The German term Vertragstreue conveys the concept of contract loyalty; strict adherence to agreed terms. It is culturally significant because deviations from a contract are rare and require renegotiation.
Verhandlungsmasse
The German term Verhandlungsmasse conveys the concept of negotiable scope; items or points available for concession. It is culturally significant because it is usually defined in advance; not everything is on the table.
Volunteerism and US Civil Society
Everyone in the public and nonprofit sectors has a role to play in fostering volunteerism, and engagement can pay dividends for all.
As a former public sector leader now working in the social sector, I have witnessed the tremendous impact volunteerism has on American society—on both the people providing social services and the people receiving them.
These altruistic interactions often serve a broader purpose: They bond together neighbors and communities in a common cause, and enable us to see and appreciate each other’s humanity.
When we recognize the humanity in each other, we lay the foundations of understanding, empathy, and compassion. These then form the building blocks of a healthy civil society in which citizens are more likely to focus on what unites us than what divides us.
walk away
“We can always walk away.” This direct statement illustrates the American logic that participation in an agreement is voluntary and can be ended if it no longer serves one’s interests.
What Germans think they are good at
YouTube comments:
“After having lived for 4 years in the US I learned to appreciate some German traits. What comes to mind is efficiency, being detail oriented, having a long attention span, being direct and mostly honest, and – very surprising for me – compared to the US the relation to your superior is much more on an equal footing (okay not everywhere), despite calling your boss by their firstname in the US, work life balance, time for your family Politically, trying to find a balance between economic growth, workers rights, social security and sustainability (trying is the word here). On a material level, certainly bread (in all variations), beer, engineering of course, Sahnetorte (cream cake), Wurst (sausages as well as cold cuts); plumbing, online-banking, … Examples of what we still have to learn: seeing the good things (we are perfect in looking for “das Haar in der Suppe”, finding fault in everything); sometimes letting go of safety in favor of taking risks.”
“My sister lives in Munich and, although I’ve never lived there, I’ve visited Germany multiple times. Germans do many things very well. The towns are clean, safe, and well run. People are polite and civilized. Food is delicious and the beer is out-of-this-world. The women are so good-looking! My sister enjoys a high quality of life over there – she says that social services are comprehensive and stress-free to deal with. And all this without mentioning German achievements in science, medicine, engineering, commerce, and the arts. It’s a fine country. p.s. John Kampfner’s book on Germany is excellent.”
“As an Italian, I can say that Germans are the best when it comes to public facilities, infrastructure, punctuality and public order.. they also make the best beer you can find.. They need to improve fashion and social attitude perhaps (Not all of them are “cold” though) I would love to live in München one day!”
Walk-Away Point
The American term Walk-Away Point conveys the concept of the moment one leaves the negotiation. It is culturally significant because decisiveness and clear boundaries are seen as signs of self-confidence.
Vorlaufzeit
The German term Vorlaufzeit conveys the concept of lead time; sufficient advanced notice before a decision or action. It is culturally significant because Germans expect early information in order to prepare thoroughly.
What Can Germans Teach Us About Privacy?
Asking delicate questions in Berlin, the capital of personal data protection
In Berlin this week, I’ll be trying to better understand how Germans are thinking about the surveillance debate that has roiled the free world in recent months. Conventional wisdom has it that citizens of this country are particularly attuned to the importance of privacy due to Stasi excesses during Communist rule.
Has the resonance of the issue been overstated, as some observers suggested after the recent parliamentary election, when Chancellor Angela Merkel triumphed even as privacy advocates in the Pirate Party seemed to lose ground?
Wheeling and dealing
Expressions like ‘It’s not personal, it’s just business’ and ‘Everything is negotiable’ illustrate the American view that negotiation is a standard, unemotional aspect of doing business. The term ‘wheeling and dealing’ further reinforces the notion that successful individuals are those who can negotiate skillfully and assertively.
Wary Germans hate sharing their data. Will they use a Covid-19 tracking app?
LondonCNN Business —
European governments are racing to develop apps that can track the spread of the coronavirus to prevent a second wave of infections when the economy reopens.
Germany is further along than most, and hopes to have an app ready to download within a few weeks. But details are scarce, and if the app is to succeed, Germans will have to overcome a widespread reluctance to share data with authorities that is rooted deep in the country’s history during the Nazi period and under Communist rule in East Germany.
“The skepticism of Germans in terms of data protection is remarkable when it comes to sharing data [with the government],” said University of Mannheim Professor Sebastian Siegloch, who has studied German attitudes toward surveillance and privacy.