Business in Peru
High vs Low Context
High vs Low Context Countries
How important/ common is it to use gestures to describe speech?
How do you communicate? Do you read in between the lines or take things at face value? Are you aware of body language and less tangible signals?
High Context: There is much more than what is being said. Body language, what's not being said, and the circumstances surrounding the conversation can be just as important, if not more, than what is being spoken verbally. Long term relationships likewise play an extremely important role in how business is conducted.
Low Context: Meanings are much more explicit. What is being spoken is generally a good indication of what the speaker is trying to convey. While outside factors still have a role, they are not as dominant.
Peru tends to be a much higher context culture than the U.S. where meanings can be much more implicit than explicit
For example:
If a Peruvian doesn't agree with you, he or she may not say it directly to be polite or nice. Instead, they will defer and put off any action you recommended and you are supposed to know they don't really agree.
Likewise, it's very important to be aware of body language and environmental circumstances, to understand the politics of the group to make sure you really understand the real, true meaning of what they're trying to say.
