6. Population:
COUNTRY
FACTS
8 million
• Official
name:
Republic
of
Austria
• Capital:
Vienna
• Official
language:
Austrian
German
• Government:
Federal
Parliamentary
Republic
• Independance:
Post-‐WWII
in
1955
• Ethnic
groups:
» Austrians
92%
» Former
Yougoslavs
5%
» Turks
2%
» German
1%
7. COUNTRY
FACTS
• DeclaraCon
of
Neutrality
– Declaring
the
country
neutral
– Enacted
on
26
of
October
1955
– Part
of
the
consVtuVon
of
Austria
8. COUNTRY
FACTS
• FORMALLY
declaraVon
promulgated
voluntarily
by
the
Republic
of
Austria.
• POLITICALLY
was
the
direct
consequence
of
the
allied
occupaVon
between
1945
and
1955:
12. PEOPLE
FACTS
• ConservaVsm
» Austrians
are
prudent
and
moderate
» Social
invitaVons
must
be
made
in
advance
• The
Austrian
home
» Austrians
take
much
pride
in
their
homes
» Only
close
friends
and
relaVves
are
invited
into
the
house
» Neightboorly
eVque]e
has
its
rules
(cleaned
corridors…)
13. HOFSTEDE’s
Cultural
dimensions
1. Low
power
distance
• Austrian
subway
system
2. IndividualisVc
society
• Desire
for
personnal
freedom
• Preference
for
personal
well-‐being
3. Masculinity
79
• AsserVve
desire
for
control
4. High
uncertainty
avoidance
14. NAMES
&
GREETINGS
• Shake
hands
women
1st
• Hand-‐kiss
to
women
Don’t
if
you’re
not
Austrian!
Foreign
Minister
Karel
Scharzenberg
from
Czech
Republic,
kisses
the
hand
of
Autrian
Foreifn
Minister
Ursula
Plassnik,
2008
15. COMMUNICATION
STYLE
• Official
language
is
German
» Different
pronunciaVon
» Different
vocabulary
=
Problem
for
foreigners
who
were
taught
proper
german
Speak
some
English,
but
interpreter
recommended
16. COMMUNICATION
STYLE
• Use
of
English
» Make
it
short
» Simple
phrase
» Speak
slowly
• DiplomaVc
style
preferred
• Saying
NO
is
ok
• Rare
use
of
body
language
19. DRESS
&
APPEARANCE
• Appearances
ma]er
» PresentaVon
and
dressing
are
very
important
» Clothes
are
never
ostentaVous
» SomeVmes
strict
protocol
for
dressing
apprpriately
» Some
high
level
events
may
have
dress
code
» Women
dress
elegantly
in
public/at
work
20. ENTERTAINING
• Family
• Friends
at
the
pub!
• Watching
television
• Going
to
the
restaurant
• Sport:
Ski,
bicycle
ride…
21. DON’T…
• Expect
everyone
to
speak
English
• Expect
to
find
diet
drinks
and
non-‐smoking
areas
• Make
noise
amer
10pm
• Give
perfume
or
clothing
as
gims
• Kiss
the
hand
of
an
Austrian
woman
unless
you
are
Austrian!
• Be
late!
22. GOVERNMENT
&
BUSINESS
• Member
of
EU
Free movement of goods, people and capital
• Austrian
Business
Agency
(ABA)
Supports
&
provides
incenVves
for
foreign
investors
23. WORK
ENVIRONMENT
• Formal
dress
code
for
business
» Navy
blue
or
black
suits
» NeckVes
» Dresses
accepted
for
women
» Polished
shoes
• First
impression
ma]ers!
Significant
impact
on
others
opinion
24. WOMEN
IN
BUSINESS
• Hard
to
get
similar
posiVons/income
as
men
• AccepVng
old-‐fashioned
courtesies
• Too
much
confidence
might
appear
aggressive!
Reminder:
High
Masculinity!
25. DECISION
MAKING
• Hierarchy
People
expect
to
to
work
with
clear
lines
of
authority!
• Methodical
process
Conducted
with
precision
» Takes
much
Vme
» Requires
paVence
• Change
is
hard
to
implement
Reminder:
high
level
of
uncertainty
avoidance
26. BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS
• Not
an
essenVal
aspect
for
iniVal
business
interacVons
know
you
be]er
gradually
• Business
relaVons
exist
between
companies
as
well
as
between
individuals.
27. NEGOTIATIONS
&
MEETINGS
• NegoVaVon
is
a
joint
problem-‐solving
process
in
Austria
buyer
being
superior
• NegoVaVon
style
is
cooperaVve
people
may
be
unwilling
to
agree
with
compromises
• work
through
a
list
of
objecVves,
bargaining
for
each
item
separately
they
do
not
revisit
aspects
already
discussed
• Be
calm
and
paVent
avoid
open
confrontaVon
28. TIME…
• Pursue
acVons
and
goals
systemaVcally
• Punctuality
is
appreciated
call
with
an
explanaVon
for
delay
• Do
not
cancel
a
meeVng
at
last
minute.
• No
small
talk
before
the
meeVng
gets
to
business
ma]ers
right
away
29. THANK
You
!
& Happy Christmas Holidays ;)
home made Christmas Crib!
