What's Wrong With Red Ink?

Interesting last blog. You made good points and examples about culture differences. It's not very common for people to use red ink (that I know of) in any culture. Black is the most common probably because its more professional. The differences between why people don't use red ink for business could vary from person to person. I liked how you compared the Western vs. Eastern businessmen, it was very interesting.

very interesting I was never aware of the red ink idea, guess I'll be sure not to do that now. But it is interesting to me how every culture generates different ways of going about performing things and these ways are pretty consistent across the individual culture

I have a friend who is an international business major, and all the cultural traits one has to be aware of when doing business around the world are very interesting. Another example that I have hard has to do with pointing out the flaws with someone's plan. When working with someone in the United States, I wouldn't think twice about constructively criticizing a group project. However, there are other cultures where one has to be extremely sensitive with something like this or you risk offending the honor of the other individual.

Although I have never heard of the red ink pen offense before, I at the same time can believe that there are such extreme theories that are set in place in various cultures around the world. Even here in America this holds true. There always seems to be a right and a wrong thing to do in each culture that makes it hard to communicate clear intensions. Hence, if you take a good look around the Twin Cities, there are many businesses (from mortgage companies to health care companies to real estate agencies) within a culture that cater to their own people. I agree that business all around the world could be better off and overall just more efficient if it weren't for culture differences, but at the same time, culture is what makes each of us unique, whether imbedded into our traditions, personal life, or business life.

Although I have never heard of the red ink pen offense before, I at the same time can believe that there are such extreme theories that are set in place in various cultures around the world. Even here in America this holds true. There always seems to be a right and a wrong thing to do in each culture that makes it hard to communicate clear intensions. Hence, if you take a good look around the Twin Cities, there are many businesses (from mortgage companies to health care companies to real estate agencies) within a culture that cater to their own people. I agree that business all around the world could be better off and overall just more efficient if it weren't for culture differences, but at the same time, culture is what makes each of us unique, whether imbedded into our traditions, personal life, or business life.

This was a very interesting entry, I had never heard of that red ink idea before, but it makes sense since red usually symbolizes blood. Stemming off of cari0061's comment, I think it is a good idea to get familiar with the cultural norms and such for any foreign place you will be doing business with, or even travelling to. Just as you wouldn't want to offend anyone while doing business, you wouldn't want to do anything that would offend people from wherever you travel to.

Interesting... I remember thinking that was really interesting when we learned about this in Management class. Not only is this really interesting, but it's also of critical importance, especially in our hyper-connected world today. I'm hoping to work overseas for a few years, and I'm quickly realizing how far I have to come in order to understand all of these different cultures.

I really liked this blog post because that was the first time that I was told that if you write a letter to someone in China with red ink, then that symbolizes that they will die. Also I knew most of the other parts partly because of Management class that I took last semester. When you dropped the Mary Zellmer-Bruhn name, I definitely knew you took that class as well! Good post though, very interesting.

I remember talking about the significance of red ink in China and other cultural symbols that are vastly different than what we are used to here in the US. Also, I wonder how the difference in risk taking between eastern and western cultures would translate on a Big Five personality inventory, especially openness to experience.

It's important to stay mindful of our role in an increasingly-connected world. A realm of in-betweenness, if you will, can help us occupy a space between the familiar and unfamiliar and bridge the gap between cultures.

This post was interesting and brought me back to my days in Management last semester. I am considering a possible minor in international business, so I find these cultural differences both interesting and helpful for my future. Also, it would be wise to check with the customs and culture of wherever you plan to study abroad so you don't offend anyone.

I use red ink almost everyday in my life. I have never thought about the meanings of using a red pen to write a letter. If I ever want to have a pen pal in China, now I know not to use red ink because that would mean I would be signifying their death, and that isn't cool with me.

I see things differently @hart1065. I don't use red ink everyday. I have researched extensively the meanings of using a red pen to write a letter. That is very intriguing that red ink signifies death in Chinese culture. I'm Chinese and I never knew that.

To me, this blog post illustrates another great reason why people in all different majors should be strongly encouraged to take a psychology or sociology class. The world that we live in, the societies that are present, and the people in them vary so greatly, that knowing basic psychological or sociological functions are important.
To tie into your red ink story, my older brother recently traveled to Taiwan to meet the family of his girlfriend. He was instructed in a very strict manner on what kind of gifts he should bring. Nothing wrapped in white (signifies death), nothing in even numbers (bad luck), and no food. Something as small as a gift, or the color of pen can be an important tool to understanding another culture.

Very interesting Blog. I know differences among cultures exist, but I never thought about it on a business level. Makes the whole global economy thing seem like a wavy sea to navigate.

Very interesting. I never knew that writing in red could offend someone so much! Wow. I also think things like these are just another example of how we need to be culturally sensitive in the diverse world that we live in. Otherwise we will go about both looking ignorant and offending others.

This is a very interesting blog. It doesn't surprise me that different cultures have different business techniques, but I would be baffled if I were the one responsible on figuring out how to get around them.

This was something that I noticed in taking foreign language classes, because they really put into perspective cultural differences and how those can affect how you treat people.

This is really true in a lot of Asian cultures I feel like. I am Hmong and I know from experience (in general) of it because of something I did in the past. I mean I was still pretty young, but I had decided to write a letter to my cousins in California and being that I was so young, I didn't know better. At the time my favorite color was RED, so I decided I would write in red. I wrote probably about a good two to three pages full and in my best handwriting as well. The moment I showed it to my mom she denied it and told me to go re-write it in a different color ink. I was furious because I had just spent all my time writing a nice letter and now she was going to make me re-write it. I had no idea. It is silly because red is just a color, but like my Korean professor says "Never write a person's name in red ink, it signifies death". Not only did I write a person's name in red ink, but a whole letter.