detail from: KRK Art dizajn

WORLD CULTURES & CUSTOMS

      SIMO JELAČA, PhD

FOREWORD

This book summarizes information about culture and customs of different nations. Noticeable differences in customs are among Christian, Islamic and Buddhist’s nations, although in all prevails intention for nice and greatest.  

It will be too much to include every country, as there are similarities among many nations of the same or close nationalities. Characteristic are Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Belarus, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia, or as well as Germany and Austria. The similar conclusion values for Latin nations, among themselves too.

Readers will find basic information about each country, such as its location and size, population and Ethnic Make-up, Religion, Climate, Language, Etiquettes and others. 

This book can equally be used for travelers, either as tourists or business people, therefore everyone will find necessary information about Etiquette of people at their homes as well as at the business.

My intention was to find as much good information as possible. How much I have succeeded readers will judge it. 

                                                                                                            Author

 CZECH REPUBLIC

CULTURE AND FOLK CUSTOMS

Facts and Statistics

Location: Central Europe, bordering Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 km.

Size: almost 79.000 square km. 

Capital: Prague, population 1.3 million. 

Population: 10,5 million 

Ethnic Make-up: Czech 81.2%, Moravian 13.2%, Slovak 3.1%, Polish 0.6%, German 0.5%, Silesian 0.4%, Roma 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other 0.5% (1991). 

Religions: Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%, atheist 39.8%.

Location and Geography

The area of the Czech Republic is 78,866 square kilometers, with Bohemia being twice as large as Moravia. The republic is bounded by Poland on the north, Germany on the northwest and southwest, Austria on the south, and the Slovak Republic on the east. 

Demography 

The population of the Czech Republic was about 10.3 million according to the Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic (in recent years there have been small population losses). The ethnic composition is 94 percent Czech (Moravians and Bohemian Czechs), 3 percent Slovak, 0.6 percent Polish, 0.5 percent German, 0.3 percent Romany (Gypsy) officially but perhaps as much as 2.5 percent, and about 0.4 percent Ukrainian. The Jewish population is probably no more than 12,000 because over 80,000 Jews died in Nazi concentration camps during World War II.

Government 

The Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy. The president is elected for a five-year term and may not be elected for more than two consecutive terms. The president appoints and dismisses the prime minister, appoints certain high officials, and can veto any bills (other than constitutional ones) passed by parliament. 

The Czech Language 

95% of the population speak Czech. 3% of the population speak Slovak, which is closely related to Czech. 2% of the population speak Czech but are also mother tongue speakers of German, Hungarian, Romani and Polish. 

Czech Society & Culture

The Family

. The family is the center of the social structure. 

. Obligation to the family is a person's first priority. 

Practicality

. Czechs prize forward thinking, logical, practical, and efficiency.

. Careful planning, in both one's business and personal life, provides a sense of security.

 . Rules and regulations allow people to know what is expected and to plan their life accordingly. 

Privacy 

. Czechs are private people until they get to know you. 

. They are formal and reserved. 

. Once you develop a personal relationship Czechs open up a bit, but they are never overly emotional.

.  Although always polite, they seldom move to a first-name basis with people outside their extended family or very close friends.  

. Czechs tend not to acknowledge people whom they do not know as they walk along the street or ride the train.

Czech Etiquette and Customs

Meeting and Greeting

. Initial greetings are formal and reserved. 

. Most greetings include a handshake, direct eye contact, and the appropriate greeting for the time of day. 

. Wait to be invited before using someone's first name or an informal greeting, as these are all signs of friendship.

 . The offer to move to the informal is generally offered by the woman, the older person, or the person of higher status. 

. Moving to the informal without an invitation insults the person and may be viewed as an attempt to humiliate them. 

Giving and Accepting Gifts

.  If you are invited to dinner, bring a box of good quality chocolates, or flowers to the hostess or a bottle of wine or good brandy to the host. 

. In general, you should be cautious about giving flowers, since people over the age of 35 often see flowers as having a romantic connotation. 

. If you give flowers, give an odd number, but not 13, which is considered unlucky.

  . Do not give calla lilies as they are used at funerals.
. Gifts are usually opened when received. 

Dining Etiquette

If you are visiting a Czech's house:

. Arrive on time.

 . Remove your shoes..

. Expect to be treated with great honor and respect. 

. Dress modestly and well.

 . Do not discuss business. Czechs separate their business and personal lives.

 . Table manners are rather formal in the Czech Republic. 

. Remain standing until invited to sit down. You may be shown a particular seat. 

. Table manners are Continental - the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating.

 . Do not begin eating until the hostess starts.

 . Unless the meal is formal, the napkin remains folded next to the plate. At formal meals, the napkin is unfolded and put on your lap. 

. The oldest woman or honored guest is generally served first.

 . Always refuse second helpings the first time they are offered. Wait for the hostess to insist.

 . Compliment the meal while you are eating. This allows the hostess to discuss the food and the preparation.

 . Indicate you have finished eating by laying your knife and fork parallel across the right side of your plate.

Business Etiquette and Protocol

Business Meetings

. Appointments are mandatory and should be made in advance.

 . Letters should be addressed to the company rather than a specific person. This prevents a letter from being held up if the person it is addressed to is away from the office. 

. Do not try to schedule meetings on Friday afternoon as many Czechs leave for their country cottages after lunch. 

. Many businesses close during August.

. Punctuality for meetings is taken extremely seriously. 

. Initial meetings are scheduled to get to know each other and to see if your Czech associates believe that you are trustworthy. The first meeting may be with a gatekeeper rather than the actual decision maker.

 . Expect some small talk and getting-to-know-you conversation before business is discussed. 

. Maintain direct eye contact while speaking.

 . Do not remove your suit jacket unless the highest-ranking Czech does so. 

. Presentations should be accurate, detailed and thorough. 

. Have charts and figures to back up your claims.

 Communication

. Czechs are both formal and somewhat indirect in their communication. 

. They try not to purposely offend and will often go out of their way to protect someone's feelings.

 . Czechs are non-confrontational and often take an indirect approach to business dealings.

.  If they lower their eyes and become silent they are uncomfortable with something you have said. 

Negotiating

It will take several meetings for your Czech business associates to become familiar with you and appear comfortable and friendly.

Politeness prevents many Czechs from giving an absolute 'no'. However, statements such as 'It is difficult' or 'We will see' are often negative.

. Business is conducted slowly. You will have to be patient and not appear ruffled by the strict adherence to protocol.

. Business is hierarchical. Decision-making power is held at the top of the company. Decisions are reached slowly. 

. It may take several visits to reach a decision. 

. Avoid high-pressure tactics.

 . Czechs generally offer what they expect to get and do not often give counter-offers.

Symbolism 

The official state symbols are the national anthem, flag, and coat of arms. The presidential flag (standard) bears the attributes of the first president of Czechoslovakia, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1850–1937, president 1918–1935). 

National Identity 

West Slavic tribes inhabiting the Bohemian territory gradually were united by the politically dominant Czechs and came under their leadership by the ninth century. Moravian tribes were united even earlier than those of Bohemia. The ethnic badge of all these groups consisted of the various dialects of the Czech language.

After World War II, the ethnic makeup of Czechoslovakia changed profoundly. Most Jews did not survive the war, and after the war, settlers of Czech origin arrived from Romania, Yugoslavia, and Volhynia in the Soviet Union. By 1950, about 95 percent of all Czechoslovak citizens of German nationality had left.

Urbanism, Architecture

The highest population density is in metropolitan Prague ( Praha ), which has 1.3 million inhabitants. The next three largest cities are the capital of Moravia, Brno, with approximately 400,000 people; Ostrava in northern Moravia, with about 350,000; and Plzeň (Pilsen), with approximately 180,000. Seven cities have populations just below or above 100,000. Overall, about 65 percent of the Czech people live in cities or towns of 5,000 or more.

 Food in Daily Life 

The traditional Czech diet may be considered heavy, with an emphasis on meat, potatoes, and dumplings and the use of substantial amounts of animal fats, butter, and cream. Meats— primarily pork, beef, poultry, and organ meats such as liver, kidneys, brains, and sweetbreads—are frequently prepared with gravy and eaten with potatoes or dumplings (pl. knedlíky). Soups are an important part of the noon meal. Potato and tripe soup are favorites, as well as beef or chicken broth with tiny liver or marrow dumplings. The most commonly used vegetables are carrots, peas, and cabbage. Salads were eaten only seasonally until recent years. 

Czechs have always enjoyed sweets. The most common are fruit dumplings (made with plums or, in winter, preserved apricots) served with grated farmer cheese and bread crumbs browned in butter, with sugar sprinkled on top. Dumplings often are served as a meal. Popular sweet baked goods include yeast buns with a filling of jam or preserves;  (koláč), small cakes made of white flour with an indentation on the surface for a filling of poppy seeds, plum jam, or sweetened farmer cheese. 

The national beverage is beer (pivo); some good domestic wines are produced in Moravia.

Basic Economy 

In the first half of the 1990s, the Czech economy was transformed from a centrally planned economy to an essentially privatized, market-oriented economy. Large enterprises were privatized. Some of the heavy industries and banks still owned by the state may be privatized in the future. For basic needs, particularly food products, Czech society is self-sufficient, but it imports oil and gas. The republic has supplies of coal and uranium ore. Well over half the country's electrical energy is generated by coal-fired thermal power stations, some is supplied by nuclear plants, and a relatively small amount is produced by waterpower. 

The land subject to expropriation was allotted to smallholders, farming cottagers, small craftspeople, landless persons, etc.

Major Industries of the Czech Republic has long been highly developed industrially. The leading industries include the manufacture of machinery, automobiles, chemicals, refined petroleum products, fertilizers, cement, iron and steel, glass, textiles, footwear, and beer.

Trade 

The Czech economy is highly dependent on foreign trade. The republic imports mainly from the same countries it exports to: Germany, Slovakia, the United States, Austria, Italy, and Russia. Exports consist primarily of manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment (including automobiles), and chemicals; imports include goods of those types as well as fuels and lubricants.

Social Welfare 

Social programs cover old age, invalidism, death, sickness and maternity, work injury, unemployment, and allowances per child. There was a saying, "The state pretends to pay us, and we pretend to work." 

Labor by Gender 

Before World War II, most middle-class women did not work, remaining at home to run the household and take care of the children. Women constituted no more than a third of the labor force. Women have made significant strides since World War II in terms of employment opportunities and participation in public life.    

Women have made significant strides since World War II in terms of employment opportunities and participation in public life.

Marriage 

For much of the twentieth century, the selection of a spouse has rested with the young couple. Middle-class men usually did not marry until they were launched in their careers, typically in their late twenties or early thirties; women usually married in their early or middle twenties. More recently, men have begun to marry earlier. There are no legal restrictions on who can marry except for marriages between close relatives.The birthrate in the Czech Republic was 8.8 per 1,000 in 1996, compared with the world average of 25. About 84 percent of children are born to parents who are married. During the first two years, children are given much attention. Most babies are bottle-fed, but some mothers still breast-feed their babies until the first teeth appear.Although fathers are usually the heads of families, mothers exercise authority over young children. Czech children are expected to be obedient after being admonished.

Higher Education 

Children begin school at age 6 and must remain in school until age 15. All students attend elementary school for the first five years. Those who plan to go to a university move on to an eight-year gymnázium, a secondary school that prepares them for higher education.

Education is highly valued, and academic titles receive great respect. School teachers used to enjoy fairly high status and wield a great deal of authority on school premises; in recent years, their pay has become relatively low and their prestige has suffered. Most parents pressure their children to do well in school. For a child to have to repeat a grade is embarrassing for the family.

Religious Beliefs 

Christianity was brought to the area of the Czech Republic during the ninth century by missionaries from Germany to the west and the Byzantine Empire to the southeast (the Eastern rite). The missionaries of the Eastern rite were the brothers Constantine (later renamed Cyril) and Methodius, natives of Thessalonica in Macedonia. They arrived in 863, invited by Rostislav (or Rastislav), ruler of the Great Moravian Empire, and devised the first Slavic writing system, in which they published parts of the Bible in a Slavic language that was intelligible to the local population. The arrival to the Great Moravian Empire weakened the influence of the Eastern rite.

Medicine and Health Care 

The extensive use of medicinal plants was replaced during the first half of the twentieth century by the use of synthetic drugs. Many of these drugs are produced by a well-developed domestic pharmaceutical industry. Free health care continues to be available, but the system is monitored more closely. To avoid long waits, patients who have the financial means often see private physicians. In general, health services in the Czech Republic are much better than the world average.

Arts 

In the Czech Republic, music is the most popular art, and Czech music is well known in the rest of the world. Among Czech composers, four are heard in the concert halls and opera houses around the world. Bedřich Smetana (1824–1884) composed the six symphonic poems My Country (Má vlast) and the folk opera The Bartered Bride (Prodaná nevěsta). Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904), who composed works in many genres, is known especially for his sixteen Slavonic Dances (Slovanskétance) and Symphony No. 9, From the New World ; he was also the founder and the director for three years of the National Conservatory of Music in New York (1892–1895).

Physical and Social Sciences

The physical sciences in the Czech Republic are of respectable quality, and research in some fields is well known abroad, for example, in polymer chemistry. Among Czechs who distinguished themselves internationally were Jaroslav Heyrovský (1890–1967) and Václav Hlavatý (1894–1969). Heyrovský was a physical chemist who won the Nobel Prize in 1959 for his discovery of polarography and its use in analytical chemistry. One of the craters on the moon bears his name. Hlavatý's specialties were differential and algebraic geometry and the general theory of relativity, on which he closely collaborated with Albert Einstein. 

The highest scientific institution in Czechoslovakia was the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences with headquarters in Prague. It consisted of over fifty institutes, most of them devoted to research in the empirical sciences. The scientific activities of the academy were guided by the state plan of basic research, itself part of a government-approved plan for the development of science and technology. The activities of the various institutes were therefore tightly controlled.

Business etiquette

Basic tips to follow when doing business in the Czech Republic

·         Greetings should include a firm handshake and direct eye contact, a weak handshake means that you are weak and no direct eye contact can be taken to mean that you are hiding something.

·         Remain standing until you are invited to sit down as there might be a seat reserved specifically for you.

·         Business appointments are mandatory and should be made in advance.

·         Punctuality for meetings is taken extremely seriously.

·         Business is hierarchical with decision-making power held at the top of the company.

·         Initial meetings are scheduled as introductions to get to know each other and to build trust with your Czech associates. The first meeting may be with a middle manager, rather than the actual decision maker. Expect some small talk and getting-to-know-you conversation before business is discussed.

·         Do not try to schedule meetings on Friday afternoon, as many Czechs leave for their country cottages after lunch, or during August, when many businesses are closed.

·         Czechs are non-confrontational and often take an indirect approach to business dealings. In negotiation, Czechs generally offer what they expect to get and do not often give counter-offers.

·         Business is conducted slowly. You will have to be patient and not appear ruffled by the strict adherence to protocol.

·         Maintain direct eye contact while speaking.

·         Do not remove your suit jacket unless the highest-ranking Czech does so first.

·         Presentations should be simple, accurate and detailed and, if necessary, you should have charts and figures to back up your claims.

·         Letters should be addressed to the company rather than to a specific person. This prevents a letter from being held up, if the person it is addressed to is away from the office.

·         Gifts are usually opened immediately after they have been received.

·         When dining, always refuse second helpings the first time they are offered. Wait for your host or hostess to insist and then accept graciously.

Gift giving

Most business people do not expect presents at the first meeting, but small gifts such as a souvenir of the visiting business partner’s country are acceptable. Equivalents from the Czech Republic would be Becherovka herbal liqueur, Czech crystal, bijouterie, hand painted Christmas decorations, wooden toys and beer.

Business dress code

In the Czech business community your appearance is important. Therefore, you should choose conservative business attire and avoid bright colors when attending a business meeting, if you want to be taken seriously. Cleanliness and tidiness are a must. During normal office hours, the dress code can be less formal (shirt, trousers and jacket). For men, a dark colored suit or jacket and trousers with tie is appropriate business wear, and women should wear something similarly formal and avoid anything that might be deemed provocative. Female managers prefer to wear suits. There is a saying that the way you dress shows your respect for your business partner.

Large organizations set a dress code for their employees. In small and medium-sized companies, there are no dress codes (unless employees have to wear uniforms). So, people tend to wear business casual attire, unless they are expected to attend an important meeting.

Bribery and corruption

Bribery and corruption is not acceptable. Both Czech and foreign business people use bribery as a tool to secure business contracts or to cut through bureaucratic red tape, when trying to get government contracts or even start a new business. Such bribery is publicly denied by both business and the government.

                                                                                    To be continued

SHARE THIS PAGE ON: