Download UK mole

United Kingdom
Mind Your Manners
population: 58m
GDP 1025 ($ billion)
Regionalism-- stereotypes -- politics
The South -- "the area within a couple hours' drive from London"
Seen by those who live in it as "superior in wealth, sophistication and social status"
"Home Counties" -- London and surrounding area
1/5 of population live in 8 cities
The North -- the rest
Bulldog -- symbol of "thrusting individual assertiveness"
Politeness -- reserve and restraint
"The Establishment"-- Civil Service, Tories, Oxbridge, "the great and the good"
Only EU country without PR (Proportional Representation)
Politics and law based on precedent
No written constitution, bill of rights or legal code
"Muddling through" -- "getting there in the end" -- "common sense" (cf France)
Mistrust of "grand designs", particularly with regard to Europe
Economy
No national agenda for economic development
Despite privatisation -- one in three employees remains in public sector
(cf 31% in Germany/20% in Italy)
Major shift-- from manufacturing to services (60 % of GDP/65% OF workforce)
No protection against foreign takeover (cf Germany) -- car industry in foreign hands
The UK gateway into EU Single Market for non-European countries
120 of 400 Japanese manufacturing facilities in Europe
British industry labour intensive -- manual workers comprise 45% of workforce
Cheap labour market -- comparable to Spain and Portugal
Unions -- based on craft, not industry/makes for competition among unions
Decline in power -- legislation, decline of heavy industry, no longer seen as "partner"
Greater freedom to "hire and fire" than in other EU countries
Worker participation programs resisted
Pay and conditions, not longer-term collaboration remain primary union goals
The City -- banks, insurance companies, financial institutions
Intercultural communication: UK -- Cooper page 1
United Kingdom
page 2
SIB -- Securities and Investments Board, watchdog for investors
Stock Exchange -- largest and most active in Europe
Stock Exchange/Unlisted Securities Market -- 4000 public limited companies (plc)
Institutional shareholders -- more significant than private shareholders
Business
Public limited companies (plc)
Board of directors -- at least two directors appointed by shareholders
Chairperson (chief executive), chief executive otherwise called managing director
Company secretary -- in charge of legal compliance and administration
Private limited companies (Ltd) -- needs only one director appointed by owners
non-executive directors -- provide contacts with govt/establishment
executive committee -- appointed by board; includes MD; cf continental twin-board
Organisation -- top-down, structured hierarchy (also a social hierarchy)
Plannning -- financial forecasting and budgeting
line managers -- make first drafts
senior management -- consolidate, process, amend and return
basis of bonuses and incentives -- meeting or outperforming forecasts
Management style
Instructions -- "should be disguised as polite requests"
"Arm's-length relationships" -- both sides on their guard/fairness not closeness
Breakdown of hierarchical systems -- "no national consensus among managers under the age
of 45 about the nature of authority systems" (the UK is the only large EU country not to
have military conscription)
Committees -- British joke about their love of them
Most important committee -- the board of directors: all decisions need its approval
"Servant" -- means employee/implies strong element of duty and commitment
Group consensus -- very important/individualism refers to non-conformism
Uncomfortable taking individual initiatives with out group consensus behind them
Intercultural communication: UK -- Cooper page 2
United Kingdom
page 3
Meetings
Most important and time-consuming management tool
Not regarded as interruptions from real work
Not acceptable to leave half-way through
Must have results -- if only an agreement to have another meeting
Schedules and agendas most common -- start on time, but finish when finished
Consensus important -- not usual to lobby individual members
Training
One sixth -- German/French spend six times Brithish companies on training
Lower levels -- 4 of 5 manual/3 of 5 non-manual workers get no training
Higher levels -- regarded as reward for promotion
Women
45% of workforce, but -- lowest maternity benefits/childcare facilities
Why? -- cheaper, will work part-time (less protection), economic necessity
Where? -- service/public sector--more often in management than other EU countries
Etiquette
Less formal than is believed -- first names increasingly common
Titles -- Sir + first name/"Doctor" only for medical doctors, not academics
Greetings -- "sir" used less than in US/handshakes for first meetings/How do you do?
Last names -- male colleagues close in hierarchy: matey, old-boy atmosphere
Class distinctions-- experts at classifying by tiny details of speech, manners and dress
Cars symbol of rank -- 75% of new cars are bought by companies (tax avoidance)
Dress -- "off-the-peg"/tailored, ties: old school-- important signal
Formal meals -- "loyal toast" - everyone stands and toasts sovereign
Formalized unpunctuality -- social occasions 20 minutes/work 10 minutes
"A nice person" -- courteous, unassuming/self-irony, self-deprecation
South -- hints and subtleties, polite and reserved/direct confrontation avoided
North -- reputation for plain speaking
Humour -- aversion to seriousness/all levels/important to be entertaining
British reserve/self-irony has its limits--don't make fun of British tradition/custom
Intercultural communication: UK -- Cooper page 3
United Kingdom
page 3
Socialising
Segregated canteens -- still common as is "directors' dining room"
Business lunch -- often main meal of day
Pubs -- pub lunch and pub after work quite common
Late hours -- managers work long hours
"Office parties" -- at least once a year, also social clubs, children's Christmas parties
Intercultural communication: UK -- Cooper page 4