Doing Business in Europe: Cultural Considerations
The definition of culture offered in one textbook is “That complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man person as a member of society.”
Potential cultural issues:
o Difference in cultural habits and norms.
Space. Space is perceived differently. Americans will feel crowded where people from more densely populated countries in Europe will be comfortable.
Time. Monochronic cultures tend to value precise scheduling and doing one thing at a time; in polychronic cultures, in contrast, promptness is valued less, and multiple tasks may be performed simultaneously. US and most European countries are monochromic.
Etiquette. Some cultures have more rigid procedures than others. In some countries, for example, there are explicit standards as to how a gift should be presented. In some cultures, gifts should be presented in private to avoid embarrassing the recipient; in others, the gift should be made publicly to ensure that no perception of secret bribery could be made.
Relationships. Some cultures are more task/focus-oriented, whereas others are relationship-oriented; some place more emphasis on the individual than on the group (which defines whether a culture is egalitarian/individualistic or hierarchical/collectivistic).
Americans have a lot of quite shallow friends toward whom little obligation is felt; people in European and some Asian cultures have fewer, but more significant friends.
o Business Etiquette
Handshakes. Handshakes are standard business greeting gestures throughout Europe. However, the European handshake is usually exchanged before and after every meeting, no matter how many meetings you've already had. An exception is Great Britain, where, as in the United States, an initial handshake is often the only one you'll receive. European Handshakes are more formal and less buddy-buddy than those in the United States. You will not find a lot of back-slapping at
Potential cultural issues:
o Difference in cultural habits and norms.
Space. Space is perceived differently. Americans will feel crowded where people from more densely populated countries in Europe will be comfortable.
Time. Monochronic cultures tend to value precise scheduling and doing one thing at a time; in polychronic cultures, in contrast, promptness is valued less, and multiple tasks may be performed simultaneously. US and most European countries are monochromic.
Etiquette. Some cultures have more rigid procedures than others. In some countries, for example, there are explicit standards as to how a gift should be presented. In some cultures, gifts should be presented in private to avoid embarrassing the recipient; in others, the gift should be made publicly to ensure that no perception of secret bribery could be made.
Relationships. Some cultures are more task/focus-oriented, whereas others are relationship-oriented; some place more emphasis on the individual than on the group (which defines whether a culture is egalitarian/individualistic or hierarchical/collectivistic).
Americans have a lot of quite shallow friends toward whom little obligation is felt; people in European and some Asian cultures have fewer, but more significant friends.
o Business Etiquette
Handshakes. Handshakes are standard business greeting gestures throughout Europe. However, the European handshake is usually exchanged before and after every meeting, no matter how many meetings you've already had. An exception is Great Britain, where, as in the United States, an initial handshake is often the only one you'll receive. European Handshakes are more formal and less buddy-buddy than those in the United States. You will not find a lot of back-slapping at