German Approach
Germany was never abundant in resources. Germans are economical in what they make, in how they make it, and in how they use it. Suboptimal decisions require modification, which in turn, draws on resources. Germans do their best to get a decision right the first time. Patterns
American Approach
The USA has always been abundant in resources. Americans are less economical. In what they make, how they make it, how they use it. Instead, they value rapid resource aggregation and deployment in order to take advantage of opportunities. Patterns
American View
The German need to plan their resources in great detail appears to Americans as too conservative.
German View
Germans see Americans as wasteful, which not only limits the decision making autonomy of a particular team, but also of the company in general.
Advice to Germans
Continue to be wary of rash decisions which will limit your room to maneuver. At the same time, use those resources available to you in order to take advantage of an opportunity. Decisions often offer real opportunities.
Advice to Americans
When involved in a joint decision, or in a recurring decision, enter into a dialogue with your German colleagues about the resources required.
Be direct and specific in discussing exactly which resources will be tapped into by whom, when and at what costs. Listen carefully to how they quantify the impact of a given decision on your organzations resources.
Communicate your calculation clearly, also. You will arrive at a resource-allocation acceptable to both.