For
small and mid-sized companies, expansion into the European
marketplace presents senior management with plenty of
challenges – many of which you have probably never
faced before. Doing business overseas requires the implementation
of strategies, which are specific to the cultural and
economic needs of the nation into which you are expanding
your operation. Because of both their undeniable influence
on our cultural evolution and our shared language, expansion
into the United Kingdom can be, for many small and mid-sized
businesses, an attractive option for breaking into the
European Marketplace.
One of only four European Union nations boasting a yearly
GDP of over one trillion dollars (2004 estimated GDP
$1.7 trillion), and an annual real GDP growth rate of
over 3 percent, the United Kingdom is one of the strongest
economies in Europe. Over the past two decades, the
UK’s economy has shifted heavily to the services
sector from manufacturing, with services currently accounting
for 72 percent of the nations GDP, while manufacturing
accounts for only 26 percent. This shift makes the United
Kingdom a particularly attractive option for expansion
to American manufacturing companies – particularly
those firms that produce goods that are not manufactured
by UK companies. Additionally, as opposed to many nations
on the continent, in most cases the United Kingdom does
not charge prohibitive tariffs on foreign goods and
services, making it one of the most “user friendly”
economies in Europe.
The United States and the United Kingdom have a long,
rich history of both political and economic cooperation.
Allies in both World Wars, and partners in most of the
major geo-political events of the last seventy-five
years, the attitude in the United Kingdom towards both
the United States and American business tends to be
one of the most positive in Europe for the most part.
Culturally, while there are certainly many differences
both in customs and in political areas, Americans remain
closer to the British than we do to any other nation
in Europe, both by virtue of having once been a part
of the British Empire, and because of the shared language.
When considering expansion into the British marketplace,
it is helpful to keep in mind that the firms you will
be dealing with will most likely be about seventy-five
percent American and twenty-five percent European in
the way they transact business. While the United Kingdom
is a part of the European Union and that does have an
increasing impact on how they do business, you will
be likely to find more similarities than differences
in both their practices and their expectations. As an
example, several years ago I worked with a US client
launching a new product in the medical industry in the
United Kingdom. Speed and the need to get things done
quickly and on schedule were of primary importance to
the UK partners – who worked on a tight deadline
with pressure to meet the markers per the schedule.
This would not have been the case had we been working
in France or Germany, where time is rarely of the essence
in business, unless you can prove the need for speed.
While the British are more like us than any other nation
in Europe, it is important to keep in mind that they
are still a foreign nation, with their own laws and
practices. Here are a few things you should consider
when doing business in the UK
·
Taxes and tariffs
As with doing business in any nation on Earth, taxes
and tariffs need to be figured into your bottom line.
The British system of taxation differs from what you
will be used to in the United States in a number of
ways, and will vary depending on the specific way you
choose to handle your expansion. For example, while
usually minimal, customs tariffs will apply when importing
goods into the UK, however, if your firm manufactures
its goods within the UK itself, your business will be
taxed at the rate applicable to all UK business, which
averages between 25 percent and 30 percent. Additionally,
a V.A.T. (value added tax) of 17.5 percent is charged
at every stage in the consumer goods chain, meaning
that in most cases your company will be charged this
tax on most of your expenses, but will be able to charge
it back to your end customer. While it is one of the
fairest systems of taxation in the world, it is also
one of the most complicated and it is crucial that your
firm hire a UK based Chartered Accountancy firm to advise
you on all of its intricacies.
·
Employing local workers and relocating staff
The standard work Visa in the United Kingdom is two
years, with an option to renew. However, it is important
to keep in mind that, due to their participation in
the European Union, you will need to prove that the
position you are relocating someone for cannot be filled
by a citizen of an EU nation. It is therefore quite
likely that while key executives or managers would receive
work Visas, lower level members of their staff may not.
With one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe
(currently running at about 4.4 percent) you can generally
expect to pay salaries equal to or higher than what
you pay for the same positions in the United States.
One way of decreasing your local payroll – and
this is particularly true for the manufacturing sector
in the Northeast of England, or in Wales, both of which
have been designated as “needy of investment”
and attract a good deal of funding from within the EU
itself. Not only is the compensation you can expect
to pay significantly lower in these areas, but also
Her Majesty’s Government will often offer companies
incentives to locate their expansions in these areas.
·
Dealing with your British partners
As stated above, in general, Americans and American
business are viewed quite favorably by the majority
of UK subjects. However, it is important to keep in
mind that while we share a common language and many
common interests, many of their customs and conventions
are European as well as being uniquely British. The
British value both honor and dignity very highly –
both in themselves and in the Americans they do business
with – and expect to be treated with respect.
Often, what would be considered standard business tactics
in the United States will appear “pushy”
to your British partner. Even today, after more than
200 years, the fact that we were once colonies of the
English who have outgrown them can grate. Additionally,
it is important to remember that with a culture that
is over one thousand years old and businesses that have
been in existence for over three centuries, the British
are some of the shrewdest negotiators in the world.
Careful preparation and expert advice are both crucial
when negotiating with UK companies.
There are many attractive reasons for considering expanding
your business into the United Kingdom and, increasingly,
many American businesses are doing just that. It is,
however, crucial to the success of your expansion to
remember that just because they look like us, and in
many ways act like us, and even speak the same language,
the British are not us, and London is not New York.
Always keep in mind that it is their cricket field,
and to play on it, you need to understand and abide
by their rules!
Steve McLaughlin founded Global Market Insights,
with offices in Europe and the U.S., with his vision
of giving clients two synergistic competencies: knowledge
of the global marketplace and industry expertise in
manufacturing, finance and information technology. Steve
McLaughlin has over twelve years of international experience
in three continents, having started in executive search
as a Beckett-Rogers Associate. Steve McLaughlin is a
graduate of Rice University where he was student body
president, and completed post-graduate studies in International
Economics at the Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile.
He is available for consultation and can be contacted
directly by Email: smclaughlin@gmi.lu or Phone: 352-26364921.
Additional information is located on his website: http://www.gmi.lu