Cultural differences in business life between Germany and USA - Essay Example

?Table of Contents Table of Contents Cultural differences in business life between Germany and USA 0 Introduction The major issue of concern in the business life is the ability to communicate effectively with people from different cultures. Lack of cooperation ends negotiations without any closed partnership. Culture of different individuals involved in a business deal may have both negative and positive impacts on a business deal. Culture is known to be a collection of given values, beliefs, behaviors, customs, and attitudes of people of a specific community. In summary culture concerns the manner in which people think, act and how they do things. In most situations, people do not realize how their own behavior is affected by culture. This is because of the closeness to it and the assumption that everyone is just like them. They expect others to do everything in a manner similar to their own. Communication refers to encoding and sending of a message with proper representation. Message can be verbal, written, non-verbal, and musical form. These various forms of representations have unspoken rules that can cause significant misinterpretations if not properly understood. An individual from a different culture with varied values and rules can cause danger to any encoding (Geertz, 1973). This problem is intensified by the fact that a given message depends on the receiver’s perception and not what the presenter thought. Foster (1992) attest that in conducting daily operations in the business world, communication is considered an important factor. Therefore, when dealing with people of different culture in business, proper considerations should be put in place. These include proper understanding of diverse cultures and ability to handle the various challenges of language barriers. Hofstede (2001) said that most business deals do not mature because prior to interaction, one or both of the parties was not committed to learn cultures of the different individuals involved. To be successful in business life, every individual has to consider the following: proper understanding of different ways in which behavior and business impacts culture (Brislin and Yoshida1994; Chaney, 2005). Secondly, major cultural dimensions should be properly understood. Thirdly, individuals should be keen on their own culture and raise awareness about it. Fourthly, and individual should clearly know the different scenarios where their own culture preference can conflict with that of other people. Fifth, key skills and competencies that boost international success should be identified. Finally, every individual should be sensitive of existing traps and ways to overcome them. 2.0 Cultural diversity In the 21st century, cultural diversity is common in most of the management topics. For proper management, effective communication needs to be in place (Hall, 1959). This requires proper understanding of different cultures of individuals involved. All forms of communication are directly impacted by culture. According to Hall and Hall (1990), individuals view their culture as normal. When they come across people from other different cultures, they are amazed by the unique behaviors. In order to have a clear understanding of diverse perspectives, it is important to have cross-cultural awareness (Hall, 1976; Harris and Robert, 2000). This way, an individual will be able to develop respect for other varied cultures hence suspension of judgment. This knowledge will boost different business interaction in different situations and localities. It is also important for individuals to know that one approach will not be effective in all given circumstances. 3.0 Comparison of the cultural differences among the Americans and the Germans In business conversation, Hendon et al (1999) and Mattock (2003) revealed that Germans are known to emphasize on content and understates emotions and personal relationships. They respect honesty and openness and prefer using various examples. The fact that Germans give more details results from the detailed explanations that they estimate. Germans are keen to explore all sides of an issue regardless of it being unpleasant, confrontational and even time consuming especially when analyzing a given problem (Mautner, 1989). The focus in their conversation is to be able to know the truth. This illustrates clearly, why Germans emphasizes on content and separates personal issues. In addition, objectivity and credibility is strongly emphasized. Language usage is greatly affected by German value for frankness. Frankness ensures that their conversations are facts based and remains formal. In considering German business setting, putting emphasis on personal issues beyond the professional is considered as being instructive (Lustig and Koester, 2006). In Germany, an individual is not allowed to use the first name when addressing a business associate, unless one is allowed to use. When holding a conversation one is not supposed to chew gum. When meeting someone, one has to keep time as being late is considered as an insult. When conducting business deals, both the Americans and the Germans act in a different manner. Americans are known to make their decisions quickly. They do not waste time, their aim in a business deal conversation is to get the desired point in a quick manner and be able to acquire the required information. This is not the case with Germans when handling a business deal. They are focused to get all the information needed as much as they can. They spend much of their time before making any important decisions. For the Germans, a decision is final once made and must not be changed. They are always reluctant to do any changes. While for the Americans this is not the case, a decision made is not final. When a need arises, they may have to change or amend it to fit the situation at hand. For the Americans, risk taking is encouraged. It is considered a positive trait of an individual. They view it as an individual being initiative. However, for the Germans risk taking is not tolerated. In addition, in individual who takes risk is known to have a negative characteristic and can be concluded as reckless. Americans on the other side however, view Germans as being too serious, and too factual in their conversations. Trompenaars (1993) found out that Americans are known to emphasize both the subject and the personal life at the same time. They are known for their informal manner of operations and are able to break the ice quickly when they meet new people. In their communications, positive feedback and briefness that leads to action remain to be the major focus. Unlike Germans, Americans value being liked, hence they have a different conception of directness. Americans are known to be direct especially when conveying pleasure or sharing personal details to strangers. They are also known to give praise and compliments directly. This is referred to as American openness. Among the Germans, real friendship is described as one with both responsibility and duty. This is not so with the Americans as they believe in freedom and independence. According to Chaney and Martin (2003), the Americans and the Germans have varied levels in adapting to change and coping with uncertainty. Germans are known to minimize risks. They make sure everything is well structured and ordered. Germans strive to eliminate uncertainty. This is portrayed in their written and non-unwritten high number of rules, laws, and prohibitions. To ensure that order exists, private life and working life is completely separated. Friendships are known to have similar effect. True friendship is viewed as being comparable to protection from the world insecurity. The country’s business life and existence of strict roles for every employee reflects the need for order in the society (Sellin and Elaine, 2005). For every employee, an exact definition of various responsibilities is included in the description of the position. Having a well defined place in the social order provides security to the Germans. They also prefer to handle a given task for a longer period in order to avoid uncertainty (Hall and Hal 1984; McKenna, 2000). This behavior has a positive side because it makes Germans rational, disciplined and hardworking. Forward thinking and proper planning is rewarded in the German culture. They plan and organize everything accordingly. This helps an individual determine what he or she will do at given particular time. Germans value proper planning especially in business life and this is a perfect attribute. Germans reduces failures by allocating proper time to plan before beginning a given project (Hampden-Turner and Fons, 1997). They perceive that an individual attains sense of security through it. Americans however, have minimal ways of uncertainty avoidance. In business life, this portray they prefer to take risks unlike the Germans, and prefer exploring new things. In addition, changing of jobs frequently is viewed as normal (Chaney and Martin, 2007). While on their various jobs, Americans are known to share more about their personality. Unlike the Germans, they do not separate their private lives from the work environment. There is no clear difference among the Americans when at work and when with friends as they act similarly. According to Moran and Stripp (1991), Americans leave their doors open except in the case where privacy is needed. In offices, they stay in an open plan, in form of cubicles. This is not so with the Germans. At all times, they keep their doors shut, and their offices are partitioned into separate rooms. One has to knock before entering. When using non-verbal communication, individuals are not supposed to use their middle finger. It is considered offensive among the Americans. Germans on the other hand, considers as an insult when an individual uses the index finger to tap the forehead, and one has to pay a fine. From history, Germans had a clear definition about society. They learnt about ways of survival and well being. State powers and different individual liberties were clearly illustrated. Occupational positions were highlighted; to attain this every individual had to meet different standards of education outlined. For an individual to have security in personal status, income, healthcare and retirement, one has to be reliable, and discipline both in school and at work place and to have respect for all authorities recognizable. The business life of the Germans was transformed by history. The outcome was individuals who were tradition minded and a culture that is known to be expert- elitist. The Germans business culture states that one is able to secure an appropriate position through good performance in school, ones certification and lengthy training, which is of high quality and through individual expertise. In order to be able to secure a good position in the social hierarchy, one has to be an expert-elite member. Through this, Germans are assured to have a secure position. They just have to be committed to their work from eight to five, then close their doors, and go home until the next day. The private and the professional life is clearly separated, hence Germans are always keen to the area of life where an individual belongs. When dealing with business associates, much about private life is not shared, instead what is spoken mainly concern how to run various businesses. On the other hand, when meeting with friends they value discussions that are deep and lengthy (Hofstede and Hofstede, 2005; Neale and Bazerman 1991). They share much about themselves and the whole of the universe. However, the Americans handle intimate friends and all business associate alike (Hooker, 2003). They share similar information to all of them. Both Germans and Americans view one another with different negative perceptions. Gudykunst and Ting-Toomey (1988) revealed that Americans are known to be superficial while the Americans perceive the Germans as being opinionated. All this is because of different misconception and other faulty judgments. Guirdham (2005) revealed that for an individual to be successful in both the American business and society, it is important to deal with a large number of individuals. Americans are known to hold a big number of people both being their own business associates and friends. They do not mind having both circles at once; therefore, the two sectors; businesses and private mixes freely Unlike the Germans Americans are known to have a barbecue picnic on most Fridays afternoons and on Sunday morning, they occupy themselves replying different emails. They are also known to be involved in deep discussions with their friends, but this is not the case with the Germans. According to the Germans, the Americans cannot be fully understood even though they remain easy to know (Ferraro, 2005 and Ditzel, 2007). Most Germans who have American friends get disappointed. They describe the Americans as nice people but superficial. On the other hand, Germans remain to be opinionated. They are always determined to attain the status of an expert elitist. Germans consider expert knowledge as being valuable and are ready and willing to pass the knowledge to other experts. For Germans, friendlier individual is considered to lack competency in certain fields, hence, he or she is trying to cover up. While at work, all what is required is one to have clear expert knowledge and no stories. For clear communication, Germans usually add intensifiers to their sentences. These include statements like absolutely, by all means, without doubt, beyond question and many others. Americans however, are committed to relationships and are careful not annoy others (Lewis, 2005; Reynolds and Deborah, 2003). Hence, they are known to use softeners in most of their statements. This is illustrated by such statements, kind of, sort of, could be, in a way, and you never know. When in similar situation, Americans for example may say, “You know we might be forced to transform our current marketing strategy.” A German however, will say, “Our company absolutely has to transform its own marketing strategy.” To the Americans they refer this as an individual being harsh and uncompromising. It sounds as if the whole discussion is being brought to an end. From the Germans mode of communication, Americans concludes that Germans are opinionate and posses some degree of arrogance (Schneider and Jean-Louis 2002). Germans unlike the Americans are perfectionists. They are great when fixing different automobile parts. However, they are poor when communicating. Communication involves all what is done in the presence of another individual, and not only about the language used. The implication of this is that culture is made up of different ingredients that include verbal language, the non-verbal, and the context of communication. In international business, it is evident that business people and their employees must know and apply various behaviors to be successful in their business deals. These include applying tactics of negotiation and cross-cultural communication. Most individuals involved in business remain connected with their own national culture, which influence their style of communication. However, since the business world has become global, cultural awareness necessary to improve the international business. Creation of awareness helps in developing international competencies and global sensitivity among individuals helpful in communication with people from different culture. 4.0 Conclusion For successful business life, proper communication should be put in place. Individuals who are conducting different business activities should be aware of the existence of cultural differences. Americans and Germans have similarities and differences as well. All this differences is as a result of the existence of the cultural differences. The Germans and the Americans vary when handling business issues. Americans are just focused on getting a glimpse of the whole picture and the rest will be handled later. They make their decisions in a rush. This is because their main objective in a business conversation is to grasp the most important points first. For Germans this is not the case, they are keen during a business conversation. They analyze the whole dialogue before reaching a conclusion to make appropriate decisions. Once a decision has been made it cannot be reversed. For the Americans this is not the case, decisions made are not final. They are subject to changes when necessary. Americans are also known to be risk takers. According to them risk taking is a positive trait of an individual. It is associated with one being initiative. However, Germans are different. Risk taking is not encouraged, it is associated with recklessness. Germans separate their professional and private lives. When dealing with business life, they focus mainly on things concerning the business environment. And when dealing with friends they do not disclose anything about their business life. Americans are not this way; they handle both their professional and the private life alike. They share similar information to all. To the Americans, the Germans lifestyle is too serious. 5.0 Bibliography Brislin, R, & Yoshida, T1994, Intercultural Communication Training: An Introduction, Sage publication, Canada. Chaney, L 2005, Intercultural Business Communication, Prentice-Hall, USA. Chaney, L, H, & Martin, J, S 2007, Intercultural business communication, Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Chaney, L,& Martin, J 2003, Intercultural business communication, Prentice Hall, USA. Ditzel, U 2007, Cultural Differences in Business Life - Understanding German and American Business Culture, GRIN Verlag, German. 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