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Czech Culture
The Czech Republic is an incredibly beautiful
country with a rich history, fascinating people and an abundance
of business opportunities. Yet the country remains relatively
obscure and unknown to Americans, many of whom still call
it “Czechoslovakia.”
Whether you are enticed to the Czech Republic by its dramatic
castles, famous beer, luxurious spas or cheap labor force,
this modest guide to Czech culture should provide you with
a deeper understanding of the country and its people. The Czech People A common first impression of the Czechs is that they seem
cold and impersonal. To us warm and open Americans, this
can be quite disheartening. It shouldn’t be taken
personally, as Czechs are very private people. They have
a smaller boundary of personal space than Americans, but
they guard it very closely. Though Czechs are used to being
in close physical proximity to each other, they tend to
keep others at an emotional distance and will not usually
smile at, make eye contact with, or engage in small talk
with strangers. Americans are known for their ability to quickly and effortlessly
form casual relationships, so it should come as no surprise
that Americans are often frustrated at the difficulty of
forging relationships with Czech people. In addition to
their strong sense of privacy, years of foreign invasions
and occupations have perhaps made the Czechs slightly distrustful
and fearful of strangers or foreigners. Therefore, it takes
a long time and a great deal of trust to overcome a Czech’s
boundaries and fears and develop a friendship with him.
Once you do, though, it will be a rewarding and lasting
friendship. When you do get to know them, you’ll find that Czechs
have a unique sense of humor, best described as ‘mischievous’.
Jara Cimrman, for example, is considered to be a national
hero, having been the first man to reach the North Pole
and the inventor of dynamite. Actually, Cimrman is no more
than a figment of the Czech imagination, but Czechs still
enthusiastically pretend he existed. They’ve even
built a museum in honor of Cimrman, which often fools tourists
into believing this extraordinary person really existed. Money Matters Czechs have not always lived in a consumer-oriented society.
During the communistic era, goods were scarce and stores
offered poor selections. People had to make do with what
was available and everybody usually had the same things.
For example, many Czech families have the same china collection,
called the “Blue-Onion” pattern, because it
was the only nice china collection available for a very
long time. People who had something rare, unique or expensive
were often the object of gossip and envy. When my husband was a child, he was taken to the store
every year on his birthday to choose one toy. When his mother
took him to the store for his birthday after the Velvet
Revolution, he looked at the wide selection of toys and
burst into tears sobbing that he would never be able to
choose just one thing. When Czechoslovakia entered a free
market economy, more goods were available than ever before
and Czechs suddenly needed to develop the ability to make
complex purchase decisions. This proved difficult, as Czechs
wanted to buy everything they had been denied for so long,
yet they did not have the purchasing power to buy it all
because salaries remained very low. Unfortunately, this
caused an envious mentality and lust for money to emerge
among Czech people. Doing Business with the Czechs The Czech Republic is an attractive offshore location,
primarily because of its cheap but highly educated labor
force. However, the differences between American and Czech
business cultures can often cause frustration for American
businesspeople. Communism adversely affected the way Czechs do business.
For example, customer service, quality and efficiency weren’t
highly valued under socialistic rule, so Czech businesspeople
have had to learn (or re-learn) how to do these things that
we Westerners take for granted. You may find that these
concepts aren’t yet up to Western standards in some
situations. Processes might not be clearly defined and the
pace of work and decision making may be slower than what
westerners are accustomed to. However, one should not assume
that the Czechs are in the Dark Ages. Though they don’t
have as much experience in the free market economy as Western
countries, the Czechs are quick learners and seem to be
adapting quite well. Czechs have a strong aversion to the unknown. In business,
this certainty avoidance means that Czechs tend to need
lots of time to consider their choices and weigh the options
in their mind before making a decision. Plans are made slowly
and methodically and details are pored over. It also means
that Czechs tend to be nervous about taking risks and making
changes. A French expatriate manager of a large financial
institution in Prague once described to me his difficulty
finding Czech managers willing to relocate to France. The company wanted the Czech managers to go temporarily
to learn how to successfully run the company on their own,
but most of the managers refused. It was an excellent opportunity
with a generous salary and benefits package, so the French
managers couldn’t fathom why any reasonable person
would refuse the offer. When you consider the Czech fear
of uncertainty, it becomes a little easier to understand
their hesitation.
Though the Czechs have a relatively egalitarian society,
they are formal people. Formal Czech is spoken in business
situations and it is very important to address people appropriately.
The Czechs strongly value academic achievement and are proud
of their academic accomplishments, so it is important to
use correct academic titles, if known. A Final Word This article contains many generalizations of Czech people
and culture. Generalizations help us determine what to expect
from people in certain situations, but should never be taken
as absolute truths. I think you will find, as I have, that
the Czechs will never fail to surprise you. About Lauren Nemec Lauren Nemec is the Marketing Manager at Translatus, Inc. She is a proud Texan and an alumna of The University of Texas at Austin. Lauren has been living in Prague, Czech Republic with her Czech husband for nearly two years. Lauren maintains a highly informative blog about important translation current events.
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