Azerbaijan — Business
Personal contact and relationship-building is critical in Azerbaijan, and therefore meetings are more effective than long distance communication. It is common to exchange business cards in meetings, which should be in Russian or English and have an Azeri translation on the reverse. The language of business is Azeri or Russian, and translators will be required for those not speaking either language. Azeris tend to be polite and visitors should be aware that a 'yes' might actually mean 'no' to avoid causing 'loss of face'. Azeris should not be rushed to make a business decision. Gender roles are traditional and businesswomen might be met with sceptism.
