Download - German business culture
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BUSINESS CULTURE.
GERMANY.DEUTSCHLAND.
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INTRODUCTION
• Greetings are formal.• A quick, firm handshake is the
traditional greeting.• In general, wait for your host or
hostess to introduce you to a group.
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ADRESSING
• Shake hands with everyone including children, say “Guten Tag”, but not “how are you?”! And keep eye contact when greet somebody;
• Use title and last name to address people. Say Herr (Mr) or Frau (Mrs.) and use the formal pronoun “du” when talking to elder people.
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PERCEPTION OF TIME
People in Germany have monochronic view of time:
- punctuality;- one task at a time;- step by step manner;- rules;- conformity;- speed.
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SMALL TALK
• No Such Thing As Small Talk;• Do feel free to have serious
discussions on politics and philosophy. They do not like idle chit-chat.
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BUSINESS NEGOTIATIONS• Do not sit until invited and told where to sit. There is a rigid
protocol to be followed.
• Meetings adhere to strict agendas, including starting and ending times.
• Treat the process with the formality that it deserves.
• Germans prefer to get down to business and only engage in the briefest of small talk.
• Make sure your printed material is available in both English and German.
• Contracts are strictly followed.
• You must be patient and not appear ruffled by the strict adherence to protocol. Germans are detail- oriented and want to understand every innuendo before coming to an agreement.
• Business is hierarchical. Decision-making is held at the top of the company.
• Avoid confrontational behavior or high- pressure tactics. It can be counterproductive.
• Once a decision is made, it will not be changed.
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DRESSING
• Be formal. Dress formally for business functions. No shorts and extremely casual wear. Ladies do not wear flashy jewelry and accessories.
YES NO
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TABOOS• Using the signs of “Nazi salute”,
shout “Heil Hitler”, or show swastikas or other symbols of the Third Reich is a criminal offense and punishable up to five years imprisonment.
• Making a circular motion using the index finger while pointing to the side of one’s head is a rude gesture indicating that someone is crazy or deranged.
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• Germany is fifth most alcohol-drinking nation in Europe;
• The legal drinking age in Germany is 16 ;
• In Germany, beer is about same price as water and drinking alcohol in public is common as well as legal;
• “Biggest social problem” according to Peter Lang head of drug prevention and abuse at the German Center of Health Education
• 1,7 million Germans are dependent on alcohol.
USE OF ALCOHOL
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GIFTS
• If you are invited to a German's house, bring a gift such as chocolates or flowers.
• If you bring wine, it should be imported, French or Italian. Giving German wines is viewed as meaning you do not think the host will serve a good quality wine.
• Gifts are usually opened when received.
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FLOWERSPresent the hostess with a bunch of flowers, but remember:• Yellow roses or tea roses
are always well received.• Do not give red roses as
they symbolize romantic intentions.
• Do not give carnations as they symbolize mourning.
• Do not give lilies or chrysanthemums as they are used at funerals.
NO
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RELIGION
• Christianity is the largest religion in Germany with 52 million adherents (about 62% of population)
• The second largest religion is Islam with 4 million adherents (5%) followed by Buddhism and Judaism.)
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OTHER
• Do not wait to be seated at a German restaurant. It is common to share tables with a stranger.
• Do not jaywalk. Nobody else does, and you might get fined.
• Do not ever ask for tap water at a restaurant, which will be equated with stinginess.
• Do not put your elbows on the table when eating.• Have cash with you. Many restaurants don’t take
credit cards.
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sources
• noelty.com (perception of time)
• dw.de (The highs and lows of Germany's drinking culture)
• slideshare.net (Germany)
• traveltaboo.com(Germany travel tips - DOs and DONTs)
• kwintessential.co.uk (Germany profile)
• eupedia.com