PaperJam_June2004_Clara_Moraru-at-FirstTuesday.PDF

1
**mffiffi-m ffiw ffiffiffimwffi re€ ffiffiffiffiffi mffimwffi+$fr,h, ffim ffi mffiffi ffi mre == ** &x*rs&Tr,Nmmdmy spmmkmn$ ffimffiffie#K-ffiffiffi e reppnmchwrvaent ane*pnww*dm &rxsigk* &rx*m smm&m& w*&eryww&Kw* aw&&a.xnm mmd dm$rxg bsxm8rxffiss in R*m&ffi&&" ROMANIANS LIKE TO DO business face-to-face; they consider e-mails and faxes too impersonal. Actually, it's more like eyeball-to-eyeball. Eye contact is very impor- rant to them.and they typi- cally communicate only half-an-arm's length apart. Touchingis frequenttoo, and they're given to ltalian-style gesticulation. It's all about sincerity, openness and buil- ding trust. Basically, the Romanians like to get up close and personal. The speakers at this mon- th's FirstTuesday gave us a close-up on this and various other aspects of Romania. First was the country's Diplomatic Counsellor here, Dr Nicolae Iordan-Constan- tinescu, with some basic facts about his homeland: "Ronania sat at the cross- roads of three great empires - Russiarr, jttoman and Austro-Hungarian - which marked our presentand our histon;'. 0ne surprising trace '1eft. not by rhose empires. but by l2th-century settlers from Luxembourg. was lin- guistic: "There is some dan- ger that the 'Ldtzebuerger Sprooch' may disappear [here], but don't worry, it can srill be found in Transyluania, where there are a lot of people who still speak if'. 0n Romania's economy, he said unemployment is 4.50/o Il million people), salaries are 1ow [monthly averageof US$ 5oo-1,500 for a general manager,300-900 for a spe- cialized engineer, 100 for a bilingual secretary), but FDI in 2OO3 was US$ 10.4 billion. inflation is falling, and there has been 5olo annual GDP growth since 2000. Dr Iordan proudly claimed that Romania's ICT infrastructure "can com- pete with any in the world", citing the particular success of Romanian antivirus soft- ware firms. Mr Georges Calteux, the second speaker, of Luxem- bourg's Serrice des Sites et Monuments Nationaur, tal- ked about Luxembourg s involvement in renovating historical sites in Romania, notably the 'Maison de Lutembourg', in the town of Sibiu, which accommodates a tourisi olfice. language centre and Kulturcafd, and will house the Luxe m- bourgish Consulate. He confirmed that Luxem- bourg's heritage in Romania is strong, that he was indeed able to communicatein Ldtzebuergescft there, and highlighted another connec- tion: fortifications in the town of Alba-luliaare very similar to those in Luxem- bourg city, as both were built by Vaubanin the XMIth cen- tury. iii itl{:1rr.jli':: tf i iil i . -,,i.;'1,1i ,":. i.ri iii t:= i','i i:, 1!;lli Mr Bernard Elvinger was next at the mic: "I see great opportunities for Lurem- bourgish SMEs, financial institutions, handicrafis etc. in Romania". His company, Agrilux, has been operating successfullythere for many years.He praisedits business climate,saying there was "no lack of skilled labour, inclu- ding IT staff'. Frequent media focus on negarive aspects - safety, corruption, poverty - ts "eraggerated", he said. "I always feel welco- me and perfectly safe there". He said his business hadn't encountered any corruption and claimedthat it was more of an issue for "big compa- niesrhat come into Romania with pockets full of money and their ovn set of laws". He couldn't deny the povefty issue, though. "There is no doubt that you will see pouerty, owing to lack of entplovnentand wages that are ua)' below lhose in Lu,rentbourg", but he said salaries were rising steadily, contributing to increased quality of life. He also said Ronrania was "a uery beauti- Jul cottntn, for tour[sm, and great for fishing". Clara Moraru. Managing Direclor of 0ulsourcing Partners Ltd (and Romania's unofficial ambassador to FirstTuesday networking), provided useful insights about the etiquette to observe when doing business in her country: "Romanians are uery traditional; pride, honour and 'sauing face' are important, as are respectful behauiour, formal dress and punctuality". Once you've avoided all the social minefields and earned their respect, though, they are very friendly and gene- rous, especially with their food and 'ruic' (wine), which flows copiously at business lunches that often last all day long. Incidentally, the Romanian expression for'Cheers!' is 'Norocl', but don't be temp- ted to say 'Prostl' - it means 'stupidl Bear this in mind nexI time a Romanianis eyeballing you over a glass of tuic. w Ncii l"learlirlil 6emnge: e alteux, Ciara Mmnaru, Me ffiernard Etvinger andmr fdicotae inrrian-Constantincse u. 731 tager.j.!r]J \ 2.1J, 1'

Transcript of PaperJam_June2004_Clara_Moraru-at-FirstTuesday.PDF

**mffiffi-m ffiw ffiffiffimwffi re€ ffiffiffiffiffircrcmffimwffi+$fr,h, ffim ffi mffiffi ffi mre == **

&x*rs&Tr,Nmmdmy spmmkmn$ ffimffiffie#K-ffiffiffi e reppnmchwrvaent ane* pnww*dm &rxsigk*&rx*m smm&m& w*&eryww&Kw* aw&&a.xnm mmd dm$rxg bsxm8rxffiss in R*m&ffi&&"

ROMANIANS LIKE TO DObusiness face-to-face; theyconsider e-mails and faxestoo impersonal. Actually, it'smore like eyeball-to-eyeball.Eye contact is very impor-ran t to them. and they typ i -cal ly communicate onlyhalf-an-arm's length apart.Touching is frequent too, andthey're given to ltalian-stylegesticulation. It's all aboutsincerity, openness and buil-ding trust. Basical ly, theRomanians l ike to get upclose and personal.

The speakers at this mon-th's FirstTuesday gave us aclose-up on this and variousother aspects of Romania.First was the country'sDiplomatic Counsellor here,Dr Nicolae Iordan-Constan-t i n e s c u , w i t h s o m e b a s i cfacts about his homeland:"Ronania sat at the cross-roads of three great empires- Russ ia r r , j t toman andAustro-Hungarian - whichmarked our present and ourhiston; ' . 0ne surprising trace'1eft.

not by rhose empires.but by l2th-century settlersf rom Luxembourg . was l in -guist ic: "There is some dan-ger that the 'Ldtzebuerger

Sprooch' may disappear[here], but don't worry, it cansrill be found in Transyluania,where there are a lot ofpeople who still speak if'.

0n Romania's economy, hesaid unemployment is 4.50/oI l m i l l i on peop le) , sa la r iesare 1ow [monthly average ofUS$ 5oo-1,500 for a generalmanager, 300-900 for a spe-cialized engineer, 100 for abilingual secretary), but FDIin 2OO3 was US$ 10.4 billion.

inflation is falling, and therehas been 5olo annual GDPgrowth since 2000. Dr Iordanproudly claimed that Romania'sICT infrastructure "can com-pete with any in the world",citing the particular successof Romanian an t iv i rus so f t -ware firms.

Mr Georges Calteux, thesecond speaker, of Luxem-bourg's Serrice des Sites etMonuments Nationaur, tal-ked about Luxembourg sinvo lvement in renovat ingh is to r ica l s i tes in Romania ,notably the 'Maison deLutembourg', in the town ofSibiu, which accommodatesa tour is i o l f i ce . languagecentre and Kulturcafd, andwil l house the Luxe m-bourgish Consulate.

He confirmed that Luxem-bourg 's her i tage in Romaniais strong, that he was indeeda b l e t o c o m m u n i c a t e i nLdtzebuergescft there, andhighlighted another connec-t ion: fort i f icat ions in thetown o f A lba- lu l ia a re verysimilar to those in Luxem-bourg city, as both were builtby Vauban in the XMIth cen-tury.

i i i i t l { :1rr . j l i ' : : t f i i i l

i

. - , , i . ; ' 1 , 1 i, " : .i.ri iii t:= i','i i:, 1!;lli

Mr Bernard Elvinger wasnext at the mic: "I see greatopportunities for Lurem-bourgish SMEs, financialinstitutions, handicrafis etc.in Romania". His company,Agrilux, has been operatingsuccessfully there for many

years. He praised its businessclimate, saying there was "no

lack of skilled labour, inclu-ding IT staff'. Frequentmed ia focus on negar iveaspects - safety, corruption,poverty - ts "eraggerated",

he said. "I always feel welco-me and perfectly safe there".He said his business hadn'tencountered any corruptionand claimed that it was moreof an issue for "big compa-n ies rha t come in to Romaniawith pockets full of moneyand their ovn set of laws".He couldn't deny the poveftyissue, though. "There is nodoubt that you wil l seepouerty, owing to lack of

entplovnent and wages thatare ua) ' be low lhose inLu, ren tbourg" , bu t he sa idsalaries were rising steadily,contr ibuting to increasedquality of life. He also saidRonrania was "a uery beauti-

Jul cottntn, for tour[sm, andgreat for f ishing".

C lara Moraru . Manag ingD i r e c l o r o f 0 u l s o u r c i n gPartners Ltd (and Romania'sunoff icial ambassador toFirstTuesday networking),provided useful insightsabout the etiquette to observewhen doing business in hercountry: "Romanians are uerytraditional; pride, honour and'sauing

face' are important,

as are respectful behauiour,

formal dress and punctuality".Once you've avoided all thesocial minefields and earnedtheir respect, though, theyare very friendly and gene-rous, especially with theirfood and 'ruic' (wine), whichflows copiously at businesslunches that often last allday long.

Incidentally, the Romaniane x p r e s s i o n f o r ' C h e e r s ! ' i s'Norocl ' , but don't be temp-ted to say 'Prostl' - it means'stupidl Bear this in mindn e x I t i m e a R o m a n i a n i seyeballing you over a glassof tuic. wNcii l" learl ir l i l

6emnge: e a l teux , C ia ra Mmnaru , Me f f ie rnard Etv ingerand mr fd ico tae in r r ian-Constan t incse u .

731 tager.j.!r]J \ 2.1J, 1'