A little view about germany
Germany is one of the strongest countries in the world in terms of economy and politics. This is why there are so many entrepreneurs who choose to expand their business in this country. You need to be well-prepared, because developing your business in Germany will also require a lot of research before. Entering on the German territory can be a tough step, especially because their culture is pretty different from ours. Before we begin to talk about the economic part, let’s have a view on how German culture looks like. It is important to know that for keeping your business on a high scale, you need to know the citizens of a country.
When it comes to Germans’ values you need to remember three words: structure, privacy and punctuality. Germans are very strict regards punctuality and they will not be happy to wait for you. If you will plan an appointment with them, you need to make sure that you will be on time. Being late will not only make a bad impression, but this thing can really affect your possible future partnership. Germans also prefer to keep the discussions private and serious. This preference needs to be remembered, mostly because here comes a cultural difference. We, as Romanians, may like to have open and friendly discussions and even make some little jokes to keep the atmosphere relaxed. On the other side, Germans may consider that as an offense and they may not take your business seriously. Be careful with your words and keep a professional attitude. This will bring them the feeling that you can be a trustworthy person who can build a strong and long-lasting partnership.
germany’s culture
The first main word that I have mentioned is the structure. German people’s lives need to be as calendars. This is the way they work. Germans need to have everything planned, especially when it is about businesses. They will expect to see that you have a whole plan for developing your business in their zone. Get ready to create a map with every detail about your business and your expectations. Don’t hesitate to even write all the future ups and downs and every possible scenario that may happen.
A well-structured process will bring them the security that you know what you have to do. Another meaningful aspect is the language. As you probably know, the spoken language in Germany is of course German. The problem is that German is not only the most used language there, but it is also necessary if you want to sell products to Germans. Most of them don’t speak English and some of them refuse to speak it even if they can. This thing will become a border when you want to get in touch with them. This is why you may consider to start learning some German or hire someone that can help you. No matter what you choose, just make sure you will not count 100% on your English skills. Germans can be skeptical or even underestimate you for not knowing their language.
(https://www.livescience.com/44007-german-culture.html, Date: 18.01.2020, Hour: 23:05, Date of the publication: March 2018)
how to make business?
As an entrepreneur, it might be hard to adapt to every culture where you want to start deliver your services. However it is impossible to make time to be informed about every type of cultures. That is why is important to know what you need to search in order to fit with a different culture. Every country has its own values and main things that make it look different. For Germans, formality is the key word. For them, formality is a way to show respect and responsibility. Maybe you wonder how is it possible to change yourself in order to fit with their culture? It is not about changing yourself, but adapting to the situation. Maintain your values and beliefs, but hide them in front of your partners.
If you want to have a successful business you need to put yourself in your client’s shoes. You need to begin thinking from their perspective and understanding their values and point of view. Choosing to expand your business abroad brings not only professional advantages, but also personal ones. The ability to think from the others’perspective is very useful for your career.
It may be harder to get close to Germans and the process for your future partnership may last longer. But once it is arranged, it will stay for a lifetime. Germans are known as cold people and they will not accept somebody new too quickly. But once they make the decision to accept your partnership, be sure that this one will be a long one.
(https://www.expatica.com/de/about/culture-history/understanding-german-culture-a-starting-point-107006/, Date 19.01.2020, Hour 13:01, Date of the publication 6.11.2019)
the economy of the country
Now that we have seen the characteristics of the Germans we can enter in our field of interest: expanding your business in Germany. Germany is literally the base of Europe’s economy and 4th biggest country in terms of economic development in the world. At the end of 2019, because of the Brexit Case without any agreement, Germany has suffered an economic deceleration.
Germany has proved one more time that despite all these things it is an economic power. In 2020 it still will not borrow any amount of money from other countries. It is important to add that the country has registered a positive economic growth in the past 9 years and 47% of its GNP comes from its exports. Germany has all the resources and power to overcome the most unexpected events. Most of the other countries depend on it. As a new producer in German market, you need to be aware of the fact that Germany combines technology with tradition.
As an international power, Germany’s citizens should be huge fans of all the new technologies. You may be surprised to find out that TV is still the most used information tool by the citizens. As a well-known country, Germany wants to maintain its culture and values. Germans use technology in order to improve the quality of their life without giving up on their traditional wealth. No matter what kind of services you are planning to sell, keep in mind that Germans work with useful products. They need efficiency, not only a good-looking toy. Convince them that your services can improve their lifestyle without giving up on anything that is part of their culture.
(https://republica.ro/germania-recesiunea-tehnica-si-calmul-ministrului-de-finante, Date 19.01.2020, Hour 18:43, Date of the publication 18.12.2019)
As an economic bomb, all the sectors in Germany are well developed, so you don’t need to be worried about this aspect. But as every country, there are some geographical issues where you should pay attention. For example in the South of Germany you may find a lack of trained technical staff. In the East of Germany, the unemployment level is higher than in other regions. So it is good to search for these aspects before you decide where is the best place to launch your business.
(https://www.startupoverseas.co.uk/expanding-a-business-in-germany, Date 19.01.2020, Hour 19:02)
the legal procedures
The last part, but one of the most important is the rules that you need to know when you are going to start expanding your business in Germany. Even if the reasons for choosing this country were simple, the actual work for developing your company there will not be easy at all. Depending on the area where you want to place your business, there are different local regulations and rules that you need to know about. As a general fact, you may be surprised to find out that only around a third of the population own credit cards and most of them prefer not to use credit cards for online transactions.
I chose Germany as the first country to talk about, because of its economic power around the world, especially in Europe. As an entrepreneur, it is very important to target the main powerful economic countries because the probability of your success will be higher. Do not get me wrong. There are plenty of less-developed countries where your business can have a huge profit, but we need to prioritize the best ones. Before putting your idea into practice, be sure you have the basic information about the country. In order to have success, you need to know the clients and their preferences. This can be the hardest part because adapting to another culture is overwhelming. The rest of the process will require a lot of time too, but at least there are strict and clear rules that you just need to follow.
As a bonus for reading the whole article and having the curiosity to explore the German culture, I will provide you with a link that includes the legal procedures that you need to follow for establishing your business in Germany. You may have a big interest to read them, if you decided that Germany is a good start for you.
(https://www.basch-consult.com/blog/entering-the-german-market, Date 19.01.2020, Hour 19:23)
Author:
My name is Ioana Sima and I am student at Academy of Economic Studies, Business Administration in German language. I am a friendly person, I like to meet new people and places, which is why traveling is one of my passions. I am a creative person and in the future I would like to use my passion for writing and turn it into a real job.
