Doing Business in

Netherlands
Background To Business
in Netherlands
Dutch Business
Structures
Dutch Management
Style
Dutch Meetings
Dutch Teams
Dutch Communication
Styles
Women in Business in
Netherlands
Successful Entertaining
in Netherlands
Doing Business in Netherlands
This country-specific section gives
a comprehensive description of Dutch
business culture which will help you to
interact more effectively with your
Dutch clients and colleagues. Although
each sub-section on the right focuses
on one particular area of business
culture in Netherlands, it is
recommended that all of the sections
are studied in the order they are
shown.

Doing Business in
Netherlands
Background To Business
in Netherlands
Dutch Business
Structures
Dutch Management
Style
Dutch Meetings
Dutch Teams
Dutch Communication
Styles
Women in Business in
Netherlands
Successful Entertaining
in Netherlands
Background To Business in
Netherlands
The Netherlands has weathered the economic
storms which started in 2008 better than many
countries and certainly better than their southern
European neighbors. This is, probably, in no small part
thanks to their commercial history and famed
adaptability.
The Netherlands has long been one of the
world's great trading nations and at the beginning of
the 21st century this position shows no sign of being
eroded in fact about 50% of all trucks in Europe are
Dutch and Rotterdam remains Germany's main port of
entry. This historical internationalism, epitomised by
the early predominance of the Dutch East India
Company, accounts in no small measure for the large
number of MNCs (Unilever, Shell, Philips etc.) to be
found in a country with such a relatively small
population of 16.6million.
Doing Business in
Netherlands
Background To Business
in Netherlands
Dutch Business
Structures
Dutch Management
Style
Dutch Meetings
Dutch Teams
Dutch Communication
Styles
Women in Business in
Netherlands
Successful Entertaining
in Netherlands
Dutch Business Structures
A deep-rooted system of industrial
democracy has been developed in the
Netherlands and has been in existence for more
than thirty years. The key institution in this
system is the Works Council which has elected
members, rights of discussion, recommendation,
and crucially, access to information. Although the
Works Council meets in private, the meetings are
always followed up with a meeting with senior
management. Industrial relations have been
historically good with emphasis placed on co-
operation and conciliation, resulting in low levels
of days lost through industrial action.

Doing Business in
Netherlands
Background To Business
in Netherlands
Dutch Business
Structures
Dutch Management
Style
Dutch Meetings
Dutch Teams
Dutch Communication
Styles
Women in Business in
Netherlands
Successful Entertaining
in Netherlands
Dutch Management Style
It has been said that the Netherlands is the only
country in which the manager is not the boss and this
apparent egalitarian approach fits very well with Dutch
company structures which have traditionally been amongst
the flattest in Europe. The idea of imposing a policy from
afar with little or no consultation is not one that sits easily
with Dutch thinking.

Therefore, the manager in the Netherlands will rarely
take an authoritarian approach to the team, preferring to be
seen as the colleague who has most influence rather than as
the ultimate arbiter on all decisions. This does not mean
that the boss is powerless or that the bosses thoughts hold
no sway. It is more that the influence and control are subtler
than in some other countries. It may even appear to those
from more heirarchical cultures that the boss is shown very
little respect.
Doing Business in
Netherlands
Background To Business
in Netherlands
Dutch Business
Structures
Dutch Management
Style
Dutch Meetings
Dutch Teams
Dutch Communication
Styles
Women in Business in
Netherlands
Successful Entertaining
in Netherlands
Dutch Meetings
Outsiders can often find meetings in the
Netherlands somewhat frustrating and certainly
lengthy. Meetings in the Netherlands are forums for
debating issues in a full and frank manner where
everybody is expected to contribute and everybody
expects to be listened to. The purpose of the meeting
is to move towards a commonly agreed approach
which can then be implemented. However, reaching
this common viewpoint can be a time-consuming
business, needing a great deal of input from a number
of differing sources.

The positive aspect of this consensual approach
to meetings is that, at the end, real buy-in has been
achieved and therefore implementation can be really
swift.

Doing Business in
Netherlands
Background To Business
in Netherlands
Dutch Business
Structures
Dutch Management
Style
Dutch Meetings
Dutch Teams
Dutch Communication
Styles
Women in Business in
Netherlands
Successful Entertaining
in Netherlands
Dutch Teams
Business relationships in the Netherlands
are informal with first name terms being
generally used. Everybody in the team has
seemingly similar status and to pretend to be
somebody special will result in problems with
other members of the team. When success is
achieved, it is important that the success is
attributed to the team rather than assumed by
any of the individuals within the team.

It is important to be seen by others in the
team as professional and diligent - and an
important element of this is to be thought of as
someone who will honour commitments of
whatever nature or size.

Doing Business in
Netherlands
Background To Business
in Netherlands
Dutch Business
Structures
Dutch Management
Style
Dutch Meetings
Dutch Teams
Dutch Communication
Styles
Women in Business in
Netherlands
Successful Entertaining
in Netherlands
Dutch Communication Styles
Respect is shown through speaking one's mind and
being direct. Little respect is given to those who appear
devious or underhand in what they are saying. This
directness of approach can sometimes be misconstrued as
aggression or even rudeness - but is, rather, a useful tool for
enabling the meeting to reach an agreed solution.

Paradoxically, due to the consensual nature of
decision making in the Netherlands it can be sometimes
difficult to get a straight 'yes' or 'no'. This seeming
unwillingness is more a sign of no decision having been yet
reached than any subtle politicking.

It is important to appear unpretentious. Whatever
you are, do not think of yourself as something special.
Therefore self-promotion of the type that might be found in
the USA is seen as being distasteful and will probably be
thought of as arrogant
Doing Business in
Netherlands
Background To Business
in Netherlands
Dutch Business
Structures
Dutch Management
Style
Dutch Meetings
Dutch Teams
Dutch Communication
Styles
Women in Business in
Netherlands
Successful Entertaining
in Netherlands
Women in Business in
Netherlands
Even though the Netherlands, quite
rightly, has the reputation of being a highly
liberal society, a surprisingly low
percentage of women appear to be active
in business. Many women leave work when
they have children and do not return later.

It is not as common in the Netherlands
to see women in senior management
positions as in many other European
countries. This does not mean, however,
that going to work in the Netherlands
presents any particularly great challenges
for a woman.

Doing Business in
Netherlands
Background To Business
in Netherlands
Dutch Business
Structures
Dutch Management
Style
Dutch Meetings
Dutch Teams
Dutch Communication
Styles
Women in Business in
Netherlands
Successful Entertaining
in Netherlands
Successful Entertaining in
Netherlands
Business breakfasts are not very common in the Netherlands,
so you are much more likely to be invited to a lunch or dinner. Most
business entertaining is done in restaurants and it is relatively
unlikely that you would be invited to somebody's home unless you
know them very well.

Who pays? T his can be somewhat complicated but basically,
the Dutch will make it clear that you are their guest if they intend to
pay the bill - otherwise expect to "go Dutch" and pay your fair share.
People tend not to be embarrassed at splitting a bill.

Punctuality is important in the Netherlands so try to arrive on
time. It is acceptable to discuss business matters during mealtimes
and as at all other times to be open and frank about your own views
this approach gains you respect.