CHARACTERISTICS OF AUSTRIANS
PUNCTUALITY
You are expected to be on time in Austria. When your appointment or invitation is at 10.30, then it is at 10.30, don’t keep people waiting without a very important reason. If you cannot keep an appointment, it is very important to inform the other person immediately. If you missed an appointment it is a must to apologize and/or explain.
HUMOR
Austrians often say things in a humorous way. They like to make fun of people who think that they are better than anybody else. They also like to tease others, don’t be offended, it is just another way to show you that you are liked and accepted. If you feel offended tell them and explain why.
POLITENESS
When Austrians enter a room or a shop or when they meet someone they know in the street they greet. They also use polite phrases a lot, like "I’ll call you some time", or "Let’s meet some time". Don’t take this too seriously, it might be only a polite phrase. It is not common to address tutors, teachers or administrative staff at the University with their first names. Unless the respective persons offers you to use the first name and to say "du", you have to use the last name and "Sie". Austrians also love titles (even though they joke a lot about it). So when you know that a person has an academic degree, use it until the person tells you to omit it.
AUSTRIAN GERMAN
You will notice at once that the German the Austrians speak is quite different to the German you may have learned at school. Austrians use regional informal dialects which are not always easy to understand, it is mainly a change of vowels. They also use different expressions for things which you will not find in a dictionary. So if you have problems understanding ask people to talk slowly or to repeat and ask them to use "High-German": "Bitte sprechen Sie Hochdeutsch". Don’t use the dialect when you talk to superiors.
The University offers German courses at beginner’s and intermediate level. Try to talk to your fellow students as much as possible and don’t stick to people from your home country.
BODY LANGUAGE
Every culture has certain ways of standing, moving, using hands, eyes, arms, nodding the head, etc. There may be meanings associated with these movements or gestures, and the meaning may be different in Austria from the meaning in your culture. In Austria it is usual to look someone in the eye when you are talking with them. Eye contact means directness, attentiveness and sincerity. Averting the eyes is considered to be impolite. In some cultures it is an insult if someone gives you something with the left hand – in Austria it makes no difference. Austrian people also touch others when they are talking to them but they don’t like it when you stand too close to them. It is also quite common to pat little children’s heads. After you have spoken to a number of Austrians you will soon notice these differences.
GREETINGS
People usually shake hands when they meet. "Guten Morgen", "Mahlzeit" and "Guten Abend" are formal greetings in the morning, at noon and in the evening. You can use "Grüß Gott" at any time, and when you leave say "Auf Wiedersehen". Students and young people often just say "Hallo", "Servus" or "Grüß dich". The American "Hi" is also quite common. People also appreciate it if you add their name, eg. "Grüß Gott, Herr Moser".
CONVERSATION
You are expected to contribute to the conversation. Your host will understand that your German might not be so fluent. If they speak too fast, ask them to speak a little more slowly.
Questions about a person’s age, how much someone earns, the cost of a persons house or the land on which the house is built, and the costs of various things in the home are considered to be impolite. If you would like to know the cost of something, ask the question in a non-personal way, eg.: "How much does the average house in Leoben cost?"
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE NEGOTIATING
It is important to carry a plentiful supply of business cards when doing business in Austria. Not only will you want to exchange them with your Austrian counterparts upon your initial meeting but you will also be expected to offer them to everyone you meet including administrative personnel, such as receptionists and secretaries.
It is essential to arrive on time for meetings. The German for ’late’ is zu spät, which translates literally as ’too late’; 5-10 minutes is ’too late’ for a subordinate and 15 minutes’ lateness will constitute a shaky start to any business relationship.
Meetings with Austrians typically begin with some brief, preliminary ’small talk’ so you should be prepared to discuss your journey, your hotel, what you did the previous evening etc. and to ask equivalent questions in return. At a more serious level, you should also aim to be up-to-date on current affairs [especially if local and uncontroversial] or perhaps display some knowledge of Austrian culture. Such light social conversation is not just a polite convention, and certainly not an excuse for not getting straight down to business, but serves an important purpose; because there is little socializing amongst colleagues outside the office, this may be one of the few opportunities for the parties to get to know one another. It is, therefore, strongly recommended that you make a good impression as an intelligent and agreeable conversationalist.
It is vital to be thoroughly well prepared for all meetings. All punctual people hate wasting time and Austrians are no exception.
Austria has a formal, structured and conservative business culture; it is less flexible, more ritualised and more ’old fashioned’ [or, at least, very attached to the ’old’ way of doing things] than most Western European countries. Change is not thought to be implicitly good for its own sake, and the reasons for doing things differently from the way they have been done, unless obvious, must be set out clearly. Indeed, Austrians can become very uncomfortable, even emotional, if their sense of normal service, order and organisation is threatened.
Decision-making can be slow and a potential cause of impatience because Austrians tend to be risk-averse and make decisions methodically and with tremendous precision. However, precisely because responsibility for decision-making lies only with those at the very top, it does mean that any action plan is likely to be implemented immediately. Plain-speaking, open negotiations that end in agreement deliver prompt results. Austrians aim for mutual benefit in their business dealings and expect their respect and trust to be reciprocated. Agreements are solid even in their pre-contract stage and there should be no need to chase them up.
www.globaledge.msu.edu (Part 2)
PUBLIC CONDUCT
Respect, conservatism, and a respect for conservatism are the keys to business success in Austria. As befits a highly traditional nation, Austrians conduct themselves in public with a tremendous amount of polite formality. Courtesy and an almost exaggerated politeness are integral features of Austrian behaviour.
In accordance with Austrian etiquette, you should acknowledge people with a formal greeting before jumping into conversation; the most common salutation is Grüß Gott. This includes everyone in the room [and applies equally to café staff, shop assistants, receptionists, indeed anyone you meet in whatever context] and not just your primary contacts. If you know the positions of the people you are meeting, extend your hand to the most senior individuals first. When shaking hands, be sure to give a quick yet confident handshake.
As in most European countries, a handshake should be extended when leaving as a way of confirming what has been discussed and solidifying your friendship. Again, it is impolite to take one’s leave from any room or building without saying Auf Wiedersehen or Auf Wiederschauen to all those present.
Women are often still treated with a greater degree of ritualised respect by men. Some older Austrians, in fact, may take the woman’s hand [always after she has offered it] and raise it towards their lips as they bow from the waist saying küßdiehand, gnädige Frau. It is important that the hand does not actually touch the lips and that the ’kiss’ is merely symbolic.
MAKING APPOINTMENTS
Austrians plan their schedules weeks, even months, in advance and try to follow what they have pre-arranged in their appointment books. If it is absolutely necessary to reschedule an appointment, you should ensure that you do so as soon as you know of the change.
Austrians are scrupulously punctual and expect others to observe the same courtesy at all times. It is therefore essential to arrive on time for all meetings and other engagements [especially if you are invited to a prestigious concert or opera in Salzburg or Vienna]. Austrians view people who can manage time as also being able to handle business projects with punctilious attention to detail. These qualities are of tremendous importance to them.
The Austrian transport system is efficient and reliable [even during alpine winters] so there should be no excuse for being late.
You should avoid planning business meetings for August or any time near the Christmas holidays when many Austrians schedule lengthy trips. Similarly, good snow at any time between December and April is likely to tempt a nation of enthusiastic skiers to head for the Alps.