Germany • Culture Matters

Cultural Awareness Training: A Definition

by: Chris Smit - March 16th, 2012 1 Comment

You’re on the website Culture Matters now. But what does this word “Culture” mean? Or better, in which context is it used on this website?

When you look up “Culture” in Wikipedia, there are 8 chapters of information and dozens of pages. Using Google to look up “Culture” gives you over 1.5 million hits. Not very helpful. Read More

Humor in Cultural Awareness Training

by: Chris Smit - February 23rd, 2012 9 Comments

Consider this phrase: “If you ain’t Dutch, you ain’t much…”

Please, don’t switch off, but please read on. Now ask yourself: is this funny or not? Chances are that it was, or it was not. In other words, it depends. On what? On your culture. Your cultural background determines what you consider as funny or not funny.

Let me explain. Read More

Boeing & Airbus, A Cultural devide

by: Chris Smit - December 24th, 2006 Add Comment

Airbus is grown up now, as an aircraft maker. It took years of hard work, and billions of Europeans’ tax money in the form of state subsidies to come at par with its American rival Boeing. But the subsidies have dried up, and so has the performance of the last year(s).

Airbus has made a few attempts to get out of their current situation: the launch of its flagship the Biggest of them all, the A380 super-jumbo. Last year, on the opening day of the Farnborough International Air Show, Christian Streif, then the new European boss, unveiled three versions of its newly redesigned, wide-bodied A350 model. This latest model, not the A380 is the key to restoring Airbus competitiveness.

Still Airbus has lots of troubles.
The A380 super-jumbo will be delivered almost two years later then planned to its customers. This will cost the company billions.
Airbus scrapped a $4 billion update of its successful A330 model in favour of the new, extra-wide bodied plane called the A350XWB, which will cost around $10 billion to develop.

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