Understanding Cultural Differences: Germans, French, and Americans

Human resource management, at home and abroad, means assisting the corporation's most valuable asset-its people.Understanding Cultural Differences: Germans, French and Americans contributes to this effort by explaining the cultural context in which corporations in Germany, France and the U.S. operate and how misunderstandings arise among employees from each country. Based on interviews with top German, French, and American executives and on extensive research in intercultural relations, Edward T. Hall and Mildred Reed Hall offer insights to each country's unique approach to business and practical advice on day-to-day transactions in international business exchanges.Designed for Americans, Germans, and French alike, this book examines all three countries both individually and in relation to each other, covering topics like concepts of time, communication styles, cultural values, psychological mindsets, stereotypes, business etiquette, and the physical distances between individuals when they interact. The Halls emphasize behavior you can expect in the social and business culture of each country, pointing out possible pitfalls in understanding and communication, and offer insightful advice for coping. A model for cross-cultural analysis, Understanding Cultural Differences is a valuable guide for American, German, and French business executives. Contents Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Part 1: Key Concepts: Underlying Structures of Culture 1 Culture is Communication 2 Fast and Slow Messages 3 High and Low Context 4 Space 5 Time 6 Time as Communication 7 Information Flow: Is it Fast or Slow and Where Does it Go? 8 Action Chains: The Importance of Completion 9 Interfacing: Creating the Proper Fit 10 Releasing the Right Responses Summary Part 2: The Germans 11 German Culture 12 German Psychology 13 German Business Part 3: The French 14 French Culture 15 French Psychology 16 French Business Part 4: The Americans 17 American Culture 18 American Psychology 19 American Business Summary Glossary Reading List Index

Human resource management, at home and abroad, means assisting the corporation's most valuable asset-its people.Understanding Cultural Differences: Germans, French and Americans contributes to this effort by explaining the cultural context in which corporations in Germany, France and the U.S. operate and how misunderstandings arise among employees from each country. Based on interviews with top German, French, and American executives and on extensive research in intercultural relations, Edward T. Hall and Mildred Reed Hall offer insights to each country's unique approach to business and practical advice on day-to-day transactions in international business exchanges.Designed for Americans, Germans, and French alike, this book examines all three countries both individually and in relation to each other, covering topics like concepts of time, communication styles, cultural values, psychological mindsets, stereotypes, business etiquette, and the physical distances between individuals when they interact. The Halls emphasize behavior you can expect in the social and business culture of each country, pointing out possible pitfalls in understanding and communication, and offer insightful advice for coping. A model for cross-cultural analysis, Understanding Cultural Differences is a valuable guide for American, German, and French business executives.

Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part 1: Key Concepts: Underlying Structures of Culture
1 Culture is Communication
2 Fast and Slow Messages
3 High and Low Context
4 Space
5 Time
6 Time as Communication
7 Information Flow: Is it Fast or Slow and Where Does it Go?
8 Action Chains: The Importance of Completion
9 Interfacing: Creating the Proper Fit
10 Releasing the Right Responses Summary

Part 2: The Germans
11 German Culture
12 German Psychology
13 German Business

Part 3: The French
14 French Culture
15 French Psychology
16 French Business

Part 4: The Americans
17 American Culture
18 American Psychology
19 American Business
Summary
Glossary
Reading List
Index

Edward T. Hall is a respected anthropologist and cross-cultural researcher who has taught at various universities across the U.S., including Harvard Business School, Northwestern University, the University of Denver, and others. With extensive experience in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, Hall worked for the U.S. State Department teaching intercultural communication skills to Foreign Service personnel and wrote several groundbreaking works in culture, communication, and the study of proxemics, including The Silent Language, The Hidden Dimension, The Dance of Life, and Beyond Culture. Hall currently lives in Sante Fe, New Mexico.