Once known for its
shipbuilding yards on the banks of the Clyde and
its giant locomotive works, Glasgow was one of the centres of the
industrial revolution. Today it is spearheading a different revolution,
with increasing strengths in the IT and service
sectors. Currently, 84 per cent of the city’s
working population is employed in service activities, with 9 per
cent in the manufacturing sector and 7 per cent in construction.
Glasgow is generally recognised as the Britain’s call-centre
capital and is developing a stronger profile in areas of high technology,
accounting services, technology-based financial operations, scientific
and technological research – centred around the West
of Scotland Science Park.
A number of Blue Chip companies are based in the city, including
British Telecom, Royal Bank of Scotland,
National Australian Group, Scottish Mutual
Assurance, Scottish Power, JP
Morgan and Barclay Stockbrokers.
The city is also home to the headquarters and studios of BBC
Scotland, Scottish Television and Channel
4’s ‘Nations and Regions’ office.
Glasgow is the retail, commercial, leisure and educational centre
for half of Scotland’s population. The workforce is increasingly
multi-lingual and includes a high number of university graduates.
The city’s central business district falls within the G1 and
G2 post codes – around St Vincent Street,
West George Street and Bothwell Street.
There are also many business parks on the outskirts of the city.
Glasgow has one of the most advanced fibre-optic telecommunications
networks in Europe.
Business
Etiquette
Business travellers should find no surprises in the way in which
business is carried out. The atmosphere is more relaxed than in
cities such as London, although normal standards of business attire
apply (suits, ties for men) and punctuality is important.
Most companies operate standard business hours of Monday-Friday
09:00-17:00 hrs.
Clients are well entertained by their Glasgow hosts, likely taken
to lunch in a restaurant or pub – depending on the formality
of the business meeting – or to a restaurant for dinner. It
is not usual for clients to be invited to one’s home. If this
is the case visitors should take a gift of flowers, wine or whisky.
Commercial Information
The Glasgow
Chamber of Commerce is located at 30 George Square, Glasgow
(telephone: (0141) 204 2121 fax: (0141) 221 2336.
The Scottish
Enterprise is located at 120 Bothwell Street, Glasgow G2 7JP,
Telephone: (0141) 248 2700. Fax: (0141) 221 3217.
Email: enquiries@scotent.co.uk
See the Glasgow Business Contacts
and Services section |
