1. Doing Business: Belgium & the Netherlands, the difference compared
Andreas ter Woort

2. Who am I ? So… What's the point…?
Name: Andreas ter Woort
Nationality: Dutch
“if you ain’t Dutch, you ain’t much!”
So… What's the point…?
House: Windmill
Where: Below sea level
Cloths: Wooden shoes and traditional dress

4. “It is our believe that you can never understand
OTHER cultures”
Fons Trompenaars
But there is hope
Andreas ter Woort

6. What is CULTURE ? In the narrow sense: “Civilisation”
(Art, Science, Education)
In the broad anthropological sense:
“Collective programming of the human mind”

7. What is CULTURE ? A way in which a group of people
solve problems and reconcile dilemmas

9. Human mind programmed by heredity and experience in 3 levels
Individual
Collective
by group
Common to all
mankind

10. Culture
Symbols
Heroes
Rituals
Values

11. Culture
Symbols
Heroes
Rituals
Values

12. The 4-D Model
Value differences between countries can be explained by four dimensions of national culture. WI PG HI AA
Low High

13. We’re all equal…
But are we?

14. 1. Dealing with hierarchy
hierarchy low
being independent
hierarchy for convenience
equal rights
superiors accessible
hierarchy high
being dependent
hierarchy is existential
privileges
superiors inaccessible

15. Which culture scores a) highest b) lowest on HIERARCHY?
NETHERLANDS
JAPAN UK
NORWAY
BELGIUM

16. Which culture scores a) highest b) lowest on HIERARCHY?
NETHERLANDS 38
JAPAN 54 UK 35
NORWAY 31
BELGIUM 68

17. 2. Dealing with relationships
What makes a good neighbour, and how do you respect your neighbour?

18. 2. Dealing with relationships
"We" cultures
the group: “We”
opinion of the group
implicit communication
loss of ‘face’, shame
relationship oriented
"I" cultures
the individual: “Self”
individual opinions
explicit communication
loss of self-respect, guilt
task oriented

19. Which culture is a) the most ‘I’ oriented b) the most ‘WE’ oriented ?
U.S.A.
JAPAN
PORTUGAL
BELGIUM
NETHERLANDS

20. Which culture is a) the most ‘I’ oriented b) the most ‘WE’ oriented ?
U.S.A. 91
JAPAN 46
PORTUGAL 27
BELGIUM 75
NETHERLANDS 80

21. 3. Dealing with one's role in society
“Employee of the Month!!!”
reward or punishment?
Consensus Or
Decisive ?

22. Reward!

23. Or punishment???

24. Which culture is a) the most “Consensus” seeking
b) the most “Decisive” ? NL
SWEDEN
JAPAN UK
BELGIUM

25. Which culture is a) the most “Consensus” seeking
b) the most “Decisive” ? NL 14
SWEDEN 5
JAPAN 95 UK 66
BELGIUM 54

26. Bungee Jumping: Certain or not?
4. Dealing with Uncertainty
Bungee Jumping: Certain or not?

27. Which culture requires a) most structure and detail
b) least structure and detail?
NETHERLANDS
Belgium
Czech Rep. GB
GERMANY

28. Which culture requires a) most structure and detail
b) least structure and detail?
NETHERLANDS 50
Belgium 94
Czech Rep. 71 GB 35
GERMANY 65

29. Action & Implementation
American / UK
Dutch
Action
Belgium
Germany
Time

30. Manager's role varies across cultures
Source : André Laurent 20 30 40 50 60 10 70
80 % Percentage in agreement
Great Britain
Sweden
Netherlands
USA
Denmark
Switzerland
Belgium
Germany
France
Italy
Indonesia
Japan 10 17 18 23 27 38 44 46 53 66 73 78 17 18 23
“It is important for a manager
to have at hand precise answers to
most of the questions that his
subordinates may raise about
their work” 27 38 44 46 53 66 73 78

31. Implication for communication Between Netherlands& Belgium
Respect / Dis-respect for Hierarchy
Rules / General guidelines
Formality / Act normal
Performance versus performance …

32. Scores compared (BE - NL)

33. Practical tips for Belgians
Be less direct
Pay a lot more attention to non-verbal
Ready to spend more time on relationship building
Do not keep talking when there is silence. Give it some time
When the communication breaks down, try to solve it bilaterally or through an intermediary

34. Practical tips for Dutch
Be less direct
Do not make jokes. Really…
Ready to spend more time on relationship building
Respect hierarchy
Listen (in other words, shut up for once!)
Detail, detail, detail (also legal!)

35. “Everything that irritates us about others… can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.”
Culture is both comfortable and transparent - we swim in it everyday and don’t notice it - until someone different comes along.
Carl Jung

36. Want to know more? Visit: www.culturematters.com
Thank you!
Culture is both comfortable and transparent - we swim in it everyday and don’t notice it - until someone different comes along.