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In The Spirit Of Giving

 

Before traveling overseas, be aware of policies and customs concerning gifts to and from foreign business associates. Some U.S. companies have a policy of not receiving or giving gifts worth more than the Internal Revenue Service's tax-deductible limit of $25. However, an article in The Wall Street Journal advises that if you can't refuse an expensive gift, accept it, but turn it in to your company when you get home.

A study by University of Connecticut professor Kathleen Reardon advises U.S. travelers to be careful how they show thanks to their foreign hosts. In China, a gift of a clock is associated with death. In Rio de Janeiro, a gift of handkerchiefs suggests that you wish the recipient tears. For copies of Reardon's study, write to the public relations department of Parker Pen Co., P.O. Box 5100, Janesville, WI 53547.