Following established protocol is critical to building and maintaining business relationships in the
UK. Verbal communications are usually confirmed in writing where exactdetails are set out. Business
communications can be difficult to read since the British do not like to offend their business partners and
sources of disagreements are not always obvious to detect. British businesspeople often operate an opendoor
policy. People tend to work with their office door open although counterparts are expected to knock
and wait to be invited before entering.
In British business, hierarchies are becoming flatter with business units having delegated
autonomy, which increases overlapping and means loosely defined responsibilities and fewer distinctions
between roles and departments. British management style has a reputation for taking calculated risks and
this mentality is at the heart of the innovation drive in many British organisations. Professional rank and
status in the UK is generally based on an individual’s achievement and expertise in a given field.
Academic titles and backgrounds are not as important in business