Doing business in a foreign country requires much more than a current passport and a language phrase book.

International business expert Orlando Kelm shared tips on Brazilian business culture and what mindset to adopt when doing business in any foreign culture Nov. 16 as part of International Education Week at UT.

Kelm speaks seven languages, is associate professor in both the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and the McCombs Department of Marketing, and is the co-author of "When We are the Foreigners: What Chinese Think About Working with Americans." He is also the associate director for Business Language Education at the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) at McCombs.

His advice to students traveling to different cultures starts with simply staying aware of the culture and using a model titled LESCANT, which Kelm describes as a unique way to categorize cultural differences. LESCANT is an acronym that stands for Language, Environment differences, Social organization differences, Context differences, Authority, Non-verbal communication, and Time.

Kelm’s own research includes a compilation of more than 170 video clips in which Brazilians discuss issues they have encountered while working professionally with Americans. He hopes to provide American professionals with cultural information and advice as they approach business in Brazil.

Issues addressed in the clips include negotiation styles, language issues, social situations, time and scheduling, and a typical day at work. Most notably, Brazilians like to spend more time on customer service, forging relationships with clients and work associates.

During his presentation, Kelm showed photographs from his time in Brazil, and explained how each photo illustrates a cultural difference. 

Brazilian supermarket: Unlike American markets where express lines are designated for those with fewer items, the Brazilian express line is designated for the pregnant, elderly, disabled, and those with young children.

“You see a different set of values, you don’t get out of there fast because time is important,” Kelm said. “They give value to people with special needs.”

Dental floss machine: Bathrooms in Brazil have machines that dispense dental floss, which Kelm says indicates the importance Brazilians put on hygiene.

“Brazilians have a sense of hygiene that is pretty intense,” he said.

Kissing couple: Kelm described a couple that did not stop kissing, despite being surrounded by 30 tourists.

“When it comes to cultural differences, one of the things you see is what we call 'affect display,' which is how much you show emotions versus how much you hold them in,” Kelm said. “Brazilians are very touchy-feely. There is just a sense of touch that is different about Brazilians, even in professional settings.”

"Portuguese was the foreign language I learned first and identified with most," Kelm said. "I got along with Brazilian culture, I'm kind of a Brazilian at heart I guess that way."

Check out Kelm’s research here and his website here.