My time abroad has given me more understanding of the culture of Portugal and how businesses operate there. After being able to visit multiple businesses, including one that worked for the municipality of Porto and a national pastry company in Lisbon, I have a wide understanding of the motivations behind businesses and the way they operate. The main motivation behind both of these businesses was to increase awareness of their own brand (the city of Porto and Nata), showing that Portugal is an up-and-coming country. Tourism has increased significantly since 2019, and businesses are aware of this and therefore shift their marketing strategies to it. My initial impressions of the Portuguese being hospitable were correct. In every business, we were greeted warmly by every employee and given small gifts. The employees were more than welcome to answer questions, making it even more educational. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Portugal and am thankful to the businesses who helped me understand more about it!
Center for International Business Studies Blog