University of Twente Student Theses
Culture-Caused Critical Incidents Between German and Dutch : How to Cope with Them
Ahrens, Justin (2023) Culture-Caused Critical Incidents Between German and Dutch : How to Cope with Them.
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| Abstract: | This thesis analyzes cultural diversity and how to unite beliefs, values, and norms of Germans and Dutch, since they are sometimes resulting in clashes of cultural standards. Its primary objective is to investigate how individuals navigate these clashes, particularly in cross-cultural business interactions between Germans and Dutch. Therefore, the main research questions to be answered are: “Which culture-caused critical incidents happen when Germans collaborate with Dutch in a work environment?” and afterwards “Which coping mechanisms do Germans working in the Netherlands use to overcome those critical incidents?”. The thesis identifies key cultural standards, such as Flexibility, Pragmatism, and Gezelligheid, as common triggers of critical incidents. In contrast, cultural norms like Flat Hierarchy, Work-Life Balance, and Technological Innovativeness tend to be less provocative in causing such incidents. The findings will be presented, conclusions be drawn, and recommendations will be offered for those Germans who want to work in the Netherlands, those who have worked there for a while already, and those who aim or struggle to manage a team composing both, the German and Dutch culture. This research contributes to the field of cross-cultural collaboration and intercultural studies by identifying typical critical incidents, validating existing research, exploring cultural differences, and introducing new coping strategies for Germans. Ultimately this research aims to provide a robust theoretical framework for further research on critical incidents in intercultural collaboration. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 02 science and culture in general |
| Programme: | Business Administration MSc (60644) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/97736 |
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