Helsinki’s geopolitical
position and political neutrality make it the Baltic region’s
commercial gateway to both Sweden and
Russia. It rates as one of the world’s top
20 conference centres and has played host to events
such as the first US–Soviet summit in 1990,
when American President, George Bush met Mikhail Gorbachev.
Helsinki is one the fastest growing cities in Europe and , Finland
has recently been rated as Europe’s most competitive country
by the Swiss research institute, IMD, who praised
it for its business practices, skills and its ability to be highly
adaptable in adverse circumstances – adversity which has characterised
much of the city’s economic history over the last ten years.
When the regulated financial market was liberated towards the end
of the 1980s, the economy went into overdrive. The bubble burst
at the start of the 1990s and over half a million jobs were lost
almost overnight. The unemployment rate became the second highest
in Europe, at a staggering 20 per cent. In 1997, Helsinki still
suffered an unemployment rate of 17 per cent, however, now boasts
‘just’ 8.5 per cent – a comeback attributed to
the government’s spending gamble – in line with the
national unemployment rate of 8.2 per cent. Cutting back on everything
except education and research enabled Helsinki to become one of
the world’s leading telecom equipment producers,
making everything from mobile telephones to GSM
networks.
The telecoms industry now vies with the country’s
traditional exports of pulp and paper, each account
for 40 per cent of Finnish exports. Helsinki Technical University
experts predict that within 7 years, Finland’s software developers
will employ as many people as the forestry industry does currently.
Finland’s main international companies include:
Stora Enso
Finnair
Merita Nordbank
Leiras.
Nokia is perhaps the
country’s biggest success story, it is now the second-largest
manufacturer of mobile phones. The company has its headquarters
in the Helsinki region. Business is centred on
the Kamppi-Töölönlahti area, in
the centre of Helsinki, while new high technology centres are breathing
business life into the Ruoholahti and Pitäjänmäki
areas.
Business Etiquette
Lunch is the main meal of the day and is taken usually between 1200-1400
hrs.
Helsinkiläiset are very punctual - to the minute, always alerting
a colleague of an impending delay, even if it is a matter of minutes
– lateness is seen as a discourtesy.
Standard
office hours are 0800-1700 hrs, although flexible hours are very
common.
Bertold Brecht is famed for saying that the ‘Finns
are silent in 2 languages.’ They are a naturally
reserved people and do not like speaking just for the sake of it.
Garrulous people are viewed with slight suspicion. When meeting
for the first time, a handshake is customary, as is formal dress
but Helsinkiläiset are not flashy and dress is more smart-casual
and women often wear trouser suits. Business cards are very important.
Meetings and business deals are often conducted by telephone or
at the sauna. Although these places are traditionally regarded as
retreats, meetings often take place in these relaxed, less formal
environments. Helsinkiläiset are completely unabashed about
going au natural into the sauna, which are sometimes mixed gender,
there are usually separate saunas for men and women and some sort
of wrap is on hand but Saunas are never mixed in a business connection.
If invited to someone’s house for dinner, lateness (over 10
minutes) is seen as a discourtesy. Shoes are usually removed before
entering and a gift for the host, such as a bottle of wine or a
bunch of flowers, is seen as courteous. |
