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The Brazilian Way: Learning the Meaning of Jeitinho Is Key to Understanding How to Do Business There

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Brazil dialed back its economic growth in the past three years partly to contain its inflation risk, but the world's fifth-largest country by population and square miles remained a top global investment destination. Brazil ranked fourth in foreign direct investments received in the past 24 months, behind the United States, China, and the United Kingdom, and economic activity is expected to get a boost as Brazil hosts the World Cup in men's soccer from June 12 to July 13 and the Olympic Games in 2016. Businesses that expand into Brazil are likely to encounter the many faces of a country that is home to tropical rain forests, snow-covered mountains, coastal urban centers, and sparsely populated areas in the interior. Brazil is one of the most racially diverse countries in the world, but Brazilians from all walks of life are familiar with jeitinho (pronounced ZHAY-tee-new), a Portuguese expression that reflects the Brazilian way of dealing with rules and regulations. To find out what CPAs need to know about Brazil, the JofA asked Devon Bodoh, a tax lawyer and principal in charge of Latin American markets at KPMG; Rodrigo Kich, an accountant and owner of Zwirtes Contabilidade, a public accounting and consulting firm in southern Brazil; Fabio Moraes da Costa, an accounting professor at FUCAPE Business School in Vitoria, a coastal city northeast of the city of Sao Paulo; and Magda Wormann of Meta Contabilidade, an accounting firm in southern Brazil. Portions of that discussion follow. What are some important customs in Brazil, and why should US. CPAs be familiar with them? Costa: Brazilians need to build connections. Often meetings start with Brazilians asking personal questions in order to build connections: Are you married? Do you have kids? Prior to doing business, they want to know who the individual is they are dealing with. Also, there's what we call jeitinho in Portuguese. Brazil is a very bureaucratic society. We have lots of regulations, lots of rules. Sometimes it's really hard to keep up with it all, and Brazilians tend to interpret the rules, bend them a little. Jeitinho is the Brazilian way to deal with a problem in an imaginative way; but there's a line between legal and illegal, and jeitinho is not necessarily illegal stuff. Bodoh: Lunch is the principal meal of the day, and Brazilians take it very seriously in the business context. When meeting in person, going out to lunch presents a good opportunity to develop relationships and discuss business opportunities. Brazilians tend to use nonverbal cues to express themselves. For example, they show their emotions with facial expressions, gestures, tone, and volume. Conversation is lively and enthusiastic. In the business setting, Brazilians tend to be less confrontational than their U.S. counterparts and try to avoid embarrassing situations. Kich: Brazilians are very warm and open. Even if we are meeting someone for the first time, we greet them with hugs and two kisses on the cheek. Also, it is perfectly normal to invite a business contact to dinner at your house. Of course, there are also Brazilians who are more reserved. From mid-December to the beginning of March, Brazil comes to a halt. People all across Brazil head for the coast for summer vacation. Brazil starts to function normally again after Carnival. Wormann: Punctuality is not one of the Brazilian people's strongest virtues. If a meeting starts late, it's no big problem, American visitors should not interpret that as lack of interest. How do business culture and corporate leadership in Brazil differ from the United States? What steps can U.S. CPAs take to minimize misunderstandings? Costa: Do not rush to do business with Brazilians. It won't work. It takes time to build a relationship. If you're patient and you have time to know each other, build connections, even on a personal level, I believe it's a good way to start. …