Turkish business culture

Tim Bright

www.oneworldconsulting.com

Turkey –contrasts and

paradoxes

History and Geography impacts

culture….

• Very proud, young nation, complex

relationship with Ottoman heritage.

• At the crossroads - Europe, Asia,

Middle East, very diverse culturally,

ethnically and geographically.

• Very patriotic, but great love for

things from overseas.

• Desire for international respect,

also proud (EU, World Cup).

Turkey –contrasts and

paradoxes

• Secular state, but 90%+ Muslim.

• Focus on individual leaders, but very collective culture.

• People fatalistic (kader, inshallah), often pessimistic, but in some areas always hopeful.

• Culture both very traditional and very modern.

• “Men’s culture” but many women in senior roles.

• Extremes of wealth – growing middle class.

Business Culture

• Highly (often foreign) educated

managers, growing skills base.

• People very internationally

minded and knowledgeable.

• Relationships and building trust

very important, takes time.

• University, high school, sports

clubs, military service networks

important.

Business Culture

• Turks will take time to meet foreign business visitors and entertainment is part of the normal process. Genuinely hospitable and welcoming.

• Turkish business people generally have great respect for foreign business people, visitors need to live up to that image – dress, politeness, language!

• People generally open to new ideas, flexible, innovative, hard working.

• Great crisis management, sometimes weak long term planning.

• “Everything is negotiable”

National Culture

Exercise

How do nations describe

themselves?

“What should foreigners know

about working with people from

your country?”

“British”

• Non-emotional

• Heritage/History

• Fair Play

• Gentlemanly (queue)

• Democracy

• Reserved

• Respectful

• Considerate

• Fair

• Tradition

• Island mentality

• Humour

• Self-critical

• Weather obsessed

• Punctual

• Put up with things

“Turkish”

• Proud

• Hospitable

• Focused on relationships

• Emotional

• Sometimes late

• Friendly

• Patriarchal

• Like to be close to each other, little personal private space

• Respectful of older people

• Hierarchical

• Strong family ties

• Quite collectivist

Geert Hofstede

Research based approach.

IBM 1967-1973 50 countries.

Employee values questionnaires

IBM recruiting similar executives around the world

Factor analysis of the data led to the identification of 4 cultural dimensions, later others.

Geert

Hofstede

Dimensions

• Don’t cover all aspects of culture, but are the statistically validated tendencies.

• Doesn’t mean ‘everyone in a culture is like this’

• Can be applied to any cultural group, not just countries – companies, families, etc.

• Can also be applied to individuals –your preferred way of working, your own values.

Four key

dimensions

• Power Distance – High or Low

• Individualism vs. Collectivism

• Achievement vs. Relationship

• Uncertainty avoidance – High or Low

Turkey (TUR)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

PDI

IDV

ACH

UAI

Turkey (TUR)

Great Britain

Turkey0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

PDI

IDV

ACH

UAI

Great Britain

Turkey

Turkish business

culture

What do the Hofstede scores tell us about Turkish culture?

Turkey - High PDI, Low IDV, Medium ACH, High UAI.

Remember these are all generalisations

and don’t define any one individual.

In Turkey, companies generally more like pyramids, clear layers, usually people don’t communicate too far across the layers. In UK opposite. (PDI, UAI)

Turkish executives may want more structure in their work than their UK colleagues. (UAI)

Turkish business

culture

In the UK people are expected to be more individualistic. In Turkey, people often place emphasis on being part of a group. (IDV)

UK executives may focus more on tasks than relationships, social networks more important in Turkey. (ACH, IDV)

Turkish executives less likely to say ‘I don’t know’ and less open to their ideas being challenged by people below them in company. (UAI, PDI)

Turkish executives less likely to challenge superior.

(PDI, IDV,ACH, UAI)

Turkish business

culture

Remember these are all

generalisations… Do you agree?

In Turkey, ‘face’ and respect can be much more important than in the UK. (IDV, PDI)

Role of emotions more important at work. (ACH, IDV)

In the UK ‘ask for forgiveness, not permission’. Traditionally Turkish executives are not expected to use their own initiative so much. (UAI, PDI, IDV)

So what do we

do?

Accept that no cultures are ‘normal’. Become more aware of your own culture and preferences. Every culture is nuanced and full of exceptions.

Over-communicate, listen more.

Try different methods of communications, check for understanding, be careful with emails.

Ask good questions, show empathy.

Talk about it, raise everyone’s awareness of culture.

See cultural difference and diversity as a positive value, not a hurdle.

Thank You. To keep in touch-

http://www.oneworldconsulting.com

https://twitter.com/oneworldconsult

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https://www.linkedin.com/company/oneworld-consulting