Discussion panel (left to right): Pam Elledge, senior vice president of global sales and distribution, Delta Air Lines; Mariam Kamshad, vice president and portfolio adviser, Goldman Sachs; Heidi Green, deputy commissioner of global commerce, Georgia Department of Economic Development; Diane Alleva Cáceres, managing director, Market Access International.

Cultural awareness among American businesspeople is the biggest factor in successful entry into the international marketplace, according to a panel of four businesswomen hosted by "Atlanta Woman Magazine" in the ballroom of Twelve Hotel, Atlantic Station. 

The panel included representatives from Delta Air Lines Inc., the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Market Access International Inc.

Panelist Pam Elledge, senior vice president of global sales and distribution at Delta, said that while language barriers can be overcome with translators, personal knowledge of the culture in which a businessperson wants to operate is key.

“It is important to understand etiquette in order to start off on the right foot” with international businesspeople, she said.

Panel members suggested that business guides such as Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands by Terri Morrison are helpful in learning appropriate forms of greeting in other countries.  The original guide gives tips on the business practices, value systems and negotiation tactics of 60 countries.

New editions of the book focus on different continents and are available at any major bookstore.

Mariam Kamshad, vice president and portfolio adviser for Goldman Sachs, suggested that company owners interested in expanding their businesses travel abroad and continue to educate themselves in order to “incorporate international issues into daily life.”

Heidi Green, deputy commissioner of global commerce at the Georgia department, suggested that companies take advantage of the resources available at the department for training business executives interested in going international.

Ms. Green specifically mentioned the department’s mentor/protégé program, in which a small business is paired with a larger company with more experience in the international marketplace in order to learn from their business practices.

Diane Alleva Cáceres, managing director of Market Access International, told GlobalAtlanta following the presentation that female businesspeople face difficulties due to how certain societies view the role of women.

“You can overcome these problems with appropriate cultural awareness,” said Ms. Alleva Cáceres.

The four panel members discussed other topics relating to taking Georgia businesses abroad including market research, training staff, working in foreign legal systems and partnering with other businesses.

According to Ms. Alleva Cáceres, the process through which local companies should work in expanding is to saturate the local market, identify where there is a demand for the company’s product and to adapt the product to fit those markets.

Jim Clancy, anchor on CNN’s “Your World Today” program, served as moderator during the panel discussion.

Billian Publishing Inc., a publisher of several magazines including “Business to Business”, acquired Atlanta Woman in April.  Atlanta Woman covers local news and hosts educational seminars for civic- and business-minded women.