One of the major focuses of the Spain Business trip was to learn about the Spanish business culture and how it differs from the United States. Through my classes, local business visits, and my own experiences I was able to learn about the unique business practices of the Spanish.
Overall, business in Spain seems to be more relaxed and moves at a slower pace. There is less emphasis on working extremely hard and pushing yourself forward. Instead, I have learned that many Spaniards prefer to place a higher value on enjoying the day and enjoying life in general. Some examples I have picked up on are frequent breaks, afternoon siestas, and shorter working hours. Instead of a rigid three meals a day, Spaniards often eat small meals of tapas whenever they feel like it. These meals are often long and there is less of a hurry to leave the restaurant than in the United States. Another hallmark of Spanish business is more flexible schedules, where deadlines and meeting times are looser than in the U.S. Furthermore, the Spanish enjoy more vacation and days off than Americans. Another major difference is the level of entrepreneurialism in Spain versus the United States. In the U.S, there is much emphasis on making as much money as you can, making decisions that are best for yourself, and doing whatever you can to propel yourself to the next level. The U.S. is very individualistic. On the other hand, Spain is more collectivist and life employment is very common here. It is often the goal of people to receive this life employment and stay loyal to one company, which is not the case in the United States. Americans typically move jobs and switch around to achieve the most advantageous situation.
In summary, I would conclude from my time in Spain that the Spanish tend to be much more relaxed when it comes to business. While they absolutely work and contribute to the economy, Spanish people usually work less hours and less days. Furthermore, there is a larger emphasis placed on enjoying the day and enjoying work, instead of working hard all the time to complete a certain amount of work each day. There is also less of an entrepreneurial spirit in Spain, and busines people may tend to seek long term employment instead of constantly trying to find better positions.