Danish Culture

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Danish Culture
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Danish Culture

• Introduction
• Facts
• History
• Culture
• Implications for U.S business people
• Summary

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Map
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Map
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Facts

• Geographical size 43,043 sq.km
• Population size 5.3 million
• Weather
• Humid and overcast mild, windy winters and cool
  summers
  
• Currency Danish Kroner (16.5 kr.)

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Facts

• GNPPurchasing parity 155.5 billion
• 29,000 per capita (USA 34,000 per capita)
• Primary industries
• agriculture 3 industry 26 services 71
• Goverment type Constitutional monarchy

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History

• Descendants of the Vikings
• The Worlds oldest existing monarchy
• At war with Sweden, Germany and England
• several times
• Invaded by Germany April 9th, 1940
• Joined Nato in 1949
• Joined EU in 1973

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National Icons

• H.C Andersen (1805-75)
• Søren Kierkegaard (1813-55)
• Niels Bohr (1885-1962)
• Queen Margrethe II (1940)
• The National Soccer Team
• Dannebrog

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Culture

• Roles and status
• Men and woman are considered equal
• Independent women, one of the worlds highest
  employment rates for women
  
• Janteloven Do not believe you are better than
  you fellow citizen
  
• Informal society, titles rarely used

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Culture

• Legal and Ethical Behaviors
• Bribes are almost non-existent, one of the lowest
  bribe rates the world
  
• Liberal judicial system, education instead of
  punishment
  
• Goverment constitutional monarchy
• Low crime-rates, strict gun-control

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Culture

• Femine Values
• Based on relationship
• Quality of life, work as a mean to gain leisure
  time (37 hours workweek, 5 weeks vacation as
  minimum)
  
• Welfare state Free schools and social security
• Large public sector highest tax rate in the
  world (40-70 income tax)
  
• Strong Unions
• Social-democratic values

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Culture

• Decision making
• Thoughtful decisionmaking based on analysis
• Flexibility and creativity is highly prioritized

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Culture

• Tolerence of Ambiguity
• Comfort
• People are not very orthodox
• Skeptical approach to authorities
• Church influence is weak

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Culture

• Power distance is low
• Decentralized power
• Independent employees are appreciated
• Knowledge based power
• Horizontal organizational structures
• Orders will be questioned, instead of followed
  right away
  

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Implication for US business people

• Danes are not as service minded as Americans
• Denmark is development country, when you look at
  the start-up of new companies and bussiness
  
• Irony and sarcasm big part of danish humour
• Arrogance not looked midly upon

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Implication for US business people

• The process from getting a business idea, and to
  getting it approved is long
  
• White socks are a no go
• Very informal clothing and behavior at both work
  and in society