Swedish and Taiwanese business manners: where the two cultures really differ

Decision-making: hierarchy and who is actually in the room

Swedish organisations push authority down. A manager is a coordinator rather than a decider, and the assumption is that a capable person two levels below the top can disagree with a director in a meeting and that this is healthy. The senior person listens and decides after hearing the debate.

Taiwanese organisations more often concentrate decision authority higher. The expectation is that the senior person decides and the meeting participants support that decision in public. A room that openly contradicts its senior person is not seen as a well-functioning team; it is seen as disrespectful and as a sign that the decision-maker has lost authority or has not explained themselves clearly enough.

This is not a question of competence or intellect on either side. It is a structural difference in how organisations are built. The consequence is that the Swede in a Taiwanese meeting often comes away thinking nobody engaged with the problem, because the junior people who saw the issue clearly said nothing. The Taiwanese counterpart comes away thinking the Swedish delegation is airing its internal disagreement in front of an outsider, which is perceived as a loss of face and control.

Invite accordingly. If the decision will be made in Taipei, invite the person with the authority to make it. Sending a working-level manager or engineer, however capable, may save a flight cost and may even be more efficient by Swedish logic, but to the Taiwanese side it reads as a downgrade and as a signal that you do not think the meeting is serious enough for your decision-maker.

The meeting where nobody objects: consensus cultures at cross-purposes

Swedish culture builds consensus through debate. Förankring is the word: anchoring, or securing agreement through open discussion where disagreement is a form of participation. This can take weeks or months. The meeting is where the debate happens. The outcome is ratified at the end.

Taiwanese culture often builds consensus privately. The meeting is where the decision is confirmed and formalised. The private conversations before the meeting are where objections are raised, concerns are heard and the path forward is settled. The meeting itself is structured to protect face: a person who has agreed privately will not contradict the senior person in front of an outsider.

From the Swedish side, the Taiwanese meeting can look like everyone has agreed to something inadequate. From the Taiwanese side, the Swedish insistence on debating potential problems in front of a customer or partner can look like loose governance and a loss of face. Neither reading is accurate.

Build a private channel. After a public meeting, send a message to your Taiwanese counterpart inviting concerns or changes via email or a one-to-one call rather than in a group setting. Phrase it as an invitation to help refine the plan. This is where the real adjustment usually happens. Writing a straightforward follow-up email that invites feedback gets answered; raising a new objection in the next meeting usually does not.

Relationship before the deal, and the role of the meal

Swedish business culture often separates relationship from transaction. You can do business with someone you do not know well, and you can work with a partner you see only quarterly. Taiwanese business culture invests in relationship before the formal deal. Time spent eating together, remembering names and families, and building some personal connection is not considered separate from the business. It is part of how trust is built.

Meals are where unscripted conversation happens. The formal meeting is for decisions and updates; the meal is where people talk more openly and where you can learn what people actually think about something. An invitation to eat is an invitation to this conversation, not just a courtesy.

In a formal meeting, seating matters. You are normally seated in order of seniority, with the most senior guest opposite the most senior host. Business cards are exchanged at the beginning, examined carefully and kept on the table in front of you during the meeting. Do not put a card in your back pocket or on top of a briefcase.

Introductions follow the family-name-first convention. Most people working internationally will use an English given name as well. Use the family name until invited to do otherwise. It is normal for someone to say 'Please call me [English given name]', and once invited, use that name. Asking for clarification about name order is entirely acceptable.

Direct speech about problems: an asset with conditions

Swedish business culture values direct speech about problems. If something will not work, a Swedish executive expects to hear it clearly and quickly rather than being told the plan is fine when it is not. This is seen as honesty and respect for the other person's time.

In Taiwanese business culture, direct criticism can be seen as aggressive or as a loss of face for the person being criticised. The preference is for problems to be raised privately and for the public message to be positive or neutral. As trust builds, this softens. A partner you have worked with for years will be more direct with you. A new counterpart will be more cautious.

This does not mean Taiwanese executives avoid difficult conversations. It means the timing and channel matter. A problem raised in a one-to-one conversation or in a quiet side conversation during a meal is heard differently from a problem raised in front of a room. Once you have built trust over some time, direct speech becomes easier and is often appreciated.

Lagom, the Swedish concept of 'just the right amount', often reads as lack of confidence or lack of conviction in a proposal. If you are enthusiastic about something, show it more openly than you might at home. The understatement that works in Stockholm can sound like doubt in Taipei.

Business cards, names and the two-handed exchange

Business cards are exchanged with two hands. Hold the card with both hands, present it with the text facing the recipient, and receive a card the same way. Examine it carefully when you receive it. Do not write on someone's card or put it away immediately; keep it on the table in front of you during the meeting. This is a small ritual that signals respect.

Names in Chinese follow the family name first. Almost everyone working internationally will also have an English given name. The formal introduction might be 'Wang, Hsiao-mei' (family name first) or 'Hsiao-mei Wang' if you ask, or simply 'Mei-li' if that is their English given name. Ask for clarification if you are unsure, and once you are told a person prefers an English name, use it.

A person's formal title in a business context is usually their position: CEO, General Manager, Director, etc. In casual conversation, some people prefer their given name; others prefer the title. If you are unsure, use the title until invited to do otherwise. The invitation is often explicit: 'Please call me Hsiao-mei.'

Gifts, hospitality and the rules around them

Small gifts are normal in Taiwanese business culture. A gift from your company's home country is appreciated: a product, a book, something that represents the company or region you come from. Avoid gifts that are too personal, too expensive or too cheap. Something in the range of 20 to 50 euros is usually appropriate. Gift-wrapping is valued. Do not give a gift wrapped in white paper, as white is associated with mourning.

Gifts are usually accepted with thanks but not immediately opened in front of you. This is normal and not a rejection. Similarly, if you receive a gift, accept it with thanks and put it aside rather than opening it in front of the giver.

Food and drink hospitality are important parts of relationship building. If you are invited to a meal, punctuality matters even more than it does at a business meeting. If you cannot eat certain foods for religious or health reasons, mentioning this to your host in advance is appreciated and is not considered rude. Your host will make sure you have something to eat.

Alcohol is common at meals. It is acceptable not to drink. If you do drink, pace yourself and remember that some toasts are expected. A simple toast to the success of the partnership or to the health of those present is normal and is appreciated.

Punctuality and language: what to expect

Punctuality matters in Taiwan. Arriving five to ten minutes early is normal. If you will be late, send a message. Leaving significantly before the end time of a scheduled meeting without explanation can read as disrespect.

English is widely spoken in business in Taiwan, especially in international companies and among younger executives. Do not assume everyone is fluent. If you are running a meeting where fluency varies, speak clearly and check for understanding. Providing an agenda in advance and sending written follow-up is helpful. Some older executives may prefer to have a Taiwanese-speaking colleague present, and offering this option shows respect.

Written English is often very precise in Taiwan, and directness in writing can be misread more easily than directness in conversation. A follow-up email that sounds blunt or demanding in English may create friction. Adding a sentence that acknowledges the other person's perspective or invites their input softens the tone: 'We are hoping to move forward on the contract. Do you have any concerns or suggestions before we proceed?'

Etiquette varies by industry and generation

The practices described here are general patterns and not universal rules. Younger executives, especially those who have worked internationally, may be more informal about some of these conventions. A startup may have a flatter structure than a traditional manufacturing company. An industry like finance or law may be more formal than technology. Ask your local colleagues what is normal in your specific context.

Taiwan is a high-trust, internationally connected business culture. People appreciate directness about what you do not know. Asking 'Is this the right way to approach this in your context?' or 'What am I missing?' is often answered helpfully. Most friction between Swedish and Taiwanese business partners comes not from misunderstanding the rules but from not asking what the rules are in that particular setting.