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CHAPTER 9: A METAPHOR IN DEPTH: THE GERMAN SYMPHONY
In this chapter there is an extended treatment of the manner in which the instructor can
1. Narrative Summary
The metaphor used for Germany is the symphony orchestra. German culture is
2. Chapter performance objectives
At the conclusion of this chapter, students should be able to:
1. Description of the metaphor
Key Points to Cover:
a. The symphonic music art form is centuries old. It was developed in the 16th
century in Germany using the Italian operatic overture as a starting point and expanding it to
2. The country's history and current economic and political situation
Key Points to Cover:
a. Continually shifting borders over the course of history: the Germans' desire for
unity, symbolized by the concept of a German nation, the Fatherland, is reflected in the unified
communication; scientific theories; and the birth of Protestantism. Also consider indirect effects
such as the response of other countries to these contributions and changes in Germany's status
among other nations as a result of these contributions.
3. Cultural dimensions
Key Points to Cover:
a. Cultural characteristics
(1) Perception of the individual: Like most Christians, Germans tend to
believe that individuals have tremendous potential – they are capable of producing music that
out of the natural beauty of music, flowers and the beach if they can experience them in a very
ordered, controlled fashion, all of which suggests a dominant orientation.
(3) Personal relationships: Germany is more collectivistic than the United
States, but less collectivistic than most Asian societies, as shown by the importance and the
submission of the individual musician in the symphony.
the musical score so that each musician stays in sync with the entire orchestra as the piece
progresses, Germans conduct life according to a linear perception of time with all important
activities scheduled so that they can be completed efficiently and on time.
(b) Germans have a fairly balanced past, present future time
orientation with a little greater emphasis of the present and the future: although Germans
first-chair violin, German space is also divided into very specific functional areas that offer
privacy and allow concentration on the task at hand.
(b) Germans extend the functionality of space to personal space as
well: they do not welcome unplanned visits to their homes, intrusions upon their private leisure
time, or encroachment upon the physical and aural space they occupy.
competent and talented; therefore, consensus is the primary mode of decision-making.
(b) The German educational system provides a good education for
every German child in keeping with German respect for the individual and equality; however,
just as professional musicians generally master one particular musical instrument, so too a
German child is generally assigned to a school that will educate them in a particular vocation
(b) Germany has many rules, as does the art of symphonic music:
public signs describing acceptable or forbidden behaviors are everywhere.
(c) The German educational apprenticeship systems are well-ordered
to ensure that students are properly trained and prepared for productive jobs in the real world
after they graduate, just as rehearsals are held to ensure that a symphonic orchestra is prepared to
likewise, schedules are strictly followed in business to ensure that meetings take place and
important business gets done.
(f) The Germans' love for tradition tends to make them more
comfortable with old friends and familiar activities and less interested in trying new things,
meeting new people or taking risks.
goal, just like symphony instruments are played in harmony to create one sound.
(c) Like symphony musicians who do not have much choice about the
music they will perform, German children are directed to an education and a career that their
parents and teachers feel is suited for them.
(d) The Germans' belief that they know what is "right" and what is
United States. Germans' interest in improving themselves and achieving goals such as a
beautiful symphonic performance is evidence of their slightly masculine orientation.
Questions for Discussion:
a. How should a business visitor to Germany expect to be received if they arrive at
the office of the professional they have come to see during working hours? What should the
changes should be made and how could those changes be implemented so that they would be
accepted into German culture?
d. If an American expatriate's children are accustomed to playing sports at home,
how might they need to adjust their attitudes or approach to sports to enjoy playing them in
Germany?
4. Religious values
Key Points to Cover
a. Christianity's emphasis on Christ's death and resurrection may contribute to a
German superstition that great leaders will return to Germany's times of need, like a retired
5. Personal lives and relationships
Key Points to Cover
a. Many Germans play musical instruments as a serious hobby to which they devote
time and energy because music is a source of deep enrichment for them.
b. Does the typical German worker expect their manager to be concerned about any
aspects of their personal life? How about those aspects that might specifically affect their work?
c. Do German workers tend to socialize with one another outside of work?
d. Is there a causal relationship between Germans' formality and their development
6. Professional lives and working relationships: motivation, leadership decision-making,
planning accomplishment, communication style, business strengths and business weaknesses.
Key Points to Cover:
a. Successful individual performance is allowed in symphonic solos and in business,
but aggressive ambition and unwillingness to work as part of a group ruins the harmony and is
c. Each musician in an orchestra is responsible for learning and knowing their own
part perfectly; likewise, each member of a German business organization is responsible for and
has a great deal of authority with respect to their own job function.
d. The conductor must have the consensus of dozens of musicians to achieve a
harmonious symphonic sound and the ideal German business decision is also made and
Questions for Discussion:
a. The book cites Hitler as a German leader who does not fit the leadership ideal
symbolized by the conductor of an orchestra. Do you agree or disagree?
b. How quickly should an American manager expect to receive a decision from a
German counterpart? Does it depend upon whether the decision is one that they will make alone
e. What type of management style will work well for an American manager assigned
to a position in Germany? Have the students try to answer the question using management and
conflict-management models (see Chapter 8).
Activities and Exercises:
The following activities can be used in any combination to help reinforce the symphony
1. Role Playing
Have students act out ordinary business situations such as a group project meeting, a job
2. Listen to a Symphony
Use a video or audio recording of a symphony orchestra playing a work by a German
composer, or arrange a field trip to see a performance live. Be sure to choose a performance
3. Case analysis
Choose a case that illustrates a cross-cultural problem involving a German worker or
4. Guest speaker
Have a native German, preferably someone involved in management who has had
experience in cross-cultural business settings, come and relate their experience to the class. If
1. Students' review of their previous and current perceptions of the culture
Questions for Discussion:
2. Review the chapter performance objectives
The following questions will help the instructor evaluate student contribution to class
