German Business Etiquette

German Business Etiquette

Hofstede Dimensions

Individualism - 67

Contrast to Indian culture where the values are based in “we” not “I”

Honest direct conversation is valued the most

Focus on looking after themselves first and foremost

Long Term Orientation - 83

They encourage modern education as a way to prepare for the future, evident through Germany's free post-secondary education

Strong ability to save and invest, evident through the economic strategies by Angela Merkel

Focus on dealing with specific situations case-based and realistically

Described as how society connects its present and future

Do's

Hierarchy Matters

When doing business go through proper channels in hierarchical order, never go over someone’s head

Enter the room in hierarchical order and greet the senior-most person on the other side first

The Devil is in the Details

Every detail is inspected closely so make sure it is all presentable

Germans are known to be very analytical

Be well prepared with explicit documents, Germans take “fine print” very seriously

Time is Money

Following all of the agreed-upon time commitments is beneficial to the atmosphere of the deal

Showing up late is a sign of disrespect

German’s appreciate punctuality

Don'ts

Talk is Cheap

Complimenting is not necessary

Humour is not appreciated

Germans don’t care much for small talk

Keep it Consistent

Don’t have any surprises throughout the transaction, this can result in negative outcomes

Germans live very strict structured lives so don’t have any sudden changes

Thank God its Friday, Don't Schedule a Meeting

July-Sept is holiday time most people are on vacation

Time between 11-1 and 3-5 are okay for meetings everything else is considered time for personal work

Only hold meetings during specific times