Perception of time

APPOINTMENT TIME

· deals with issue of punctuality

· Germanic, Anglo, Scandinavian cultures – the perception of punctuality is strict

· The Middle Eastern, LA cultures – less urgency to appointment time

SCHEDULE TIME

· cultures where it is difficult to plan and control future – give much less importance to scheduling

· constant pressure on people to finish their job => Arab countries

· Anglo and Germanic culture - needling8 is interpreted as bad manners

DISCUSSION TIME

Individualist cultures (Anglo, Germanic, Central European):

· the main point is cover in as short time as possible

· the length of discussion depends on gravity of subject

Latin cultures:

· meetings, negotiations – longer

· the lengthening of the discussion time in order to develop relationship => good manners

Asian countries

· meeting, negotiations – long time

Interruptions and pauses in conversations:

· e.g. Scandinavians and the Japanese – pause of 3 up to 7 seconds between reactions during a conversations

ACQUITANCE TIME

· US, European countries - very short

· Arab cultures - with individual is more important than with the organization he/she represents

· longer => necessary to built a relationship of personal trust

MONOCHRONIC TIME vs. POLYCHRONIC TIME

Monochronic

· these culture perceive and use the time in a sequential and linear way

· Germanic cultures, Anglo-Saxons cultures

Polychronic

· the simultaneity of different activities

· priorities are given to individuals rather than to a well fixed programme

· time schedules – neglected11

· programmes, projects changed easily and frequently

· relationships and people – more important than the task

· punctuality is relative

· Latin cultures

Stance and distance

· Arabs – 45 cm

· Anglos, Czechs – distance more than 120-150cm

Touching

· Latins – touch each other during the conversations => never China, Scandinavian countries, Indonesia

· Europe, USA – firm handshake – strength of character

· Middle East – light handshake

Smiling

· Orientals – matter of etiquette

· Westerns – smile indicates pleasure, good humour

Czech business

Power distance: 44

Czechs – relatively tolerant; reserved

A personified, official authority x authority which is based on expert knowledge

Czechs respect only such power which at the same time represents a natural, social and moral authority with expert knowledge

3 types of employee:

passive

· do not express disagreement; try to be part of a loyal collective

rival

· self confidant expert

· heads of successful teams

· conflict character

critical

· critical evaluation

· is expected to be a fair partner

Sensitive balance between enforcing formal power and keeping informal authority

Power distance – part of everyday life in Czech society

· based on a relatively complicated network of informal social relations and rules of behaviour

Individualism: 67

- personal independence

- autonomy

- responsibility

- Czechs need to have part of their work time free for their private interests and rest

· tendency against collectivism

· preferences for organizations which have a tolerant, sensitive attitude to their staff and which at least partly create a home atmosphere

- collectivistic orientation – reflected in control mechanism

· the willingness of Czech to accept self-control is strongly influenced by the degree of identification with the company and co-workers

- CZECH CULTURE IS COMBINATION OF INDIVIDUALISM AND COLLECTIVISM

Masculinity: 42

· Czechs are more oriented towards feminine value

· non-conflict social relations

· tolerance

· solidarity

· the analysis results: the world of men and women in the Czech culture is divided in a relatively strict way

· the role of men and women in family - clearly defined

Man:

· head of family

· looks after the family from the material point of view

· oriented on: rationality, order, objectivity

· at work: managers, businessman, experts

Woman

· takes care of children, household

· oriented on: harmony, kindness, romance

· at work: position of secretaries, administrative workers