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Understanding Global Cultures

Understanding Global Cultures. Shelby Bates Sarah Hart Annalisa Day Tye Jones Chelsi Delgado Travis Marlar Jessica Denis Zach Williams. Preview. Chapter 11 The Danish Christmas Luncheon Chapter 12 The German Symphony Chapter 13 Irish Conversations. Denmark.

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Understanding Global Cultures

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  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.”

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