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Doing business & staying in touch

Business suits are worn when meeting senior officials and local heads of business, for semi-formal social functions and in exclusive restaurants and clubs. Exchange of business cards is usual.

In Rio de Janeiro business cards are exchanged by way of introduction and business people usually expect to deal with someone of an equal business status. Introductions from mutual contacts are highly valued in Rio de Janeiro. Dress code is generally smart and suits are necessary when meeting heads of companies or attending semi-formal social functions in exclusive clubs and restaurants.

Normal business hours are Monday to Friday 0900-1800. Quite often, however, business is done over dinner in a restaurant. Brazilians have an incredibly relaxed attitude to time and are often very late for meetings. It is very important to take time for pleasantries.

Brazilians are more casual than their Latin American counterparts but it is important to dress neatly and offer respect. Bear in mind that it can get cold in the south in the winter, though in Rio, temperatures remain high.

At the beginning of a conversation, at least, strangers should always be addressed with the formal 'o senhor' or 'a senhora' until they use the informal 'tu' or 'você'. Professionals will often be addressed as 'o doutor' (doctor), whatever their line of business. Shaking hands is the first point of contact, although kissing on the cheek is common on subsequent meetings - unless you are male and your contact is female. Although many executives speak English, it is advisable to conduct business in Portuguese, if possible.

Office hours: 

Mon-Fri 0900-1800.

Economy: 

Despite widespread poverty, Brazil has the world's 8th-largest economy, and is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. It is predicted to become one of the world’s largest. Agriculture remains the largest sector in terms of employment and Brazil is the world's second-largest exporter of agricultural products, principally coffee, sugar and soya beans. There is also a substantial industrial sector, concentrated in machinery, electrical goods, construction materials, rubber and chemicals and vehicle production.
The country possesses large mineral reserves including iron ore - of which Brazil is the world's largest exporter. Plans to develop Brazil's potentially vast oil and gas resources will serve to reduce the country's large current energy import bill but face opposition on environmental grounds.
The Lula government, which took office in 2003, enjoyed widespread popularity for the combination of its progressive social policies and its sound fiscal management, leading to significant annual economic growth (over 5% in 2008).
Despite the country’s considerable natural wealth, it is domestic consumer demand that has made the Reais, and the Brazilian economy, continue to boom. As a result, foreign visitors to Brazil will find prices similar to those in Western Europe.


GDP: 

US$1.6 trillion (2009).

Main exports: 

Aircraft, automobiles, textiles, coffee, soya beans and orange juice.

Main imports: 

Machinery, transport and electrical equipment, chemical products and oil.

Main trading partners: 

USA, Argentina, China, Germany and Japan.

Staying in touch in Brazil

Telephone: 

Rio's airport provides 24-hour telecommunication services. Public telephones accept telephone cards (cartões telefônicos), which can be obtained from newspaper kiosks. International calls from Brazil are expensive.

Mobile phone: 

Mobile coverage is generally very good. Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies, but travellers should check with their service providers. An unlocked GSM tri- or quad-band cell phone works in Brazil, with SIM cards widely available. Minutes can be added via cartões pre-pago (prepaid cards), available at newspaper kiosks.

Internet: 

Many hotels provide Internet access to guests. Internet cafés can be found in main towns and cities, and there are often Internet booths at airports. In smaller towns, public access is sometimes available at post offices.

Post: 

Services are generally reliable. Airmail service to Europe takes about one week. Surface mail takes at least four weeks.

Post office hours: 

Mon-Fri 0800-1800, Sat 0800-1200.

Media: 

Brazil's constitution guarantees a free press. There are thousands of radio stations and hundreds of TV channels in Brazil, South America's largest media market. Media ownership is highly concentrated and home-grown conglomerates such as Globo, Brazil's most successful broadcaster, dominate the market, operating TV and radio networks, newspapers and pay-TV. Brazilian dramas and soaps are exported around the world. Novelas (soap operas) and reality TV are hugely popular.

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