2. Disclaimer
Disclaimer: None of the information is my own,
sources are listed at the end. This is just a
PowerPoint I created by compiling information from
other sites. I am not claiming the information as my
own. The purpose of this PowerPoint is to provide
information about different cultures and learn more
about the world around us.
Enjoy!
3. Introduction
Capital: Berlin
Government: Federal republic
Make up
91.2 percent German
2.4 percent Turkish
6.1 percent other (Greek, Italian, Polish, Russian, SerboCroatian)
Language
German is the official language
95 percent population speaks German as first language
Also Danish, Turkish, Kurdish
4. General Information
Europe‟s largest economy and second largest
population
Geography
Environment Issues: coal-burning, air pollution, acid rain,
Baltic sea p0llution, damaging forests
Natural Resources: coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, cooper,
nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber
Germans are very direct, personal emotions aren‟t
spoken
Direct sign of respect and part of the search for correctness
Seem arrogant, but are prideful of accomplishments
5. General Information (cont.)
Lack of humor in business settings
Time and place for everything
Don‟t respond to/aren‟t aware of indirect hints and nonverbal
signals
Consistency and reliability are important for
Germans
6. Economy
Fifth largest economy in world
Has highly skilled labor force
Exports
Machinery, vehicles, chemicals, household equipment,
computer and electronics, pharmaceuticals, metals, textiles,
rubber, plastic products
Export partners: France, UK, Netherlands, US, Austria, Italy,
China, Switzerland, Poland
Imports
Machinery, data processing equipment, vehicles, chemicals, oil
and gas, metals, electric equipment, pharmaceuticals,
agricultural products
Import partners: Netherlands, France, China, Belgium, Italy,
UK, Austria, Russia
7. Communications
Advanced telecommunication systems
Germany has a mix of private and public TV and
radio station
National and regional compete with more than 400
private owned stations
More than 90 percent have cable or satellite TV
8. German People & Society
99 percent literacy rate
5.5 percent unemployment
Government
Has 16 stadts (states)
Gained independence Jan. 18, 1871
Oct. 3 is unity day
Weimar Constitution – amended many times, last time in 2012
Civil Law legal system
Must be 18 to vote
9. Branches of Government
Executive
Chief of State - President (figure head)
Head of government – Chancellor (has the power)
Cabinet – Appointed by president with recommendation of the
chancellor
Elections:
President elected for five year term by Federal Convention
including members of Federal Parliament and equal number of
delegates
Chancellor elected by absolute majority of Federal Parliament for
four year term
10. Branches of Government (cont.)
Legislative
Bicameral consists of Federal Council and Federal Parliament
Federal Council (Bundesrat) – State gov‟t sits in Council, each has
three to six votes depending on population
Federal Parliament (Bundestag) – Members elected by popular vote
for four year term
Party must win five percent of national vote or three direct
members to get proportional representation
Judicial
Federal Court of Justice
Consists of 127 judges including court president, VP, presiding judges,
other judges
Organized into 25 and divided into 12 civil panels, five criminal panel,
eight special panel
Federal Constitutional Court has two Senates divided into three
chambers with a chairmen and eight members
11. Branches of Government (cont.)
Federal Court of Justice judges selected by Judges Election
Committee
o Consists of Secretaries of Justice from 16 States and 16 members
appointed by Federal Parliament
o Judges appointed by President and serve until 65 years old
o Federal Constitutional Court judge appointed for 12 year terms,
must retire by age 68
12. Government (cont.)
Political parties
Green Party
Christian Democratic Union (CDU)
Christian Social Union (CSU)
Free Democratic Party (FDP)
Left Party
Social Democratic Party (SDP)
National symbol: Golden Eagle
National anthem: Das Leid der Deutschen
13. German People (cont.)
Generally value order, privacy and punctuality
Are thrifty, hardworking and industrious
Respect perfectionism in all areas of life
Don‟t admit inadequacy
Don‟t shout or be loud
Don‟t put feet on furniture
Don‟t lose your temper publicly (shows weakness)
Compliment carefully and sparingly
Shows weakness
May correct your behavior
Social duty
14. General Information
Most aspects of German living/working defined and
regulated by structure
Many laws, rules, procedures
Rules allow people to know expectations so they can plan
accordingly
Live structured and ordered life
Planning security
Once proper way of doing task is discovered they
don‟t do it another way
15. Spaces
Germans take pride in their homes
Keep it neat and tidy
Home is where individualism shines
Only close friends and relatives invited to someone‟s
home more informal communication occurring
Common areas must be kept clean
Don‟t ask for a tour of guests home
16. Names and Titles
Use last name and title
Use „Sie‟ when addressing people
Never use titles incorrectly or never fail to use them
If unsure use a higher title
Two titles shouldn‟t be used at the same time
If a person has more than one, use the higher ranking one
17. Business Practices
Introduction
Be on time – showing up late is insulting, can ruin reputation
Use titles and surnames – tend to stick to roles rigidly
Shake hands – Germans shake hands with everyone before and after
meeting, start with most senior person and work down
Keep it firm and brief to convey confidence and reliability
Dress conservatively
Don‟t mix personal with business – keep small talk light
Don‟t‟ talk about home life, politics or religion
Never discuss income EVER
Knock before you enter room
Keep your distance, personal space matters, don‟t touch
Say what you mean – be direct and factual
Plan ahead – they hate surprises
Wish everyone „Guten Appetit‟ before eating
18. Business (cont.)
Send company profiles to establish credibility
Rank is extremely important in business
First meeting usually to see reliability and to establish
trust
Arrive prepared, avoid surprises
English business cards are acceptable
Germans are competitive
Value privacy
Everything should be backed up by facts, figures, tables,
charts, etc.
Don‟t call a German at home unless it‟s an emergency
19. Business (cont.)
Master planners, prizes forward thinking, know what
they will be doing on specific time on specific day
Think thoroughly, examine with detail
Careful planning security
Prescribed business rules, low degree of flexibility and
spontaneity in attitudes and values
Don‟t like surprises, sudden changes in business
transactions even if it improves outcome aren‟t welcome
Business viewed as serious and don‟t appreciate humor
in business context
Don‟t care to be complimented
20. Business (cont.)
Work and personal life strictly divided
Proper time and place for activity
Individualistic
Unethical behavior will diminish future business
negotiations
Meeting etiquette
Greetings are formal
Titles are important
Firm, quick handshake
Say Herr or Frau before title & surname
Wait for host/hostess to introduce you to group
Shake hands w/ everyone (including kids) when entering room
21. Business (cont.)
Don‟t need personal relationship to do business
Interested in academic credentials and years of
experience
Display great deference to people in authority, so
understand your level relative to their own
Don‟t have open door policy, work with doors closed
Knock and wait before entering rooms
Communication is formal
Don‟t use hyperbole
Germans are direct and blunt
Expect a lot of written communication
Like to have records of decisions/discussions
22. Business Values
Formality/Inflexibility
Arrive on time, greet politely, stick to agenda
Negotiations, contracts, etc., approved by management and take their time to carefully review
(Germans are detail oriented)
Professionalism
Always address with title
Care about credentials
Professionalism commands respect
Logical and forward moving
Work ethic
Projects move at slower pace b/c of thorough, detail-oriented people
Don‟t take risks, always meet deadlines
Blunt
Want to get straight to the point
Not subtle, are critically honest and assertive
Fair/loyalty
Meant what they say
Don‟t pressure them after an open answer
Compromise during deadlock
23. Business Meeting
Appointments mandatory
Should be made one to two weeks in advance
Letters addressed to top person in functional area
Include name and business title
Meetings are formal
If you expect to be delayed, call immediately and
offer explanation
Cancelling last minute could jeopardize reputation
Meetings adhere to strict agendas
Includes start and end times
Maintain proper eye contact when speaking
24. Business Meeting (cont.)
At end of meeting some Germans may rap knuckles
on tabletop
Strict protocol to follow when entering room
Highest ranking enters first and so on
Men enter before women if age and status are equal
Don‟t shake hands with one hand in pocket
25. Business Negotiation
Don‟t sit until invited to sit and told where to sit
Meetings adhere to strict agendas
Treat process with formality
Germans prefer to get down to business and engage
in briefest small talk
Germans are interested in credentials
Contracts should be strictly followed
Be patient, Germans are detail-oriented and want to
understand every innuendo before coming to an
agreement
26. Business Negotiation (cont.)
Business is hierarchical
Decision-making is held at top of company
Final decisions translated in rigorous,
comprehensive action steps
Avoid confrontational behavior or high-pressure
tactics
Once decision is made, it won‟t be changed
27. Dining Etiquette
Arrive on time, don‟t arrive early or it shows poor
planning and NEVER arrive late unless otherwise
noted
Send handwritten thank you note the day after for
hospitality
Remain standing until asked to sit down
They may assign you a seat
Hold fork with left hand, knife with right
Don‟t eat until host said „Guten Appetit‟
Wait for host to place napkin on lap before doing so
Don‟t rest elbows on table
28. Dining Etiquette (cont.)
Don‟t cut lettuce, fold it
Cut as much of your food as you can
Finish what‟s on your plate
Use hands to break apart rolls
When finished place fork and knife parallel across
right side of plate with fork over knife
Restaurant setting:
Address waiter “Herr Ober”
Address waitress “Fraulein”
Business breakfast are arranged, but lunch is
preferred
29. Dining/Entertainment
Business entertaining usually done in restaurants
Lunch with business colleagues involve social conversations
Don‟t discuss business during lunch/dinner unless host
initiates
Spouses not included in business dinner
Don‟t drink until host drinks
When toasting, hold glass at step, clink glass with people
around you and say „Prosit‟ and take a drink
Then look into eyes of someone at table, lift glass and set on
table
Guest of honor seated to left of host if it‟s a man, to
the right if a woman
30. Dining/Entertainment (cont.)
Keep hands on table
Hands should NEVER be on lap
Keep elbows Off the table
Use knife and fork to eat sandwiches and fruits
Whatever doesn‟t need a knife shouldn‟t be touched with knife
Use fish knife to cut fish
Don‟t smoke until dinner is finished and coffee is
served – ask permission before you do
Germans don‟t stay long after dinner
Honored guests supposed to make first move to leave
31. Punctuality
Germans compartmentalize into controlled units
Time is carefully managed
Schedules must be respected aka DO NOT Be Late!
Transportation leave and arrive on time, projects are
carefully scheduled and organizational charts are
detailed
Being late even a minute can offend people
32. Gift Giving
Gift giving not common and often inappropriate
Focus more on business at hand than formalities/rituals
More social occasions, gift giving is customary
Guidelines for gifts
Small, good quality, but not too expensive
When invited to German home bring gift of flowers, vine,
chocolate or small gift from home country
Flowers should be given in uneven numbers and unwrapped
Don‟t give 13 of anything
Don‟t give red roses because it‟s associated with romance
Don‟t give carnations because it‟s associated with mourning
Lilies are used at funerals, so avoid those
Open gifts when you receive them
33. Business Dress Code
Dress neatly and conservatively – never ostentatious
General code:
Casual/sloppy attire is frowned upon
Men should wear dark colored conservative business suits with
solid tie and white shirt
Women should wear dark suits and white blouses or
conservative dresses
Don‟t remove jacket until German colleague does
Don‟t wear heavy makeup or flashy jewelry/accessories