Greeting

In Indonesia, a greeting is a leisurely, formal, and rather lengthy procedure. The accepted form of greeting is a light and prolonged handshake.

Muslim traditions are very strong in Indonesia, as the vast majority of the country's population practices this religion. As is known, physical contact between genders is not accepted among Muslims, so businesswomen coming from abroad should remember that during a greeting, their male partners are not ready to initiate a handshake, as it is not customary in their culture.

The same applies to foreign men greeting women during a business meeting. A woman is more likely to simply nod her head (a kind of light bow) rather than extend her hand for a handshake.

Some men in Indonesia, as a sign of greeting, place their hand on their chest over their heart. Businesswomen (both Indonesian and foreign) usually exchange handshakes among themselves.

In Indonesian culture, a person's status is of great importance. High status is indicated primarily by their position, rank, or age. If among your partners there are people belonging to one of these categories, it is important to show special respect towards them.

When greeting a group of colleagues, start with the most senior in position/rank or by age. In addition to a handshake, it is important to exchange a few formal courteous phrases with this person.

When greeting close relatives, Indonesians exchange handshakes and kisses (on both cheeks).

Introduction

When addressing an Indonesian partner, do not forget to mention their position, professional qualification, or academic degree (title), if any.

If you do not know the title/degree, position, or qualification of your partner or if they do not have any, use the commonly accepted polite forms of address: Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss, followed by either the surname or the first name.

During communication with an Indonesian partner, it is important to consider their status and demonstrate a respectful attitude by using appropriate forms of address. Some of these forms are based on historically established family/tribal/clan relationships. These forms may vary in different parts of the country.

Many Indonesians (especially residents of the island of Java) have only a first name, which is used as both the first name and surname in all aspects of life, for example, Sukarno. Muslims living in Indonesia, after making a pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca, usually add a special title to their name: Haji (for men) or Hajjah (for women), for example, Haji Mohammad Suharto.

Husband and wife often have different surnames. Women often take their husband's surname after marriage, but not to officially change it. Sometimes men in Indonesia also change their surname to their wife's surname.

Exchange of Business Cards

Exchanging business cards is an important ritual in Indonesian business practice. Business cards serve a representative function and thus they hold great significance.

Your business card should include your first name, last name, company name, position, and contact information. If your partner is a representative of government bodies, academic institutions, or simply an important person, you should also include your other titles and qualifications on the business card. This can be omitted when dealing with young entrepreneurs and/or managers.

The text on the business card can be in English. If you plan to spend a long time in Indonesia, it is advisable to prepare business cards with text in Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) or Chinese (Mandarin) on one side.

If you are a guest, be the initiator when handing over your business card to the host, starting with the eldest. When handing over a business card to a partner (as well as when receiving one), hold it with both hands. If this is not possible for some reason, hand over the business card with your right hand.

When receiving a business card from your interlocutor, hold it for a while with both hands, carefully look at the text, and then place it in front of you on the table or in a business card holder.

Never make any notes or write on the business cards you receive from your Indonesian colleagues.

Small Talk: Overview

Building and maintaining relationships is of immense importance in Indonesian business culture. This is especially crucial in interactions with foreign partners. Therefore, pay special attention to social conversations with the Indonesian side, as initial contact and several subsequent meetings are usually dedicated to getting to know your partner better.

Indonesians generally prefer a "soft" communication style, which is based on delicate manners, a soft voice, and polite speech. It is not customary to interrupt the speaker during a conversation.

During communication, it is better to maintain a neutral and polite tone, favoring vague and evasive statements, and ensuring that no one present is inadvertently offended.

A significant element of conversation in Indonesian culture is silence, which appears as a silent pause, indicating the participants' attention to the topic of discussion and respect for the speaker. It looks like they are contemplating what they have just heard. Do not show impatience if you think the pause is too long.

Emotional displays during conversation, especially negative ones, are not welcomed. Showing anger or rage will make your Indonesian partner feel very uncomfortable, which is unlikely to lead to successful relationship building on your part.

It is important to show particular respect to older people. Be sure to consider their opinions during the conversation.

Preferred Topics

Weather, travel.

Mutual acquaintances and business contacts.

Indonesian culture, economy, and art – discussing these topics will demonstrate your interest in maintaining contact with the partner.

When discussing historical or political topics (which can also be part of small talk), you should avoid strong statements and instead take a soft, neutral position.

Any facts or information about your country.

Taboo Topics

Avoid discussing local political topics, especially those related to conflicts between ethnic groups.

Various religious issues, which are sensitive in Indonesian society, especially because the country has diverse religious orientations.

Topics of corruption and human rights should not be discussed in Indonesian society.

Anything related to sexual relationships and, in particular, the trade of sexual services, are taboo topics.

Personal Space

The comfortable communication distance in Indonesian society is closer than in other cultures (such as the USA or the UK). During conversations, they stand quite close to each other. This distance is even shorter if the people talking are friends.

Try not to increase the distance between you and your partner during communication, for example, by stepping back. Your interlocutor is likely to feel uncomfortable.

Generally, physical contact and any touching, except for handshakes, are not welcomed. Any public displays of affection between opposite genders, including hugging and kissing (even between spouses), should be avoided.

Followers of Islam strive to avoid touching members of the opposite sex during conversation, with exceptions only for close friends and relatives.

During communication, an Indonesian individual would rather look away if his/her interlocutor is older or of higher social status. Maintaining direct eye contact is common among peers and people of equal status, but even in these cases, Indonesians often look away.

Communication Specifics

Indonesian society can be characterized as high-context. This means that a certain part of the information remains unspoken or implied, as all the necessary information either stems from the situation itself or is understood without words by all participants in the communication since it is embedded in the culture.

Sometimes non-verbal signals convey significantly more information than the explicit, verbal part of the speech. Foreign partners, in case of any misunderstanding or ambiguous interpretation of a statement, should seek clarification from their colleagues in Indonesia.

This style of communication is based on long-standing relationships of mutual dependence between members (usually of a large) family or clan, resulting in a common understanding and evaluation of everything that is happening.

In Indonesian culture, an important concept is "face" and the related ideas of "losing face" and "saving face." This concept refers to a person's reputation, outward impression, and image. Losing face occurs if a person is criticized, contradicted, or humiliated in the presence of others.

For Indonesians, regardless of origin, maintaining one's face and preventing others from losing face is a very important element of communication. Especially when something unpleasant or negative needs to be said, they will behave very cautiously, avoiding calling things by their proper names, adhering to the formal side of things, and generally talking "around" the topic rather than about it.

When communicating with Indonesian partners, it is important to pay attention to various verbal and non-verbal signals. Indonesians do not like to say "no" in response to a request, as they always strive to be polite and avoid conflict situations. In the Indonesian language, there are many ways to say "no" without actually saying "no."

When building business relationships with partners from this Asian country, it is important to always keep in mind the peculiarities of their communication (primarily the concept of face). In delicate situations, it is better to return to the discussed topic under various pretexts and ask your question several times but from a different angle. In general, it is advisable to avoid questions that require direct "yes" or "no" answers.