You will conduct a Hofstede Analysis of the nation you selected (GREECE) for the Business Cultural Dimensions Analysis Assignment and compare that with a Hofstede Analysis of the USA

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Business Cultural Dimensions Analysis Assignment: Greece

Introduction

The state of Greece is situated close to Southeastern Europe and is home to 11 million people. Greece is a member of many international organizations, including the United Nations and the European Union (Maris et al., 2021). Both sandy beaches and hilly terrain may be found in Greece. As a result, the country is a well-liked destination for vacationers. They come from across the world and are a source of revenue for businesses around the nation. There is a considerable number of businesses that are active in Greece. Most businesses result from international mergers with other enterprises (Maris et al., 2021). Mergers or other businesses operating in Greece need to gain an understanding of Greece's cultural characteristics. The first step in effectively managing successful global strategic partnerships is gaining an awareness of the role that a country's demographics play in that nation's economy. It will be of assistance in the creation of plans to pursue successful overseas operations with Greece.

Research Question 1: What are this region's major elements and dimensions of culture?

Dimension of Culture: Communication

Communication is the most crucial ability to have when doing business on a global scale. A crucial component of commercial and international success is proper and concise communication between various corporate partners (Sidiropoulou, 2019). Differences in the country, organizational culture, and language limitations may hurt a company's performance regarding international commercial connections. The use of wide linguistic varieties might be a barrier to communication (Sidiropoulou, 2019). The use of rude or unsuitable words that may have alternative connotations in cultures other than our own. It can be as well as speaking languages that are not native to our country are examples of dialects. When it comes to significant commercial relationships, misunderstandings and broken lines of communication may be disastrous. This is because it may cause a business transaction or relationship to end. Around 11 million individuals in Greece can communicate fluently in the country's official language (Sidiropoulou, 2019). English is also commonly spoken and is studied in Greek schools beginning at a young age. English enables younger generations to communicate more effectively with English-speaking guests. On the other hand, members of older generations could not speak or comprehend English, which might make communication difficult.

Dimension of Culture: Religion

The religious experience of one's founders may benefit their business efforts in developing countries. There are several contexts in which religious views and authentic spirituality may strongly correlate with economic expansion. Commercial activity is the primary variable in these contexts (Zelekha et al., 2014). It has been shown that religious orientation and value-based attitudes are associated with greater levels of commercial activity. The concept of market fairness best shows the significance of fundamental religion for consumer actions and attitudes. The evident and entire divinity of the Eastern Orthodox Churches cannot be understood without the contribution of Greek Orthodoxy (Zelekha et al., 2014). The structure of Orthodox churches is similar to that of local areas, and they have not developed into distinct and autonomous organizations. The church members remain in complete connection with one another and adhere to the same religious and liturgical practices in public settings. The moral and spiritual principles upheld by Greek Orthodoxy may impact the organizational and managerial approaches used in the corporate world (Zelekha et al., 2014). When combined with communities of ethnic minorities and immigrants, particularly religious groups have the potential to become the primary entrepreneurial network for developing new businesses. When it comes to assisting corporate activities, these networks could support various social purposes. It is most apparent when connections that are beneficial to one's reputation are cultivated (Zelekha et al., 2014). Increasing one's modesty, optimism, selflessness, and compassion in the workplace are all aspects of Eastern Orthodox thought comparable to those of other spiritually based schools of thought. The concept of "caring for each conceivable shareholder" is at the heart of the Greek Orthodox Church's approach to business (Zelekha et al., 2014). It is along with embracing otherness and valuing foreigners. There is a possibility that Greek Orthodoxy, as a cultural impact, will be favorable to the commercial interests of minority ethnic groups in Greece. The support network provided by the church welcomes newly arrived immigrants and helps them to assimilate themselves successfully into their new social surroundings.

Dimension of Culture: Ethics

When it concerns commerce in a culture, a solid understanding of the ethical norms governing that culture is an essential first step; ethical standards reveal a great deal about the objectives and ideals of a nation (Palmer, 2020). Greece is one of the world's oldest civilizations. Greece is the country that laid the groundwork for both contemporary thinking on the topic of ethics and ethical philosophy in general (Palmer, 2020). During the holiday season, it is common practice in Greece to show appreciation to one's most loyal customers by sending them a gift. Some examples of presents are a bottle of wine, a box of chocolates, or both. The specific monetary amount of the present and the number of times a person is given the gift constitutes the ethical dilemma (Palmer, 2020). Bribery is another problem with Greece's ethical standards. Small payments, often made to intermediaries in return for special privileges, may be considered bribery (Evason, 2019). However, bribery can also refer to more significant cash payments to public officials who are permitted to influence policy. The Greeks' ethical attitudes and standards are seen through the lens of their religious beliefs (Evason, 2019). Their religious beliefs heavily influence their perspective on ethics and how they should treat others in interpersonal and professional interactions.

Dimension of Culture: Values and Attitudes

In Greece, women continue to face obstacles in terms of undervaluation and underrepresentation. There are misconceptions about their capacity to lead and manage others, and these misconceptions are unfavorable (Pavlides & Hesser, 2019). In Greece, there are hardly any women who hold positions of authority. Compared to their female counterparts, Greek male students are more likely to possess negative stereotyped sentiments. The male-dominated culture of contemporary Greece is seen to be the origin of gender-based prejudices against women who hold high managerial positions (Pavlides & Hesser, 2019). There has yet to be a decision, institutional framework, or coordinated effort to eliminate the negative perceptions of women in management professions.

Dimension of Culture: Business Manners and Customs

Greek culture provides guidelines for appropriate methods of doing business. Due to the significance that Greeks place on family and personal relationships, most prefer doing business with someone they know and can put their faith in (Evason, 2019). The Greek people adhere to more traditional conceptions of democracy and dignity. Ideas are often vigorously debated during meetings. Nevertheless, visitors from other countries should use caution while disagreeing with a local employee (Evason, 2019). The issue must be resolved in a manner that does not portray the other person negatively. When it comes to personnel and their levels of seniority, experience and respect are two factors that are highly valued in the Greek corporate sector (Evason, 2019). When they are together, close friends often embrace and kiss one another. People who try to communicate with the Greeks in their tongues are welcomed with open arms.

Tradition has a vital role in the culture of Greece. They hold ceremonies to pay respect to their ancestors, parties in honor of their yearly holidays, and festivities to let loose (Karampampas, 2020). Every year, there are also customary festivals that take place as a commemoration of important historical figures or events. For instance, a celebration known as Name Day is held for those given their names after a religious figure (Karampampas, 2020). The Greeks revere Easter as the most significant of all of their holidays. On the Friday before Easter, the Epitaphios is paraded through the streets of the Greek villages, followed by a deconsecrated church. This is a time of sadness and grief. Most of Greece's publishing firms are still family-owned and -operated businesses (Karampampas, 2020). The continuity of management across several generations adds value to their approach. A publishing firm may take its name from the family name of its founder, who may still be the business owner (Karampampas, 2020). The economy of Greece has benefited from the mergers and acquisitions that have taken place between Greek media businesses and publishing houses. This may make it easier for the publishing business to attract more significant amounts of investment.

Dimension of Culture: Social Structures

It is well known that Greek society has a robust family system and a relatively low incidence of crime. The immediate family, as well as the duty put on family members to offer support for one another, is of the highest significance (Tsatsanis et al., 2018). Greek society is characterized by the intense compulsion to be committed and loyal to various groups and associations. It is one of the defining characteristics of Greek society. This is a result of the collectivist structure of the culture, which encourages the formation of large extended families and groups in which each individual has responsibility for the collective (Tsatsanis et al., 2018). In addition, people in Greece are respectful to those in positions of power. This is of utmost significance while considering the hierarchical nature of social connections in Greek society. The growth of the middle class as a component of the evolution of Greek society after the conclusion of World War II has had only a marginal impact on the primacy of the family in that culture (Tsatsanis et al., 2018). Greek family law underwent significant revisions in the 1980s due to new legislation. The same year religious marriage was legalized, the government also legalized civil marriage. Although the dowry system has been abolished, weddings are occasionally considered economic ties in some theoretical sense. (Tsatsanis et al., 2018) It became much simpler to get a dissolution, and the traditionally prominent role that the father had in the family was diminished.

Research Question 2: How are these elements and dimensions integrated by locals conducting business in the nation?

Dimension of Culture: Communication

The Greeks place a higher priority on face-to-face connection and personal relationships. The priority is more significant than phone conversations or correspondence in writing. They want to develop solid and long-lasting ties to network in the future (Kottika et al., 2020). Since of this, first impressions are of the utmost significance because they have the potential to shape the trajectory of a commercial relationship. They also foster a constructive rapport with potential collaborators. When two businesspeople meet for the first time, they should shake hands firmly. When doing business with a Greek firm, it is best to visit with company representatives in person rather than communicate through email or the phone (Kottika et al., 2020). When doing business with Greek companies, the appropriate business clothing is different. Most smaller organizations favor a more casual dress code, whereas more giant corporations often demand employees to wear traditional business clothes. During first encounters with potential allies, it is customary to require foreigners to present themselves in a businesslike manner (Kottika et al., 2020). The most usual form of formal business greeting when meeting with Greek partners is to shake hands with both men and women. It has been determined that one of the most practical aspects of communicating in Greece is keeping constant eye contact with the other person (Koutoupis & Pappa, 2018). In the United States, giving someone a thumbs-up is seen as a sign of acceptance or affirmation; in Greece, however, it may be seen as a sexual insult. In addition, they indicate a negative response by shaking their head and a positive one by nodding their head (Koutoupis & Pappa, 2018). Since this is the reverse of how Americans think, getting familiar with the difference is crucial before beginning any commercial relationship so that misunderstandings do not arise.

Dimension of Culture: Religion

The religious experience of one's founders may benefit their business efforts in developing markets. There are several contexts in which religious views and fundamental religiosity may positively correlate with economic expansion (Zelekha et al., 2014). It has been shown that religious orientation and value-based attitudes are associated with greater levels of commercial activity. The concept of market fairness best shows the significance of fundamental religion for consumer actions and attitudes. The evidence and divinity of the Eastern Orthodox Churches are incomplete without including Greek Orthodoxy as an essential component. The structure of Orthodox churches is similar to that of local communities, and they have not developed into distinct and autonomous organizations (Zelekha et al., 2014). The church members remain in complete communion with one another and adhere to the same religious and worship practices in public settings. The moral and spiritual principles upheld by Greek Orthodoxy may impact the organizational and managerial approaches used in the corporate world (Zelekha et al., 2014). When combined with communities of ethnic minorities and immigrants, particularly religious groups have the potential to become the primary entrepreneurial network for developing new businesses. These networks may serve a wide variety of social purposes in the process of assisting commercial activities. It is mainly via the development of connections that enhance reputation, obtaining social gain, access to knowledge and essential property, and establishing social gain (Zelekha et al., 2014). There is a possibility that Greek Orthodoxy, as a cultural relevance, will be favorable to the commercial interests of minority ethnic groups in Greece. The support network provided by the church welcomes newly arrived immigrants and helps them to integrate themselves successfully into their new social surroundings.

Dimension of Culture: Ethics

Greece is one of the world's oldest societies and is responsible for laying the groundwork for ethical philosophy and current thinking on business ethics. The present ethics are based on the suggestions of thinkers such as Aristotle (Palmer, 2020). Since the dawn of the new century, there has been a shortage of contemporary writing in Greece that is focused on the subjects of ethics and social responsibility. During the holiday season, it is common practice in Greece to show appreciation to one's most loyal customers by sending them a gift. Some examples of presents are a bottle of wine, a box of chocolates, or both (Evason, 2019). The specific monetary amount of the present and the number of times a person is given the gift constitutes the ethical dilemma. Bribery is another problem with Greece's ethical standards. Small quantities of money, often paid to intermediaries in return for preferential treatment, might be considered bribery. It is also possible to refer to a more substantial payment made to a government official with the authority to change legislation (Evason, 2019). When looking for employment, it is common practice for individuals in Greece to utilize networking. Being hired chiefly depends on the people you are acquainted with. This unethical conduct is unjust to the other applicants who applied for the position and may be more competent than the one offered (Evason, 2019). The ethical behavior of Greek consumers has been enhanced due to the presence of businesses owned by foreign corporations. These firms, such as ethical business guidelines with regulations and the conventional code of conduct, have implemented regulations and policy techniques.

Dimension of Culture: Values and Attitudes

In Greece, there are hardly any women who hold positions of authority. In the business sector of Greece, a rising number of women have been hired by enterprises. Women are primarily employed in temporary roles or as managers at lower levels (Pavlides & Hesser, 2019). There has been a recent uptick in the number of young Greek women enrolling in business management programs to acquire the experience and education required to further their careers and become company managers. Although some women can get a greater level of education than certain men, they are nevertheless more likely to be employed in lower-level managerial jobs than men (Pavlides & Hesser, 2019). Males, not women, run huge enterprises in Greece, and there are no female CEOs. After graduating from college, the likelihood that Greek men will be able to get critical positions as corporate managers are growing much greater than the likelihood that Greek women will do so. The male-dominated culture of contemporary Greece is seen to be the origin of gender-based prejudices against women who hold high managerial positions (Samanta & Lamprakis, 2018). There has yet to be a decision, institutional framework, or coordinated effort to eliminate the negative perceptions associated with women who hold management professions.

Dimension of Culture: Business Manners and Customs

Greek culture provides guidelines for appropriate methods of doing business. Greeks have a high regard for family and personal relationships. Therefore, most Greeks prefer doing business with someone they know and can put their faith (Karampampas, 2020). When doing business with a Greek firm, it is best to visit with company representatives in person rather than communicate through email or the phone. The Greek people adhere to more traditional conceptions of democracy and dignity. Ideas are often vigorously debated during meetings (Karampampas, 2020).

Nevertheless, visitors from other countries should use caution while disagreeing with a local employee. The issue must be resolved in a manner that does not portray the other person negatively. When it comes to personnel and their levels of seniority, experience and respect are two factors that are highly valued in the Greek corporate sector. When doing business with Greek companies, the appropriate business clothing is different (Karampampas, 2020). Most smaller organizations favor a more casual dress code, whereas more giant corporations often demand employees to wear traditional business clothes. During first encounters with potential allies, it is customary to require foreigners to present themselves in a businesslike manner. Given the dominance of the Greek Orthodox Church in society, it is recommended that female visitors to Greece dress modestly while attending professional events (Karampampas, 2020). The most usual form of formal business greeting when dealing with Greek partners is to shake hands with both the men and the women present. When they are together, close friends often embrace and kiss one another.

Dimension of Culture: Social Structures

The majority of communication in Greece takes place inside social organizations arranged hierarchically. People only have a conversation after first being aware of or having some level of comprehension of the organization's hierarchical social structure. When engaging with Greek companies, it is essential to have a solid grasp of this social framework to minimize any potential for confusion, misunderstanding, or insult. (Tsatsanis et al., 2018) In Greek corporate culture, hierarchy plays a vital role, and one's standing is determined by age and position. In most cases, participants in meetings, even those with lesser ranks, are given a chance to share their views (Evason, 2019). Nevertheless, the person with the highest position has the last say in all matters of judgment, and they have complete control over such matters of choice. The substitution of the household with the institution leads to Greek managers acting like dads inside the organization and motivating workers to strive toward benefiting the group rather than the individual (Maris et al., 2021). This is because the organization has replaced the family. The importance of one's family in Greek society is well recognized. The immediate family, as well as the duty put on family members to offer support for one another, is of the highest significance.

References

Bennett, T. (2015). Cultural studies and the culture concept. Cultural Studies, 29(4), 546–568. https://doi.org/10.1080/09502386.2014.1000605

Evason, N. (2019). Greek culture – business culture. Cultural Atlas. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/greek-culture/greek-culture-business-culture

Karampampas, P. (2020). (re)inventing intangible cultural heritage through the market in Greece. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 27(6), 654–667. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2020.1844277

Kottika, E., Özsomer, A., Rydén, P., Theodorakis, I. G., Kaminakis, K., Kottikas, K. G., & Stathakopoulos, V. (2020). We survived this! What managers could learn from SMEs who successfully navigated the Greek economic crisis. Industrial Marketing Management, 88, 352–365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.05.021

Koutoupis, A., & Pappa, E. (2018). Corporate governance and internal controls: A case study from Greece. Journal of Governance and Regulation, 7(2), 91–99. https://doi.org/10.22495/jgr_v7_i2_p8

Maris, G., Sklias, P., & Maravegias, N. (2021). The political economy of the Greek economic crisis in 2020. European Politics and Society, 23(4), 447–467. https://doi.org/10.1080/23745118.2021.1895552

Palmer, J. (2020). Ethics and natural philosophy in Empedocles. Early Greek Ethics, 54–73. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198758679.003.0005

Pavlides, E., & Hesser, J. A. N. A. (2019). Women’s roles and house form and decoration in Eressos, Greece. Gender and Power in Rural Greece, 68–96. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvcmxs7q.9

Samanta, I., & Lamprakis, A. (2018). Modern leadership types and outcomes: The case of the greek public sector. Management Journal of Contemporary Management Issues, 23(1), 173–191. https://doi.org/10.30924/mjcmi/2018.23.1.173

Sidiropoulou, M. (2019). Communicating crisis through English-greek translation. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 48(6), 575–588. https://doi.org/10.1080/17475759.2019.1690555

Tsatsanis, E., Andreadis, I., & Teperoglou, E. (2018). Populism from below: Socio-economic and ideological correlates of mass attitudes in Greece. South European Society and Politics, 23(4), 429–450. https://doi.org/10.1080/13608746.2018.1510635

Zelekha, Y., Avnimelech, G., & Sharabi, E. (2014). Religious institutions and entrepreneurship. Small Business Economics, 42(4), 747–767. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-013-9496-6

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