1. Intercultural Training for the USA
American Business and Culture: An Overview
Dr. Kristin Gissberg
April 23, 2014

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What is the most common mistake in American-German relations?
One CEOtold me, “I’ve spenta lot of time in the U.S. and I speak English
almost as well as I do German. In terms of philosophy, I know all about
‘burningthe midnightoil’ and being ‘lean and mean’. I’m not sureyou
have much to teach me.” What he was describing is called the trap of
similarity. It’s the most popular mistakein U.S.-German business
relations.
- Patrick Schmidt, Non-conventional Truths
about American-German Business
So, what are Americans “all about ?” Stereotypes:
What is America like?
What are Americanslike?
What Americans think
about Germans?
What Germans think about
Americans?
„Lederhosen“ clothing White sneakersand white
socks!
Beer and „Wurst“ eating Cokeand Hamburgers
Efficient and accurate working Trial and error
Cold in the beginning, then
friendsfor life
interaction Friendly but
superficial
Confusing: formal(Sie) and
informal(du) „you“
communication Strange: informal, addressing
everyone
by their first name

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USA FACTS: Where, What, How
Georgraphy:
 The "Contiguous United
States" or “touching”
states refers to the 48
states that do not include
Alaska or Hawaii.
 The USA shares a
northern border with
Canada and a southern
border with Mexico.
 Puerto Rico is an
unincorporated territory
of the United States,
located in the
northeastern Caribbean,
east of the Dominican
Republic and west of
both the United States
Virgin Islands and the
British Virgin Islands.
Culture:
 As an immigrant culture, most
Americans have interest in, and
know where their ancestors
originated from.
 You will commonly hear people
claimthat they are Swedish or
German, or half Irish, have Native
American (etc.) by which they
mean to describe their family
lineage.
 People tend to strongly identify
with this lineage, even if their
idea of what it means to “be
Swedish” is based on narrative,
cultural mythology, and indeed
far from what actual Swedish
culture is all about!
 When you tell people you are
German, do expect them to reply
– “Me too!” – even if they have
never been to Germany.

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Facts:
 Population: As of April1, 2013, the United States had a total
resident
population of 315,773,000.

 Capital City: WashingtonD.C. (Washington, D.C. or The District)
not to be confused withWashington State
 Language: There is no "official" language for the United States,
although someindividualstates list English as their official
language. Spanishis widely spoken.
 Buildings: In North Americathe ground floor is considered the
first floor.
 Cell phones are the way to go. With the great contracts that are
now being offered, fewer and fewer peoplehave fixed phones – so
called “landlines” - anymore.
Currency: US Dollar
1€ = 1.4$

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Lifestyle
Car Culture:
Americanslove their cars!
 “Bigger” for Americans often translates to “safer.”
 Americanswill often take a “Sunday drive” justto get out, feel the
wind blow through their hair, and see the sights from the comfort
of the car.
 Americanswill also often eat in the car, even while driving.
Miscellaneous:
 Ice cold drinksand ice cubes or crushed ice in drinksarecommon.
 Drinkingfountainsareeverywhere. Drinkingtap water is very
common, even in restaurants.
 Public restroomsrarely have attendants and are almost always
free.
 Dogs are notallowed in restaurants.
Swearing:
Americansdo it a lot. Using profanity iscommonplace, despiteage,
education, race, or gender, and can be used equally as a way to relax a
situation and bring familiarity to it, or to aggravate it. As written
recently in the New York Times… (see slide)
PopQuiz: MostAmericansare inclined to be overly optimistic about
anything they undertakebecause:
1. they are brought up with everythinggiven to them.
2. they are continuously told at school that anyonecan
become Presidentof the US.
3. the nation has had a relatively positivehistory.
4. the nation has had unlimited resourcesat its disposal.

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Nationalism: Germany vs. USA
Germany:
 Flag and nationalism is not so importbecause of a “dark spotin
German history.
 After the Soccer World Cup 2006theGerman flag wassuddenly
visible everywhere.
 To love Germany meansto love the history but of course history
needsto be treated with a special sense because of somedark
sides.
 Soldiers wear uniform with the German flag.
 Germans typically have a hard time to remember “die
Nationalhymne.”
USA:
 Flag and pledgingthe flag is very important
 This is doneeverywhereand every day in school. You can see the
American flag everywhereand it seems that „The Americans“ are
really proud of it.
 The American flag is very popular also on clothes and accessories.
 Americans know their pledgeby heart.
Facts:
The US flag is comprised of 13 alternating red and white stripes,
which representthe thirteen British colonies that declared
independencefrom the Kingdom of Great Britain and became the first
states in the Union. The 50 stars on the flag representthe 50 states of
the United States of America.
 It is nicknamed “Stars and Stripes” and “Old Glory”
 The flag is often pictured with the nationalbird, the bald eagle.
 “The Star SpangledBanner” is the national anthem of the United
States of America.

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 The nationalanthem is traditionally played at the beginningof
public sportsevents and orchestral concerts in the United States,
as well as other publicgatherings.
 It was in the newsBeyoncéperformed apre-recorded version at
PresidentObama’s second Inauguration.
 The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an expression of
loyalty to the federalflag and the republicof the United States of
America.
Government
Germany:
 Democracy
 Germany usesa mixtureof proportionaland majority systemsin
order to ensurethat the proportion of parliamentary seats a party
receives is exactly the same as the proportion of votersfavoring
that party (if that proportion isbigger than 5%)while also
allowing for local representation. The German system gives more
power to the parties, since they can decidewhich candidatesto
place on the list from which the parliamentarianswill later be
drawn.
USA:
 RepresentativeDemocracy
 The US uses the majority system throughout, meaningthat voters
get to decide between several candidates, and a candidate needs
morethan 50% of the votes in order to win
There are many political parties, butthe TWO primary onesinclude:
the Democratic Party and the RepublicanParty

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Money, it’s a crime…
Economy
Germany: Socialist (more or less)
 The social market economy (German: “SozialeMarktwirtschaft”)
The German mixed economicmodelrelies on privateenterprises and
the government., regulation to establish fair competition,
maintaininga balance between a high rate of economic growth, low
inflation, low levels of unemployment, good workingconditions,
social welfare, and publicservices, by usingstate intervention
USA: Capitalist
 The individualperformancedrivestheeconomy. Money rulesthe
world!
 Rags to riches belief, anyonecan become successful!
 Minimalgovernmentinterference.
Penny, nickel, dime, quarter, and on rare occasions, a oneor two dollar
piece.
Quarters are notEuros! – Basically, weuse coins, or pocket change, just
for very small things. Unlessyou are purchasing something from a
vendingmachine, or a store with a cash register – forget the change!
This is particularly truein restaurants, cabs, and any situation where
you’reexpected to tip.
Don’t “nickel and dime me!”
Penniesare just annoying, and usually collectover the yearsin some
forgotten jar, or collect in a child’s “piggy bank”
Do’s and Don’t’s for USA Tipping Culture:
 Do tip at least 20 percentin a restaurant to your “server.”
 Do tip at least a dollar or two per drink at the bar (if sitting at the
bar, tip moreand you’llmost likely receive “a buy-back” on your
third drink, if you tip well, are nice, and uncomplicated.

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 Do tip your taxi driver – 10-15 percent.
 Do expect to give holiday bonusesat Christmas to doormen,
nannies, babysitters, or anyonewho helps to makeyour life just
that much easier.
Basic Core Values
Americans
 it is very importantto have freedom and feel free. A very ex. the
“right to bear arms” (to have a gun)mentioned in the constitution.
 Optimism and belief in a better tomorrow
Germans
 Security

How to get things done, American style
 In general, all aspects of interpersonalinteraction tend to be
casual and informal.
 This is particularly trueof the West (Washington, Oregon,
California)where the modusoperandiinvolvestakingone’s time
(no NewYork minute here!), everyday kindness, and arelaxed
mentality.
In Business:
 The generalapproach to everyday liferemainsthe same, but
translates into the workplace.

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 Yet, businessculture is individualistic, aggressive, highly
competitive, and at the same time, friendly and personable.
 “Pull yourselfup by the bootstraps” or “bootstrapping” is the
common and expected American ethos – which means find a way
to do it yourself – and get the job done.
 “Yes we can”
PopQuiz: Which iconic American image is replicated here?
The emphasisis on Progress; and themain question is – how are we
going to make this better?
This cashes outinto a business climate that is:
 dynamic
 active and aggressive(opposed to more passivemodelin
Germany)
 with an aim for win-win, but in the end it is survivalof the
fittest
 Win-win/dog-eat-dog

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Cultural differences in the World of Business
The followingadviceis given to Americans preparingto work with
Germans (from InterculturalCommunication in Organizations):
Interacting effectively with Germans
1. Be prepared. In business, the Germans will be
informed and will expect that you are, too.
2. Engage in only minimal small talk.
3. Be informed about, and use, appropriate titles.
4. Avoid emotional appeals. Emphasize facts and
figures. Germans respect quantitative reports.
5. Observe hierarchicalseating and order of speaking.
6. Organize your presentation in compartments, and
have your specialists present their own areas
separately and as distinct parts of the presentation.
7. Be punctual; start and stop as you planned. Follow
your agenda closely.
8. Avoid humor. Be frank, direct, and honest.
Demonstrate that you have done your homework.
** Based on this presentation, what initial ideas might
you have for effective ways of interacting with
Americans?

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Communicating:
Andere Länder, andere Sitten/ When in Rome,do as the
Romans
Part 1 : Style and Tone
Even when we are thoroughly awareof all the barriers to effective
cross-culturalcommunication and make useof available aids and tools
to assist us in communicatingwith people from culturaland linguistic
backgroundsdifferentto our own, misunderstandingswilloccur.
Misunderstandingsoccur in all communication, even between people
from the same culturaland linguistic background. Wecannot expect to
get it right all of the time, but we can die trying.
PopQuiz: What American colloquial phase is used here, and what does
it mean?
Softer Criticism,louder voice:
 Germansmakemore useof upgraders, suchas bestimmt, absolut,
durchaus, völlig to reinforce the intensity of their statement. A
German would say, “Daswar absolut unverschämt”.
 Americans, on the other hand, tend to apply moredowngradersto
make their sentences weaker and less definite. Examples are sort
of, kind of, well, maybe, somewhat. Thus, atypical statement from
an American would be“Well, it’s sort of bad”.
 While Americanswill soften their criticisms, requests, or
complaints, they will speak LOUDLY!

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American vs German Ways
English you is used for everyone, making
no distinctions for social standingor levels
of formality and informality.
Like almost every language other than
English, German makesa distinction
between the formalyou (Sie) and the
familiar you (du). More…
The English word “friend” coversa much
wider range of acquaintance levels than
German Freund.
The term Freund in German impliesa long,
deep friendship, nota casual
acquaintance.
In English, the distinction between
“friend” and “acquaintance” is often
blurred. Sometimes the wordsare used
interchangeably.
German-speakersmakea clear distinction
between Freund (friend)and Bekannter
(acquaintance). The wordsarenever used
interchangeably.
If someoneasks an American what her/his
nameis, the reply will usually be the first
name.
If someoneasks a German what her/his
nameis, the reply will usually be the last
name.
Another common German verbalhabit is the useof the modalverbs
müssen and sollen, used somewhat differently and morefrequently than
Americansdo, which can maketheir style seem stronger and less
diplomatic. Thus, a German would notthink it odd to say, “Das muss so
sein”, where an American might expressthis opinion more
diplomatically, usingthe conditionalas “It would be good if we could do
it that way.” Similarly, Germanstend to usedirect imperativemore
frequently than do Americans; for example, in a restauranta customer
might simply “BringenSie uns zweiBier, bitte”, whereasan American
might usea question formatinstead: “Could we have two glassesof beer
please?”
Informal address
First names are used to personalizeand humanizea client, business-
partner, or colleague. Other methods may be used (see Indirect
Questions) to show respect or formality.
If you don’tusefirst names, especially when it is clear that it is
appropriate, peoplewillsee you as disrespectfuland impolite – exactly
the feeling you are tryingto avoid giving.

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Even if you know the surnameof a person, it is typical, even when you
first meet them to use only their first name. It is highly unlikely that one
would say, “Pleased to meet you, David,” and hewould reply, “Pleasecall
me Mr. Smith?” On the contrary, it is quite common for one to say, “Good
morning, Mr. Smith,” and he respondswith, “Please call me David.”
That Germansarecomfortable when somewhat distant is something
Americanscan’t understand, notintuitively. It feelswrongto them. They
look at what Germansconsider asocially-comfortable setting and see a
lot of peopleacting like they’re uncomfortable. Americansfeel it is their
duty to correct the situation. After nearly four centuries, the New World
is still at oddswith the Old.
Formal address
For very formalsituations the use of a surnameis accepted. You can,
and in somesituations should, refer to men as “Sir” and ladies as
“Madam”, particularly elderly peopleor those in positions of power.
Avoid “Ma’am” unlessyou are in the South.
Men are normally, of course, always“Mr.”
Women arenormally referred to as “Ms.”
This term wascreated relatively recently to avoid sometimes
embarrassing confusion over the marital status (or otherwise) of a
woman. A married woman will, of course, be happy to be addressed as
“Mrs.” (although it can be offensiveif you refer to a women by
incorporatingher into her husband-Mrs. Brad Pitt), but “Ms.” is
perfectly acceptable for all women – so much so, that it is the title of a
popular “feminist” magazine.

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Directness vs Indirectness
Directions:Please organize these sentences in the order most
direct to most indirect. You want someone to open a window.
1. Would you pleasebe so kind as to open a window?
2. It’s hot in here.
3. Please open the window.
4. Open the window.
5. Could you possibly open the window?
6. I was wonderingif you could open the window.
7. Would you liketo open a window?
8. Don’tyou think it’s a little hot in here?
Most direct ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Most Indirect
Directions:Try to make the following statements more American.
1. You mustdo this by Monday.
_______________________________________________
2. Your reportcontained a lot of mistakes.
________________________________________
3. Could Ihave two beers please?
______________________________________________
4. I can’t find the sales figures.
_______________________________________________

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**Common everyday phrases that can be heard in a Work
Context:
American Phrase Foreign Interpretation
“See ya later.”
To schedule a definite future
contact
“Y’all come for another visit.”
Bring more people next time;
“y’all” interpreted to mean
“more”
“You’re on a roll.”
I look like a hot dog or
hamburger?
“Let’s use a shotgun
approach.”
Shoot our competition?
“Let’s organize this like a
Chinese menu.”
Offensive to Chinese
counterparts
“Send me your response
ASAP.”
Have no idea what you’re talking
about
“I have to find a bathroom.” You’re going to take a bath now?
“It’ll take me the better part
of the day to finish this
report.”
Which is the better part?
Morning, midday, or evening?
“We need to cover all the
bases.”
Do we need a blanket?
** Do you know what they mean?

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Communicating
Part 2: Small Talk
 Small talk is essential for life in the States. Americansloveto
discussthe weather, sports, the relative deterioration of modern
life (also known as “Things were better in the old days”), their
nightmare journey to work/home/your appointment, thecost of
living/housing/etc.
 It is, however, essential to not state opinionstoo strongly, and to
give the other person amplechance to express their feelings.
Often a person will ask a “leading question” such as “How wasyou
day?”purely so that after you have answered you willsay “And
how was yours?”so they can recounta detail of their day. If you
do not ask the return question, they may be upset. It’s the protocol
of small talk.
 Most subjects are safe ground for smalltalk, but local and national
weather, all sports (but especially American football, baseball, and
basketball), and the family – especially kids – are the most
common.
 Religion and politics can be tricky, and should be treated with care,
but nevertheless are often discussed – particularly if you are in
agreement about the given topic.
 If you can master the subtleties of this balance between optimism
and pessimism, you will succeed in makingperfect small talk.
PopQuiz: An American calls and asks, “How are you doing?”. You
should:
1. say, “OK, thanks. How are you?”.
2. explain to him how hard it is to work after the fight you had
with your spouse.
3. discussyour currenthealth problems.
4. ask him if he/she has time to listen to a long answer.

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Case Study: Small Talk
Hans Schumacher worksfor an American firm near his hometown of
Düsseldorf. Many of hisco-workersare expatriates with whom he gets
along with extremely well. Schumacher and his family were recently
invited to Tom Lennon’shome for a special “Mexican fiesta” evening.
Hans, Tom and their wivesfound the dinner very enjoyable. They talked
about almost everything: the American way of life, the best places to
visit in the U.S. and Germany, whichcountry has the best beer, and so
on.
However, as soon as Hans tried to bring up a serioussubject (such as
the political direction of Germany or American social problems), his talk
feel on deaf ears. Tom went back to non-controversialsubjectswhile
insisting they eat moretacos.
What happened here?
1. When Americansputon a theme party, the last thing they want
to talk about are society’s problems. A “fiesta evening” is meant
for having fun.
2. Americansare very sensitive to issues that might in someway
attack their country. Subjects such as these are avoided.
3. Americansare uninformed and badly educated when itcomes
to understandingand discussingissuesaffectingthe world. To
avoid being exposed as ignoramuses, they retreat to trivial
themes.
4. Americansfind serioussubjects notworth their time.
PopQuiz: Americansare masters of “small talk” at cocktail parties
because they:
1. are shallow and not very serious.
2. are used to quick, informalconversations.
3. see it as a harmless way of networkingwith people,
establishing new business contacts
4. will risk talking about anything, even if they know
nothing about the subject and make foolsof themselves.

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Communicating
Part 3: Email
Striking the right tone in formaland informalwritten communications,
particularly via emails, can be rather tricky. The following3 give
examplesof formal, semi-formal, and informalemails.
Example 1.
From: To: klay@enron.com Subject: Invitation to Participate - CERA
Leadership Circle Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2002 13:36:29-0800 (PST)
Dr. Kenneth L. Lay Chairman & CEO Enron Corp.
Dear Dr. Lay:
You are cordially invited to participate as our guest in the 2002 CERA
Leadership Circle, to be held in conjunction with our annualExecutive
Conferencein Houston, Texas, February 10-15, 2002. TheLeadership
Circle is an exclusive program that is oneof the highlights of CERAWeek,
bringing together top decision-makersin the global energy community
for informalpeer-level discussionsand presentationsby thought
leaders. The proceedingsare informaland relaxed, designed to
maximizeideas, exchange, and relationship building. Participation is by
invitation only and is exclusively for senior executives and ministerial
officials.
The Leadership Circle will commenceSunday, February 10thwith
dinner. The program continuesMonday afternoon and features
breakfast discussion sessions Tuesday through Friday. This year's
program will be particularly timely and important. Our focusis on the
new dynamicsof geopolitics, the global security agenda, the economic
future, and the new battle over globalization and the marketplace. Our
aim is to offer thoughtful insight on the futurepolitical and economic
landscapeand what this means for energy.
Wehope you will join usfor this uniqueopportunity to
share experiencesand perspectivesat this time of great turbulence
and change. Wewill be sendingyou a formalletter of invitation later in

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January.
If you wish to confirm participation now, please complete the
registration form found on our website at
http://www.cera.com/lcircle2002/lc2002_enroll.pdf (requiresAdobe
Acrobat Reader). Please faxthis form CERA registration at +1 617 498
9176.
Alternatively, if you have any questions, please contact Sabrina Wisner
via e-mail at swisner@cera.com.
Sincerely,
Joseph A. Stanislaw CERA Presidentand CEO
Example 2.
From: stanley.horton@enron.com To:
cindy.ward@enron.com Subject: RE: Indy 500 Invitation Cc:
jim.kolodgie@enron.com Bcc: jim.kolodgie@enron.com Date: Mon, 7
May 2001 14:49:00-0700(PDT)
Unfortunately Iam not going to be able to accept your generousoffer to
attend the Indy 500. My wifeand Ihave1 year-old twinsand I was
hoping to get our Nanny to pullsome week-end duty to help my wife
with them as I went to the races. Unfortunately I was not successfulin
doingthat. Leaving her to look after two infantswhile I attend the races
didn'tseem right. Thanks for the invitation!
Example 3.
From: Cindy Ward/ENRON@enronXgateon 05/04/200112:02PM To:
Stanley Horton/Corp/Enron@Enron cc:
Subject: RE: Indy 500 Invitation
Stan, Monday isfine. Wehope it worksout, we would loveto have you
as our guest.
Cheers, Jim
-----Original Message----- From: Horton, Stanley Sent: Friday, May 04,

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2001 8:08 AM To: Kolodgie, Jim Subject: Re: Indy 500 Invitation
Jim, thanks for the invitation. I should know by Monday if I can make it. I
hope that is ok.
Case Study : Objective and Relational worklevels
An American engineer is departmentleader in a German company.
Becauseof an urgentorder, he asks some of his staff to come in on
Saturday to finish the work. They come (and are paid overtime). On
Monday, theAmerican departmentleader goes to those who worked on
Saturday to thank them and say they had donegood work. His German
co-workersappear surprised and astonished.
What happened here?
 Why did the American thank the German workers?
 Why did the German workersreact in this way?
Tips for communicating from John Mole, consultant and
author on working effectively in the different business
cultures of Europe; his book is entitled, Mind Your Manners
“ Humor is a minefield. Americansare famousfor the irrelevantand so
often unfunny jokethat kicks off a speech or presentation. In Britain and
Ireland a sense of humor is part of the job description. It is the lubricant
of everyday interaction. Yet in many European countrieshumor istaboo
in a formalbusiness context. To make a joke at a meeting, even if it is
meant to calm things down or soften a criticism, may be viewed as
trivial, offensive, or just plain stupid. And this is if the joke is
Cultural mishaps…
Clairol introduced the "Mist Stick," a curling iron, into Germany
only to find out that "mist" is slang for manure.

22. 22
understood. Humor travelsvery badly. Communication isnotonly about
language. It is body language, dress, manners, attitudes, and
conventionsof behavior. Imagine you are at a meeting with Dutch or
Danish associates and it gets to be lunchtime. If you break off and go to a
good restaurant, they will think you are not seriousabout the business.
They prefer a sandwichand a glass of mineralwater. If you aremeeting
with French or Spanish and you offer them a sandwich instead of going
to a restaurant, they will think you'renotserious. They go out to a good
restaurantinstead.”
Work Customs in the USA
Working practices in the USA
 In accordancewith American businessprotocol, punctuality is
essential at any business meeting .
• When makingbusinessappointmentsit is best practice to do so
several daysin advance.
 Flexibility, adaptability, multi-tasking.
Structure and hierarchy in USA companies
 Today, American businessesmaintain relatively “flat” hierarchies.
The principledivideisbetween managers and other ranks.
 In general, the board of directors is the principle decision-making
unit. Major decisions are madeat the very top.

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Working relationships in the USA
 USA managers generally favor the establishment of good working
relationships with their subordinates.
 A manager’srole clearly involvesoverallaccountability and
responsibility, but also his or her individualrole. This means
that a manager should be prepared to “stepin” – even in a
subordinaterole—when needed.
 A manager’sability and willingnessto do so, in combination with
interpersonaland leadership skills, is what earnshim/her respect in
the workplace, notthe title ‘manager’ alone.
 A well-respected manager doesn’t bark orders, butinstead, rolls
up his or her sleeves and is prepared to do any job to get it done
on time.
 The boss often takes the role of a coach, creating an atmosphere of
supportand encouragement.
 Teamwork is very important. However, there exists a strong feeling
of individual accountability for implementation and error.
 Socializing with colleagues after work is normalin the USA. Having
a drink during “happy hour” particularly on “hump day”
(Wednesday, hump-middleof theweek) or Friday (TGIF) is normal.
It is also quite common for bosses and managersto join with all
ranges of workers, includingoffice assistants (secretaries).

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PopQuiz: The United States doesn’t have an extensive apprenticeship
system like Germany because:
1. the U.S. has alwaysfavored standardized, time-saving
production processes(Taylorism).
2. the German system is regarded as old-fashioned and
unnecessary.
3. at the beginning of the IndustrialRevolution, American
possessed enormousnaturalresourcesand land, but few
skilled workers.
4. Americansgain skills on-the-job — they “learnby doing”.
Individualist vs Collectivist
Individualists Collectivists
Identity is based on the individual Identity is based on the social network to
which you belong
Honest people speak their minds Harmony should be maintained
Communication is low-context Communication is high-context
Employer-employee relationships
are based on a contract
Employer-employee relationships are like a
family
Decisions to employ people take
skills into account
Decisions on employing people take the
group into account
Management is management of
individuals
Management is management of groups
Task is more important than
relationship
Relationship is more important than task

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American Business Meeting:
 Businessmeetings in the US are often structured but not too formal
and begin and end with social conversation.
 First names are used almost immediately with all colleagues.
Exceptionsare very senior managers. However, you should
alwayswait to be invited to usefirst names before doingso
yourself.
 Stand-up meetings are quite common. Max15 minutes, used for
any meeting where quick decisionsneed to be made.
 Businesscardsare protocol and can “say something” about who
you are. (AmericanPsycho Clip)
 Negotiations and decisionsare usually open and flexible. Your
American counterpartswill favor a win/win approach.
 Once a decision has been made, Americans may see the need to
change it later.
 Americansgenerally consider risk-taking a positive characteristic, a
sign of initiative.
This means that:
- Everyone can speak, and everyonehasthe right to make a point
- There is openness to brainstormingand talking through
together until the best possible solution is reached.
- “Tossing around” ideasand “working through” collectively
is expected.

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**Inan interview, John Mole says the following about business
meetings across cultures ( from US ExpatriateHandbook):
Q: Surely a meeting is a meeting is a meeting.
A: Not at all. The function of the meeting can be radically differentfrom
cultureto culture. Things which wetake for granted-the role of the
chair, the agenda, the minutes, the need for consensus, timekeeping,
follow-up-can be very differentin other countries. Broadly speaking, in
Germany ameeting is a vehicle for expertsto exchange information.
Participants are well prepared and do notexpect to be questioned or
challenged. For the British and Dutch, it is a forum for interested parties
to debate ideas and come up with a recommendation and an action plan.
Everyoneisexpected to make a contribution. In France, a meeting is for
the boss to announcedecisionswhich have been madeelsewhere or to
solicit specific information. It is not a forum for debate. For
Mediterraneansmeetingsare for makingofficial the decision that has
been madein the restaurantor the coffeebar and for sorting out the
politics and the personalrelationships that the decision affects. Such
differencesaffect every aspect of businesslife, not just meetings:
planning, control, teamwork, communication, recruiting, decision
making. And weall think that our way of doingthings is the right way.
Butif we are to seize opportunitiesin the changing global marketplace,
we have to learn to understand and work withdifferentwaysof doing
things. Understandingthe dynamicsof cultural differenceis a vital
competencefor businessleaders of today.

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Case Study: Communicating and Presenting
When Daimler- Benz and Chrysler merged in 1998, thetwo companies
announced they would hold joint board meetings. At the first encounter,
it wasdecided that each company would presentitself. Both sides
wanted to make a good impression to their counterpart. However, each
had radically different ideas on what constituted a good presentation.
The Germansbegan with a long introductory statement, the history of
the company, itsmodel range, futureprospectsand all this with lots of
detailed background information and transparencies. Thepresenters
tended to have a rigid body posture, speakingin a deadpan voicefor
almost 2 hours. The Americans, on the other hand, got straight to the
pointabout Chrysler, basically talking only about their modelrange
with lots of showy effects and easy to remember statements. Their body
language wasmore that of an over enthusiastic salesman. It was about
25 minuteslong. Both sides sincerely believed that they were
communicatingwell. Yet it quickly became apparentthese different
communication styles weren’tworkingwhen Chrysler’sformer CEO
Robert Eaton, told a journalist from the Stuttgarter Zeitung his
impressionsof German board meetings. He said: “The Germanshave a
penchantfor comingto all meetings armed with tonsof overhead
transparenciesand colored charts. It’s an absolute information overkill.”
** What happened here?
Summary: American Business Etiquette Do’s and
Don’ts
 DO be chatty, relaxed and friendly. Makesmalltalk, smile and
engage with those around you. Beingsociable is the key to success
in an American business environment.
 DO remember to shake hands with a firm, confidentgrip on first
meetings.
 DO make eye-contact with your American counterpartand use
body language to communicate(Americanslove to talk with their
hands – not to be confused with “talk to the hand”).

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 DON’T ask very personalquestions regardingyour American
counterpart’sbackground, occupation or income. People will
frequently volunteer this information, butdon’tinterrogate them!
 DON’T treat your secretary like “a secretary” or your bosslike “a
boss”.
 DON’T underestimatethe importanceof humor in all aspects of
business.
Office Dress code:
 Wear what is deemed appropriateby the organization
 Smart/casual or “modern businessdress”
 Friday in many officesis “casual Friday”
Discriminationin the workplace
 Discrimination happensevery day in work place, in both positive
and negative ways. Peopleare very conscious of positive
discrimination, and in many cases will cultivate it to foster
diversity
 Affirmativeaction – illegal in California. Prop. 209; 1996
Building Relationships and Office Culture
Small talk is essential to office culture, and is a key factor in developing
trust, understanding, and profession levelof respect. By being familiar
and informal, onedisplays – as Americanssay – that they are
personable.
This is also key to rebuilding trust, if a relation has become strained.
Simply asking about family or showingpictures of your own family
shows your willingnessto “let bygones be bygones,” to “get back on
track,” and ultimately to “move on.”

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Socializing withcolleagues
 Your colleagues can be your friendstoo! A beer after work is
normal, even expected. Additionally families will occasionally host
or attend “get-togethers” on weekends.
 An element of personalconnection is very important; at the very
least, co-workersneed to be civilized.
 Cuttingstraight to the chase – unlessprefaced by saying, “let’s cut
straight to the chase” – is not an option. However, notethat there
can be some flexibility to this general rule, particularly with East
Coasters such as Bostoniansor New Yorkers.
PopQuiz: An American tells a German co-worker, in passing, “We
should get together this week.” This meansthe American wants to:
1. invite the co-worker home for dinner.
2. be invited to the co-worker’shome for dinner.
3. have lunch with the co-worker at the office cafeteria.
4. get know the co-worker better.
Working hours:
9-5 is a great thing, but basically does notexist in America. The culture
of individualaccountability means: come early, work until you finish
your work, take work home if necessary. Structureof workingday is
based around whatneedsto get done – not on the handsof the clock.
PopQuiz: Which famousAmerican Country Western singer sangthe
song “working9 to 5”?

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Job Security:
Increased unemploymentin recenttimes coupled with a highly
competitive work culture – heightens the workers’need to remain
cutting-edge in his or her performance. Thefear of consequences if one
does notperform exceptionally informswork place behavior, keeping it
lively and fast paced. One could comparethis with Germany, wherejob
security is moreset.
Holidays:
America is a Work!Work!Work!Culture!Unlike Germany, leisuretime
in the States is negotiable. LegalHolidaysthat are observed nation wide
include:
New Year's Day
Martin Luther King Day
President's Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
January 1
third Monday in January
third Monday in February
last Monday in May
July 4
first Monday in September
second Monday in October
November 11
fourth Thursday in November
December 25
Social Culture: Daily Life in America:
Americansmay not receive six weeks of paid holidaysor leave the office
promptly every day at5pm, butwe do find lots of reasons to celebrate.
Here are some examples:
Halloween is particularly popular in the greater Boston area – dueto the
proximity to Salem, MA – know for the Salem witchtrials. These were
a series of hearings and prosecutionsof peopleaccused of witchcraft in
colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693.

31. 31
Thanksgiving falls on the 4th Thursday of November; the date changes
every year, so check your calendar to make sureyou don’tmiss out. In
the United States, the modern Thanksgivingholiday tradition is
commonly, butnot universally, traced to a poorly documented 1621
celebration at Plymouthin present-day Massachusetts. The 1621
Plymouthfeast and thanksgiving wasprompted by a good harvest.
Pilgrims and Puritans who began emigrating from England in the 1620s
and 1630scarried the tradition of Daysof Fasting and Daysof
Thanksgiving with them to New England. Severaldaysof Thanksgiving
were held in early New England history, and these have been identified
as the "First Thanksgiving", includingPilgrim holidaysin Plymouth.
Shopping and Daily life:
 “Goingto the mall” - Peopleof all ages will commonly “go to the
mall” on Saturday – and spend their day shopping, eating in the
“food court,” people watching, or for elderly people, “mall
walking.” This is particularly popular for teenagers, who use the
mall as a chance to get away from their parentsand hang out with
school friendswithoutdeterminate time or plan.
 Costco - a favoritefor stockpilingfor the impedingzombie
apocalypse – or just some extra toilet paper.
 24/7: several shops are open 24 hours a day includingmany
drugstores:

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American Drugstore= Apothekeand Rossmann all rolled
into one. (Walgreens, DuaneReade)are stores where you
can fill your prescription, buy beer, and test out the latest
shower gel, all in one stop – and in many cases, any time you
feel like it.
 Although many stores are movingtowardsearth-friendly options,
you will notbe required (as in Germany)to either bring your
grocery bags from home, or purchasethem at the store.
 Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target – three major stores for “one-stop-
shopping!”
Wal-Mart: A case study in German/US Business
Wal-Mart has more than 4,000 stores in the United States. Of all
Americans, 90% live within 15 miles of a Wal-Mart. On average, every
American household spends just more than $2,000 each year at Wal-
Mart. In the United States, every seven days, 100 million people shop at
a Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is also successful internationally. It is the largest
retailer in both Canada and Mexico, and the second largest in Britain.
Worldwide, more than seven billion people shop at Wal-Mart. That’s
more than the world’s population. So, success, both nationally and
internationally. But as Landler and Barbaro note in 2006 Wal-Mart
closed its stores in Germany. The chain has had difficulty breaking into
the Korean and Japanesemarkets as well. Something was not workingin
Germany, and many believe that some of Wal-Mart’s international
problems stem from the company’s arrogance and overestimation of its
competence. For a company that boasts seven billion customers a year,
a certain degree of confidence is understandable. But in some places,
Wal-Mart’s attempts to impose its values on the market just do not
work—at least not in places such as Germany, Korea, and Japan.
Referring to its failure in Germany, a Wal-Mart international
spokesperson commented that it was a good lesson for the company
and that they have learned to be more sensitive to cultural differences.
For example, many Germans found the idea of a smiling greeter at the
door strange, many male shoppers interpreted it as flirting. The
company also failed to foster good relations with German labor unions

33. 33
(Wal-Marts in the United States are not union). At one point during its
tenure in Germany, Wal-Mart closed the headquarters of one of its
chains and moved it to another geographic location—a common
occurrence in the United States, usually accompanied by employees
packing up and moving with the company. But in managers in Germany
just did not understand the German market or customers. Most of the
employees quit, rather than moving.
“Cali”
Northern Californiaand its residentshave a reputation for being
relaxed, fun loving, and easy to get along with.

34. 34
Must visit:
California at a Glance: The Golden State
 The state is located on the West Coast of the United States.
 It is the most populousU.S. state home to 1 out of 8 Americans,
and is the third largest state by area (after Alaska and Texas).
 It is home to the nation'ssecond and fifth largest censusstatistical
areas (Greater Los Angeles area and San Francisco Bay Area,
respectively), and eight of the nation's50 most populated cities
(Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno,
Sacramento, LongBeach, and Oakland).
 The capital city is Sacramento.
 Californiais bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevadato the east,
and Arizonato the southeast.
 Californiais also bordered by Baja California, a state of Mexico, to
the south.
 California'sdiversegeography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the
west, to the Sierra Nevadamountainsin the east – from the
 Napa Valley and
wine country
 San Francisco,
Oakland
 The Red Wood
National Forest
 Half Moon Bay
 Yosemite National
Park
Southern California:
- LA
- Palm Springs (especially
for golf)
- San Diego
- Mexico (cross theborder
for the day, or fly further
south for vacation)

35. 35
Redwood–Douglas-fir forestsof the northwest, to the Mojave
Desert areas in the southeast.
 The center of the state is dominated by the CentralValley, a major
agricultural area.
 Californiacontains both the highest and lowest pointsin the
contiguous United States (MountWhitney and Death Valley).
 It has the 3rd longest coastline of all states (after Alaska and
Florida).
 Earthquakes are a common occurrencedueto the state's location
along the Pacific Ring of Fire: about 37,000 arerecorded annually.
PopQuiz: Do you know what to do in an earthquake?
Californiahas a State:
- Flower -- Golden Poppy
- Flag
- Tree – the Redwood
Leisure Activities:
Californiareally has it all… If you like the outdoors:
Sand, surf, and sun
Hiking
Skiing (snow and water)
Swimming
Camping
LA - Hollywood
If you prefer something morecivilized:
Napaand Sonoma Valley winecountry
Theatre, music, and movies
PopQuiz: When an American tells a German, “You’rewelcometo visit
usanytime!”, it means
a. you have an open invitation to visit them anytime.

36. 36
b. this invitation is morelikely a convention of conversation
(small talk) than a sincere gesture.
c. you need to make sureyou should really visit because it may
be an exaggeration.
Taboos:
 Smoking(inside or in non-designated publicplaces)
 Beingunemployed, notworking, or notworkinghard enough
 Receiving financialhelp (being on welfare)
 Teenage and (sometimes) pregnancies outof wedlock
 Uttering the word “nigger” if you are not black
 In someinstances, non-PC words: “retarded” (mentally
handicapped)“stewardess” (flight attendant).
 Under-tipping– particularly as this fulfillsAmerican stereotypeof
foreigners.
 Eating bread and especially with real butter (you want to be fat)
 Beinga “bad person” – so he hates kittens, litters, and regularly
parkshis gas-eating car in the handicapped spot, even though he’s
perfectly able – deep down, he’s a “good person.”
Who’s especially cute and/or smart?
 Europeanswithan accent! Speaking
with an accent will win you popularity;
you will probably also be asked to “say
something inGerman.”
 You will most likely hear an American say
“I wish I had an accent too” – notrealizing that
in another culturalcontext, clearly they would.
 Brits – Americansfind Brits irresistible, particularly because to an
American ear, British English soundsso proper and intelligent –
Yeah baby, yeah!

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ExtraStuff and Suggestions from a“Big Mac”:
Do travel as muchas you can! Exploreand enjoy.
Montanais one of the most underrated of all the US States. In the
summer, the Northern Nights in Glacier National Park are beyond
magical.
Go to New Orleans, listen to Jazz and to the Blues(there are still some
legendary singers lurkingaround Memphisfor this).
At least once, watch the Macy’sDay Parade(better in person in NYC)
and the infamousDogShow after it. (Then see Christopher Guest’s
hilarious film, “Best in Show”).
Talk to people everywhere – and letthem surpriseyou…
Thank-you and have a great day!
Media:
• The Rachel Maddow Show
• The Daily Show
• Hard Ball and the O’Riley Factor (for complete opposite reporting, right oriented)
• Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (see clip)
• Fox News (right oriented news)
• BBC World
Radio:
 NPR (National Public Radio)
- All Things Considered
- This American Life
- Radiolab.org
- Car Talk (Frick and Frack are hilarious, even if you don’t
know or care to know about cars)

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Print and online media:
National:
 The New York Times
 The Washington Post
 LA Times
 Chicago Tribune
 The New Yorker (Great for stories, music, movie and theatre review)
 The Nation (monthly – political reporting, also covers recent books, film and
music.
Food and Drink
 Americans are big on choice. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free options are in
nearly every shop.
 Milk with dinner? Yes, indeed; and not just for the little ones. In America,
milk is not just for breakfast, but is advertised as a key element to
maintaining healthy bones and strong teeth, especially for women.
 Common misunderstandings with carbonated beverages:
Northwest: Pop
East coast: Soda
South: a coke (for everything) or a soda
 Drinking alcohol in public is a crime and you will be fined! But, ask
for a paper bag (also regionally called sack) and drink away!
 Let’s do Brunch: Saturday and Sunday ‘brunch dates’ are quite common, and
often serve to continue the previous evening’s festivities, or cure a morning
after headache – thanks to Mimosas and/or Bloody Mary’s, which Americas
love to partake in.
 Invited to a friend’s house for dinner or for a party? Always ask what you can
bring – and even if they say “nothing” – bring a bottle of wine or bouquet of
flowers.
 Some people will pray before eating.
Popquiz: In American restaurants, the check (bill) is immediately presented as
soon as dessert is served. A German should interpret this to mean:
1. the restaurant owner doesn’t like customers to chat incessantly
2. Americans strongly believe in the value ‘time is money’.
3. the restaurant respects your need for quick service.
4. the waiter has finished his/her shift and wants to go home.

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Table Manners – Tischsitte
U S A G E R M A N Y
TABLE MANNERS • TISCHMANIEREN
The fork is held in the right hand. When
using a knife, it replaces the fork, which is
switched to the left hand during cutting.
Emily Post called this the “zig-zag” style.
The fork is held in the left hand, the knife in the right
hand. Both remain in your hands except when drinking
or passing items. This is the European style.
Americans like to eat many foods, including
pizza, with their hands. Except for formal
dining, there are many “finger foods.” Eating
with your hands is considered efficient and
proper.
Germans rarely eat food with their hands. Even pizza is
eaten with a knife and fork! Hands are used only at a
BBQ, a fastfood restaurant, or for hors
d’oeuvres/canapes. Otherwise, eating with your hands
is considered barbaric.
Many Americans say grace before a meal.
Someone might say “Bon appetit!” or
“Enjoy!,” but it is not very common to do so.
Few Germans say grace, but they almost always say
“Guten Appetit!” before everyoneat the table begins
eating.
A common toast with beer or wine is
“Cheers!” or “To your health!”
A common toast with beer or wineis “Prost!” or “Zum
Wohl!”
Americans keep their hands under the table
or in their lap. No elbows on the table!
Germans keep their hands on the table. Also no elbows
on the table!
Cleaning your plate is OK, but not really
required.
Not cleaning your plate is considered impolite.
Movies/Series:
 While American movies are, for the most part, overdone, overrated, and
somewhat commonplace, American TV series are, on the contrary, top rate.
 What happened in last night’s episode of MAD MEN or news of when the
highly anticipated final year of True Blood might air provides common
ground for small talk, but also is regularly written about in cultural news
sources – including the New York Times and The New Yorker. Yes, we take
our TV quite seriously!

40. 40
 For film and previous season of TV series, Netflix is the way to go. It is
basically LoveFilm – but with a much wider selection, original language films,
and critically acclaimed series.
Pop Quiz: A German, or a European, says, “Americans have absolutely no culture!”,
this ethnocentric statement is really articulating that:
1. the USA hasn’t generated exceptional artists like Mozart or Goethe.
2. American culture consists of fast food, junk TV and cowboys.
3. Americans aren’t as refined in thinking, feelings, manners and tastes
as Europeans are.
4. the USA is a relatively young culture.
SuggestedFurther Reading:
 No More Angling for the Best Seat; More Meetings Are Stand-Up Jobs:
Companies Ban Sitting to Speed Things Up; Ralph the Chicken Decides Next
Speaker
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB1000142405297020465290457719
3460472598378
 Most of the questions from the Pop Quiz sections are drawn from
“Understanding American and German Business Cultures” by Patrick
Schmidt. The book can be purchased from the author via his website:
www.agcc.de