www.culturematters.com chris smit why culture matters in doing business 13 september 2015 culture...

www.culturematters.com

Chris Smit

Why Culture Matters in Doing Business

April 19, 2023

Culture & Management Consultants


Please Raise Your Hand If…

You think Culture Does NOT Matter

You think Culture DOES Matter

You DON’T know if Culture Matters

2


Who am I ?

Name: Chris Smit Nationality: Dutch“if you ain’t Dutch, you ain’t much!”

House: Windmill

Where: Below sea level

Cloths: Wooden shoes and traditional dress

So… What's

the

So… What's

the

point…?

point…?

www.culturematters.com5

Humor?Humor?


About myselfAbout myself

12 years Airline experience

18 years experience International Consulting

Organisational psychologist

Senior consultant Culture Matters

Writer & researcher

One year in USA

Live & work in Belgium


The Things That Really Matter…

Teamwork & Trust

Sharing of Information & Technology

Time to Market

Innovation

Getting the Right People Onboard

Projects Running OnTime

7


…Often Turn Out Different

Little Teamwork & Trust

Limited Sharing of Information & Technology

Delayed Time to Market

Lack of Innovation

High Staff Turnover

Projects Running Over Time

8


What’s it All About?

Understanding Stereo Types

Transforming Knowledge into Empathy

Embracing Diversity as a Source of Strength

Default Behavior & Your Comfort zone

Who Should Adapt to Who?

9


• American ?

What would the Captain of an What would the Captain of an ocean liner say if his ship would ocean liner say if his ship would

have to be abandoned, if he was...have to be abandoned, if he was...

• British ?

• German ?

• Chilean or Greek ? • Dutch or Swedish ? • Italian or Belgian ?

“It’s a Challenge !!!”

“It’s the sporting thing to do…”

“It’s the right procedure…”

“If we don’t jump we’ll lose face…”

“Let’s sit down and talk about it…”

“It’s forbidden to jump…”


18 %

53 %

“It is important for a manager to have at hand

precise answers to most of the questions that

his subordinates may raise about their work”

Percentage

in agreement

United States

France

Reality...


“It is important for a manager to have at hand

precise answers to most of the questions that

his subordinates may raise about their work”Percentage

in agreement

18 %

53 %

UnitedStates

France


Manager's role varies across culturesSource : André Laurent

203040506010 7080 % Percentage in agreement

Great Britain

SwedenNetherlandsUSADenmark

SwitzerlandBelgiumGermanyFranceItalyIndonesiaJapan

17182327

384446

5366

7378

17182327

384446

5366

7378

“It is important for a managerto have at hand precise answers tomost of the questions that hissubordinates may raise about their work”

10


In the narrow sense: “Civilisation”(Art, Science, Education)

In the broad anthropological sense:“Collective programming of the human mind”

2 MEANINGS OF CULTURE2 MEANINGS OF CULTURE


How do we “Measure” How do we “Measure” Culture?Culture?

1.Using different “Layers” of depth or impact

2.Using Numbers or scores


OnionOnion


Symbols

Heroes

Rituals

Values

Culture


WI

PG

HI

0 50 100

AA

Low High

Low High

Low High

Low High

Value differences between countries can be explained by four dimensions of national culture.


All Animals are created equal, but some are more equal than others...


Dealing with hierarchy

hierarchy low being independent hierarchy for

convenience equal rights superiors accessible …

hierarchy high

being dependent hierarchy is

existential privileges superiors

inaccessible …


NL BELGIUM UK NORWAY FRANCE

Which culture scores a) Highest b) Lowest

on HIERARCHY?


Which culture scores a) Highest b) Lowest

on HIERARCHY?

NL

38

BELGIUM

64

UK

38

NORWAY

33

FRANCE

65


Hierarchy We vs I Process/Goals

Anxiety Avoidence

Netherlands 38

Flanders 61

Wallonie 67

Belgium 64

France 65


Business Implications

•“Defending” one’s own territory

•Loyalty conflicts

•Limited delegation or

empowerment

•Time consuming processes

•…


What makes a good neighbour, and how do you respect your neighbour?

Dealing with relationships


Dealing with relationships

"We" cultures

the group: “We” opinion of the group implicit

communication loss of ‘face’, shame relationship oriented …

"I" cultures

the individual: “Self” individual opinions explicit communication loss of self-respect, guilt task oriented …


Which culture is a) the most “I” orientedb) the most “WE” oriented ?

U.S.A. GREECE PORTUGAL BELGIUM NL


Which culture is a) the most “I” orientedb) the most “WE” oriented ?

U.S.A.

90

GREECE

38

PORTUGAL

29

BELGIUM

77

NL

81



Anxiety Avoidence

Netherlands 38 81

Flanders 61 78

Wallonie 67 72

Belgium 64 77

France 65 75



•Individualistic behavior (focus

on me, me, me)

•Limited teamwork

•Following one’s own agenda

•…


“Employee of the Month!!!”

reward or punishment?

Dealing with one's role in society

Consensus & Process Driven

OrDecisive &Goal

Driven ?


Reward!


Or punishment???


Process versus Goals (PG)

Process (PG-)

Sticking your head out is not appreciated (socially, nor materially)

equal consensus sympathy for the loser

Goals (PG+)

Winning is good, and gets you rewarded

Standing competition admiration for winner


Which culture is:

a)the most “Consensus & Process Driven”

seeking

b)the most “Decisive & Goal Driven” ?

NL SWEDEN GERMANY UK BELGIUM


NL

17

SWEDEN

7

GERMANY

67

UK

65

BELGIUM

56

Which culture is:

a)the most “Consensus & Process Driven”

seeking

b)the most “Decisive & Goal Driven” ?



Anxiety Avoidence

Netherlands 38 81 17

Flanders 61 78 43

Wallonie 67 72 60

Belgium 64 77 56

France 65 75 49



•Possibly too much consensus

seeking (e.g. meetings;

changing deadlines/agreements)

•Less focus on quality, more on

end result

•…


Bungee

Jumping:

Certain or

not?

Dealing with UncertaintyDealing with Uncertainty


Anxiety Avoidance

In Germany everything is forbidden, unless it is allowed

In the UK everything is allowed, unless it is forbidden

In France everything is allowed, even if it is forbidden

In the Netherlands everything is tolerated even if it is forbidden


high avoidance (AA+)

Structure, rules, expertise

Security (avoiding the unfamiliar)

Hectic Emotions/passion …

low avoidance (AA-)

Few rules, little structure

Entrepreneurial Stress-free Cool, calm &

collected …

Anxiety Avoidance


Which culture requires a) Most structure and detailb) Least structure and detail?

NL GREECE BELGIUM UK GERMANY


NL

50

GREECE

95

BELGIUM

89

UK

36

GERMANY

68

Which culture requires a) Most structure and detailb) Least structure and detail?



Anxiety Avoidence

Netherlands 38 81 17 50

Flanders 61 78 43 87

Wallonie 67 72 60 93

Belgium 64 77 56 89

France 65 75 49 88


Action & Implementation

Time

Act

ion

Germany

Dutch

American / UK

France



•Conflict avoidance

•Lots of bureaucracy

•Limited innovation

•…


““Everything that irritates us Everything that irritates us

about others…about others…

can lead us to an can lead us to an

understandingunderstanding

of ourselves.”of ourselves.”

Carl Jung


Questions?


Want to join the debate?

Please visit:


Email: [email protected]: @ChrisSmit

Get the Book: http://culturematters.com/ebook


Chris Smit was born in Amsterdam on March 3, 1963. Midway while attending high school, his family and he moved to the USA for one year, where he attended 8 th grade high school in Boiceville, New York.

After returning to the Netherlands he finished school and went to the Free University in Amsterdam to study Industrial and Organisational Psychology. He graduated in 1993.

While studying Chris joined KLM where he worked for 10 years as a Commercial Sales & Marketing coach and consultant. During that time he spent a lot of time abroad with a particular focus on Europe, South America, the Middle East and Asia.

He joined ITIM|Result in 1999 and developed his international experience as an international business consultant. He is an experienced consultant and coach in intercultural business, and has implemented and consulted projects and run many intercultural and communication seminars throughout the world. Comfortable working at senior levels in organisations, he is known for his dynamic, enthusiastic and participative style as a public speaker, coach and business consultant.

In 2008 Chris founded the company Culture Matters. Working synergistically with a group of professional consultants, he is the Director of Culture Matters.

Chris has extensive experience in managing and motivating a team of professionals, to make them perform and exceed expectations.

His specialities are India, Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the USA. He is currently living with his Belgian Partner in Belgium.

Chris Smit has several international publications in his name, and a frequent speaker at international business events.

www.culturematters.com chris smit why culture matters in doing business 13 september 2015 culture...

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