In preparation for our trip to the Netherlands, we thought it would be useful to provide our employees with a forum to review and discuss key points in doing business with the Netherlands.
The Netherlands (not to be confused with Holland, which is a specific region within the Netherlands) is a small nation (roughly twice the size of New Jersey), but it is a powerful nation, with the 16th largest economy in the world as of 2006. Its GDP is based largely on services, which account for 72.5% of its total GDP. 96% of the population claims Dutch as their native language, a language mainly derived from Germanic and Frankish tribes. However, 16 languages are commonly spoken throughout the state, and for our purposes, English is widely spoken.
To conduct business there, we will first need to establish strong personal relationships, as the Dutch highly value interpersonal relations and building them is a long and selective process. Private lives are meant to be kept private, and very personal questions are inappropriate in a business setting. Respect and friendship are crucial to business dealings. They are very subjective, but emotional arguments are not appropriate or accepted in the workplace. To build a professional relationship, it is important that we provide factual data, but we should not expect the Dutch to share information as readily; they prefer to only share information within the company. It is also a very team-oriented business culture, so place emphasis on accepting defeat as a whole if just one person fails.
The Dutch business day is a leisurely one, with breaks for meals and snacks throughout the day. While timeliness is still important on our part, expect delays for meetings or other scheduled events. While the Dutch are very business focused, they still appreciate humor in the workplace; do not be afraid to tell jokes during presentations, as long as you stay on-task and appropriate.
What aspects of working with the Netherlands are you most looking forward to working with? What potential obstacles or complications do you see?
Abbie, Ashref, Cameron and Lauren
6 comments:
I think working in the Netherlands sounds great. Their appreciation of humor would make the work environment a more relaxed place. Even though business is still the main focus, companies, and even related to us, classes are always better when once and a while you can have a laugh. I do think it would be challenging for foreigners to adapt immediately since they do have 'racist' outlook on people not from their country. Building and keeping good relationships seems to common theme in many foreign countries which is the opposite from where we live. I think some Americans would have a hard time making these relationships; however, people in this company (class) are very diverse and would have no problem acclimating themselves to foreign environments.
I think the biggest complication with working in The Netherlands is going to be working on building strong personal relationships before you do business with someone. In the U.S., business can be quick and easy, even if you don't know someone, so that is something that most people will have to adjust to. Other than that, working with the Dutch sounds like a very pleasant experience. I am a huge advocate of leisurely work days!
I think working in the Netherlands sounds like a great idea. The people are friendly and seem to be very happy. In a previous post talking about the Netherlands is seems as though it is a good place to live making it more appealing for workers to move there. Some complications may be the relationship building which US businessmen are not necessarily used to, but because it is an Angelo country like the US it should be relatively easy to make an entrance.
I agree with Alyse, the Netherlands would be a great place to work in- however, I do say that as a European citizen. However, I do really appreciate their laid back approach and sense of humor, which is likely to create a less intense atmosphere in which to work (although hopefully not too easy going). In addition to this, they are an English-speaking nation, meaning that there should not be too much of a language barrier to overcome (aside from the different dialects). Furthermore, there is the small attraction of Amsterdam, which is widely regarded as a place in which people can unwind & have fun(without getting carried away of course), thus making the Netherlands one of the most attractive countries in which to do business, enjoy life and be successful.
I think that due to their relaxed business environment while still keeping a strict business plan, the Netherlands would be an awesome place to do business. The people seem to be really friendly and laid back. Also, organization is very important in their society which means that they are not all about work but like have leisure time.
I agree with Qahir and Alyse in that it sounds like a great place to work. It seems as if their culture is able to have a nice balance between business and leisure in the workplace. I believe that is important when doing business abroad, to ease the culture shock and to make it a bit more enjoyable for all parties involved.
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