GERMANY
Cultural Differences in Business Relationships
When we think about Germany we think of a country with a great cultural heritage. A nation of people who distinguish themseves from other nations by many specific char 555v2124f acteristics. And here in Romania, the main characteristics that people use to associate Germans or Germany with are order, discipline and precision not only in their daily life but also in business.
Since more and more research in the intercultural business communication field was made we can now easily learn many things about cultural differences in another country. I have chosen Germans because often at work I have to do business with them, so I thought it would be really helpful to know more about their culture.
1.Clutural dimensions.
Directness is a powerful communicative signal. It waries according to power and status and from culture to culture. In terms of stating facts, offering citicisim, and issuing direct comands, germans are generally more direct, leading to perception of them as opinionated and stubborn. Greg Nees, in his book "Germany - Unraveling an Enigma" says that directness and honesty are highly valued by Germans and thus one of the most telling characteristics of their style of speech. He explains that part of this emphasis on directness is related to their desire to clarify and dislike of ambiguity. The desire for clarity in German speech leads to directness that is sometimes off-putting to foreigners. To better understand directness in German speech he gives an example from a common life situation comparing them with Americans: "While Germans tipically use upgraders when complaining, many people soften criticism by using downgraders. Thus, in criticizing the campaign financing scandal of the president's administration, an American person would downgrade his statement, to make it less direct saying: Well it doesn't show him in a real positive light. A German person, on the other hand, would be more direct concluding: Das war absolut unverschamt. - That was absolutely shameless. Calling someone 'shameless' is quite common and comes from the more absolutist moral values typical of traditional German culture. This more absolute approach is expressed by the use of upgraders, words and phrases such as: definitely, absolutely, totally, without a doubt, and so on, which strenghten an expression". (Greg Nees, 2000)
Structure and hierarchy is well defined in Germans communication styles. And communication styles differ by how power is distributed within an organization. There are essentially two types: hierarchical, and democratic. In a hierarchical structure the most power is held by the highest ranking individual, where as in a democratic structure, power distribution is uniformed among the individuals. Germans use to respect authority and hierarchical differences. Germans are autocrats, who prefer formal communication when conducting business. Autocratic leaders give order in a certain manner, which shows directness and straightforwardness. This is called 'The Eiffel Tower Culture' as orders come from the top to the bottom. Germans prefer a hierarchical organizational structure because it avoids uncertainty. Power is ensured within the organization. However, this hierarchy can cause concealment and misrepresentation of information (www.communicaid.com) .
When speaking about their working relationships, Germans are very private, which can be seen, for example, in the strict separation between private life and work. It therefore takes time to develop more personal relationships. Germans do not need a personal relationship in order to do business so business relationships are often based on mutual advantage, and they prefer to focus on the central task (https://www.communicaid.com/%5Ccross-cultural-training%5Cculture-for-business-and-management%5Cdoing-business-in%5CGerman_business_culture.php).
Germans are also strongly individualistic. Germans do not have an open-door policy. People often work with their office door closed. Knock and wait to be invited in before entering. Office hours are quite rigid and it's expected that people should be paid for overtime duty. However, that said, deadlines and productivity is taken seriously and extra work may be expected to finish projects on time. Lateness and absenteeism will likely negatively affect work relations (https://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/germany-country-profile.html).
2.Business Etiquette and Protocol.
Studies have shown some general aspects to take into consideration when doing business with Germans. However, there are some differeces of opinion depending on how the studies were made, such as if the study shows what germas think about or see themselves, or if the study shows how others perceive the german business "rules".
Business dress in Germany is very conservative. Businessmen wear dark suits, solid, conservative ties, and white shirts. Women also dress conservatively, in dark suits and white blouses. And as a canadian study shows depending on the workplace it's becoming more and more acceptable for women to wear tighter, more revealing clothing in the spring and summer months. Most Germans are quite open and uninhibited about what they decide to wear, although when making a first impression it's advisable to start conservative and adjust your dress as you begin to integrate.
In doing business with Germans someone also has to take into consideration that the German thought process is extremely thorough, with each aspect of a project being examined in great detail. They spend a lot of time plannig but once the planning is over, a project will move very quickly and deadlines are expected to be honored. It is said that Germans do not like surprises. Sudden changes in business transactions, even if they may improve the outcome, are unwelcome because if they have things planed in such details, they don't like to make changes after. Ususally German people do not need or expect to be complimented because in Germany, it is assumed that everything is satisfactory unless the person hears otherwise (www.cyborlink.com/besite/germany).
Punctuality is necessity in Germany and they expect someone to arrive on time for every appointment, whether for business or social. Being late, even if it is only by a few minutes, is very insulting to a German executive (www.cyborlink.com/besite/germany). Reserchers say that appointments are mandatory and should be made 1 to 2 weeks in advance, and as punctuality is taken extremely serious, a person should telephone immediately and offer an explanation If expected to be late. However, canceling a meeting at the last minute it is considered extremely rude and it could jeopardize someone's business relationship (www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/germany-country-profile).
When speaking about German's business negotiation style there are some strict 'rules' that reaserchers think should be folowed: "1. Do not sit until invited and told where to sit. 2. Meetings usually stick to strict agendas, including starting and ending times. 3. Treat the process with the formality that is required. 4. Germany is extremely bureaucratic. 5. Germans prefer to get down to business and only engage in the briefest of small talk. 6. They will be interested in your recommendation letters. 7. Make sure your printed material is available in both Romanian and German. 8. Contracts are strictly followed. 9. You must be patient and not appear upset by the strict adherence to protocol. 10. Germans are detail- oriented and want to understand every aspect before coming to an agreement. 11. Business is hierarchical so decision-making is held at the top of the company. 12. Final decisions are translated into rigorous, comprehensive action steps that you can expect will be carried out to the letter. 13. Avoid confrontational behaviour or high- pressure tactics. It can be counterproductive. Dont forget that once a decision is made, it will not be changed" (www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/ global-etiquette/germany-country-profile).
Jodie R. Gorrill, in her book about intercultural communication also gives some advice about the German bussines protocol, such as: " the fact that omeone should take plenty of business cards with them and ensure they include full details of their background, qualifications, and titles. Maintaing direct eye-contact when addressing German colleagues, especially during initial introductions is very important. Same as using the formal version of you ("Sie"), unless someone specifically invites you to use the informal "Du" form. It is usually best to let your German counterpart take the initiative of proposing the informal form of address (this implies readiness to develop a personal relationship). Someone shouldn't use exaggerated or indirect communication styles during business meetings with German counterparts because it creates an impression of insincerity and dishonesty".
3.Types of cultures
Culture can be distributed in two major groups: high-context and low-context. Germany is considered a low-context culture because of some characteristics, such as the fact that German people focuse more on personal achievements. For them truth and directness are important aspects in business and they don't take criticism personally (Gillian Epp Intercultural Communication In the Global World).
As most western european cultures, Germany is marked by a strong sense of individualism. Nevertheless, the desire to achieve one's own goals and successes is coupled with a keen sense of responsibility for "the good of the community;" for example, in many business decisions, not only the financial benefits to the company are important, but also those of its employees. The structure of much German business decision-making requires consensual input from both employers and employees-which can render decisions comparatively slow (www.communicaid.com/news.php?newsId=114&newstype=Cross-cultural%20training&newsFlash=/flash/intro_culture).
Prof. Geert Hofstede, who studied cultural differences for a long time sais that "Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster." So someone should study as more as possible about a country's culture before starting to do business.
Bibliography
1. Greg Nees,(2000), Germany - Unraveling an Enigma
2. Gillian Epp, (2005), Intercultural Communication In the Global World
3. Jodie R. Gorrill, (2007) Intercultural Communication
4. www.communicaid.com
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