t, China or Brazil, where this tactic is popular, will be more successful opening with a firm, realistic offer. Do not, directly or indirectly, offer anything to a Norwegian that could be taken as a bribe. Norway and its Scandinavian neighbors consistently rank at the top of any list of corruption-free business cultures. Contracts The written agreement is regarded as definitive when subsequent business disagreements arise. Norwegians may react negatively if an international counterpart relies on the strength of the relationship between the two sides to renegotiate terms after the contract has been signed, an approach employed by some East Asian negotiators. At the same time, Norwegians may be irritated by US negotiators who insist on having a lawyer sit with them at the bargaining table. It is better to keep legal advisors in the background until it's time to finalize the agreement. Schedules and Deadlines Schedules and deadlines are very firm. Norwegians quickly lose interest in dealing with business partners who fail to meet their obligations on time. Gift Giving Except for Christmas presents and tasteful logo items, Norway is not a gift-giving business culture. However, upon successful completion of negotiations, a bottle of quality cognac or whisky will be welcome. Make sure your gift is wrapped in quality paper. Persuasion An American saying is that a good marketing man "sells the sizzle, not the steak". This philosophy often falls flat in Norway. Norwegian business people tend to be irritated by "hard sell" tactics. They react better to a well-documented, straightforward approach without hype or exaggerated claims. The concept of "new" is not as convincing in Norway as in the US, where "new" is often associated with something better. If you can demonstrate that something is solid and of good quality, then you will have a much better chance. Humor In contrast to some other Northern European cultures such as Germany, humor is quite ...
