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Australia
Introduction
Australia
has a population of almost 20 million people
in a country not much smaller than the
contiguous 48 United States. However, the
great majority of the population is located
in a few major urban centers. The large
majority of the population (93%) has a
European heritage, primarily English. The
predominant language of the country is
English with Christianity the largest religion
(75%).
The
Aborigines are indigenous to Australia
and make up 1% of the population. They
are thought to have canoed to Australia
from Southeast Asia some 30,000 to 50,000
years ago. Scientist established this time
frame using radiocarbon dating techniques.
The Aborigines believe one's exact birthplace
determines your position within a clan
or kinship group, and gives you with a
secret personal name. They also have a
strong devotion of kinship, and believe
in walkabout -- the desire to revisit
the sacred sites.
Long-term
Australian concerns include pollution,
particularly depletion of the ozone layer,
and management and conservation of coastal
areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef.
A referendum to change Australia's status,
from a commonwealth headed by the British
monarch to a republic, was defeated in
1999.
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Australia Fun
Fact
Australia
is a very friendly and open culture. However, "G'day" the
informal "hello" is overused by
tourists. The Australians expect one's work
to speak for itself, so they are not impressed
with your position, title, or status. Don't
arrive in town wearing the latest status
symbol to announce how important you think
you are. Plus, Australia had a "gold
rushes" in the 1850s and 1890s. Earlier
gold discoveries were kept quiet so chaos
didn't break out. But the 1848 California
gold rush enticed miners to leave Australia,
so the 1850 discovery was not kept quiet.
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Geert
Hofstede Analysis for Australia
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The Geert Hofstede analysis
shows the high level of individuality Australian's
hold dear. This is reinforced in their
daily lives and must be considered when traveling
and doing business
in the Country. Privacy is considered the norm and attempts
at personal ingratiation may meet with rebuff. Uncertainty
avoidance is relatively low with a family centered culture
and a stable society.
The
Geert Hofstede analysis for Australia reflects
the high level of individuality Australian's
hold dear. The Individualism (IDV) index for
Australia is 90, the second highest score of
any country in Hofstede’s survey, behind
the United States' ranking of 91.
This
individuality is reinforced in Australian’s
daily lives and must be considered when traveling
and doing business in their Country. Privacy
is considered the cultural norm and attempts
at personal ingratiating may meet with rebuff.
Power Distance (PDI) is relatively low, with
an index of 36, compared to the world average
of 55. This is indicative of a greater equality
between societal levels, including government,
organizations, and even within families. This
orientation reinforces a cooperative interaction
across power levels and creates a more stable
cultural environment.
The predominant religion
in Australia is Christian (50%) and their
high Individualism (IDV) index correlates well
with
other Christian based cultures. In these
predominant Christian societies, the Hofstede
Individualism
Index has been found to be the most closely
correlating Dimension. More on Geert Hofstede
Written
by Stphen Taylor - the Sigma Two Group
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Religion
in Australia
*
WORLD FACTBOOK 2011
We
have defined a predominantly Christian
country as over 50% of the population practicing
some form of Christianity, other than Catholicism.
In this group, the primary correlation
between religion and the Geert Hofstede
Dimensions is a high Individualism (IDV)
ranking. (See the accompanying article).
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Australia Appearance
 Men
wear a conservative dark business suit and
tie.
Women may wear a dress,
or skirt and blouse, for business.
Informal
clothing is appropriate when not attending
business functions. Casual pants are fine
for both men and women.
Men
should not become physically demonstrative
with another man, or wink at a woman.
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Australia Behavior
Being
punctual is critical.
Maintain
good eye contact during meetings and conversations.
A
single, male passenger using a taxi should
sit in the front seat.
Gift
giving is not a common practice in business.
You
may bring a small gift of chocolate, wine
or flowers if invited to someone's home.
When
paying for a round of drinks, do not pick
up the tab out of turn, and make sure to
pay when it is your turn.
Should
you approach a line/queue, go to the end/back
and wait your turn.
Do
not litter.
Considering
sending a gift to someone in Austrlia, see
gifts to Australia. |
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Australia Communications
English
is the spoken language
Shake
hands when meeting and when leaving.
Although
uncommon, some women may greet each other
with a kiss on the cheek.
Exchanging
business cards is common among professional
workers.
Australians
are friendly and open, but directness and
brevity are valued.
Opinions
are respected, and opinionated discussions
are entertaining.
Be
an active listener, and ask if you do not
understand something in the conversation.
Do
not hype yourself, your company or your
information.
Sightseeing
and sports are good conversational topics
Afternoon
tea is about 4:00pm
Tea
is between 6:00 - 8:00pm and is an evening
meal
Supper
is a late night light meal or snack
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HOME
PAGE
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Resources
Geert Hofstede Free
Monthly Newsletter Resource
Page
International
Business Center
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Thanks
to the UTD Global MBA graduates who work
diligently on collecting the information for this Website
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Page authored by: Stephen Taylor
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