Cultural Differences at Work : Finland versus Norway
Suominen, Iida (2024)
2024
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024112931485
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024112931485
Tiivistelmä
The purpose of this bachelor's thesis is to find differences between business cultures in Norway and Finland. This thesis will go through the cultural differences and similarities in Norway and Finland in a business- and work-related context. This study will focus mainly on differences between these two different cultures but also notice similarities between selected countries.
The purpose of this qualitive semi-structured interview research study is to conduct interviews, explore the interviewed individuals’ experiences, and ask them to compare Norway and Finland from the point of view of business and work-related context.
The study was conducted by comparing existing theories to answers obtained from interviewing individuals who have experience working in Finland and Norway with Finns and Norwegians
Based on the results of the interviews they were compared to existing theories to create recommendations on how to avoid the most common misunderstandings.
The research concludes that there are many similarities, but the most noticeable differences are in communication, giving feedback, and how a leader or a manager is seen and valued. It was noted that Finns like to express negative feedback directly with words without softeners and they want to go straight to business without extensive chatting or getting to know colleagues. The Finns tend to respect a leader or a boss more and acknowledge that there is a hierarchy. Norwegians tend to see a leader as an equal, but Norwegians can use more gestures to support words, but they enjoy more chatting before meetings while having a hot drink and a snack.
The purpose of this qualitive semi-structured interview research study is to conduct interviews, explore the interviewed individuals’ experiences, and ask them to compare Norway and Finland from the point of view of business and work-related context.
The study was conducted by comparing existing theories to answers obtained from interviewing individuals who have experience working in Finland and Norway with Finns and Norwegians
Based on the results of the interviews they were compared to existing theories to create recommendations on how to avoid the most common misunderstandings.
The research concludes that there are many similarities, but the most noticeable differences are in communication, giving feedback, and how a leader or a manager is seen and valued. It was noted that Finns like to express negative feedback directly with words without softeners and they want to go straight to business without extensive chatting or getting to know colleagues. The Finns tend to respect a leader or a boss more and acknowledge that there is a hierarchy. Norwegians tend to see a leader as an equal, but Norwegians can use more gestures to support words, but they enjoy more chatting before meetings while having a hot drink and a snack.