Finland is a progressive Nordic country with an impressive frontier of well-established businesses.
Known and celebrated worldwide, brands such as Kone, Nordea Bank, Neste Oil, Nokia, Hesburger, Kesko, Finnair, TietoEVRY are just the tip of the iceberg.
That said, Finnish companies are active in their talent search way outside of Finland itself - and that's where cultural nuances come in. Based on our own experience in multiple partnerships over recent years, here's what makes or breaks a successful collaboration with a Finnish enterprise:
Cultural understanding and personal approach
Up north, it's people first business second. If you want to work with Finns, you need to establish a good relationship first. Openness, friendliness and on-site meetings are some of the key factors here.
- Relevant references from local companies or people
Word of mouth can go a long way - that applies in Finland as well. Showing up and making a good, lasting impression is a very important factor that will help you build trust and open new doors of opportunity along the way.
- Lengthy processes
Usually it takes no less than 4-6 months to close new B2B partnership deals and start working. To keep that trust you built up, you'll need to be patient and try to keep kind reminders and interventions to a minimum.
- Straight talk
Finns appreciate openness and direct feedback. As long as you communicate in a professional and friendly tone, transparency is a win for everyone involved.
- Mature and well-populated IT market
Finland boasts a strong crowd of seasoned IT experts who are more than confident in navigating business growth and market fluctuations. It mostly comes from Nokia times, which gave a real boost to the overall growth and maturity of IT and numerous other fields nation-wide. Today Nokia glory days might be over, but their impact is still obvious.
Curious to know more?
If you find this useful or have more questions about the Finnish market, drop us a message!
ADITYA BIRLA CAPITAL , since 21 years , MDP Program, IIM Indore Executive Education, IIM Ahmedabad
1moGreat