Norway

The following give a good idea of some of the approaches and attitudes you will encounter in a business environment in Norway:

Tip 1

Norway is one of the least hierarchical business cultures in the world and this ‘flatter’ approach to company structure is driven from a deeply held belief in egalitarianism.

Tip 2

This egalitarian approach leads to an openness of communication flow within an organisation which may seem anarchic to people from a more command and control,hierarchical culture.

Tip 3

It is important to try to get colleagues to ‘buy-in’ to any new project or idea at an early stage – any attempts to impose an idea without prior consultation may be resisted strongly.

Tip 4

Norwegians will work very effectively within a team environment,so long as the team ethos is seen to be highly inclusive and that the manner does not attempt to be dictatorial.

Tip 5

Meetings can be lengthy affairs as people are expected to contribute to the consensual decision-making process.

Tip 6

Pre-meeting preparation is expected and respected. Arriving unprepared for a meeting will appear highly unprofessional and may lead people to question your ability and authority

Tip 7

As in all consensus-oriented cultures,decision-making can be a slow process. Be patient,as any attempt to speed this process up through avoiding the important discussion stage will probably backfire.

Tip 8

Do not be late. Punctuality is essential and any possible late arrival should be communicated in advance.

Tip 9

Norwegians put business before relationships and business relationships are based on respect for competence and diligence.

Tip 10

Norway is one of the most gender-equal economies in the world and foreign business women will have no difficulty when interacting with Norwegian contacts.

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