Doing Business with Germans

As globalisation becomes more pervasive in everyday life, many people are faced with challenging new situations: Cultural differences are no longer only something that fascinate tourists and intrigue academics. The impacts of globalisation have become, to a large extent, a part of our daily life, particularly in the business world. This book concerns itself with the two sides of German business partnerships in an intercultural setting: on the one hand it deals with people working from their home country with Germans, as well as with expatriates who are living in Germany, and on the other hand it portrays Germans who have business relationships with people from all over the world, be it per business meeting or via telecommunication.

It is important for foreigners working with Germans to be informed about Germans in order for them to be able to adjust and understand the German mentality. For Germans it is a helpful tool to obtain an understanding of how their non-German partners perceive them, allowing them to see themselves as they are seen by others. Based on her academic training and many years of experience, Sylvia Schroll-Machl describes many typical experiences that foreigners have with Germans and offers typical impressions of their behavior. It is her intention to show these experiences from a German point of view, so that non-Germans can discover what Germans actually mean when they say and do particular things. The author also concerns herself with the cultural and historical background which has shaped the German identity.