This paper discusses the different cultural communication orientations of Germany and the United States from the perspective of someone doing business with both nations. Both are low-context cultures, but Germany tends to prioritize power distances and tradition more than the U.S. It is also a more risk-adverse society that values privacy.
Global Situation Creating Conflict
Negotiation and Decision Making Styles Dialogue
German and American cultural communication style differences
Global market situation creating conflict
In many respects, Germany is very similar to the United States in terms of its business practices, at least in comparison to more high-context communication cultures such as Japan and France. Germans place a strong emphasis on 'saying what you mean.' In fact, in contrast to businesspersons from the United States, Germans are often considered more blunt and direct in their style when speaking about business-related issues. However, there are also a number of distinct cultural differences between the two national groups. For example, "Germans are often uneasy with uncertainty, ambiguity and unquantifiable risk. This has become manifest in both social and business spheres. Socially, Germans lean towards conservatism and conformism" (Doing business in Germany, 2013, Kwintessential).
In contrast, Americans tend to view risk in a more approving fashions. The German emphasis on safety and risk-adversity has also led them to create a more bureaucratic and rule-oriented society, with very strong social welfare and trade union polices to protect worker rights, in contrast to the much more permeable safety structure of the United States. "Race discrimination and sexism is severely penalized in the American media and among the public, but workers' exploitation and inhuman working conditions are not" (U.S. firms often fail to understand Germany, 2013, The Local.). Germans also highly value privacy, in contrast to the United States. German nationals are often taken aback by Americans' willingness to discuss their personal lives in a casual fashion with strangers (Doing business in Germany, 2013, Kwintessential).
These conflicts have often become manifest when American firms have tried to penetrate the German market. For example, the 'big box' store Wal-Mart faced push-back from employees when it tried to insist German workers replicate the very friendly, direct and formulaic greetings and mannerisms demanded of Wal-Mart workers in the U.S. The powerful German national trade unions protested Wal-Mart's low wages, poor benefits, and desire to maximize part-time workers to avoid giving full benefits to full-time workers (Wal-Mart: Struggling in Germany, 2005, Businessweek). In Germany, there is a strong expected paternalistic bond between company leaders and workers. Germans also value quality over cheapness than the United States. They also believe in paying taxes -- when Google proudly boasted how few taxes it paid because of creative accounting, the German press was shocked, not approving of Google's cleverness (U.S. firms often fail to understand Germany, 2013, The Local.).
Identify four (4) possible verbal and nonverbal communication barriers
Possible verbal and nonverbal communication barriers include different conceptions of privacy and intimacy (including personal space); different use of direct vs. indirect speech; power distance (a greater expectation of respect for authority); and different views of risk avoidance.
Negotiation dialogue
Jeff: Hey Hans, how are you? (pumps Hans' hand). It's a pleasure to meet you!
Hans: A pleasure.
Jeff: Incidentally, I love this quaint little town. Do you know of any place where I can get a doll for my daughter after this meeting is finished?
Hans: No place that I know of Jeff: Okay, here is the problem. I'll keep it short and sweet. We don't understand why your branch has such a high percentage of full-time workers. We have, maybe one or two in lower-level positions at our branch in the U.S. You have twice as many. Also, when our company reps visited the store, we were very unhappy with the greeting we received. No smiles, no warm wishes. That goes against the company formula for how guests should be welcomed into the store.
Hans: I don't understand how the store is to be staffed with nothing but a skeleton crew of part-time workers. Our workers must be paid a living wage -- that is the right thing to do and we will face legal scrutiny if we do not. And I felt that people would be taken aback if greeted by people as per your instructions. All of our staff members are fully trained to cope with the needs of customers. Employees protested that customers would feel as if they were making inappropriate advances, and I trust what my employees say more than the company formula derived many countries away.
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