At first sight, doing business in Denmark may seem straightforward. The country is prosperous and an important trade partner in the European Union. Its people communicate in a friendly and direct way. Negotiators tend to be to the point, relaxed and informal. And the whole process is accompanied with a sense of humour. But do not fall into the trap of thinking you need only be yourself.

Throughout Scandinavia, communication is characterised by calmness and understatement. This applies to Danes, too, although they are known for being more temperamental than Swedes and Norwegians and are sometimes described as the "Italians of the north".

That does not make Copenhagen the same as Rome. Extrovert rhetoric and exaggeration are poorly regarded in Denmark. The body language of Danes underlines this - especially on a first meeting. To touch someone's arm or to pat someone on the back while shaking hands is not appropriate when dealing with a Danish business partner. You should also keep enough distance from your counterpart for him or her to feel comfortable.

Danes tend to be open-minded when they deal with foreign business partners. A formal introduction, from an international bank or sales representative, for example, is not absolutely necessary. Most Danish people speak and read English fluently. There is no need for an interpreter.

At the start of negotiations, your Danish counterpart will tend to understate his or her own achievements, much as the English would. It is good to be punctual and to structure the agenda. To display the sort of self-confidence that would strike extrovert cultures as quite normal would be inappropriate in Denmark.

One general principle of communication applies throughout Scandinavia: less is more. It is in your interest to provide a realistic initial offer with enough room for concessions. You should also avoid giving the impression that you think you are more successful than other people.

It is unwise to "oversell" yourself and to reveal everything about yourself and your company. Instead, try to let your Danish business partner seek out the relevant information about a potential match with your company, your products and services.

The same applies for presentations: a properly documented presentation aligned with a consistent argument goes down better than a hard sell.

Your Danish counterparts will be open, polite, flexible and ready to provide you with insights into their point of view. In brainstorming sessions they will be prepared to think up imaginative solutions and to evaluate them with you afterwards. In all this you should deploy humour, especially of the understated English variety.

However, you should be cautious in some respects. Danes do not start negotiations as quickly as, for example, Americans. They consider it rude for anyone to be interrupted in mid-sentence, especially if it is not to clarify something that has just been said. Be patient with the decision-making process: Danish executives do not like to be rushed.

The notion of `fair play` counts for a lot in Denmark. It is reflected in social welfare and culture. Thus, your partner will usually try to find win-win solutions where both parties will receive a fair amount of the profit - though Danes can drive a hard bargain.

The concern for fair play can be seen in Danish management culture: managers do not place much emphasis on hierarchy.

Women have done well in Denmark, too. The country has the highest percentage of women in business in the European Union.

Most Danes are friendly, generous hosts. Entertaining is done at lunch or dinner, mostly in restaurants. An invitation to someone's home is a great honour.

Wherever you are dining, you should arrive on time. Evening meals take place early but, unlike many east Asian business people, your Danish counterpart will expect you to stay and chat at the hotel bar.

The author Sergey Frank is a partner at Kienbaum Executive Consultants and managing director of the London office. www.kienbaum. co.uk