plenair the dutch and the americans chris brewster
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The Dutch and the Americans understanding and benefiting from cultural differences
Chris Brewster
Visiting Professor of HRM, Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Nijmegen, 15-05-2014
An old cross cultural joke
Last month, a world survey was conducted by the UN. The only question
asked was: "Would you please give your honest opinion about solutions to the
food shortage in the rest of the world." The survey was a huge failure...
• In Africa they didn't know what "food" meant.
• In China they didn't know what "opinion" meant.
• In the Middle East they didn't know what "solution" meant.
• In South America they didn't know what "please" meant.
• In Eastern Europe they didn't know what "honest" meant.
• In the USA they didn't know what "the rest of the world" meant.
• In Western Europe they didn't know what "shortage" meant, and
Some basic stats
WHO rankings
world health-care: world spending on health-care
Netherlands 17 9
USA 37 1
Cultural artifacts
>> symbols
>> language
>> behaviour What
>> practice customs
>> norms
>> traditions
>> beliefs Why
>> priorities
>> assumptions
>> values
Personality
Culture
Human Nature
Culture: a learned collective phenomenon distinguished from
inherited human nature and one’s unique personality.
Universal Inherited
Learned Specific to group or
category
Inherited and
learned
Specific to
individual
Influence of Culture on Behaviour
Culture
Values
Attitudes
Behaviour
The danger of “culture”
• Stereotyping
• The mind is a sequential, pattern forming, and a pattern reinforcing
system
Language
spoken
written
official
linguistic
pluralism
hierarchy
international languages
mass media
Law
common law
codes
foreign law
international
Politics
nationalism
sovereignty
imperialism
power
national interests
Religion
sacred objects
philosophical systems
beliefs
norms
prayer
holidays
rituals
taboos
Values & Attitudes
time
achievement
work
wealth
change
scientific method
risk taking
Education
formal
vocational
primary
secondary
higher
polytechnics
scientific
literary
Technology
transportation
energy systems
tools
communications
urbanisation
Social Organisation
kinship
social institutions
authority structures
interest groups
social mobility
social stratification
status systems
National
Culture
The dimensions of culture
How does society answer the questions:
Who am I? (people’s qualities as individuals)
How do I see the world? (relationship to nature)
How do I relate to others? (human relations)
What do I do? (primary activity)
How do I use time?
How do I use space?
The Dutch culture & the American culture similarities
Not all the same
(East coast/ West coast; Rotterdammers/ Amsterdammers)
Speak English (sort of…)
Egalitarian
Individualist
Agendas, timekeeping matter
Dutch characteristics
Open-minded
Straightforward
Intelligent and aware
Practical/ efficient
Negotiators
Confident
Modest
Non-hierarchical
Slow decision making
Long-term thinking
Work-life split
American characteristics
Individualistic
Patriotic
Competitive (anti-socialist)
Success is good
Formalised
Responsible
Fast decision-making
Christian influence
Work-life balance
So what?
• Listen and learn;
• Talk with each other about the differences;
• Discuss your frustrations;
• Plan to overcome them
The Dutch and the Americans
Thank you ! Dank u wel !
and good luck!
Nijmegen Mei 2014