[Summary] Dealing with the Dutch by Jacob Vossestein - chapter 2 to 14, excludes 13
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Course
Communication and Culture Dutch
Institution
Hogeschool Utrecht (HU)
Book
Dealing with the Dutch
This is the summary of the book "Dealing with the Dutch" by Jacob Vossestein, used for "Communication and Culture Dutch". The summary excludes chapter 1 (which was written in another summary) and chapter 13 (which is only 1-2 pages in the real book). I hope this summary will help you in understandi...
International Business and Management Studies / IB
Communication and Culture Dutch
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Table of Contents
CHAPTER 2: HIERARCHY AND THE DUTCH PROBLEM WITH IT...........................................................1
CHAPTER 3: HIERARCHIAL ISSUES IN THE WORKPLACE.....................................................................2
CHAPTER 4: DIRECTNESS AND CRITICISM..........................................................................................3
CHAPTER 5: PRAGMATIC, RATIONAL AND MONEY-MINDED.............................................................3
CHAPTER 6: PROCEDURES AND PLANNING.......................................................................................4
CHAPTER 7: THE PLEASURE SOCIETY – TOLERANT OR INDIFFERENT?................................................5
CHAPTER 8: NATIONALISM AND THE INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK.....................................................5
CHAPTER 9: ON GENDER, GENERATIONS AND PERSONAL RELATIONS ..............................................6
CHAPTER 10: ON ETHNIC ISSUES AND MULTI-CULTURAL SOCIETY....................................................7
CHAPTER 11: REGIONS AND RANDSTAD...........................................................................................7
CHAPTER 12: THE NETHERLANDS: A COUNTRY UNDERGOING PROFOUND CHANGES .......................8
CHAPTER 14: FACTS AND FIGURES....................................................................................................9
Chapter 2: Hierarchy and the Dutch problem with it
- There seems to be no “hierarchy” at all: people normally call each other by their first
names, even from people of younger age to the older, at work or at school (except for some
very formal situations).
- Students’ attitudes towards study and grades: they only study enough to pass their exams
- Customer service: in the restaurants, hardly do the waiters and waitresses approach you
first, lengthy working processes and procedures.
,- There is still competition, but Dutch people take it easily: “What’s the point of being rich,
when you don’t even have time to enjoy it?”
- People’s perception about the social classes: everyone should receive equal respect, no
matter how much your salary is and which job you are doing. People with outstanding
achievements should be complimented, but those people should not be arrogant and
expect others to treat them differently.
- The tax system is divided according to personal income, rich people have to pay more tax
to help lower incomers.
- The Netherlands has one of the highest taxations, but it also offers one of the best social
welfare in the world, thus, has never experienced poverty in the last 60 years.
Chapter 3: Hierarchial issues in the workplace
- Everyone is treated in the same way and holds the highest responsibility.
- Employees can disagree if they don’t think the same way with their managers.
- Colleagues are encouraged to help instead of competing with each other (feminine
culture)
- When there is a failure, people seek to find mistakes in the whole process, instead of
putting the blame on one individual or a group
- Managers are expected to be inspiring, and willing to listen and discuss, instead of walking
around and ordering their employees
- A good CV should be brief and detailed, and not boasting too much about irrelevant
experience.
- Each company (over 35 employees) has the OR, or Workers’ Council – the representative
of every worker in the company. The dismissal process is quite complicated, and employees
usually have 2 months to fight their dismissals in court. labour rules would protect the
rights of a “weaker party” – the employee.
, Chapter 4: Directness and criticism
1. Directness
- Go straight to the problem and not “beat around the bush”
- Rather say sth directly and save their time, instead of worrying too much about the
other person’s feelings
2. Criticism
- Prejudiced criticisms are not encouraged
- However, self-criticism or admitting your mistakes here is considered to be “a good
sign of strength and knowledge” and therefore should be encouraged
Chapter 5: Pragmatic, Rational and Money-minded
1. Rational
- Focus more on the content than the deliverer of the message, and usually demand
for quick response.
- Outside the circle of family and friends, every issue is rationally and unemotionally
dealt.
- Besides wanting every piece of information to be clear and straight-to-the-point,
Dutch people value commitments as well, and promises are taken seriously, instead
of just being casually made to satisfy other people
2. Pragmatic
- Plan everything ahead, and “nothing actually goes without careful planning”.
3. Money-minded
- They’d prefer something functional with proper price, and they value ”saving up”
rather than borrow money, over-spend and then owe the money to someone else.
Thus, supermarkets like Albert Heijn, Kruidvat,… offer bonus cards as an effective
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