Going into a new market with a product is a challenge for any salesperson. New markets, especially international markets, have an endless amount of different strategies to use for all of the different countries in the world. Going into Germany to sell laptops seems like a good idea after looking into Germany’s culture and comparing their culture with the United States culture. It is important to be self-aware of one’s own values and culture. Going forward, this paper will identify the key parts of Germany culture and the usefulness laptops would have in German culture.
Cultural Analysis
Germany is a country that has a low level of power distance. This means that there is not much of a “chain in command” style of culture in this country. The country is “highly decentralized and supported by a strong middle class” (Geert-Hofstede, para. 3). When introducing laptops into Germany, there is not really a need to reach out to the upper class because the upper class does not the power to influence the purchasing power of the lower class (Geert-Hofstede). …show more content…
Even though Germany is an individualistic culture, it must be stated that individualism is extremely high in the United States. When entering Germany, a US businessperson should understand the context on how individualistic or collectivist the country is. It just so happens that Germany is also individualistic. The same idea of “self-actualization” is believed to be true in Germany. It should also be noted that people from Germany are honest and respect it if others are honest. Geert-Hofstede says it best when it says Germans are “honest, even if it hurts” (Geert-Hofstede, para. 5). When selling laptops in Germany, it would be best to look at the individuals needs and how they can improve themselves by buying the product. Giving honest information about the product being introduced will be respected