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BARCELONA - business
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Business
Profile
In business terms Barcelona is on the up and up. Over the
last decade the city has fully utilised its potential as the
gateway between Iberia and the rest of Western Europe, a theme
that Barcelona is pushing more than ever in the new millennium.
The city is now re-establishing its role as a major Mediterranean
port that can compete with the likes of Marseilles and Genoa,
thanks in part to the recent Spanish Ports Law, which gave more
independent control to the Autoritat Portuària de Barcelona.
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The city has a strong background
in manufacturing based on textiles and the large motor industry
- Nissan and Seat have vehicle
production plants in the city. Consumer
electronics and chemical and pharmaceutical research are other
major industrial sectors. Two potential areas of concern are
rising inflation (over 4% in September 2000) and scandal over
misappropriation of EU development funds that broke in late
2000.. |
| Although
Barcelona has a stock market and a bond derivatives market it
has failed to emerge as a major financial or banking centre
to rival Madrid. It is, however, the country's major convention
centre with impressive facilities like Montjuïc 1 and 2,
Avinguda Reina M.Crisina (tel: (93) 233 2000; fax: (93) 233
2001), already catering for the 272,000 delegates that came
to Barcelona in 1999. These facilities will be complemented
by the Catalan Conference Centre, which opens in March 2001,
and the state-of-the-art World Trade Center at Port Vell.. |
| In
1998, a quarter of all foreign investment in Spain flowed into
Barcelona with around 50% of all foreign visitors to Barcelona
arriving on business. As with tourism, the coming of the Olympic
Games in 1992 was a pivotal event in business terms as it provided
the impetus and investment necessary to improve the infrastructure
of the city through 8 billion Dollars of investment. The Games'
massive marketing project successfully promoted the city as
an efficient, business-like centre and initiated a massive surge
of investment in the hotel and tourism sector. The number of
tourists visiting the city rose from 1.7 million in 1990 to
over 3 million in 1999. The Barcelona Chamber of Commerce is
at Avinguda Diagonal (tel: (93) 416 9300; fax: (93) 416 9301;
website: www.cambrabcn.es. |
Business
Etiquette
The business community in Barcelona is used to hosting foreign
visitors and many international business people speak English
or French. Catalan is used in a business setting among native
speakers; otherwise Castilian Spanish is used.
Business hours are generally 0800 or 0900 until 1800 or 1900
with an extended lunch break between 1330 and 1500 or 1600.
These hours may vary depending on the size and type of organisation.
Punctuality is important. Formal wear is the norm and both men
and women should wear a suit for business meetings; men should
also wear a tie. Business cards should be exchanged after introduction.
All Spaniards have two family names - only the first is used
in conversation but any academic or professional titles should
be acknowledged
Photos
Credits
http://www.wtcbarcelona.com |
Copyright © 2002 Columbus Publishing
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