The Federal Republic of Germany locally referred to as Bundesrepublik Deutschland, is a magnificent land filled with vast flora and fauna, industrious individuals and immense potential. The country covers an area of close to 357,000 square kilometers or 138,000 square miles. This country is Located in the central part of Northern Europe and borders Poland, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands on the North and the Baltic Seas. As expected from its conducive geographical location, Germany enjoys favorable weather conditions, as there are no temperature extremes of cold or heat. The land topography is also uniquely convenient as it progressively rises from flat plains of the northern coastline, gradually morphing into beautiful undulating hills and intense forests throughout the entire country and receding to the Alpine foothills common in the south (PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH, 2017). Indeed, the border towards the south passes through the Alps, giving Germany an opportunity for the rare sport of skiing among other winter sports. This paper discusses German culture and heritage in relation to business transactions. Moreover, it illustrates its etiquettes and influence on business transactions.
As of December 31, 2015, the estimation of the population of Germany reached 82.2 million based on a mini-census conducted in May 2011 (PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH, 2017). Compared to her two neighbors, Poland and France, Germany is more densely populated. In intrinsically industrial areas, the population is dense. In addition, in commercial areas such as Cologne, the Rhine-Main areas of Frankfurt, Berlin and other notable commerce powerhouses, the population exceeds normal levels indicating a conducive environment for business transactions. As such, few areas in Germany have the consideration of being underpopulated. Ethnically, Germany represents a home of people coming from dissimilar and distinct cultures. Close to 20 percent of German citizens can actively trace their ancestries from other parts of the world. The population share includes original Germans, Turks, Italians, Afro-Germans, Poles, Russians and other minorities such as small Danish groups from the northern Schleswig-Holstein areas and the Sorbs living in a general area to the east of Berlin. Owing to the ethnical diversity of Germany, the country prides itself in having innumerable business potential and markets. One fun fact about Germany’s ethnical composition is that the Turks make up the largest single national group, with a population numbering close to 1.5 million.
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In Germany, the major religion consists of Christianity, with close to 70 percent of the population. Christianity in Germany is split between denominations that are mainstream such as Lutheran-Protestantism, Calvinism, Roman Catholicism and much more. Due to the fact the religion in Germany took on historical development, these denominations are fundamentally based on specific regions. Other versions of the Christian religion in Germany include fee evangelical churches adhering to connotations of the Baptist church, the Methodists with faiths such as the Mennonites and so on. Other religious minorities include Judaism and Islam. In Judaism, present statistics indicate their prevalence is grossly overshadowing the atrocities of the holocaust since presently, more than 70 years since the end of World War II; the number of the Jewish community in Germany exceeds 100,000 members. On the other hand, Islam is a much recent religion in Germany. Due to intense immigrations over the past seven years, Islam is gradually becoming a nationally recognized religion in Germany ("Religion in Germany", 2017).
Germany is a highly cultural nation, which prides itself on her heritage, family customs and many other aspects (Zimmermann, 2015). Family plays an important role in German society and at the heart of family cohesion are holidays and celebrations designed to bring people together and unify them under one common cause. Celebrations such as Christmas and Advent are a holistic family affair, which stresses the concepts of togetherness, and simplicity in the face of contemporary commercialization. Moreover, a tradition such as the Kaffee and Kuchen, which involves a traditional short break between lunch and dinner, brings together friends and family in a bid to encourage social interactions over delicious sweets. Also, the celebration of German unity held on October 3 each year which marks the day in which the democratic republic of the east consented to the Federal German Republic brings together German citizens from all works of life in a bid to signify harmony (Zimmermann, 2015). Other celebrations and festivals include Easter or the Ostern, the Karneval or Fasching, the Asparagus Season and many more.
In all respects, Germans have the consideration of being master planners who value time and punctuality. This significant business culture in Germany focuses on forward thinking and an understanding of the unfolding of events at specific dates and times. As such, the German thought process is tremendously thorough and possesses a knack for examining in great detail. To the Germans, careful planning in all aspects of personal and business life presents a sense of security and outright success. German culture highly recognizes and appreciates the contributions of women in all aspects of life. Considering the fact that the German prime minister is a woman, the country strengthens its women population, especially in business. The country’s business environment supports an official dressing code and the conventional modes of greetings such as the handshake. Businessmen are required to wear business suits that are dark colored and conservative, while women are also required to wear suits with white blouses. Moreover, in women, the use of heavy makeup is a deterrent in business dealings. While conducting business in Germany, it is important to understand the culture of individuality and corporate responsibility innate in German businesspersons. Among the don’ts in German business culture is the action of gifting, bribery and corruption and poor planning and execution.
References
PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH. (2017). Doing Business and Investing in Germany . PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited.
Religion in Germany . (2017). Internations.org . Retrieved 8 September 2017, from https://www.internations.org/germany-expats/guide/16030-culture-shopping-recreation/religion-in-germany-16010
Zimmermann, K. (2015). German Culture: Facts, Customs and Traditions . Live Science . Retrieved 8 September 2017, from https://www.livescience.com/44007-german-culture.html
