Dutch Culture Language Lecture 1 General introduction about

Dutch Culture & Language Lecture 1: General introduction about culture Step up to Saxion.

Step up to Saxion. Familiar?

Step up to Saxion. Familiar? Huntington: Clash of civilizations

Step up to Saxion. Culture • What is “culture”? • How can you measure or describe culture and cultural differences?

Step up to Saxion. Culture Definition of culture: Culture is the characteristics of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. Today, in the United States as in other countries populated largely by immigrants, the culture is influenced by the many groups of people that now make up the country.

Step up to Saxion. Culture Comparing cultures… is there a way to describe and measure differences? Could this be a helpful tool in working in international business to smoothen international relations? Or is it merely a hobby of certain individuals?

Step up to Saxion. Culture Some attempts to describe cultural differences: • Edward Hall, The silent language • Fons Trompenaars, model of national cultural differences • Geert Hofstede, cultural dimensions theory

Step up to Saxion. Edward T. Hall Most important difference between cultures: - Proximics - High Context and Low Context cultures - Polychronic versus monochronic time

Step up to Saxion. Proximics

Step up to Saxion. High context vs. Low context: - Explicit messages - Little attention for the status of the person, task oriented High context: - Not just the message is important - Relation oriented

Step up to Saxion.

Step up to Saxion. Polychronic vs. Monochronic

Step up to Saxion. Trompenaars & Hampden Turner 7 Dimensions/dilemma’s of intercultural communication: • Universalism vs. particularism • Individualism vs. collectivism (communitarianism) • Neutral vs. emotional • Specific vs. diffuse • Achievement vs. ascription • Sequential vs. synchronic • Internal vs. external control

Step up to Saxion. Universalism vs. Particularism

Step up to Saxion. Individualism vs. Collectivism

Step up to Saxion. Neutral vs. Emotional

Step up to Saxion. Specific vs. Diffuse

Step up to Saxion. Achievement vs. Ascription

Step up to Saxion. Sequential vs. Synchronic

Step up to Saxion. Internal vs. External control

Step up to Saxion. Geert Hofstede Developed a theory to measure cultural differences. Problem: How to quantify culture?

Step up to Saxion. Geert Hofstede Defining culture in 5 dimensions, based on research at IBM: • Power Distance index • Individualism • Uncertainty avoidance index • Masculinity • Long term orientation

Step up to Saxion. Power distance • Power distance is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. • Does not reflect an objective difference in power distribution, but rather the way people perceive power differences.

Step up to Saxion. Power distance index

Step up to Saxion. Individualism The degree to which individuals are integrated into groups.

Step up to Saxion. Uncertainty avoidance index • A society's tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity. Reflects the extent to which members of a society attempt to cope with anxiety by minimizing uncertainty. • People in cultures with high uncertainty avoidance tend to be more emotional. More attention for planning step by step and procedures

Step up to Saxion. Uncertainty avoidance index High uncertainty avoidance

Step up to Saxion. Uncertainty avoidance index Low uncertainty avoidance

Step up to Saxion. Masculinity The distribution of emotional roles between the genders. Masculine cultures' values are competitiveness, assertiveness, materialism, ambition and power, whereas feminine cultures place more value on relationships and quality of life.

Step up to Saxion. Masculinity

Step up to Saxion. Long term orientation

Step up to Saxion. Dutch culture • • The Dutch culture belongs to the Nordic culture group. The culture that is the most similar is probably Danish culture. Hofstede scores: Low power distance, very low masculinity, high individualism, medium long term orientation and medium uncertainty avoidance.

Step up to Saxion. Factor analysis of the five dimensions of Hofstede for both Netherlands and Germany

Step up to Saxion. Assignment: Find out Hofstede scores for your own country and compare these with The Netherlands. Describe in an essay of maximum 400 words the differences and similarities with the Dutch culture, and indicate which differences you may expect when dealing with Dutch companies.