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.