personal space between countries

PERSONAL SPACEPERSONAL SPACE

Metka Malovrh, SloveniaMetka Malovrh, SloveniaLuis Monzonis, SpainLuis Monzonis, Spain

Richard Lelievre, FranceRichard Lelievre, France

Ioanna Tzardi, GreeceIoanna Tzardi, Greece

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

˝ Personal space˝˝ Personal space˝ is is all the space all the space

around the body around the body that can be reached that can be reached into while standing into while standing

still.still.

WHAT WILL YOU KNOW AFTER WHAT WILL YOU KNOW AFTER OUROUR PRESENTATION? PRESENTATION?

WHAT WILL YOU KNOW AFTER WHAT WILL YOU KNOW AFTER OUROUR PRESENTATION? PRESENTATION?

☞What What is personal spaceis personal space ? ? ☞Why is it important?Why is it important?☞Personal space in differentPersonal space in different countries.countries. ☞Personal space in Slovenia.Personal space in Slovenia.

WHAT WILL YOU KNOW AFTER WHAT WILL YOU KNOW AFTER OUR OUR PRESENTATION?PRESENTATION?

WHAT WILL YOU KNOW AFTER WHAT WILL YOU KNOW AFTER OUR OUR PRESENTATION?PRESENTATION?

☞Personal space in Spain.Personal space in Spain.☞Personal space in France.Personal space in France.☞Personal space in Greece.Personal space in Greece.☞How to use it in marketing?How to use it in marketing?☞What personal space toWhat personal space to keep?keep?

WHAT IS PERSONAL SPACE? WHAT IS PERSONAL SPACE? WHAT IS PERSONAL SPACE? WHAT IS PERSONAL SPACE?

PERSONAL SPACEPERSONAL SPACE is the region is the region surrounding each person, surrounding each person,

which if entered by another which if entered by another person without this being person without this being desired physical intimacy, desired physical intimacy,

makes them feel makes them feel uncomfortable. uncomfortable.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Your personal space is like Your personal space is like an invisible bubble that an invisible bubble that

surrounds you. surrounds you.

If people move inside If people move inside this bubble when they this bubble when they are talking to you, it are talking to you, it may make you feel may make you feel

uncomfortable.uncomfortable.

PERSONAL SPACE IN PERSONAL SPACE IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIESDIFFERENT COUNTRIESPERSONAL SPACE IN PERSONAL SPACE IN

DIFFERENT COUNTRIESDIFFERENT COUNTRIES

How close you normally stand toHow close you normally stand tosomeone else when you are talking tosomeone else when you are talking tothem will depend on them will depend on whowho it is you are it is you aretalking to, and under whattalking to, and under whatcircumstancescircumstances. .

Personal space differs from culture Personal space differs from culture to culture.to culture.

PERSONAL SPACE IN PERSONAL SPACE IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIESDIFFERENT COUNTRIESPERSONAL SPACE IN PERSONAL SPACE IN

DIFFERENT COUNTRIESDIFFERENT COUNTRIES

Personal spacePersonal spacedifferences in:differences in:• SloveniaSlovenia• SpainSpain• FranceFrance• GreeceGreece

PERSONAL SPACE IN SLOVENIAPERSONAL SPACE IN SLOVENIAPERSONAL SPACE IN SLOVENIAPERSONAL SPACE IN SLOVENIA

Quite large personal space.Quite large personal space.1m friends and people you know1m friends and people you know2m business.2m business.2,5m strangers.2,5m strangers.Not much touching.Not much touching.Hello! = shaking handsHello! = shaking hands

PERSONAL SPACE IN SPAINPERSONAL SPACE IN SPAINPERSONAL SPACE IN SPAINPERSONAL SPACE IN SPAIN

Connected with spanish culture.Connected with spanish culture.

SPANISHSPANISH::

• Extrovert, passionate.Extrovert, passionate.

• Love parties, enjoy all the time.Love parties, enjoy all the time.

• Love good food.Love good food.

• Like shouting, crying, showing feelings.Like shouting, crying, showing feelings.• The weather is like personalityThe weather is like personality!!


Hello!Hello!

2X KISS : friends, 2X KISS : friends, colleagues, colleagues, family, family, new peoplenew people

IF NOTIF NOT: bad manners, rude : bad manners, rude personperson


PERSONAL SPACEPERSONAL SPACE::Small distanceSmall distanceEye contactEye contactTouching all the time Touching all the time

BUTBUT: not sexual obssesed, it’s personality: not sexual obssesed, it’s personality


Communal culture.Communal culture.

Expressing feelings freely and Expressing feelings freely and directly.directly.

REMEMBERREMEMBER: :

Mixing business and feelings.Mixing business and feelings.


Advertisement: Advertisement: Spain is differentSpain is different

PERSONAL SPACE IN FRANCEPERSONAL SPACE IN FRANCEPERSONAL SPACE IN FRANCEPERSONAL SPACE IN FRANCE

Hello!Hello!

• Famous french Famous french kissingkissing..


The french paradoxThe french paradox:: Small personal spaceSmall personal spaceSpecial way of thinking: Special way of thinking:

(typically french) (typically french) After kiss take After kiss take distancedistance


French consumersFrench consumers::Loyalty =reduce spaceLoyalty =reduce spaceTime helps to be closer.Time helps to be closer.Individualism Individualism (every customer=unique)(every customer=unique)

Make artificial relation to enter inMake artificial relation to enter incustomer space.customer space.

PERSONAL SPACE IN GREECEPERSONAL SPACE IN GREECEPERSONAL SPACE IN GREECEPERSONAL SPACE IN GREECE

How are the Greeks?How are the Greeks?• expressiveexpressive

• emotional – sensitiveemotional – sensitive

• openheartedopenhearted

• friendlyfriendly

• progressive / adaptable / open to progressive / adaptable / open to changeschanges


How are the Greeks?How are the Greeks?• impulsiveimpulsive• easily trust and express our feelingseasily trust and express our feelings• sharingsharing• hospital (xenios Zeus )hospital (xenios Zeus )

BUT BUT ::dedicated to specific principles (family,dedicated to specific principles (family,rreligion)eligion)


Interpersonal levelInterpersonal level significantly short distancesignificantly short distance

IImportant value/role:mportant value/role: body languagebody language

NNew acquaintance:ew acquaintance: • handshakes (mhandshakes (moreore formal) formal)• facial expressions facial expressions • gesturesgestures


FFriends / familyriends / family: : kisseskisses more common among womenmore common among women

• hugs – physical contact hugs – physical contact • gesturesgestures• facial expressionsfacial expressions• volume / tone of voicevolume / tone of voice


Working environmentWorking environment = = medium medium ddistanceistance

• less expressiveless expressive

• less emotionalless emotional

• less impulsiveless impulsive

• more professional behaviormore professional behavior


Discriminative situationsDiscriminative situations

= = long distancelong distance

• not accept specific extreme behaviors /not accept specific extreme behaviors /

minoritiesminorities

• close / remoteclose / remote

• exampleexample: homosexuals / Albanians: homosexuals / Albanians


What about marketing?What about marketing?

1. consumers open to new marketing 1. consumers open to new marketing approachesapproaches

2. marketing communications based on 2. marketing communications based on short distance relations/contact (e.g. short distance relations/contact (e.g. door-by-door selling)door-by-door selling)


What about marketing?What about marketing?

3. attention because of the more 3. attention because of the more collective decision – making process collective decision – making process for consumersfor consumers

4. marketing communications based on 4. marketing communications based on images, emotions in order to stimulate images, emotions in order to stimulate consumers’ interest (e.g. Benetton)consumers’ interest (e.g. Benetton)

ConclusionConclusionConclusionConclusion

High expressiveness

Low expressiveness

High sentimentality

Low sentimentality

Greece

Spain

FranceSlovenia

CONCLUSIONS: What personal CONCLUSIONS: What personal space to keep?space to keep?

CONCLUSIONS: What personal CONCLUSIONS: What personal space to keep?space to keep?

In In SLOVENIASLOVENIA: shake hands, keep : shake hands, keep distancedistance

In In SPAINSPAIN: 2X kiss, touch: 2X kiss, touch

In In FRANCEFRANCE: a lot of kisses, keep : a lot of kisses, keep distancedistance

In In GREECEGREECE: body language: body language, small , small distancedistance

QUESTIONS??QUESTIONS??QUESTIONS??QUESTIONS??

personal space between countries

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