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Austria |
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| Membership in EU: | 1995 |
| Political system: | Republic |
| Capital city: | Vienna |
| Total area: | 83 858 km² |
| Currency: | Euro (EUR) |
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Statistical Office
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Chamber of Commerce and Industry
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Entrepreneurship in the Country
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Business Directories
TelAustria.at
Telaustria is a complete electronic directory of Austria. It contains about 4 million data of companies and private persons. The search is very simple. With one click you can see telephone numbers, web-, e-mail- and post addresses. The detail view shows a map of the target address and a lot of additional information of companies, restaurants, medical doctors, lawyers etc.
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Herold.at
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Local Communities
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Business Communication
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First impressions are important and you will be judged on your clothing and demeanour.
Although Austrians prefer third-party introductions, they do not need a personal relationship in order to do business.
They will be interested in any advanced university degrees you might have, as well as the amount of time your company has been in business.
Austrians show deference to people in authority, so it is imperative that they understand your level relative to their own.
It is imperative that you exercise good manners in all your business interactions.
There is little joking or small talk in the office, as they are serious and focused on accomplishing business objectives/goals.
Communication is formal and follows strict rules of protocol.
Always use the formal word for you 'Sie', unless invited to use the informal 'du'. Address people by their academic title and surname.
You may be referred to simply by your surname. This is not a culture that uses first names, except with family and close friends.
Austrians are suspicious of hyperbole, promises that sound too good to be true, or displays of emotion.
In many situations, Austrians will be direct to the point of bluntness. This is not an attempt to be rude, it is simply indicative of their desire to move the discussion along.
Expect a great deal of written communication, both to back up decisions and to maintain a record of discussions and outcomes.
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Business Meetings
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Appointments are necessary and should be made 3 to 4 weeks in advance when meeting with private companies.
Do not try to schedule meetings in August, the two weeks surrounding Christmas, or the week before Easter.
Punctuality is taken extremely seriously. If you expect to be delayed, telephone immediately and offer an explanation.
It is extremely rude to cancel a meeting at the last minute and it could ruin your business relationship.
Meetings are formal.
Presentations should be accurate and precise.
Have back-up material and be prepared to defend everything - Austrians are meticulous about details.
Meetings adhere to strict agendas, including starting and ending times. If you have an agenda, it will be followed.
Follow-up with a letter outlining: what was agreed, what the next steps are, and who is the responsible party.
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Business Negotiation
Do not sit until invited and told where to sit. There is a rigid protocol to be followed.
Meetings adhere to strict agendas, including starting and ending times.
A small amount of getting-to-know-you conversation may take place before the business conversation begins.
Austrians are more concerned with long-term relationships, than making a quick sale.
Rank and position are important. Since most companies are relatively small, it is often quite easy to meet with the decision-maker.
Business is conducted slowly. You will have to be patient and not appear ruffled by the strict adherence to protocol.
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President
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Government
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Prime Minister
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Ministries
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Constitutional Court
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Legislation
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Geographical Characteristics
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The Alps dominate the western and southern part of the country, on the eastern part there is Danubian area, where the capital Vienna is situated.
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Languages
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German; locally also Slovene, Croatian, Hungarian and Slovak.
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Short History
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Before the World War I Austria had been the centre of the great empire, which controlled the majority of Central Europe for many centuries. Today, Austria is the Federal Republic, consisting of nine states.
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Time Zone
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International Dialing Code
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Average Temperatures
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July 19 0C, January -1 0C.
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Opening Hours of Banks
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Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 8.00am - 12.30pm and 1.30pm - 3.00pm.
Thursday: 8.00am - 12.30pm and 1.30pm - 5.30pm.
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Opening Hours of Post-Offices
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Monday - Friday: 8.00am - 12.00pm and 2.00pm - 6.00pm.
Some post-offices are open also on Saturdays: 8.00am - 10.00am.
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Opening Hours of Shops
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Legally permitted opening hours:
Monday to Friday: 6.00am – 7.30pm,
Saturday: 6.00am – 5.00pm.
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Credit Cards
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In Austria credit cards are accepted widely, in numerous cities and holiday resorts the most common credit cards, such as MasterCard and Visa are accepted in the majority of hotels, restaurants and shops. Almost all petrol stations will accept credit cards. In many shops and establishments you can also pay with a bancomat card with the function of Maestro and with your code. Please check before your departure, if your hotel accepts the credit cards.
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Foreign Currency Exchange
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Apart from the banks, foreign currency can be also exchanged in exchange offices, hotel receptions, tourist agencies, petrol stations and larger department stores.
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Mobile Telecommunications
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The country is almost entirely covered by mobile telephony signal. The main operators have concluded contracts with larger European and world operators. Mobile phones in the country are designed to function within the network of frequency bands 900 MHZ and 1800 MHZ. You can host in the following mobile networks: Mobilkom, ONE, Tele.ring, Hutchinson 3G, T-mobile.
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Anti Smoking Law
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From the 1st of January 2009 smoking is partially prohibited in restaurants, bars and pubs. There can still be places for smokers, but they have to be separated from non-smoking areas. According to Government provisions non-smoking premises have to occupy at least 50% of the establishments. Owners with areas smaller than 50 m2, have to decide, whether to have a non-smoking or smoking establishment. In the establishments with the area of 50-80 m2 the smoking areas have to be physically separated from other premises. In other case the owners have to choose one option only.
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Emergency Telephone Numbers
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Population of the State
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Population of the Capital
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Demographics
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Religion
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