.

They are completely handmade and hand-rolled. In most cases, they are served eitherwith tartu or some sort of thick game sauce. The most popular tradional combinaonis with boškarin sauce – a sort of ox nave to Istria.

10. Janjena s ražnja, or lamb on the spit, is the most popular method of preparing lambin Croaa. The whole lamb is rotated slowly above hot coals, resulng in succulent roastmeat no one can resist. Tradionally it is served very simply – with green salad and scal-lions.




AMAZING FACTS

• Croatoa was founded in the rst half of the 7th century on the ruins of the Roman Em-pire.

• Dubrovnik, being an independent state at that me, was the rst naon to formally rec-ognize the United States as a naon when it declared independence from Great Britain.

• Hum in Istria, with a varying populaon of 18 – 23 people, holds the Guinness World Re-cord for being the smallest town in the world.

• Almost 10% of Croaa is made up of 11 nature parks, eight naonal parks and two na-ture reserves.

• The White House in the USA was built using stones from the Island of Brač (as well asthe Parliament building and New Palace in Vienna, Austria, the parliament building in Bu-dapest, Hungary and the Dioclean palace in Split).

• The oldest university of Croaa is the University of Zagreb, established in 1669.

• The Dalmaan dogs got their names fromthe south coastal region called Dalmaa.

• Croaa is the homeland of the world re-nowned traveler Marco Polo, who was bornin the island of Korčula in 1254. • The rst hydro power plant was “Iskrice”,

made in Šibenik and built on Krka river in1895.

• In Croaa, people can start vong at theage of 16 if they have a job, but have to waitunl they turn 18 if they are unemployed.

• In the Dinaric Alps in Croaa lives theOlm (Proteus anguinus); it is the onlycave-dwelling chordate species found inEurope. This creature can survive ten yearswithout food and lives blind and in the dark.




Communicaon Style• Generally Croaans’ communicate in adirect and straighorward manner, butthere is, however, an emphasis on being re-specul and diplomac so as not to oendanyone.• Many Croaan people speak in a loudvoice and have an animated communica-on style. Soly spoken people may beseen as lacking in condence.• Humour is oen used in communicaonand is not meant to be oensive but a wayof making light of dicult situaons or aperson’s aws, and it is common to respondin a similar fashion.

Non Verbal Communicaon• Personal space is usually respected in Cro-aan culture. People generally don’t toucheach other when communicang unl afamiliar relaonship is established.• Direct eye contact is usually expected andappreciated. Avoiding eye contact can betaken as a sign you do not like the person;however, making eye contact with eyes

wide open can suggest that a person doesnot agree with what is being said.

Working pracces in CroaaCroaans are very fashion-conscious andwill always dress according to the latestwestern styles. Croaans dress to reecttheir level of professionalism.

Deadlines are more exible than in westernbusiness culture, and work is oen nishedat the last minute.

Working relaonships in CroaaCroaans are personable and will want toknow about your family and where you arefrom. Do not talk about money or person-al problems – Croaans view this as a signof weak character, and the discussion willleave your colleagues feeling uneasy.

Personal space is important, but a large dis-tance indicates dislike. Eye contact is alsoessenal and is viewed as a sign of respect.Croaans are oen direct and viewso-spoken or shy people as vulnerable andweak.

Business pracces in Croaa

Meengs are oen lengthy and do nottend to follow an agenda. Small talk usu-ally precedes negoaons at meengs. Itis important to inially build a relaonshipbefore discussing business maers.

Personal tlesMost professionals are addressed accord-ing to their qualicaon or their posion

at work. Titles according to educaon areBachelor (prvostupnik), Master (magistarstruke), Doctor of Science or Doctor ofArts (dr. sc. or dr. art.), Doctor of Medicine(doktor medicine). If you are unsure oftles, use “Gospodin” for Mr, “Gospodja”for Mrs and “Gospodična” for Miss). Onlyclose friends and family members tend touse rst names. Never address someone by

their rst name without being invited to doso.

IMPORTANT TIPS




DOS AND DON’TS

DOSDo show respect towards everyone youmeet, including people that you do notknow, as Croaans will oen acknowledgestrangers in passing.

Do ask Croaans for their opinions on the

subject maer at hand, as they will behappy to assist you and this will help youearn their trust.

Do translate one side of your businesscard into Croaan. While not a necessity,this shows respect and will impress yourCroaan business partners.

DON’TSDon’t discuss religion, war, and other for-mer Yugoslavian ethnicies. These subjects are taboo in Croaan culture.

Don’t openly cricise your Croaan col-leagues. Croaans are very proud and

easily oended, so make suggesonsrather than complaints and avoid directconfrontaon.

Cultural taboos

As Croaans like to know their new ac-quaintances and business partners verywell there might be some mixing of busi-ness with pleasure, but try not to over-step the boundaries.

It is important to avoid:• mixing condenal and inmate discus-sion on personal and business level

• personal nancial quesons

• any subject or queson that might showthat you have lost respect for them or thatmay cause them to lose respect for you.

• discussions concerning the polical andmilitary history of Yugoslavia, collapse of

communism, the war in Bosnia-Herzegov-ina (1992-1995), and anything related towar crimes.

• raising the thumb, index, and middlenger at once, because it is a Serbiangesture and is connected to Serbian na-onalism.

• discussing comparisons between thenaonalies of the former Yugoslavian

states, as this may also be found oen-sive.

For many Croaan-born people, religionis an important part of their lifestyle withthe majority belonging to the RomanCatholic faith. Be mindful of discussingany subjects that may oend those of theChrisan faith, such as divorce, euthana-

sia, family planning, and alternave be-liefs.

Don’t make plans for your Croa-

an colleagues at the weekend

without their consent. Weekends

are considered family me and

Croaans do not tend to let busi -

ness interfere with their personal

plans.




Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group at the crossroads of Central Europe, Southeast

Europe, and the Mediterranean. Croats mainly live in homeland Croaa, Bosnia andHerzegovina and nearby countries Serbia and Slovenia. Likewise, Croats are an ocially

recognized minority in Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, Romania,

Serbia, and Slovakia.

PEOPLE IN CROATIA

Croats are noted for their cultural diversity,which has been inuenced by a numberof other neighboring cultures through theages. The strongest inuences came fromCentral Europe and the Mediterraneanwhere, at the same me, Croats have madetheir own contribuon.

Body language

People stand close to one another and talkloudly. Strangers stare openly at one an-

other. Formality is maintained in languageand behavior when people do not knoweach other well. Strangers nod their headsin passing. In stores, oces, and places of

business, people use formal language forgreengs and good-byes. Failure to greetsomeone in a context that requires a greet-ing, or an overly familiar greeng, are seri-ous breaches of equee. People who areon friendly terms greet each other moreinformally and usually kiss on both cheeks.Young people are expected to oer the rstgreeng to older people, and women tomen.

The formal “you” is used unless people are

age mates, good friends, or co-workers orhave reached a stage where the dominantperson invites the person of lesser status toaddress him or her informally.




Meeng and Greeng

• Greengs at rst meengs will tend tobe formal and reserved.• A handshake, direct eye contact and theappropriate greeng for the me of dayare standard.• “Dobro jutro” (good morning), “dobrodan” (good day), and “dobro vecer” (goodevening).• Address people with their honorictles plus surname. If you are unsure oftles then use “Gospodin” for Mr, “Gos-podja” for Mrs and “Gospodice” for Miss).• Only close friends and family memberstend to use rst names. Never address

someone by their rst name without be-ing invited to do so.• Close friends may greet each other withan embrace and a kiss on each cheek.Again, wait unl the Croaan iniates thisform of greeng.• At social gatherings hosts introduceguests, usually starng with the womenand then moving on to the men in a rough

approximaon of age order, oldest toyoungest.

Dining Equee

• Wait to be shown where to sit.• Table manners are Connental, i.e. thefork is held in the le hand and the knifein the right while eang.

• At formal meals, the napkin is unfoldedand placed on the lap.• Do not begin eang unl the host sig-

nals to begin.• Refusing second helpings inially is po-lite. Aer the host insists you should takemore.• Leaving a small amount of food on yourplate indicates that you are nished eat-ing.

Gi Giving Equee

• If invited to someone’s house, bringowers for the hostess. The host may begiven a box of chocolates or a bole ofgood wine.• Do not give chrysanthemums as theyare used at funerals and for gravestones.

•When giving owers, make sure thereare an odd number of stems.• Gis are generally opened when re-ceived.

CUSTOMS AND ETIQUETTE




Values• With more than 90% of Croaan-bornpeople belonging to the Roman Catho-lic church, many of the Croaan culturalvalues stem from religious beliefs. Theseinclude family and marriage, morality, de-voon and compassion.

• Honour is an important principle in Croa-an culture, and it is closely linked with thevalues of family. Making personal sacricesto benet your family is highly regarded.• Children are expected to respect theirelders and are generally raised with strictdiscipline.• The elderly are tradionally seen as asource of knowledge and informaon on

culture, tradions and history, and theyare valued both within the family and thebroader community.• Good health is also valued in Croaanculture for without it one cannot enjoytheir family and faith.

Social StracaonAn unocial class system is based on one’s

family name and professional status ratherthan wealth. Communist Party membershipchallenged this class system, although itwas not uncommon for prominent fami-lies to join the party. In more recent years,Croats increasingly became discontentedwith the socialist government, parcularlypeople who were well educated, profes-sional, and from prominent families. Mosthigh-status individuals speak English welland are likely to speak one other Europe-an language. Dialect is also an indicator of

social status. People from a city have higherstatus than people from villages, thoughmany urban dwellers have village familyconnecons. High-status individuals areusually Croats. They may be of mixed eth-nicity but are members of a predominantlyCroaan family. Jewish families are likelyto be of relavely high status. Ethnic Alba-nians are usually at the boom of the socialsystem, and Gypsies are completely outsideof it.

Self-IdentyCroaa was one of the six republics of theformer Yugoslavia. Croats think of them-selves as more closely linked with Austria

than with the other territories and culturesof the former Yugoslavia. They do not referto themselves as a Balkan country but as aEuropean one.

SOCIETY




FAMILY IN CROATIA

Family Structure• As many Croaans are Catholic, monogamy is strictlyfollowed and marriage is encouraged. Most Croa-ans marry in their early twenes. Croaan-bornpeople may choose whom they wed; however,they generally marry people of similar naon-ality, religion and social status. Divorce isconsidered undesirable.

• Extended families are valued and nur-tured within Croaan culture.• Tradionally, married couples livedwith the husband’s parents and wereexpected to have more to do with hisrelaves. Childcare was shared withgrandparents, and grandfathers tra-dionally spent quality me with thegrandchildren.

• The elderly enjoy higher status thanyounger members of the family.• Tradionally, Croaa was a patriarchal so-ciety, however women were encouraged to join theworkforce during the Socialist rule andnow experience a fairly equal status with men. Ruralwomen oen worked alongside their husbands, whilstmaintaining the household.• Women are sll viewed as responsible for the housework and pri-

mary childcare, whilst pursuing higher educaon or maintaining a career. However, manymen share some of the home dues and acvely raise their children.

The Relave Status of Women and MenCroaa is portrayed as a patriarchal society, but women have fairly equal status with men.

Men enjoy more privileges and have a higher status, and many families prefer sons to

daughters. Women are represented in most professions, polics, and the arts and are not

likely to take a secondary role in public life. Women are as likely as men to pursue higher

educaon. Status dierences are as marked between older and younger people, and be-tween professional or working-class individuals, as they are between the genders. Gender

dierences are more pronounced among farmers and the working classes than among

professionals.




CORPORATE CULTURE

Business dress code

The dress code is formal in Croaa. Croaanbusiness people wear suits to the oce andto business meengs. Men wear suits witha jacket and e, while women tend to havea wider range of opons. Women’s busi-ness are is formal and must not be toorevealing. In any case, dressing well is a signof respect, demonstrang your atude tobusiness and aenon to detail.

Structure and hierarchyCroaans value authoritave superiors andrespect the knowledge, educaon, con-dence and experience that come with sta-tus. Croaa’s collecvist society has signicantlyimpacted business culture. Decisions areusually made without consultaon, andmanagers do not need to provide explana-ons as to why a decision was reached. Usu-

ally only one person makes major decisions

and takes credit for success.

Business MeengsMeeng schedules are not very rigid in Cro-aa. There may be an agenda but it servesmore as a guideline for the discussion thananything else.• Be prepared for lengthy meengs. Peoplemay go o on tangents, and me is never a

factor in bringing a meeng to a close.• There may be some small-talk at the be-ginning of meengs. This would becomemore important as the relaonship devel-ops. Never jump straight into business, asthis may come across as rude.• At least inially, be sure to temper yourcommunicaon style if you are used tobeing quite direct. Building the relaonship

is more important inially and should befocused upon.

Professionalism is extremely

important in Croaan busi -

ness culture. Always main-

tain an appropriate rela-

onship with your Croaan

colleagues, as respect willdecrease if the relaonship

becomes too personal.




BUSINESS ETIQUETTE

Helpful hints• Greengs should include a rm handshake and direct eye contact, a weak hand

shake means that you are weak and no direct eye contact can be taken to mean thatyou are hiding something.

• Remain standing unl you are invited to sit down as there might be a seat reservedespecially for you.

• Always maintain direct eye contact while speaking.• Punctuality is expected and taken extremely seriously.

• Expect some small talk and geng-to-know-you conversaon before business is dis-cussed

• Business is conducted slowly. You will have to be paent and not appear rued bythe strict adherence to protocol

• Companies tend to have a hierarchical structure, with decision-making power heldat the top of the company.

• Do not try to schedule meengs on Friday aernoons, as many Croaans leave fortheir country coages aer lunch.

• Many businesses are closed in August.

• Leers should be addressed to the company rather than to a specic person. Thisprevents a leer from being held up if the person it is addressed to is away from theoce.

PunctualityIn Croaan culture, it is very important to pay parcular aenon to your me-keep-ing skills. It is considered good manners, whether aending a business meeng or sociallunch, to be punctual. A 15-minute grace period is normal in social sengs, but might wellbe frowned upon in a formal business environment where punctuality is appreciated.

Gi givingSmall presents like a book or a souvenir represenng the country you are vising fromwould be acceptable. Expensive presents are not recommended, and most companieshave a ceiling on the value of the gi that can be accepted. Most business people wouldnot expect gis to be presented at the rst meeng.

Bribery and corruponBribery is used by both foreign and local businesses in order to acquire contracts or to cutthrough bureaucrac red tape when they are starng a new business. The main problem in

Croaa seems to be the legal system, which has a backlog of over a million cases waing tobe heard.




Veronica Gelfgren

Yulia Bazyukina

Marja-Liisa Helenius

ResearchResearch, layoutProofreading

Learnmera Oy

Documents

Country Profile of CROATIA in English