Management Culture Being Canadian (or a Canuck !!!

) Saying somethingMaking a statement about another culture often involves stereotyping and, although stereotypes sometimes can come close to prejudice, they do often hold some truth as well !he "or e#ample, the essence of what makes the $ndians $ndian is the rooted in their culture and cultural heritage Culture heavily influences that determines what peoples% perceptions of justice, beauty, formality and time from a certain cultural group believe to be right or wrong, beautiful or ugly, what is considered on time and what is considered too late &nderstanding cultural differences starts begins with understanding your own cultural views and values $f, for e#ample, a 'utch person understands that his or her directness is not perceived as honest ( as it is in the )etherlands ( but as blunt or even impolite, blunt direct or even blunt by most many foreigners, this person is much more likely to be prepared for and comprehend cultural traits and differences he*she will likely encounter when working or doing business with other cultures "rom +,,- to ./// Canada was consecutively ranked first as The worlds best country to live in according to the &nited )ations% 0uman 'evelopment $nde#, an international study on living 1uality of life !his title is a reflection reflects the 1ualities and of the value many Canadians place on issues such as healthcare, education and poverty reduction values of the people composing the Canadian society Canadians are also known for their polite manners and openness towards strangers 'iversity is highly valued in Canada !his is reflected in !he Canadian Multicultural 2ct which went into effect in +,34 to preserve and enhance multiculturalism in Canada )early + in 4 Canadians were born abroad in over .// countries the Canadian workforce will be due to immigration immigration is so highly favoured in Canada By ./++, any growth in !his is one reason why

0ence most locals generally perceive

immigration and its economic impact as a positive phenomenon 'o not make the mistake of seeing &S52mericans and Canadians as one kind Canadians are known to be more formal and less direct than their Southern neighbours 6enerally, tact and a certain diplomatic discretion are highly valued characteristics, whereas open conflict and confrontation is perceived as rude and disrespectful Because of its diversity, and having a relatively small population spread over a very geographical area, there are also many differences between Canadians Most

obvious, perhaps, is the difference between 2nglophone Canada and "rancophone 7uebec Mind you, the difference between 7uebec and 8nglish5speaking Canada 9ith does not just apply to language 9hile 7uebec has the largest "rench speaking population outside of "rance, the differences e#tend well beyond language little in common culturally it is not difficult to understand how relations between "rench 7uebec and 8nglish5speaking Canada are problematic 7uebec has sought independence from Canada in the past and this has created significant tension at times 7uebec feels its differences and desires are not understood nor appreciated by the rest of the country $n comparison to the francophone part of the country, the 8nglish5speaking part, especially the 9est5coast, reminds visitors more of the &S 2t the 9est5coast you are likely to encounter less formality and a more straightforward manner 'o not make the mistake of seeing &S52mericans and Canadians as one kind Canadians are known to be more formal and less direct than their Southern neighbours disrespectful 6enerally, tact and diplomatic discretion are highly valued characteristics, whereas open conflict and confrontation is perceived as rude and

Organisational Structure 0ierarchy !he organisational structure of most Canadian companies tends to be rather flat 8mployees e#pect motivation and positive constructive feedback from their superiors !he individual is often seen as an e#pert in his of her field of e#pertise 0e*she will be assigned comparatively high responsibility 9hile employees generally act loyal toward their company, most business sectors in Canada are known to be rather competitive working environments Strategy 9ith concern to planning, Canadian people have a tendency to look just a little further ahead than &S52mericans usually do: however, planning is done on relatively short5term basis (; years ma#imum< compared to many )orthern 8uropean countries

Decision MTaking Process Meetings Meetings are scheduled in advance, although notice can be rather short !hey start on time: have a clearly defined purpose and agenda 2lthough meetings can take place in an informal and rela#ed manner, they are always serious in content "ormal introductions and ice5breaking sessions are short =eaders e#pect open dialogue among participants Before the meeting is adjourned, a list of actions is drawn up, accountability and responsibility are assigned, and, if appropriate, the ne#t meeting is scheduled )egotiations $t is essential to come well prepared to negotiations $f you are not entitled to make decisions yourself be sure you can follow up fairly 1uickly 'uring negotiations Canadians are open to input of all parties in order to find a solution together rather than force a particular idea through 'ecisions Canadians are less direct than &S52mericans and it may take some time before a decision is made or before a deal is closed Subordinates are allowed to take decisions after their manager%s approval

Conception of Time !ime >erception $t is essential to be on time, especially at meetings 2nd bBeing on time in Canada means being at the given spot at least +/ minutes before the actual meeting starts ?ffice hours are rather fle#ible Most Many offices are open from 3 // a m to @ p m , Monday to "riday 0owever, don%t be surprised if in for instance the private sector, you are e#pected to work from AB// a m to AB// p m Because there is a - 4 hour time difference from one coast to the other, companies with multiple offices must take this into consideration !he financial district is centered in !oronto and so other

financial institutions across the country often keep hours to reflect any time difference "le# hours are becoming very popular and a major issue for companies due to the traffic delays in and out of the major urban centres 2 long lunch is common in both public and private sectors !herefore it is advisable not to call people at their offices between +.B// and .B// p m , as you might not be able to reach them around that time frame 2ppointments Ceep appointments once they are made 2nd mMake sure you are on time $n a business conte#t, being on time generally means being about 4 to +/ minutes early Being 4 minutes late is acceptable with an apology, but +/ to +4 minutes late re1uires a phone call to inform about the delay and to apologise in advance $f you happen to be late for an appointment Canadians probably wouldn%t mention it e#plicitly, due to their respectful manner and tact, but don%t be fooled ( they would undoubtedly remember it

Business Behaviour Meeting D 6reeting 9hen introducing themselves Canadians generally mention both first and surname 2t a first meeting or when people have not seen each other for a long time, people shake hands Say How do you do? (formal< or Pleased to meet you (informal< when greeting someone Stand while being introduced 6ive a firm handshake 'o not use your professional title to introduce yourself, however, when introducing others do use professional titles 'ress Code 9hat is considered appropriate clothing for business varies widely, both between regions and between professional groups Start with professional: you can always dress down after you have had the chance to observe what people wear in the office $n the office, and especially during business meetings, men wear suit, shirt and tie while women wear suits, a dress or skirt with a blouse 2t work outside the office for instance the high technology sector, a nice pair of cotton pants with a sweater can be acceptable, for both men and women !ypically,

the colour of dress varies per season $n the winter Canadians commonly dress in dark business suits (charcoal grey, navy blue and black<, whereas in spring and summer colours tend to lighten up 9ining D 'ining 2lthough most business entertaining is done in a restaurant over lunch, business can also be done over dinner or breakfast 2ctual negotiations are not carried out during a meal, but business is discussed &se of Business Cards Cards are seen as a source of future information and Canadians tend to e#change cards easily !here is no set ritual for e#changing cards, although it is usually done at the beginning of a meeting Business cards contain first and last names and job titles $t is advisable to print your business cards both in 8nglish and in "rench when you are working in 7uebec 2 double5sided business card will certainly be well received