Is it wise to do business in Germany without understanding the culture?
That was a question Savio Andrews from the VDMA India asked me recently. And it stuck with me.
Yes, you can do business without understanding the culture.
But you’ll constantly run into misunderstandings.
Culture shapes more than we often realize:
- How we communicate
- How we deal with hierarchy
- How we handle time and structure
- What we believe is right or wrong
Culture is the invisible backbone of our identity – and it deeply influences how we do business.
When we look at Germany and India, we notice striking contrasts:
🇮🇳 India values innovation – 🇩🇪 Germany prioritizes security
🇮🇳 Indirect communication – 🇩🇪 Direct feedback
🇮🇳 More spontaneity – 🇩🇪 Long-term planning
🇮🇳 Strong hierarchies – 🇩🇪 Sometimes you can’t even tell who the boss is
And yet, there’s a shared foundation.
Both countries rely on owner-led SMEs.
Which means: at least two people need to truly understand each other.
Not just the language, but the space in between.
That’s where culture comes in.