International Marketing in Germany – From a cultural perspective

4.1.5
 
Social Organization
The family is Germany’s most important social reference, having strong bonds with the 
parents is of importance for the younger people. The family as a social institution has 
increased in importance over the years and the traditional values about family have change 
towards a wider view. Germany has developed far with regard to social standard having high 
standard as well as being well educated. However, the country still suffers from the time when 
Germany was divided and must continually work on the social standard to be more constant 
all over the country.
193
The population is aging in Germany: 13.8 percent is between 0-14 years (male 
5,826,066/female 5,524,568), 66.2 percent is between 15-64 percent (male 27,763,917/female 
26,739,934) and 20 percent is over 65 years (male 6,892,743/female 9,622,320).
194
Today, one 
person out of four is over 60 years old. However, lately German life and lifestyles have 
changed towards more independency. Yet, the elderly often value strong bonds to the family 
and prefer to live close by.
195
There are about 15 million people with immigrant background in Germany: the largest groups 
are Turks, Italians, Poles, Romans, etc. This high degree of immigrants forces Germany to 
work actively with integration questions which has lead to that the contact between Germans 
and immigrants being closer, as well as the ethnic cultural variety, which has become more 
accepted among Germans.
196
Germany is a welfare state having social securities such as unemployment insurance and long 
term insurance, however, under certain circumstances and terms. Being a well-fare state 
means that the state should protect the natural bases of the citizens’ life, but the individual 
must also take responsibility for his own social welfare. Most people are health insured and 
accident insured, but this must the individual take care about.
197
Studies of organizations have shown that organizations in Germany are characterized by well-
defined job-roles, the individual is of value, leader has absolute authority, rules are often more 
190
Porter, M., 
The Competitive Advantage of Nations
, (1990), p. 372 
191
Usunier, J-C., 
Marketing Across Cultures, 
(2000),
 
p.116 
192
Ibid, p.153 
193
Hintereder, P. et al., 
Facts About Germany
, (2008), p. 135ff 
194
Central Intelligence Agency - The World Fact Book 
195
Hintereder, P. et al., 
Facts About Germany
, (2008), p. 147 
196
Ibid, p. 149 
197
Ibid, p. 150 

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important than the situation, job security is important, expertise and hierarchy is crucial and 
they have a well-defined distinction between business and personal life.
198
Hierarchy is basic 
rule in Germany with regard to companies, especially when doing business.
199
Trade unions have a strong influence on some parts of the marketing environment in 
Germany. The stores opening hours are strongly restricted, closing 18.30 working days, at 
14.00 every Saturday and are closed on Sundays. Historically has every try towards 
liberalization been heavily fined and the Germans have been forced to adjust to the opening 
hours instead of the opposite. This has led to a development of mail order service giving the 
Germans the opportunity to shop at any time. Examples of mail order firms are: Neckermann, 
Bertelsmann and Quelle.
200
In 1997 the German catalogue industry was the strongest in the 
world relative to country size.
201