University of Cincinnati Clermont College4200 Clermont College DriveBatavia, OH 45103November 7th, 2019

Dr. Jo Ann ThompsonM-B & T Company International Training Division 1212 Training Drive Cincinnati, OH 45202

Dear Dr. Jo Ann Thompson,

Attached is our team’s report on the country of Denmark, a Scandinavian country located in Europe. In our report we have provided an outline of basic information on Denmark, as well as detailed information regarding the business aspects in the country. Some information you will find in the report about Denmark includes oral and written communication, cultural differences in and outside of the office, body language, business attire, and punctuality.

After reviewing the information, you will find the report confirms that having Americans travel to Denmark will be beneficial as they will have the opportunity to learn more from the Danish about their customs and business. Upon your approval, we will start the process of training and preparing Americans to travel to Denmark for business in order for them to be ready to leave in January.

This report would not have been possible without our team members, Brooke Antoine, Shawn Dyer, Amanda Bene and Paige Schatzman. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of us if you have questions or concerns.

Yours sincerely,

Team DenmarkTeam Denmark

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Team Denmark November 7th, 2019

Outline Report

Business Growth:

Denmark and the United States have developed a great business relationship as both countries have focused on the political and economic growth of Europe. As being one of Denmark’s largest trade partners, the United States has been provided with 75,000 jobs due to Denmark investments. The most important resources that Denmark provides are oil, natural gas, fish, salt and limestone. They are also among the world’s top countries in providing a diverse range of products and services.

Public Relations:

In Denmark, people focus on equality as the standard and everyone must be afforded the same rights and respect no matter what their social or ethnic background is. This great atmosphere makes it easy for a diverse workplace to feel welcomed.

Society in Denmark is successful, well-organized social structure, good economy, a high level of education, and an acceptance of gender equality and sexual orientation.

The state religion of Denmark is prominently Evangelical Lutheran.

Education:

They are a proponent of lifelong education and equal education for all. It has been proven that Denmark has produced highly skilled technicians and engineers.

Digital Communication:

Computer literacy is a common place in Denmark with mobile phones and the Internet becoming more widespread in the country than anywhere else on the Continent. The IT infrastructure in Denmark has grown to become one of the best in the world.

Views on Workplace Relations:

Denmark employers make sure their employees are treated fairly in the workplace by eliminating strict hierarchies between employees and management. The workplace tends to be more informal and relaxed including the dress code. Denmark employees do not like individual achievement which is different from our workplace here in the United States. Business events with social activities are options Denmark employees enjoy which helps build morale.

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Team Denmark November 7th, 2019

Business Culture

When it comes to business in Denmark, those who are in business are treated fairly and equally (World Business Culture). According to the 2018 Index of Economic Freedom, Denmark is ranked high for being one of the least corrupt and most productive economies in the world. Although this country is made up of many small and medium sized organizations, it continues to grow its numbers and offer many opportunities in business.

The Danes are known for their creativity, innovation, and quality of their work in business. In business, Danes focus on open communication and teamwork in order to maintain the consensus-oriented environment (World Business Culture). Women in Denmark tend to be in higher positions than other countries. You will find that there are managers put in place, but they are not as strict on their authority figure which is different than what Americans are used to. The workforce in Denmark is diverse, meaning you will find Danes speaking two to three different languages that are not native. There is also humor added into their communications to in order to keep it comfortable (World Business Culture).

Punctuality and Etiquette

The Danes value respect in every aspect, but especially in business. It is important to shake hands with all who are present, regardless of whom they are. This includes women, men, and even children. When shaking hands with everyone, it is polite to shake hands with women first and then men. During this time, Danes will start with small talk before starting with professional business.

Meetings are very common in Denmark, and it is vital to be on time for them. Meetings are necessary even to meet up with friends or co-workers after work hours. If you will not be on time, it is important to reach out to someone with an explanation on why you will be late. Work meetings are set to start on time and end no later than the scheduled session. They have clear agendas set so everyone can stay on topic. This ensures that all of the details will be discussed and not set the meeting behind on time.

Body Language

Body language is minimal in Denmark as Danes are friendly and informal (Danish Net). Danes like their personal space, which is considered to be larger than normal. With that being said, Danes prefer not to be touched. The only time when one should touch a Dane is when you are shaking their hand. Maintaining a reasonable distance when speaking or sitting with a Dane is a nice way to show you respect their values. Other body language in Denmark includes maintaining eye contact and avoiding arm crossing (Danish Net).

Attire

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Team Denmark November 7th, 2019

In Denmark, the typical business attire for both men and women is casual. Meaning, a suit and tie for men and a business suit for women are rarely worn in business. Instead, you will find Danes dressed in nice jeans with a nice dress shirt or blouse. These outfits are normally worn with shoes that are well-cared for with the exception of running or gym shoes. (Danish Net). It is important to keep in mind that just because casual wear is acceptable doesn’t mean that clothes can be in poor condition. Clothes and shoes must be in nice condition and be presentable. Some of the time Danes can dress up for things like meetings or when visitors are coming. If this occurs, suits for men are appropriate meanwhile women can wear dress suits, dresses, long skirts and blouses.

Below is a visual of what one may see Danish men wearing in a business setting.

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Team Denmark November 7th, 2019

Business Socializing

Those within the Danish businesses tend to keep work and social life separate. Unlike other cultures, business entertaining is not of importance in Denmark. It is not common to have relations with colleagues outside of the workplace. Danes do not form “private friends” within their workplace. It is not expected for colleagues to go out after work for a beer or to play a round of golf. Time outside of work is for family time. Danes spend most of their time off with established friends and with their families. There are few expectations to socializing outside of work. Most companies have a set calendar of social events. There are usually two staff parties each year. One around Christmas time and the other in the summer months. It is important to show one’s presence at these events however, it is not expected that you stay the entire length of the gathering. Danes believe showing presence at work events means that you are part of the team. It is not unusual within the workplace for there to be many celebrations such as birthdays or someone having a baby within a normal business workday. These social events always include cake. Cake is of importance to the Danish and it is important to always accept the invitation to enjoy cake. Never refuse a piece of cake. Danes consider cake to “build bridges” and to make friends. It is considered rude to eat the last piece of cake without asking everyone first. Within these types of office socializing, it is the best way to get to know your colleagues and is an opportunity to talk about things other than work. Most Friday mornings colleagues join together to discuss departmental announcements over bread and coffee. During the workweek most Danish colleagues eat lunch together. Usually at about 11:30am or noon someone will announce, “Vi spiser” which translates to mean “we’re eating” in English. It is expected that you stop whatever work you are doing and join the team for lunch. Denying a lunch invitation means you are not part of the team. In larger companies lunch is usually eaten at the company canteen. Smaller companies will have meal delivery or van drive up. If you were to be invited out of the office for a business meal (usually lunch, not dinner) it is expected not to bring up the discussion of business unless first introduced by the host. Mostly these meals are reserved for non-work related topics. In Denmark it is customary to finish all the food on your plate. It is unusual to be offered alcohol at lunch but if it were to be offered over dinner there will be many toasts. It is proper to raise your glass and look at the person you are toasting to in the eyes. Tips are automatically applied to the restaurant bill. Although further tipping is allowed for outstanding service, it is by personal choice.

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Team Denmark November 7th, 2019

Communication

In Denmark, virtually all citizens have a working knowledge of English, since it is taught as a mandatory language in elementary school. Additionally, English is commonly used as a corporate language for large firms. This is likely due to the historical relationship Danish holds with English. Both languages are of Germanic descent (see visual below), meaning many words are recognizable, and grammar and pronunciation aren’t so different either. However, we would still recommend all American participants attend a Danish language class taught by a trained or native teacher. Danes speak fast, so learning Americans will have to spend a decent amount of time on listening practice. A great advantage to learning Danish is that once you know some basic Danish language, you will be able to understand a good amount of Norwegian and Swedish too, since the dialects are very similar. This would be helpful as a foreigner, since Norwegian and Swedish are also sometimes spoken by travelers or natives in Denmark.

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To demonstrate, here are a few key Danish phrases translated to English:

Gooddag/ Hej = Hello

Farvel = Goodbye

Ja = Yes

Nej = No

Tak = Thank you

Hvad hedder du? = What’s your name?

Jeg hedder John. = My name is John.

When meeting with a Danish company, appointments are necessary. Danes expect these appointments to be made well in advance; two weeks is the recommended time frame. Initial correspondence should be made to the company, not an individual. It is also polite to call the day before the meeting to confirm your attendance. At this time, it is suitable to check if the resources or equipment you require will be available. An agenda should be sent prior to all meetings. Once the meeting commences, that agenda should be worked from without deviation.

Danes use their professional title and their surname. If someone does not have a professional title, one should use Herr (Mister), Fru (Misses), or Froken (Miss). Danes typically move to first names quickly. Nonetheless, it is polite to wait to be invited before using someone’s first name.

Presentations should be well organized and factual, and communication should be direct. It is polite for questions to come at the end of a presentation. This should not be mistaken for disinterest. If it appears as though business is going well, then a very small gift may be given to your contact after agreements have been signed. If you happen to

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receive a gift in return, it is polite to open it in front of the person rather than waiting. All important decisions and agreements that occurred during the meeting should be recorded in a written summary that will be circulated following the meeting. This record should be kept by both parties, and it will be important to follow through with the actions agreed upon by their agreed upon date.

When emailing business with Danes, one can expect a friendly tone. This is different from email etiquette in America, where short and to the point emails are preferred. While Danes exercise a more relaxed email etiquette, it is important not to mistake this as a reason to include personal matters when discussing business. Perhaps most importantly, Americans must remember that Danes write their dates in a different order. Danes write their dates as: Day, Month, Year. For example, the date October 21st, 2013, would be written as 21.10.13.

In Denmark, plain speaking is admired. Being frank is often viewed as a sign of respect toward the person you are speaking to. Americans might run the risk of mistaking this frankness as rudeness. However, it is important to remember than Danes are generally laid back, and they love to use humor in conversation to establish “hygge.” Hygge is a commonly known Danish term that refers to the relaxed atmosphere that is present when everyone feels at ease in each other’s company.

Conclusion

We believe American professionals stand to learn much from the Danish. Their innovative workplace hierarchical structure alone is something that demands American study, and possibly trial in our own companies. The absence in large language barriers and the courtesy and respect expressed by Danes toward all entities, known or unknown, leads us to further predict that involving the Danish in M-B & T’s ITD would be a positive and beneficial experience all around.

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Team Denmark November 7th, 2019

Reference Page

U.S. Relations With Denmark - United States Department of State. (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2019, from https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-denmark

Business Culture in Denmark: Advice on work, study and life in Denmark. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2019, from https://businessculture.org/northern-europe/denmark-business-culture

Transmittal Letters. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2019, from http://www.mit.edu/course/21/21.guide/l-trans.htm

Doing Business in Denmark. (n.d.). Retrieved November 13, 2019, from https://www.worldbusinessculture.com/country-profiles/denmark/. Denmark. (n.d.). Retrieved November 13, 2019, from http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_dk.htm.

Body Language in Danish Business Environments. (2019, June 28). Retrieved November 13, 2019, from https://www.danishnet.com/business-denmark/body-language/.

Business Dress and Attire. (2015, April 20). Retrieved November 13, 2019, from https://www.danishnet.com/business-denmark/business-dress-and-attire/.

“Danish Workplace Culture.” International Community - Danish Workplace Culture, https://internationalcommunity.dk/en-US/Your-guide-to-DK/Before-Arrival/Danish-workplace-culture.

Mellish, Kay Xander. “How to Work in Denmark Part 6: Socializing with Danish Colleagues.” HowtoliveinDenmark.com, 10 Jan. 2019, https://www.howtoliveindenmark.com/stories-about-life-in-denmark/danish-colleagues/.

Warburton, Keith. “Successful Entertaining in Denmark.” World Business Culture, https://www.worldbusinessculture.com/country-profiles/denmark/culture/business-meals-entertaining/.

Z., Danial. “3 Work-Life Balance Makes Denmark the Happiest Place to Work.” FeedFond, FeedFond, 23 Oct. 2017, https://www.feedfond.com/danish-work-life-balance/.

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“Business Email Etiquette: How to Email to Different Cultures.” Nordic IT, 28 Mar. 2019, nordic-it.com/business-email-etiquette/.

“Business Meeting Etiquette.” Business Culture, 3 Dec. 2013, businessculture.org/northern-europe/denmark-business-culture/meeting-etiquette/.

“International Business Culture in Europe: Business Etiquette Guides.” English, businessculture.org/.

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