AUSTRALIA

Daniela Fankhauser

Camilla Hercus

Carina Rauscher

Social, historical and cultural factors

The Flag

The History

17th century Colonisation through Europeans

1770 James Cook → New South Wales 1788 „First Fleet“ – Transport of

Prisoners- Sydney 1901 six colonies became a federation -

Commonwealth of Australia was formed

The Land

Australia is 91 times bigger than Austria, the population just 2.5 times

6 states and 2 territories 

Western Australia New South Wales South Australia Northern Territory, Queensland Australian Capital Territory,Victoria Tasmania

The Population

21.9 million inhabitants (coming from more than 120 different countries) 

92 % of the people are of European descent ( 6% of Asian, 2% of Indigene)

Only 15 % of white population are not from British/Irish descent

 

Important Holidays

National Holiday: January 26

  ANZAC Day: April 25

  Melbourne Cup: first Tuesday of Nov.

Intercultural Dimensions by Hofstede

Intercultural Dimensions by Hofstede

PDI (Power Distance Index)

If you are working with or going to a country with a higher PDI than yours then

Give clear and explicit directions Be more authoritarian in your management Show respect and deference to those higher up

the ladder Do not expect subordinates to take initiative

IDV (Individualism)

If you are working or doing business in a country with a higher individualism score than yourself then:

Can't depend on the group for answers Business and personal life may very well be

kept separate Bear in mind that a certain amount of individual

expression is tolerated

MAS (Masculinity)

Below are some of the common traits found in countries that score high on the masculinity scale:

Life's priorities are achievement, wealth and expansion

Women and men have different roles in society

Professionals often "live to work"

VAI (Uncertainty Avoidance)

If you are working or doing business in a country with a lower uncertainty avoidance score than yourself then:

Try to be more flexible or open in your approach to new ideas than you may be used to

Allow employees the autonomy and space to execute their tasks on their own

Communication

Direct vs. Indirect

More direct form of communication

Don’t hide their feelings or opinions when giving feedback

Attached vs. Detached

More detached form of communication

Display of feelings not primary form of communication

Low vs. High Context

Communication is more low context

High importance is placed on words

Tone and Volume

Australians often end statements on a high note

Australians tend to be more soft spoken

Silence

Silence can be laden with meaning too

Can convey anger or indicate lack of comfort

Avoid saying things you might regret

Greetings

Friendly and easy to get to know Common greetings: “Hello” or “How

are you”

Entertaining

In a pub: each person pays for one round

No unannounced visits. Australians don’t invite strangers to their homes

Express your opinions frankly

Gestures

Raising one or two fingers can be considered as rude

Inappropriate for a man to wink at a woman

Men should not be too physically demonstrative with other men

Like to have at least two feet of personal space

AUSTRALIA

Open LINK

Bibliography  “Australia in the world : perceptions and possibilities ; papers

from the "Outside Images of Australia" ed. by Don Grant & Graham Seal

„Australien : eine interdisziplinäre Einführung“  by Rudolf Bader “G'day boss!: Australian culture and the workplace” by Barbara

A. West, Frances T. Murphy  “Kiss, Bow, Or Shake Hands”, 2nd edition by Terri Morrison and

Wayne A. Conway “The Macquarie Book of Slang”, edited by James Lambert Kwintessential (Hg.): Intercultural Business Communication.

Online verfügbar unter http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/intercultural-business-communication/tool.php?culture1=3&culture2=2, zuletzt geprüft am 14.12.2009.

Thanks for your attention