We’ve already discussed what business culture is and how to develop it. But professionals and organizations operating on international platforms quickly notice one key truth: business culture varies greatly from country to country.
Today on Brandon’s blog, drawing on a study by Kristin Congdon and Catherine Gall for Steelcase (published in Harvard Business Review), we’ll explore different types of business culture in countries that may be of interest to professionals working in Armenian organizations — and what these differences mean for your marketing strategy and approach to new markets.
French and Spanish business cultures are not overly authoritarian, yet they aren’t fully participative either. They are neither strongly individualistic nor fully collectivist, sitting somewhere in the middle.
Both cultures are considered “feminine” in the business sense — valuing collaboration, harmony, and work-life balance. Security and caution are important: employees tend to share information carefully and make changes only after discussion.
Other key traits:
Short-term focus over long-term planning.
Preference for indirect communication — nonverbal cues, visual hints, and body language are widely used.
If any two countries share a similar business culture, it’s the UK and the US. Beyond the common language, they share many office life values:
Employees’ opinions matter in decision-making.
Independence and autonomy are highly valued.
Managers’ offices are accessible, encouraging interaction across all levels and speeding up decisions.
Both cultures are moderately competitive internally and place a high value on adaptability and innovation. Workers are comfortable with uncertainty and respond well to change — a vital trait for any international marketing strategy.
Italian and German business cultures value employee involvement, competitiveness, and success. Private offices and visible hierarchy matter, yet they share a short-term focus — preferring minimal investments with quick returns.
One key difference:
Italians value nonverbal communication and indirect cues.
Germans prefer clarity and straightforward discussions, with less concern for how the message is delivered.
It’s hard to find two business cultures more different:
China – Authoritarian and collectivist. Leaders closely control staff, and the business focuses heavily on the long-term, tradition, and company rituals. Nonverbal signals are important to reinforce meaning.
Netherlands – Participative and individualistic. Managers promote employee autonomy and well-being. Workspaces are designed for equality and flexibility. The Dutch tend to have a short-term approach and communicate directly.
Russian business culture is hard to classify. It can be collectivist like China, “feminine” like the Netherlands, or similar to France and Spain in its procedures and slightly short-term approach.
The most defining feature: authoritarian structure. Departments often operate in silos, and staff have limited contact with managers. Teamwork happens within small groups rather than across the whole company.
Just as traditions, cultural references, and languages differ from one country to another, business cultures are never identical. While some traits may be compared, each market has its own rules, expectations, and values.
When expanding into new markets or developing an international marketing strategy, companies must consider these cultural foundations. Understanding how decisions are made, how people communicate, and what values drive them can make the difference between success and failure.
💡 At Brandon, we help businesses adapt their marketing strategies to align with local business culture — because in global business, cultural understanding is a competitive advantage.