strange people

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Strange people those Dutch! Perception of the Dutch

An introduction in cultural differences

Jean-Pierre Schreurs MBA Lecturer, market researcher

Leiden University of Applied Sciences

Commercial Economics

Faculty of Management and Business Studies

E-mail: JP@SONDZ.NL

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Strange people

These are strange

people those Dutch!

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A short history of the Netherlands

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Cultural aspects

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‒ Probably the first academic account on cultural differences - “Inhabitants of the world”, by William Darton, 1790

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Hofstede’s cultural dimensions

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Traditional bourgeoisie

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Traditional bourgeoisie

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Traditional bourgeoisie

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Cosmopolites

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Cosmopolites

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Cosmopolites

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Post materialists

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Post materialists

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Post materialists

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Friends – Where do Dutch people come from?

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Foreigners about the Dutch

Research by the Dutch Bureau for Tourism,

june 2010

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Question: what do people from Scandinavia think of when thinking of the Netherlands?

‒ Tulips

‒ Windmills

‒ Amsterdam

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General associations with The Netherlands

‒ Tulips

‒ Cheese

‒ Windmills

‒ Water

‒ Friendly

‒ Canals

‒ Bicycles

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Positive associations the Netherlands Amsterdam

Bycicle country

Cheese

Beautiful

landscape

Friendly

people

Sea

Hospitality

Culture

Close

Freedom

Open

Cheap

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Negative associations the Netherlands

drugs

prostitution

weather

language

expensive

traffic jams

food/quisine

boring landscape / flat

country side

busy / too small

dirty

unfriendly people

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Pulp fiction

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Dutch habits

Dutch bureau of toerism

www.holland.com

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Birth of a baby

‒ “Beschuit met muisjes”

‒ Buscuits with blue (boy) or pink (girl) sprinkles

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Easter bunny – searching for eggs

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Meeting family and friends – 3 kisses on the cheek

‒ But men only shake hands

Kiss me, I’m Dutch!

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Conversations

‒ Dutch are very direct

‒ Not rude

‒ Not done: asking what someone’s salary is

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Dutch saying: “looking the cat out of the tree”

‒ In a new surrounding, you stay put, low profile

‒ That is something Dutch people DON’T do

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Doing business

‒ Not much social talk

‒ Getting right to busines

‒ Calling one another by the first name

‒ Once a contract is signed, there is no more room for negotiations

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Gifts

‒ Dutch bring gifts

‒ Not only for a birthday

‒ Also when invited over for dinner

‒ Dutch unwrap gifts immediately

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No curtains

‒ Nothing to hide

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Food

‒ Dutch do not really value eating

‒ Many people skip breakfast

‒ Lunch is a simple meal of bread

‒ Dinner is potatoes, vegetables and meat

‒ Dinner is usually between 18.00 and 19.00hrs

‒ Restaurants finish serviing at 21.00hrs

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Mc Kroket

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“Eating out of the wall”

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Typical Dutch (junk) food

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The Dutch about the Dutch

Research by the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, n = 1803, 2008

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#10 Cheese

French, Italian,

Swiss….

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#9 Bycicles

Parking area

for bycicles in

Amsterdam

Most recent Dutch winner

of Tour de France

Joop Zoetemelk

year: 1980!!!

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Dutch cycling

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#8 Licorice

But this is also

licorice....

English licorice

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#7 Herring

Indeed typically

Dutch

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#6 route of 11 cities ice skating

Mountains?

In the Netherlands?

Route of 11 cities in

Austria

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#5 Tulips

Tulips are originally

from Turkey…

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#4 Orange

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#3 Wooden shoes

#1 clogs:

Crocs

Origin: USA

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Wooden shoes by Victor and Rolf

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#2 Sinterklaas

Bisshop Nicolas of Myra

In the 4th century

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#1 Windmills

#1 country: Denmark

provides 24% of own enery

needs by windmills

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Jean-Pierre Schreurs MBA Lecturer, market researcher

Leiden University of Applied Sciences

Commercial Economics

Faculty of Management and Business Studies

E-mail: JP@SONDZ.NL