Ukraine | Germany

Ukraine | Germany |

Power distanceUkraine, scoring 93, is among the 10% of the most power distant societies in the world. This is underlined by the fact that the largest country in the world is extremely centralized: 2/3 of all foreign investments go into Kiev where also 80% of all financial potential is concentrated. The huge discrepancy between the less and the more powerful people leads to a great importance of status symbols. Behaviour has to reflect and represent the status roles in all areas of business interactions: be it visits, negotiations or cooperation; the approach should be top-down and provide clear mandates for any task. IndividualismIf Ukrainians plan to go out with their friends they would literally say “We with friends” instead of “I and my friends”, if they talk about brothers and sisters it may well be cousins, so a lower score of 39 even finds its manifestations in the language.

Family, friends and not seldom the neighborhood are extremely important to get along with everyday life’s challenges. Relationships are crucial in obtaining information, getting introduced or successful negotiations. They need to be personal, authentic and trustful before one can focus on tasks and build on a careful to the recipient, rather implicit communication style. Masculinity / Femininity Ukraine’s relatively low score of 36 may surprise with regard to its preference for status symbols, but these are in Ukraine related to the high Power Distance. At second glance one can see, that Ukrainians at workplace as well as when meeting a stranger rather understate their personal achievements, contributions or capacities. They talk modestly about themselves and scientists, researchers or doctors are most often expected to live on a very modest standard of living. Dominant behaviour might be accepted when it comes from the boss, but is not appreciated among peers. Uncertainty avoidance  Scoring 95 Ukrainians feel very much threatened by...