GREECE

Julianna Grainson

Capital city and flag

The capital city of Greece is Athens.

Primary language and religion

Greek is the official language of Greece.
1 percent of Greeks speak English or French as their first
language.
Major religions include the official Greek Orthodox
(approximately 98 percent).
Other small groups include Muslim, Jewish, Catholic,
Protestant.

Tourist attraction 1
Mount Lycabettus
Highest point in the city of Athens.
Rising to the height of 300 meters (908 feet).
Offers great views of the city below.
Visitors can take a circular ride to the top.
There is also a restaurant and 2 churches, 1 at the foot and 1
at the summit.

Tourist attraction 2
Temple of Hephaestus
Well-preserved temple that dates back to 449 BCE.
Mostly constructed out of marble.
The Greeks converted the temple into a church dedicated to
St. George.
The exterior is still intact, but the interior is badly damaged.
Its a place of great cultural and historical significance.

National cuisine
Spanakopita A traditional Greek savory pastry
of spinach, onions, and feta cheese wrapped in
phyllo dough and cut in triangles.
Baklava A sweet, chewy, crunchy, honey-drenched nut and
phyllo dough pastry shell dessert.

Stereotypes by Americans
of people of this culture

Tula, you
should be
proud to
be Greek!

Us and Them Citizens of this culture cannot help but take a

great deal of pride in their heritage. Greeks tend to look at
other nations as unfortunate victims of fate.
Organizational Problems Greek culture thrives on chaos as
do other Mediterranean cultures. Everything is portrayed as
big, loud and chaotic. They believe pursing perfection is
bound to bring disappointment.

Superstitions
The Evil Eye Greeks believe in the damaging properties of
the matiasma (Evil Eye).
They wear a blue bracelet or a blue marble with an eye
painted on it to ward off its effects. People also hang garlic in
the corners of their houses to ward off the evil.
Spitting Greeks spit for a number of superstitious reasons.
The most common reason is that it keeps the devil and evil
away. They physically spit on each other to keep away these
things.

Hand gestures used in this

country
Thank you very much my friend The yes gesture is
followed by putting the right hand to the heart. Standing in
front of the person, the gesture is followed by a verbal
statement.
I want to tell you something This gesture is done by
touching or patting the lower lip with the index finger, and
can easily be misunderstood, as it looks like youre being told
to be quiet.

Business culture etiquette and

body language
A firm handshake is expected of men, shake the hand of a
woman less firmly.
Shake everyones hand again after a meeting.
One side of a business card should be printed in Greek.
Present the card with the Greek side facing up and towards
the recipient. Give everyone a card including the receptionist.
Eye contact is strong because they consider it a sign of
honesty and openness.
Very similar to the US

Business culture relationship

building
Relationship building is crucial.
Greeks prefer to do business with those they know, so a successful
business partnership depends on trust.
Building this trust requires a great deal of socializing.
Getting to know your counterparts can happen in the office, at lunch
or at dinner with a glass of wine or a cup of strong Greek coffee.
Socializing is an important part of the business process, so turning
down an invitation will likely be perceived as an insult.
Very similar to the US

Business culture communication

styles in decision making
Meetings usually begin with small talk.
Greeks are typically verbally and physically expressive while
conversing.
If you have angered or insulted your Greek counterpart you
will know. They become quiet and withdrawn.
Again, it is important to maintain eye contact.
Very similar to the US
Americans arent always known to be verbally and physically
expressive while conserving.

Business culture power

structure in decision making
Greek business culture is relatively hierarchical.
The most senior member of the organization will make the
final decision.
Those in senior management roles with discuss topics with
subordinates to get their opinions.
Very similar to the US

Internet and social network sites

Internet penetration rate 64.8%
Internet users 7,072,534
Population 10,919,459
Facebook and LinkedIn are the most widely used social media
in Greece.
Google+ and YouTube are also popular.

Individualism vs. collectivism

Greece is a collectivist culture.
In this country people from birth are integrated into a strong,
cohesive in-group (uncles, aunts, grandparents, and cousins)
which continues protecting its members in exchange for
loyalty.
Score of 35
Similar to the US
People in the US are usually born into families that continue
to support one another throughout life.

Large or small power distance

Intermediate score of 60
Indicates a slight tendency to the higher side (larger power
distance).
They are a society that believes hierarchy should be respected
and inequalities amongst people are acceptable.
Power holders have more benefits than the less powerful.
It is important to show respect for the elderly.
In companies there is one boss who takes complete responsibility.
Similar to what Americans practice here in the US.

Strong or weak uncertainty

avoidance
Greece has the highest uncertainty avoidance (strong uncertainty
avoidance).
High score of 100
As a nation Greeks are not all comfortable in ambiguous situations.
In Greece, as in all high uncertainty avoidance cultures, there are laws
and rules that are enforced to make the world a safer place.
This is similar to the US
Americans have a strong uncertainty avoidance.
Laws and rules are enforced to make our country a safer place to live
in.

Masculinity vs. femininity

Greece is a medium ranking masculine society.
Score of 57
Success oriented and driven.
Men consider it a personal to take care of their family.
The US is similar to Greece in terms of masculinity.
It is known that men are usually the ones that take care of the
family.
They are also considered the ones who provide for the family in
terms of working.

Current events
Thousands flee fire at refugee camp in Greece around 4,000 people
were evacuated from a refugee camp on the Greek island Lesbos after
a fire ripped through the site. Half of the large camp was destroyed by
the fire.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/20/europe/fire-refugee-camp-lesbos/index
.html
Netherlands vs. Greece: Score and Reaction from 2016 International
Friendly Greece beat the Netherlands 2-1 in a soccer match. This is
the last game before they start their FIFA 2018 World Cup qualification
campaigns.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2661113-netherlands-vs-greece-score
-and-reaction-from-2016-international-friendly

Citations

B. (n.d.). Blackboard Learn . Retrieved October 10, 2016, from

http://www.globalroadwarrior.com.ccbcmd.idm.oclc.org/#mode=country
By Gianni Verschueren , Featured Columnist Sep 1, 2016. (2016). Netherlands vs. Greece:
Score and Reaction from 2016 Friendly. Retrieved October 17, 2016, from
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2661113-netherlands-vs-greece-score-and-reactionfrom-2016- international-friendly
Go to Bing homepage. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2016, from
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=greece flag
Go to Bing homepage. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2016, from
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mount lycabettus
Go to Bing homepage. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2016, from
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Temple of Hephaestus
Go to Bing homepage. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2016, from
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=spanakopita
Go to Bing homepage. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2016, from
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=baklava

Citations cont.

Go to Bing homepage. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2016, from

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=gus my big fat greek wedding
Go to Bing homepage. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2016, from
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=evil eye
Geert Hofstede. (n.d.). Retrieved October 14, 2016, from https://geerthofstede.com/greece.html
Internet Users by Country (2016). (n.d.). Retrieved October 14, 2016, from
http://www.internetlivestats.com/internet-users-by-country/
Nicholas, B. T. (2014). Greek Superstitions, Customs and Traditions - Real Corfu. Retrieved
October 14,
2016, from http://realcorfu.com/greek-superstitions-customs-and-traditions/
Thousands flee fire at refugee camp in Greece. (n.d.). Retrieved October 17, 2016, from
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/20/europe/fire-refugee-camp-lesbos/index.html
@. (n.d.). Social media guide. Retrieved October 14, 2016, from
http://businessculture.org/southerneurope/business-culture-in-greece/social-mediaguide-for-greece/