Understanding Global Cultures

1. Understanding Global Cultures Shelby Bates Sarah HartAnnalisa Day Tye Jones Chelsi Delgado Travis Marlar Jessica Denis Zach Williams

2. Preview • Chapter 11 • The Danish Christmas Luncheon • Chapter 12 • The German Symphony • Chapter 13 • Irish Conversations

3. Denmark

4. Denmark • 5.4 population • Highly educated • GDP per person $44,710 • Ranks 7th among nations • Composed of 406 islands • Equality matching culture

5. The Danish Christmas Luncheon • All organizations in Denmark host a luncheon • Employee and employer responsibility • Occurs on one of three Fridays in December • Begins at 1pm • Controlled culture • Inappropriate thoughts, emotions, and actions

6. History of Denmark • Queen Margrethe of Denmark united Denmark, Norway, and Sweden in 1397 • Norway belonged to Denmark until 1814 • Gradually diminished because of periodic wars • WWII • Germany invaded Norway and Denmark • Armbands • Dangerously led Jewish Danes to neutral Sweden • Saved 95% of 7,000 Jewish residents

7. Denmark’s Culture • Individualistic • Ranked 9th of 53 • Interdependent • Geography, small size, and history • Both individuality and group norms are both respected • Wealthy residence • Tendency toward conformity • Christmas luncheon provides an escape from that • Allowed to express forbidden thoughts and emotions

8. Geographic Ambivalence • Easily could have ended up a part of Germany after Germany became a nation in 1870 • Faced this threat again in WWII • Military virtually non-existent • Large medical corps set up for national emergency • Relaxed approach to life; more than neighbors • Study of international happiness involving 80,000 respondents, Denmark won first-place • Very modest expectations • Relaxed sexual relations: nude bathing, escorts

9. Challenges in Denmark • Shortage of labor • Young Danes take advantage of the great education, then move to other countries with lower taxes • 63%: free health care, child care, and elder care • Low-skilled immigrants

10. The Christmas Luncheon • Elaborate • Home-cooked dishes, candles, fireplace • Most employees work for the same organization all their lives • Enhance a sense of coziness and commonality • Luncheon started in homes and communities, but is now a norm for Danish businesses

11. Germany

12. Understanding Germans • It is difficult to understand Germans at times from an American point of view • Even though 30% of Americans are from German descent • German stereotype: Emphasis on rules and order

13. A Brief History • Germany is relatively young compared to its European neighbors • Becomes a nation in 1871 • Ancestors of the Germans led by Hermann the Great defeated the Romans in 109BCE • The word “German” was a derogatory term • German mercenaries that fought in the American revolution were ridiculed

14. A Brief History Continued • Fredrick the Great and his Father • Produced a strong Prussia • Fredrick the Great was interested in music and philosophy • He also wrote flute music • All these characteristics would foreshadow the Germany to come

15. A Brief History Continued • Through leadership in government and military smaller kingdoms integrated into what we now know as Germany • These kingdoms kept their individuality because of diverse historic backgrounds • Because of this Germany operates a federal confederation of 16 independent states

16. The First Reich • Germans romanticize Charlemagne’s Roman rule as the first Reich • Reich: German word which designates “realm” or “commonwealth” translated to English means “rich” • This lavish tale was due to the lack of illustrious history of their own • Germany bordered Eastern and Western Europe this resulted in a great diversity of ethnic groups

17. The Second Reich • Began in 1871 • Militarism and rapid economic growth • Education, culture, and the arts (especially the symphony) • Otto Von Bismarck • Iron Chancellor • First social welfare system • Required age of 65 to receive government pension

18. The Second Reich • World War I • Versailles Peace Treaty of 1918 • Germany had to pay reparations to certain countries it caused damage to in the war • Damages were valued at 132 million Marks • $442 billion in 2012’s money • Economists, especially Maynard Keynes, saw this as excessive and knew it would doom Germany’s economy

19. The Second Reich • The Depression of 1930 only worsened Germany’s economic situation • Political turmoil occurred, groups vied for power • National Socialist Party came to power • Chancellor Hindenburg asks their leader to create minority government • Hitler creates minority government and Germans see him as a source of stability • Hitler ushers in the Third Reich (1000 year)

20. Modern Germany • Modern Germany began after the Allies took control in 1945 • Democratic government • Labor unions • Marshall Plan • Aided war ravaged Europe rebuild their economies • First time in history this occurred

21. Modern Germany • Germany’s economy strengthens • More exports per capita than U.S. and Japan • Extensive regulations have pushed German companies into other nations (small and medium size firms) • Germany scored 15 on individualism • This is very high much like America

22. Symphony • Germans Love symphonic music • Germans believe the symphony is symbolic of their culture • Individuals likes and dislikes are subordinated for the greater good • West Germany has a population of 66 million and has more than 80 orchestras • Some of the world’s greatest composers are German • Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Bach, Beethoven

23. Symphony • Many Germans play musical instruments as a hobby • Music is an integral and a serious part of life • Collective experience that enriches life

24. Diversity of the Musical Instruments • Characteristic feature of the Germans = multiplicity-Prince Metternich • Many different ethnic and religious groups • Most diverse city: Frankfurt • Different ethnicities • Germany rarely united, marked by division • East and West Germany united on October 3, 1990 • Both people of Germany and musical instruments of the symphonic orchestra come from many different countries and cultures

25. The Force of Immigration • Primary force • Many foreigners moved into Germany: • After the first unification in 1871 • After the construction of the Berlin Wall • With the end of the Cold War in Europe • Immigrant Percentages: • Germany: 8% • United States: 12% • South Africa: 2.3%

26. Geographic Variation • The area of the former East Germany now accounts for around 30% of Germany • Around the size of Montana • Integration of East and West Germany has been challenging • High costs • High unemployment

27. Diversity within the Nation • South • Sunny, warmer climate • Mostly Protestant • North • Colder climate • Mostly Catholic

28. Diversity – Musical Instruments & Geography • Creation of complexity • Incorporating more diversity into the new nation • Adding musical instruments in the symphonic orchestra

29. Positional Arrangements of the Musicians • 4 sections: • Strings • Woodwinds • Brass • Percussion • Maximize the musical instrumentation • Improve the quality of the sound

30. German Society • Very crowded • Germany: 230.5 residents/sq. km. • United States: 31.7 residents/sq. km. • South Africa: 41 residents/sq. km. • Compartmentalized • Affection for privacy and respect for others • The home separates one from the outside world

31. Christmas Traditions • Germany • The privacy and security of the home is valued especially during this time • Gemutlichkeit strongly prevails • Translation: “as ‘comfort’ or ‘coziness,’ but it has wider connotations – of the hearthside and deep content, of home cooking and family security” • South Africa • An “out-of-door” day • Most time spent on the beaches, rivers, and mountain slopes

32. Home as Haven • A getaway from the stress of work • Personal status is less threatened • Homes are very protected • Fences, walls, hedges, solid doors, blinds, shutters • Front yard rarely used • Homes are kept very clean • Doors are kept closed

33. Physical Distance • Germans prefer to keep more distance • South Africans aren’t as distant • Several greeting styles • Most common: shake hands, maintain eye contact, and smile

34. Formality in German Culture • Formal behavior at home • Value privacy/distance • Formal behavior at work • Family names rather than first names when meeting new people • “Du” (familiar “you”): family/close friends only • Coworkers are colleagues, not friends (vs. U.S.) • Distinct line between close friends & acquaintances

35. German Formality Continued • “Dr.” title limited to PhD/medical degree holders • Nazi-era law, “title abuse” illegal • Politeness to strangers/acquaintances • Restrained gestures/no smiling • Maintained eye contact to show paying attention • Distant/stiff appearance, but friendlier later

36. German Business Practices • Life/Business Compartmentalization • Value of Hierarchies • “Ladder of Success” • Importance of Executive offices • Status markers: office size, personal secretary outside • Office inseparable from/extension of personality • Importance of closed doors • Physical Space Norms • Germans stand farther apart than North Americans • Insulting to move chairs closer to manager’s desk

37. German Business Practices Continued • Germans More Risk-Averse • Less comfortable with strange situations • Doing job properly takes time, planning • Analyze projects/business opportunities deeply before committing • Formality/ Physical Distance • Younger Germans less formal in interactions • They revert to formal behavior once they begin working full-time

38. German Leadership Perspectives • Historically, charismatic leaders not effective • Exception: Adolf Hitler • Germans respond to visionary leaders • Delegate responsibility in hierarchy • Frederick the Great • German culture still idealizes his leadership style • Low Power Distance, High Uncertainty Avoidance

39. German Leadership • Pros • Subordinate participation • Fewer organizational levels in companies • Cons • Difficult for executives to make decisions • Rigid hierarchy • E.g. Daimler-Chrysler merger, 1997 • Board of directors law

40. Precision and Synchronicity • Perhaps the most critical feature of the symphony • Everything must be done perfectly • Everyone must be willing to participate within the boundaries of the performance • Solo time is very short for the greater good of the orchestra • Symphonic performers must willingly subordinate their individual selves to the greater good • Germans tend to be individualistic • Individualism in Germany vs. individualism in the US or Sweden

41. Business Rules • Conscious of time and how to allocate it efficiently • No such thing as “free time” • Sharp distinction between work and leisure • Prefer for time to be used rationally and efficiently • Tardiness is frowned on • Meetings and negotiations are long and tend to have well-marked stages • Precision and synchronicity also tend to influence communication

42. Business Rules • Communication • Low context • Tend to use a deductive way of thinking that relies on past history and theory vs Anglo-American inductive styles that tend to use cases and examples to back up an argument • Words should mean exactly what they are intended to mean • “I’ll call you for lunch.” • “Let’s have dinner.” • John Cage and his revolutionary production of 4’33’’ • South Africa • Prime vacation times • Meetings begin with small talk; then move to business • Agendas are not as rigid

43. Communication Styles • Verb tends to be at the end of a sentence • Main point is made at the end • Like classical symphonies, meetings tend to start slow, can last for hours, and build to a climax • In business, as in music, sound, tone, modulation, and timing are key to a successful performance • Attire and dressing • More conservative than Americans • Fashionable but don’t take away from the matter at hand • South Africa • Most common business language is English • White South Africans prefer plain-speaking, while the black culture stresses diplomacy

44. The Education System • Begins with the grundschule or elementary school • Students assigned to 3 different types of schools • Gymnasium, or academic school, for those that want to pursue a university education • Realchule, or “real world” school; goes through grade 10 • Hauptshule; students free to leave after grade 9 • Today, more than 50% of Germans graduate from gymnasium

45. South Africa Education • One of the highest rates of public investment in education in the world • Three bands of education • General education and training • Further education and training • Higher education and training

46. A Pattern of Order • Germany maintains a military force structure • Service to the country is widely accepted • This service translates into a message of unity

47. German Festivals • Old traditions unite German population • Thousands of festivals every year • Karneval aka “Mardi Gras” • Oktoberfest

48. The Unfinished Symphony • Looking for a new identity • “Du bistDuetschland” • Changes in German Culture? • Germany will continue to emphasize the characteristics of the symphony

49. Ireland

50. Irish Conversations • Three Pillars of Irish Culture • Language • Irish language (Gaelic language) is increasing in importance • Rural Heritage • Declining Rural Heritage especially in and around Dublin • Crime, drug use, and other urban ailments are now prevalent • Catholic Church • “The Catholic Church no longer has the power and prestige that it flaunted and exercised for generations.”