Blog: Culture and Localisation

If you’re based in the UK you would be forgiven for thinking that social media starts and ends with Facebook and Twitter. Even when we’re not online, these social media channels invade our everyday lives. Whether it’s hashtags on TV shows or ‘Find Us On Facebook’ signs on advertising, you can’t escape them. Across the

We’re delighted to welcome Karin Schimmelschulze, Managing Director of German Advantage, as our new guest blogger. In her first article, Karin reflects on the 25th anniversary of German Reunification and discusses the importance of overcoming cultural differences. I remember the day when a client of the bank I used to work for in Germany rushed

Website localisation is not just about translating your existing website into a different language, it’s also about ensuring that all online content is right for the local market. This includes everything from tone of voice and image content, to even whether your brand name or product names are appropriate in a particular country. Get it

Today we can confidently say that we live in the ‘Age of the Internet.’ The web has changed our hobbies, our jobs and perhaps most profoundly, our language and means of communication. Imagine if, ten years ago, a friend said “I just need to retweet that…” You might have thought that they’d suddenly become an

Most open source content management systems (CMS) such as WordPress, Joomla! and Drupal are internationalised. This means that if you’ve developed your website using a CMS of this kind, it can be easily translated and adapted for other languages and regions without being redesigned; a major advantage if your organisation or business operates in more

It is often said that the best way to understand a country and its people is by experiencing its culture. And what better way to do this than by spending a few minutes to explore a cultural festival on your next business trip? Our top 10 global cultural events feature festivals from six of the

Face-to-face meetings, teleconferences, contracts and informal agreements – any and every method is brought into play in order to seal that ever-so lucrative deal. But when UK businesses wish to spread their wings and expand into a new market, do they always know the best way? Understanding the business culture for your target market is crucial in getting ahead.

As we put up our decorations at Comtec Translation’s central offices, we’re taking a lighter look at the world of translation. A growing trend for this time of year is to jet off abroad to celebrate the festivities in style. So for those of you who are getting away this season, we’re checking out some of the global holiday hot spots and offering some fun and festive phrases to help you get by with the locals.

It’s a time for giving… but what’s the gift etiquette when doing business overseas?

It’s tricky enough figuring out what to buy for close friends and family at this time of year, but what about when it comes to choosing gifts for colleagues and contacts in other countries? There’s quite a lot to learn when it comes to global gift-giving etiquette, so we’re offering advice and tips on giving gifts in five of the UK’s most popular export markets, where giving presents to business associates may form an important part of your relationship.