German culture has spread across the globe and the German language is now accepted as one of the most important languages. It is often perceived as a very unique culture and the German people are considered to be quite capable in general. Germany also has population groups that hail from mixed ethnic backgrounds. Turkish immigrants form the largest group, while foreign residents make up for nine percent of the population in general. Besides this, there are also large number of refugees from Eastern Europe as well as immigrants from countries like Italy, Spain and Greece.
Germany is well known for its love for music and culture. It has contributed immensely towards art and culture. However, today German culture remains so merged with that of Europe that it becomes slightly difficult to draw the boundaries. German culture reflects various traces of medieval art and architecture in the form of cathedrals, monasteries, and castles that dot the country.
Present-day German culture, deeply rooted in tradition, has been carved by the many outside and inside influences the country has endured throughout its long history. Germany's diverse and unique regions are not only geographically and climatically different, but form an eclectic blend of personalities and identities. Appropriate and effective business etiquette in Germany can only be successfully applied through an understanding of this well-developed and highly elaborate culture.
Germany is closely tied into regional influences and has been fundamentally shaped by Europe’s history. It has deep regional identities but at the same time has a national German culture. Germany has become the largest economy and the most populous nation in Europe after its unification in 1989.
Because of its rich and prominent culture it is quite important to create awareness and understanding about the German culture when doing business in Germany. In today’s global business environment it becomes quite necessary to develop successful business strategies and valuable business relationships based on an awareness of the German culture
German culture – Key concepts and values
Individualism – In Germany a great deal of emphasis is placed on individual accomplishment but then it is also coupled with the responsibility to achieve the good of the community as well. In many business and professional environments the benefits to the company’s staff and the community as a whole are also taken into consideration in performance assessment along with the financial results.
Communication – The German communication style is direct, seemingly confrontational and it is important to understand this component of the business dealings. For example, during business discussions there can be open and frank expression of criticizing the project, idea or the task at hand, these tend to be a constructive approach to solving business issues and not a mark of personal disapproval.
Structured approach – The German approach is structured and therefore life and work are also governed by these structured approaches as reflected by laws and rules in all walks of life, including the economic, political and social spheres. In German business adherence to prescribed rules is also important which can result in a lack of spontaneity and a low degree of flexibility.
Emphasis on facts – In German culture decision-making and problem-solving is usually carried out with the help of objective facts. In business negotiations for example, successful business decisions are carried out with the help of logic and analysis of information rather than intuition.
Task based approach – Germans approach work in terms of achieving the task at hand, and combined with the well-defined structured approach to decision-making, this makes business decisions less dependent on relationships and intuition. A lot of emphasis is placed on adherence to deadlines and timeline
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