as ‘ interrupting ’ or ‘ rude ’ and the ability to multitask in conversation is common . Business meetings tend to be circular rather than linear , and personal relationships and presenting a ‘ good image ’ are paramount . Rules are viewed as flexible and laws open to interpretation . Time is viewed as fluid .
In contrast , the Northern Europeans , for example those from Scandinavia and Germany , tend to be more reserved than the ‘ Latin ’ s ’ in expressing themselves , think more before speaking and have a more calculated rather than an emotion-based response to events , situations and decisions . They take it in turns to speak in a group setting , respect timelines and appointments and in general ‘ live by the rules ’. Honour is important in these countries and verbal agreements hold a certain weight . Business meetings are bullet-pointed and linear , with an outline provided at the outset and clear action points at the end for all participants . With European borders merging within the EU Area and the Schengen Area , the various cultures of Europe are forced to intermingle both socially and within the workplace , causing inevitable challenges to communication and project implementation .
HISTORICAL POLITICAL INFLUENCES
Historically , Europe has been ruled by a wide range of different governmental systems ; in recent times democracy has dominated throughout most of Western Europe where several countries still possess a reigning monarch as their figurehead .
The political history of Europe has impacted greatly on the culture of the various populations , Spain having been under fascist dictator Franco up until the mid-1970s , the Germans under Nazi rule throughout WWII while Soviet Communism dominated most of Eastern Europe until the early 1990s .
In general , government that deprives its citizens of initiative and incentives will create a population that is good at following orders but that is not good at leading ; a government that instead encourages entrepreneurship will foster an expansive and creative people , free to express opinions and lead to change .
POLITICAL ALLIANCES
Within Europe there are political treaties that allow for freedom of movement , work and trade between member countries . The European Union ( EU ), presently made up of 28 member countries is the most renowned , allowing for citizens of member states to circulate freely between each other , with some restrictions .
The Schengen Area is an area of totally free movement within Europe , made up of nearly all EU members and some associated non-EU countries . It allows for travel within the area without the need for border checks , not only for EU citizens but for also non-EU citizens that hold a valid Schengen visa . Border controls of the Schengen Area are more strict , to protect the area .
The European monetary zone ( Eurozone ) is a group of EU countries ( presently 19 out of the 28 EU members ) that have a currency in common ; the Euro .
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