M.PHIL.

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
German Business Culture

ROLL NUMBER: SU72-MSBAW-S23-001

About Germany

 4th largest GDP in the world

 world's third largest exporter (behind China and the US)
 Brands
German Culture;
 A quick, firm handshake is the traditional greeting, even with children.

 Great pride in home

 Neat and tidy inside and out.
 Feel honor if invited at home
 Take gifts, Chocolates, yellow roses, or tea roses, if wine, should be imported French or Italian.
 Don’t take red roses, carnations, lilies or chrysanthemums
 Arrive in time but never early
 Hand written thanks to host for hostility.
Dinning Etiquettes;

 Remain standing until invited to sit down.

 Table manners strictly continental.
 Fork being held in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating.
 Do not begin eating until the hostess starts or someone says guten appetit (“good
appetite”). Wait for the hostess to place her napkin in her lap before doing so
yourself
 Do not rest your elbows on the table.
Dinning Etiquettes;

 Cut as much of your food with your fork as possible because this compliments the
cook by indicating the food is tender.
 Break bread or rolls apart by hand, but if a loaf is in the middle for all, then touch
only what you extract to eat. This sanitary practice is a must in all countries
including the USA.
 Finish everything on your plate and indicate you have finished eating by laying
your knife and fork parallel across the right side of your plate, with the fork over
the knife
Business culture

 Business communication in Germany is formal

 Germans are like Americans in that they do not need a personal relationship to do
business.
 They are more interested in a businessperson’s academic credentials and their
company’s credentials.
 At the office, Germans do not have an open-door policy and often work with their
office door closed, so knock and wait to be invited to enter.
Business culture

 Appointments are mandatory and should be made one to two weeks in advance.
 Germans are often direct to the point of bluntness.
 Punctuality is extremely important in Germany, so if you are going to be delayed,
telephone immediately and offer an explanation.
 It is rude to cancel a meeting at the last minute and this could jeopardize the
whole business relationship.
 German meetings adhere to strict agendas, including starting and ending times.
Business culture

 Direct eye contact while speaking.

 There is a strict protocol to follow in Germany when entering a room.
 Eldest or highest-ranking person enters first and men enter before women if their
age and status are roughly equivalent.
 Germans are detail oriented and want to understand every innuendo before
coming to an agreement.
Business decision making

 Autocratic and held at the top of the company.

 Final decisions will not be changed and are expected to be implemented by lower
level managers and employees with no questions asked.
 Americans are more flexible in many respects than Germans.
Questions ?
??
Thank you