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Denmark |
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Facts and Statistics
Location: Northern Europe bordering Germany 68 km Capital: Copenhagen Climate: temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers Population: 5,413,392 (July 2004 est.) Ethnic Make-up: Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, Muslim 2% Government: constitutional monarchy |
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The Danish Language
Over 98% of the population speak Danish. German is recognised as an official regional language in the Nord-Schleswig region that borders Germany, where it is spoken by 23,000 people, about 0.4% of the 5.2m Danish population. Greenlandic, an Inuit language, is spoken by 0.1% of the population. Danish Society & Culture Egalitarianism in Danish Society Denmark is an egalitarian society. . Interestingly this is reflected in their language, which employs gender-neutral words. . Most Danes are modest about their own accomplishments and are more concerned about the group than their own individual needs. . Maternity and paternity leave provisions are particularly generous in Denmark. . Men are more actively involved in child-rearing activities than in many countries, although the division of domestic chores is similar to other developed countries. Women in Danish Society . Women are highly respected in business and generally receive equal pay and have access to senior positions. . Working mothers can easily arrange flexible hours so that they can maintain both a career and a family. . Danish women expect to be treated with respect in the office. Proper Public Behaviour . Danes believe there is one proper way in which to act in any given circumstance. . If someone is not following the rules, be they written or merely understood, someone will generally speak up and admonish them to obey the accepted protocol. . They expect courteous behaviour from everyone. . Talk in moderate tones and do not do anything to call attention to yourself. Danish Family Values . Most families are small. . The nuclear family is the centre of the social structure. . Children are raised to be independent from an early age. . Most are put in day care centres at about 1 years old. . Marriage is not a prerequisite to starting a family. Many couples live together without legalizing the arrangement with marriage. Etiquette & Customs in Denmark Meeting Etiquette . Greetings are casual, with a firm handshake, direct eye contact, and a smile. . Shake hands and say good-bye individually when arriving or departing. . Shake hands with women first. . Danes tend to introduce themselves with their first names. Gift Giving Etiquette . Danes give gifts to family and close friends for birthdays and Christmas. . If invited to a Danish home for dinner, bring flowers, good quality chocolates or good quality wine. A bouquet of mixed wildflowers makes an excellent gift. . Flowers should be wrapped. . If you are invited to dinner or a party, it is polite to send flowers in advance of the event. . Red wrapping paper is always a good choice. . Gifts are opened when received. Dining Etiquette If invited to a Danish home: . Arrive on time. Danes are punctual in both business and social situations. . Check to see if you should remove your shoes before entering the house. . Contact the hostess ahead of time to see if she would like you to bring a dish. . Offer to help the hostess with the preparation or clearing up after a meal is served. . Danes enjoy showing off their homes since they have usually done the decorating themselves and are proud of their accomplishments. Therefore, they are happy when you ask for a tour of their house. . Do not discuss business. Watch your table manners! . Wait to be told where to sit. There may be a seating plan. . Table manners are Continental -- hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating. . Always keep your hands visible when eating. Keep your wrists resting on the edge of the table. . Try everything. . Expect to be offered second helpings. You may refuse without offending your hosts. . Finish everything on your plate. Danes do not like wasting food. . When you have finished eating, place your knife and fork across your plate with the tines facing up and the handles turned to the right. . The man seated to the left of the hostess generally offers a toast of thanks during the dessert course. . Do not begin eating until the host toasts with 'Skol'. . When toasting, raise your glass about eye level and make eye contact with the people seated closest to you. Business Etiquette and Protocol in Denmark Meeting Etiquette . Appointments are necessary. . Confirm appointments in writing. . Initial correspondence should be made to the company and not an individual. . Do not try to schedule meetings from mid June through mid August as many Danes are on vacation. . You should arrive at meetings on time. The Danes you are meeting will be punctual. . Telephone immediately if you will be detained more than 5 minutes. . Shake hands with everyone upon arriving and leaving. Handshakes should be very firm and rather short. Maintain eye contact while being introduced. Always shake hands with women first. . Business cards are exchanged. Your business card should have the physical address of your company and not a post office box. . Danes use their professional title and their surname. If someone does not have a professional title, use Herr (Mister), Fru (Misses) or Froken (Miss). Danes move to first names quickly. Nonetheless, wait to be invited before using someone's first name. Business Negotiation . Send an agenda before the meeting and work from it without deviation. . Decisions are made after consulting with everyone involved. . Presentations should be well-organized and factual. Use facts, figures and charts to back up statements and conclusions. . Maintain eye contact while speaking. . There will be a minimal amount of small talk. Danes prefer to get down to business quickly. . Communication is direct. Being a Manager in Denmark Effective cross cultural management will bear in mind that the Danes like to treat all people with equal respect and deference. Avoid "hard sell" techniques and use direct communication without hyperbole or superlatives. Focus on arriving for meetings punctually and making the most productive use of the available time. Danes like to get down to the business at hand as swiftly and efficiently as possible. They generally say what they think and expect others to do the same. The Role of a Manager Cross cultural management needs to recognize that Danes value the specialized knowledge that employees at all levels bring. In Denmark, as in most egalitarian cultures, positions of authority are earned largely on the basis of individual achievement and people at all levels of the organization, while respecting authority, are free to aspire to those positions. The role of the leader is to harness the talent of the group assembled, and develop any resulting synergies. The leader will be deferred to as the final authority in any decisions that are made, but they do not dominate the discussion or generation of ideas. Praise should be given to the entire group as well as to individuals. Approach to Change Denmark’s intercultural adaptability and readiness for change is developing all the time. Denmark is seen to have a medium tolerance for change and risk. It is important for innovations to have a track record or history noting the benefits if they are to be accepted and implemented. The fear of exposure, and the potential of embarrassment that may accompany failure, brings about aversion to risk. Because of this attitude, intercultural sensitivity is going to be required, especially when conducting group meetings and discussing contributions made my participating individuals. Approach to Time and Priorities Denmark is a controlled-time culture, and adherence to schedules is important and expected. In Denmark missing a deadline is a sign of poor management and inefficiency, and will shake people’s confidence. People in controlled-time cultures tend to have their time highly scheduled, and it’s generally a good idea to provide and adhere to performance milestones. Effective cross-culture management skill will depend on the individual’s ability to meet deadlines. Decision Making Companies are relatively flat with few hierarchical layers. Managers do not flaunt their positions and prefer to be seen as members of the team. Although not as group focused as some other cultures, employees often subjugate their desires for the good of the group. Managers generally act as coordinators or team leaders rather than autocratic micro-managers. They are task-oriented and emphasize achieving a goal, productivity and profits. They expect their employees to do their job in a professional manner. Danes are often quite comfortable working in teams and do not expect to be singled out for their contribution. Cross cultural management needs to understand the Danes fundamental belief in an egalitarian society. This means they support a participative management style. Most employees are members of a union. The pay scales for the same job are relatively equal across companies, so employees seldom move companies in an attempt to secure more pay or perquisites. Boss or Team Player? The role of the leader is to harness the talent of the group assembled, and develop any resulting synergies. The leader will be deferred to as the final authority in any decisions that are made, but they do not dominate the discussion or generation of ideas. Praise should be given to the entire group as well as to individuals. Communication and Negotiation Styles Cross cultural communication should be relatively straight forward when dealing with the Danes. They like to get down to business quickly and are direct and frank communicators. They are detail-oriented and negotiations are normally carried out in a reserved and polite manner. Decisions are normally made after consulting with everyone involved. Links and Information about Denmark * Currency - the currency of Denmark is the Krone. Use the free currency converter to compare to dollars, GBP or Euro. * Weather - visit Yahoo!'s up to date Weather for Denmark. * News - check out all the latest Google news on Denmark. * Dialing Code - the international dialing code is +45. * Time - Denmark is +1 hours GMT. Get the time in Denmark now. * History - read about the long and rich Danish history. * Hotels - for accomodation see Hotels in Denmark. |
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