Report on Intercultural

Communication in Germany
By Group 3
Karan Patadia

Payal

Tushar Chandra

Hrishikesh S

Gourav Roy

Harsh Srivastava
Objective
In this age of globalization, a lot of businesses are going international. But in order to do so, they need to understand
the countries in which they want to expand. They need to understand the culture, social structure, communication
styles, thinking process and many such factors to make an impact in the market. They need to be able to
communicate with the people of the country clearly without any chance of a misunderstanding.

The objective of this report is to analyse the work culture of Germany. This includes the understanding of the
German workplace ethics, behaviour, communication and culture. The following factors will be covered in the
analysis:

1. Contextual Nature of the Country.

2. Communication Styles – Verbal & Non-Verbal.
3. Factors based on Hofstede’s model for intercultural communication.
Contextual Nature of Germany
The German culture is unique because of its people, traditions and culture. It has a rich history which also includes
the Roman Empire. It has also played a major role in the history of Europe. They have accepted their past and own
up to their errors. The kids in schools are taught about the Holocaust and the World War II so that they may never
repeat the mistakes of the past and move past it towards a better future. Despite the setbacks of the wars the
country has been through, it has emerged as one of the most stable and strong countries of today. The country has
had such an impact on quality production of goods that a simple mark of “Made in Germany” is synonymous with
good quality and robust build. They are one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world.

Here are some basic facts of the country:

Capital Berlin
Population 84.09 Million
Official Language German
Currency Euro
A PEST (Political – Economic – Social – Technological) analysis will help us further understand the nature of Germany.

Political: Germany is a democratic, federal parliamentary republic with a stable political situation. The constitution
asserts the importance of protection of individual liberty. The head of the state is the President and the
Chancellor is the head of the government. It is divided into 16 states. West Germany was a founding member
of the European community which later on became the European Union (EU). It is also a member of the United
Nations, NATO, the G7, the G10 and the OECD.
Economic: Germany is a highly developed social market economy, being the largest national economy in Europe. Their
nominal GDP for 2021 is $4.32 Trillion. It is the fourth largest economy in the world by nominal GDP. Germany
is a leading manufacturer of automobiles, machinery, electrical equipment and chemicals in the world. Their
automotive industry is one of the largest employers in the world. Their automobiles are reputed worldwide,
with brands like Audi, BMW, Ford, Mercedes – Benz, Opel and Volkswagen. They are one of the largest
manufacturers and exporters of automobiles in the world.

Social: Germany is considered to be a country of poets, thinkers and businesspeople. They give utmost importance to
logic and reasoning. Their cultures and traditions share similarities with their neighbours like Switzerland and
Austria. They respect order, structure and punctuality, not just for office, but even for social events. Their
major religion is Christianity. They are very passionate about music and sports. Germany has given the world
one of the greatest musicians of all time, Beethoven. It has also given the world, other great names in music
like Hans Zimmer, Boney M., Rammstein, etc. It is the 2nd largest market for music in Europe and 4th largest in
the world. Sports is also very important to Germans. About 27 million Germans are members of different
sports clubs. Football, tennis, hockey, marksmanship, volleyball, handball, ice hockey and basketball are
popular sports in Germany. The German Football Association is the single largest single sport organization in
the world. FC Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, FC Schalke 04 are some of the most famous German football
clubs in the world. On an international level, Germany is a very strong player in FIFA world cups. They won the
FIFA world cup 4 times in 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014. Germany has also performed excellently at the Olympics
games. They have won a total of 293 Gold medals, 293 Silver medals and 306 Bronze medals at the Olympics.
Apart from sports and music, Germany is also famous for its art, architecture and celebrations. Oktoberfest is
one of the most famous festivals of Germany, usually held in Munich. The festival is held between the first
Saturday after 15th September and the first Sunday of October. Over 7 million litres of beer is consumed during
the Oktoberfest. The German people like to take care of each other. For example, if someone loses an item in
a park or anywhere near a tree and another person finds it, they would hang the item on a nearby tree branch
so that when the first person comes back looking for it, they will find it on the tree.
Technology: Germany is and has always been one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. It has
given the world great scientists like Albert Einstein, Werner Heisenberg, James Franck, Johannes Kepler, Emil
Fischer and many more. Germany provided the world with the first electronic computer, made by Konrad
Zuse. Their automobiles are considered to be one of the best in the world. It has been the home of many great
inventors and engineers.
Communication Styles:
Here are certain verbal and non-verbal norms followed in the workplace by the Germans.

Verbal Communication:

1. They never call anyone from work without permission after 10PM.
2. They do not contact people in their office after 5PM from Monday to Thursday and after 4pm on Friday.
3. They introduce themselves by their last names while answering a call.
4. The elderly are sensitive towards subjects like Holocaust and World War II.
5. They like to be direct, frank and concise in their conversations.
6. They are very formal in their conversation. For example, a person with a PhD is referred to as “Herr Doktor”
or “Frau Doktor” meaning “Mr. Dr.” and “Mrs. Dr”.

Non-Verbal Communication:

1. They like to keep a certain amount of physical distance while having conversations. A distance of about an
arm’s length is considered to be comfortable and respectful.
2. They enjoy their privacy and like to keep their doors closed. But that does not imply that they are not friendly.
They would not be disturbed by a knock on the door.
3. They count numbers on their fingers by starting with the thumb instead of the more commonly used index
finger. Thus, if a person wanted to show the number ‘3’ on their fingers in Germany, they would raise their
thumb, index finger and the middle finger together instead of raising the index finger, the middle finger and
the ring finger.
4. They value direct eye contact as it is seen as a sign of honesty and interest in the conversation.
5. Smiles are usually reserved for close friends and family only.
6. Extending of the middle finger or pointing the index finger at someone’s temple are seen as obscene gestures,
7. If they appreciate a presentation, they show it by knocking their knuckles on the desk at the end of it.
8. They exchange business cards during meetings.
9. Business formal wear are expected to be worn in meetings and darker colours are preferred. Women do not
wear jewellery in the workplace.
10. The elderly and people at higher positions enter a meeting room first. If there are men and women at similar
ranks, men enter first.
Hofstede Analysis:

We can further analyse the German culture using Hofstede’s 6-dimension theory.

Power Distance:

This shows the extent to which inequality exists and how people with power interact with those without it.

In Germany, people are treated with equal amount of respect, irrespective of their position in a company. The power
is decentralized with the presence of a large middle class. Management is expected to take the extensive co-
determination rights very seriously. Many of the workers are kept on the board of the companies which prevents the
concentration of power in the hands of the management. Thus, it is a low power distant country (Score - 35, Low).
Leadership is questioned, challenged and criticized if a certain level of satisfaction is not achieved. Therefore, due to
this, those with expertise in a matter can make a difference.

Individualism Vs. Collectivism:

It signifies the strength of the relationships and bonds that people have with members of their own community.
Germans are very individualistic in nature (Score – 67, High). Families are small with a strong bond between parents
and their children. They believe in learning from their own mistakes. Their loyalty is based on obligation, duty and
personal preferences. This is ensured by the contract between the employer and the employee. They like to be
blatantly honest as it develops a sense of trust.

Uncertainty Avoidance:

This describes how well the people can cope with anxiety.

Germany is listed high among the uncertainty avoidance countries (Score – 65, High). They prefer deductive methods
in reasoning, presenting and presenting. German people would go through minute details to ensure that a certain plan
or a strategy is well thought out and result yielding. This, combined with low power gap, makes up for the heavy
reliance on expertise.

Masculinity Vs. Femininity:

This explains how the roles are divided among males and females. In a masculine society, the roles of men and women
do not overlap much. Men behave in a more assertive manner. Demonstration of success, strength and speed are
considered to be positive characteristics. In a feminine society, the roles of men and women greatly overlap. Modesty
is considered to be a positive characteristic.

Germany is a masculine society (Score – 65, High). People focus on wanting to be the best instead of liking what they
do. They like to give their best efforts to the task at hand and the love having achievements in their lives. They set
goals and targets and try to achieve them in time without losing focus. They value performance throughout their lives,
be it in academics or business. The self esteem of people is tied to their work. People like to flaunt their achievements.

Long Term Orientation Vs. Short Term Orientation:

This dimension refers to the time horizon that people belonging to a society display. Countries with long term
orientation tend to be pragmatic, modest and thrifty. Countries with short term orientation tend to be more religious
and nationalistic with focus on principles like honesty and consistency.

Germany focuses on planning for the future and sustainability. Their environment is short term oriented (Score – 83,
High). They like to believe in things that they know for certain. They can adjust their traditions to changing
circumstances. They love their culture and value it highly. They prefer quick results over money. People set short term
goals in their lives and move towards them step by step.

Indulgence Vs. Restraint:

This refers to the absence of constraint on free gratification of people’s drives and emotions.

Germany is a restrained society (Score – 40, low). There is a higher emphasis on suppression of gratification. People
are very careful to not display their emotions openly due to strict social norms. Their behaviour is limited due to these
strict social norms.
Conclusion:
Germany is the 4th largest economy in the world by GDP. It has a very stable political situation with a democratic
government. They are highly advanced in the use of science and technology. This is very evident from their automobile
industry. People are very enthusiastic about sports, especially football. They also love music. People are treated equally
in the workplace, irrespective of their rank. Performance is given utmost importance. A person’s self esteem is strongly
connected to their performance at the workplace and appreciation of their work by their seniors. They are punctual.
They like to be direct in conversations and avoid showing emotions in front of anyone except close friends or family.
It is a male dominated society with great emphasis on the quality of the work.

Recommendations:
Following instructions are recommended to a person or a company planning to do business in Germany:

1. It is necessary to learn German before applying there for a job. It helps overcome problems in communication.
2. In case you do not speak German, be careful while speaking to someone in English.
3. Women must acknowledge that it is a male dominated society.
4. Always try to be punctual. They highly value punctuality.
5. They like third party introductions wherever possible.
6. Praising is not a part of the business culture and is met with embarrassment.
7. It is important to have patience while dealing with German companies as they like to be very thorough about
studying the details of every situation before making a decision.

References:
1. https://businessculture.org/western-europe/business-culture-in-germany/business-etiquette-in-germany/
2. https://businessculture.org/western-europe/business-culture-in-germany/business-communication-in-
germany/
3. https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/germany/
4. https://opentextbc.ca/principlesofmanagementopenstax/chapter/hofstedes-cultural-framework/
5. https://nbyc.us/Oktoberfest-Fun-Facts.php
6. https://www.allthingsgerman.net/blog/festivals/10-important-facts-about-oktoberfest/
7. https://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/germany-country-profile.html
8. Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions - From MindTools.com