Humor and culture in international business | Chris Smit | TEDxLeuven

Summary

In this engaging presentation, Chris Schmitt delves into the significance of cultural differences in international business, leveraging humor to challenge stereotypes about the Dutch, British, and Germans. He emphasizes the importance of understanding cultural dimensions, such as power distance and uncertainty avoidance, to navigate business effectively across cultures. Schmitt illustrates how these dimensions affect communication, decision-making, and project management, drawing on Hofstede's cultural model to provide practical insights into managing perceptions and expectations in a global context.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Culture is about the management of perception and plays a crucial role in international business.
• 🇳🇱 Stereotypes, such as Dutch living in windmills or Italians being associated with the mafia, can be humorous but also highlight cultural generalizations.
• 🎭 The use of humor varies across cultures; for example, British humor is often dry and self-deprecating, while Dutch humor can be direct and blunt.
• 🇩🇪 Germans view humor as a serious matter and prefer not to mix it with serious discussions or meetings.
• 🏙️ Cultural differences are not inherently good or bad; they simply exist and should be acknowledged and understood.
• 🧠 Culture is described as the 'collective programming of the human mind,' emphasizing that it is learned and not innate.
• 👥 Hofstede's cultural dimensions, particularly power distance and uncertainty avoidance, are key to understanding how different cultures operate.
• 📊 Power distance can affect how hierarchy is perceived and managed within a culture, influencing communication styles and decision-making processes.
• 🚦 Uncertainty avoidance impacts how cultures approach rules and structure, with some preferring clear guidelines and others being more flexible.
• 🔄 The perception of time and action in project management differs across cultures, with some preferring thorough planning and others valuing adaptability and consensus.

Q & A

What is the main topic of Chris Schmitt's talk?

The main topic of Chris Schmitt's talk is the importance of understanding cultural differences in international business and management, particularly focusing on the impact of culture on perception and communication.

Why does Chris Schmitt use stereotypes in his introduction?

Chris Schmitt uses stereotypes in his introduction to highlight common misconceptions and generalizations about Dutch culture, aiming to provoke thought about the role of stereotypes in shaping our understanding of different cultures.

What is the significance of the Dutch being below sea level in the context of the talk?

The fact that two-thirds of the Netherlands is below sea level is used metaphorically to emphasize the unique characteristics of Dutch culture and to introduce the concept of cultural differences in a memorable way.

How does Chris Schmitt's talk relate to the concept of cultural neutrality?

Chris Schmitt's talk suggests that cultural neutrality is a myth, as every aspect of communication and behavior is influenced by cultural context, including humor, which he discusses as not being culturally neutral.

What are the two key words in Hofstede's definition of culture mentioned by Chris Schmitt?

The two key words in Hofstede's definition of culture mentioned by Chris Schmitt are 'collective' and 'programming', emphasizing that culture is a shared set of learned behaviors and attitudes within a group.

What is the difference between the Dutch and British sense of humor as described in the talk?

The Dutch sense of humor is described as blunt, direct, and often sexually connotated, with a tendency to make fun of others. In contrast, the British sense of humor is characterized as ironic, dry, and self-deprecating.

How does Chris Schmitt explain the concept of 'power distance' in relation to cultural differences?

Chris Schmitt explains 'power distance' as a cultural dimension that reflects the degree of inequality within a society. He uses examples of different countries to illustrate how this can affect perceptions and interactions in a business context.

What is the cultural dimension that Chris Schmitt uses to explain the difference between the United States and France in terms of management style?

Chris Schmitt uses the cultural dimension of 'uncertainty avoidance' to explain the difference between the United States and France in terms of management style, highlighting the preference for planning and structure in French management compared to the more flexible approach in the United States.

What does the acronym 'Bolten' or 'Boulder' refer to in the context of Dutch project management?

The acronym 'Bolten' or 'Boulder' refers to the Dutch approach to project management that emphasizes consensus building and adaptability, with decisions being made and potentially revised as new information becomes available.

How does Chris Schmitt suggest we can use our understanding of cultural differences to improve our own self-awareness?

Chris Schmitt suggests that by recognizing and understanding how cultural differences can irritate us, we can gain a better understanding of our own biases and preferences, leading to personal growth and more effective cross-cultural communication.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 The Importance of Cultural Differences in International Work

In this paragraph, Chris Schmitt introduces himself and emphasizes the importance of cultural differences in international work. He uses humor and stereotypes about Dutch culture to set the tone, highlighting how these perceptions influence our understanding of different nationalities. Schmitt illustrates how stereotypes shape societal perceptions and segue into a broader discussion about culture and its significance. He draws a comparison between Dutch, American, Italian, and other cultural stereotypes to underline the underlying trends in each society.

05:01

🧠 Understanding Culture as Collective Programming

This section defines culture as the 'collective programming of the human mind,' distinguishing between collective behavior and individual behavior. Schmitt stresses that culture is learned, not innate, and that perceiving culture requires pausing and observing beyond first impressions. He uses an optical illusion of a face and the word 'liar' to demonstrate how perception shapes understanding. The paragraph continues with an exploration of how American and French workers have different expectations of their managers, linking these differences to cultural dimensions of hierarchy and uncertainty avoidance.

10:01

📊 Cultural Dimensions: Hierarchy and Perception in Business

Schmitt discusses two key cultural dimensions—hierarchy and uncertainty avoidance—and how they influence business interactions. Using a comparison between the Netherlands, Belgium, China, and Norway, he illustrates how perceptions of hierarchy vary across countries. He explains how hierarchical structures affect communication and decision-making within organizations, and how a Dutch worker might perceive a Chinese colleague’s slower response due to the latter's adherence to a more hierarchical process. The paragraph highlights the importance of understanding these cultural differences to avoid misinterpretation.

Keywords

💡Cultural Differences

Cultural differences refer to the variations in behaviors, beliefs, values, and practices that exist between different societies or social groups. In the video, Chris Schmitt uses humor and stereotypes to illustrate how cultural differences can shape perceptions and interactions, particularly in an international business context. The video emphasizes the importance of understanding these differences to manage perceptions effectively.

💡Stereotypes

Stereotypes are widely held but oversimplified images or ideas of a particular type of person or thing. The script uses stereotypes about the Dutch, such as living in windmills and wearing wooden shoes, to humorously highlight how these simplified notions can both entertain and mislead. Stereotypes are presented as a tool to provoke thought about cultural generalizations and their impact on international management.

💡Sense of Humor

The sense of humor is the ability to perceive, enjoy, or express what is amusing, funny, or ludicrous. The video contrasts the British, Dutch, and German senses of humor to demonstrate how humor is culturally specific and can significantly differ even among geographically close nations. Understanding these differences is crucial for effective cross-cultural communication.

💡Cultural Neutrality

Cultural neutrality implies the absence of cultural bias or favoritism towards any particular culture. The video challenges the concept by suggesting that nothing is entirely culturally neutral, as all aspects of communication, behavior, and interaction are influenced by cultural contexts. This idea is explored through the lens of humor, which is shown to be culturally dependent.

💡Collective Programming

Collective programming refers to the shared set of attitudes, values, and behaviors that are instilled in a group of people through socialization. In the script, it is used to explain how culture is not innate but learned and internalized over time. This concept is central to understanding why cultural differences arise and persist.

💡Power Distance

Power distance is the extent to which the less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. The video uses Hofstede's cultural dimensions to illustrate how power distance can affect management styles and communication, with examples of how hierarchy is perceived differently in China versus the Netherlands.

💡Uncertainty Avoidance

Uncertainty avoidance is the extent to which a culture programs its members to feel either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations. The video contrasts the United States and France on this dimension, showing how different cultures' tolerance for ambiguity can influence their approaches to problem-solving and decision-making.

💡Project Management

Project management is the process of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals. The video discusses how different cultures approach project management differently, with Germany emphasizing planning and the United States favoring a more action-oriented approach.

💡Consensus Building

Consensus building is the process of reaching a general agreement or decision among all members of a group. The Dutch approach to project management, as mentioned in the video, often involves a consensus-building model, where decisions are made through collaboration and agreement among all parties involved.

💡Cultural Dimensions

Cultural dimensions are the various aspects or factors that define and differentiate one culture from another. The video references Hofstede's model of cultural dimensions, particularly power distance and uncertainty avoidance, to explain how cultural differences can impact international business and management.

Highlights

Introduction on the importance of cultural differences in international work and management.

Chris Schmitt's humorous take on Dutch stereotypes, including windmills, wooden shoes, and being below sea level.

Comparison of national stereotypes: Dutch, American, and Italian with humorous examples such as the Dutch being blunt and the Italians associated with the mafia.

Discussion on how stereotypes represent general trends in society but are not necessarily true.

Cultural differences in humor between the British (ironic, dry) and the Dutch (blunt, direct).

The concept that jokes do not translate well across languages and cultures, stressing that humor is culturally influenced.

The importance of recognizing that nothing is culturally neutral, emphasizing that cultural differences influence everyday business interactions.

Power distance and hierarchy, with examples of how different countries approach management, particularly France vs. the United States.

Comparison of power hierarchies in various countries: China, the Netherlands, Belgium, UK, and Norway.

Explanation of strong vs. weak hierarchies in workplace communications, using examples of Dutch and Chinese workers.

Uncertainty avoidance dimension, explaining how different cultures approach rules and structures (e.g., Germany, France, UK, and the Netherlands).

Cultural differences in project management approaches, with examples from Germany, the US, and France.

The Dutch consensus-building approach in project management and its impact on decision-making.

A visual metaphor for managing cultural perception with a face that can also be read as the word 'liar,' illustrating the need to pause and reflect in cross-cultural settings.

Conclusion with a quote from Carl Jung, emphasizing how what irritates us in others can lead to better self-understanding.

Transcripts

you

I'm going to talk to you about why

culture cultural difference actually are

the management of perception or to put

it differently why culture matters when

we're working internationally first a

bit of an introduction about myself Who

am I as you can see my name is Chris my

last name is Schmitt my nationality is

Dutch and as they say if you ain't Dutch

you ain't much or to put it somewhat

different is as a finishing touch god

created the Dutch I know one more which

is more along the lines more in reality

and that is that the gods created the

universe in the earth and the Dutch

created Holland maybe that's somewhat

closer to the truth because two-thirds

of the country is actually below sea

level

now if the country is below sea level

and where do I live I live of course in

a windmill like all the Dutch do where's

where's my windmill located it is below

sea level like I said 2/3 of the country

is below sea level and what do I

normally wear my wooden shoes and the

traditional Dutch dress but being in

front of a significant civilized crowd I

decided to wear something different now

you can look at this introduction and

ask yourself what's the point I'll tell

you what the point was with this sort of

introduction I was trying to sort of

border on stereotypes stereotypes that

you might be missing about the Dutch or

maybe the colour orange the fact that we

never will win the World Cup football or

soccer for the Americans and maybe the

red light district in Amsterdam stuff

like that you can go to the Americans

and talk about stereotypes there as well

what comes to mind first potentially may

be the word big or the word hamburger or

trigger trigger-happy stuff like that

then you could go back to Europe and

talk about the Italian stereotypes or

stereotypes about the Italians what

comes to mind maybe the word mafia comes

to mind

Mamma Mia the hand gestures that the

Italians are so fond of stuff like that

are they all true or not are they all

true or not I think that stereotypes

sort of display a general trend in

society and

maybe more or less with culture is about

but besides from talking about

stereotypes my introduction is also

based on humor or at least I was trying

to be funny I'm not sure if I succeeded

I won't even ask you as well I'm not

going to shoot myself in the foot there

but if I show you this image here and I

would ask you how he described the

typical British sense of humor so not

per se what he is doing but the British

the typical British sense of humor you

might come up with ironic with dry

self-deprecating humor a Brit can

stumble and fall and look back and say

hey that was funny of me stuff like that

contrast that with this person and for

those of you who do not know him he's a

dutch comedian singer songwriter

presenter quite a talented guy and if he

would characterize the dutch sense of

humor as opposed to the british sense of

humor you might come up with statements

like blunt direct sexually connotated

and the dutch tend to make fun of others

rather than themselves whether they're

here or not that doesn't make much of a

difference and then finally if you sort

of wrap it all up and if you would ask I

want out if I would ask you how would

you characterize did German sense of

humor then it might come to mind and I

see somebody nodding already no they

have no sense of humor is that true

however well fundamentally of course not

to the Germans also have a sense of

humor but the contradiction in terms

here is is that humor for the Germans is

a serious thing humour for the Germans

is a serious thing in other words you

don't start something serious with a

joke so have a meeting you don't start a

meeting with a joke because why would

you undermine the seriousness of the

meeting by starting it with a joke

there's a time and a place to be funny

according to the Germans three countries

the UK the Netherlands and Germany

geographically relatively close to each

other and still they have a different

sense of humor I believe that jokes

don't translate in language and also

that they don't translate in culture so

if humor is already not culturally

neutral my question to you to ponder on

is what is culturally neutral I've done

this work for about eight

years and I haven't found anything that

is culturally neutral it touches us

everyday and very often we don't really

see it but first of all before I

continue there is really nothing good or

bad about culture there are only

differences it's important to realize

and understand the cultural differences

are often the determining factor when

you're doing business typically when

you're doing business internationally

the Rakhal Chur has been mentioned a

couple of times it's sort of put a frame

around this and a definition the

collective programming of the human mind

in that definition they're two words are

important one is collective and the

other one is programming when we're

talking about culture or cultural

differences we talked about groups of

people and not about isolated

individuals and the second word that's

important to realize in this definition

is that the word programming is there

because you're not born with your

culture culture is so called thought

behavior so collective programming of

the human mind showing you an image here

my question to you is what do you see if

you're like most people you would see a

face with the glasses the nose and the

mouth and a part of the of the chin and

the neck right but if you read it

diagonal and pause and wait a little

longer you would see that you can also

read the word liar the L the I with the

dots on the I the a and the are so

pausing and waiting and maybe looking a

second time at a different culture might

actually teach you a lot more as I said

culture is about the management of

perception if you read the following

quote it's important for a manager to

know the exact answers to most of the

questions that his subordinates may

raise about their work I give you two

countries and two percentages the United

States and France match up the countries

to the percentages all right the answer

is 80 percent for the United States and

53 percent for France what this means is

is that if ace American worker if you

want goes to his manager asks him a

question to which he doesn't know the

answer the American worker is quite okay

with and I don't know while in a country

like France

for instance the answer I don't know

from management doesn't give him a lot

of credibility so the expectation of a

French manager is that he or she is much

more knowledgeable about the content or

stuff that he is actually managing to

explain this we need to cultural

dimensions from professor here

Hofstadter's model of culture one being

power distance or hierarchy and the

other one being uncertainty avoidance

let's starts with the first one dealing

with hierarchy you could argue that all

societies are unequal but some are more

are more unequal than others or to put

it differently all animals are created

equally but some are more equal than

others I've given you here a list of

countries the Netherlands Belgium the UK

Norway in China quickly make up in your

make up in your mind which country you

actually think scores highest or in

which country would actually score

lowest the answer to that question is

you might be righted by China you might

have guessed maybe the Netherlands being

the lowest one but in this case it is

Norway quick word about these numbers is

that anything more than 10 points

difference is something that you would

experience internally when you would go

to that specific country so if a

Dutchman would go to Belgium the

Dutchman would experience that there is

a stronger hierarchy in this country

than in his own country

if the Belgian would go to China the

Belgian would actually experience that

there is a stronger hierarchy in China

than in his own country now how does

this work in reality you see two

triangles two triangles and under on

your left hand side you see weak

hierarchy or flat and egalitarian on the

right-hand side of the slide you see

that that strong hierarchy and it's

called steep and it's sort of

hierarchical notice that the circles are

equally in size on the left-hand side

and the top dog if you want on the

right-hand side is bigger than lower at

the bottom suppose you have this

situation whereby peer to peer workers

say somebody from the Netherlands asks a

question to his coworker in China can

you give me an update on this in this

process

what do you think is going to happen

it's highly likely that it will go up

the hierarchy this will take time the

perception that the Dutchman on the

left-hand side might have of his Chinese

colleague is is that he might be lazy he

doesn't know what he's talking about why

is this taking so long right

eventually the answer will come but it

just takes time and perceptions are

already shaped now turn the situation

around where you try to get the Chinese

to ask the Dutchman can you give me an

update on this in this project what do

you think will happen the Dutch having a

relatively low hierarchy has the

tendency to answer directly and with the

result that the Chinese colleague will

actually wonder how did you come up with

that answer so fast you're probably

trying to cut some corners and you

didn't give me the right correct answer

I'm going to ask you again hence the

blue line going back that way the second

dimension to explain the difference

between the United States and France is

uncertainty avoidance as they say in

Germany everything is forbidden unless

it's allowed you can continue like that

within the UK everything is allowed

unless it's forbidden the total opposite

there and in France everything is

allowed even if it is forbidden and mind

you there is a fourth one as well which

is the Dutch version in the Netherlands

everything is tolerated even if it is

forbidden there you go this talks about

the amount of rules and structure that

cultures and people within these

cultures appreciate and would like to

have again which countries from this

list the Netherlands Uruguay Belgium the

UK in Germany do you think needs them or

has or needs the most structure in

detail and which country do you think

has the least amount of structure and

detail this is a very difficult

dimension to actually understand and the

answer to this puzzle is that the UK

scores the lowest of this list not in

the whole list of countries and the

Uruguay has a score of 100 again 10

points difference is something that is

significant the UK

me that doesn't have a written

constitution but goes with common law

for instance and for the Belgians

present here at this presentation the

score of 95 explains to some extent why

all Belgians are born with a brick in

their stomach that sounds familiar for a

lot of you it might be okay if we sort

of put that in a graph and in a

practical example what does that mean

when we look at project management in

doing business different cultures deal

with different project management in

different ways so on the horizontal axis

there's time and on the vertical axis

there is action and implementation as a

function of time the line that you

currently see there is just for

reference there Germany first Germany

how do you think the line of Germany

will run well Germans get their act

together they form a group of people of

highly specialized people around the

table they sort out all procedures and

eventually will come up with a

relatively rapid implementation

something like this now when the

Americans and then the Brits come to the

table asking the Germans what are you

doing and that the Germans looked up

look up annoyed at the Americans and say

we're planning and the Americans go well

what good is that for because the

Americans have more of a just to do it

approach a trial and error approach and

get going and if you don't understand it

at first only then you start reading the

manual continuing like this take the

country France but you could also

substitute here Spain Italy Iran China

India's countries like that the line is

somewhat different and I know it usually

generates a laugh but it needs a little

note in a margin here is that what the

line should actually look like is pretty

much at the beginning here like a small

tremor around the German line so not

with a big earthquake but that's just a

shortcoming of PowerPoint my apologies

for that

so what you what you see in a country

like France is that there is a

preference for doing things organized

but sometimes it just doesn't work and

that is because of the elbow

work in the hierarchy and the in the

corridor backstabbing political games

going on that's what the tremor is about

now finalizing this slide with the the

Dutch line not that the Dutch are so

important it is just that the line is so

significantly different from the Dutch

from the rest of the countries here and

the Dutch are known for their Bolden or

Boulder a Modell the Dutch word or the

consensus building and the line sort of

takes this shape right and what you see

going back in time is not really going

back in time it is more that it is doing

project management with growing insights

so what we have decided yesterday could

change today because of new gained

information again alright wrapping it up

this presentation with a quote from Carl

Jung is that everything that irritates

us about others can actually lead us to

a better understanding of ourselves

thank you