Polish Culture

The following summary of Polish culture, at which this article aims, does not concern the overall character of its society. Its main objective is to present some general aspects of Polish attitudes with the main emphasis on business behaviors. Hofstede (2000) did not include central and eastern European countries in his research. However, Polish scholars made some research based on Hofstede's principles. The results of cultural studies in Polish organizations described by Łukasz Sułkowski (2002) will be used here. Some interesting observations of cultural differences and business behavior are also presented by Gesteland (2000) and Anna Murdoch (1999).

Attitude Towards Power

During the last fifty years Polish organizations have undergone many changes. Although in the past Poles had features of moderately hierarchical society, they can be characterized as quite egalitarian nowadays. The reason for this shift can be linked to communist propaganda of the previous political system. The goal of the state was to destroy social class and status differences and this attitude is still shared by the most part of society. Poles look with suspicion on any kind of social and financial disproportions. Those who earn more have to pay a higher income tax. [1]

In Polish organizations power is usually treated with respect. There is a strict division between the management and the employees. Workers are subordinated to their superiors and avoid expressing different views. On the other hand, the attitude of distrust, distance and passive resistance are not uncommon. The Polish style of management can be categorized as close to paternalistic but far from despotic, where chief directors cooperate with a small group of managerial personnel.[2]

Attitude Towards the Role of an Individual

According to the research conducted by Sułkowski (2002), Polish organizational culture shows the highest index of collectivism among the countries of the research. In his own calculations, Poland scored (-)30, compared with (+)12 of the United States. [3] Again, the reason for this may be traced down to Polish history. In times, when Poland did not exist on the political map of Europe its citizens developed strong identification with family.

In organizations this collectivism can be also observed. Employees tend to identify themselves with the group they work with. There is a general attitude of collective solidarity and trade unions have always been powerful. The personal opinions are often shaped by the group interests. Individual decisions are not perceived positively and there is a tendency towards managing by group interests. This attitude often places interpersonal relations above economic objectives. Personal connections are of great importance, and they may influence decisions about promotion or hiring new employees. In such conditions it is difficult to use individualistic methods of management. Many directors will not be objective in their decisions about motivational bonuses as they may be influenced by personal interests.

Additionally, it is believed that the state should secure decent work conditions and many workers do not see the professional or financial success as the most important issue. Family matters are highly valued and professional and private lives are strongly connected.[4]

Attitude Towards the Role of Male and Female

This dimension is mainly concerned with expectations that society has towards its members. In general male cultures expect their men to be success oriented and assertive. The attitude toward women is very traditional - they should be modest and interested in family.

Polish society can be characterized as a male culture. Although it is not as male as the success-oriented culture of the United States, but the roles of men and women are different. It is confirmed by research conducted by B. Łaciak (1994), which shows that Poles value traditional image of a good wife and housekeeper. Among the most important features diligence, thrift, and household skills are listed. Women should also be faithful, modest, and good-looking. The most valued features of men are diligence, thrift and intelligence. The stereotype of a man is a professional, macho and father.[5]

Attitude Towards Uncertainty Avoidance

According to the research conducted by Sułkowski (2002), Polish organizations are characterized by a high level of uncertainty toleration. The index of uncertainty avoidance equals (+)9, whereas the United States scored (+)22.[6]

This high toleration of unknown may be explained by Polish history and the fact that it was annexed by its neighbors. Due to its low stability, it was difficult to plan or assume anything for certain. Thus, Polish businessmen had to be very flexible, ready to change their goals. Polish workers in today's companies see uncertainty and changes as something positive, although it may bring some risk as well. Organizational life brings more and more risk because it is impossible to generalize about all the rules that govern it and predict their impact in different situations. This trend is very popular among the new-created companies, where growth is strictly connected with changes. Organizations should be able to change the course of their development and concentrate on the sectors that bring profit. Quite an important role is also held by a different kind of motivators such as bonuses and prizes. All these factors together have an impact on increasing uncertainty tolerance in Polish organizations.[7]

Affective versus Neutral Cultures

Polish society is classified by Gesteland as a mixture of reserved and expressive culture. Poles attitude towards strangers is changing in the course of time. In the first meeting they tend to be quite reserved, however later they become more relaxed, and their behavior may be more affectional. In certain situation Poles may show their frustration or anger in public. Their tone of speaking is usually moderate and one should avoid raising his/her voice in public or during business talks.[8]

Polish culture belongs to high-context cultures. Not everything that is said should be taken literally and sometimes certain messages need clarification. This high-context language was created as a kind of code to mislead the communist authorities in the past. However, this feature of Polish culture is being influenced by the globalization processes. By contact with the low-context cultures through different mass media Poles are becoming more explicit in communicating their messages. [9]

Managing Time

Polish culture has many features of polychronic attitude toward time. Poles are not a very punctual nation. It happens very often that meetings start with a fifteen-minute delay and last longer than it has been planned. It is not uncommon that the business meeting is interrupted by a phone call to the director, or a secretary bringing some documents to sign.[10]

Anna Murdoch (1999) cites some interesting opinions of foreign directors about the Polish attitude toward time. One of them says, "[...] Polish culture does not know the meaning of the word 'productivity.'" [11] Poles seem not to accept the American rule "Time is money" and they are not generally success-oriented. Fortunately more and more emphasis is being put on "time management" trainings and young business people are becoming aware of the importance of punctuality and keeping the deadlines.

Attitude Towards Business

Describing Polish culture from the business point of view it can be seen that it has pro-partnership and pro-transactional characteristics as well. In general, it is very important to have good connections. Sometimes it is not possible to get some jobs or do certain business if one does not know the right people. However, it can be noticed that young Polish business-people are becoming more pro-transactional, similarly to their western and northern neighbors. In most cases Poles are quite willing to do business without unnecessary introductions, and they get to the point quickly. Thus Polish culture can be classified both as moderately pro-partnership and pro-transactional.[12]

Attitude Towards Ceremonial Behaviors

Again, Polish culture can be classified as more ceremonial than American culture. It can be easily seen in the way people dress, in greeting rituals and the interaction between sexes.

Business people should always be dressed formally, that is a suit for men and women's suit or a dress for female. When greeting men always shake hands, both as they meet and as they depart. A woman should stretch her hand as first, and it happens that men kiss women's hand.[13] Generally, women are treated with courtesy, men open doors for women, offer to carry heavy things for them, or help them with putting on a coat.[14]

As far as hierarchy and social status are concerned, Polish culture can be classified as hierarchical. In corporations the management is based on giving directions from the top toward the lower levels. Quite common is using professional or academic titles. It can be also noticed that there are few women holding higher managerial positions in companies. Those who succeeded in this field are still not treated as equal by their male colleagues.[15]

Non-Verbal Behavior

Poles are described by Gesteland as people of changing expressiveness. They tend to use moderate level of voice in most situations. Raising one's voice should be avoided in public or during business meetings. Poles maintain the eye contact with their partners during business meetings, but it is not so intense as in southern Europe.

The Polish interpersonal zone ranges from twenty-five to forty centimeters. Business-persons are quite reserved as far as touching is concerned. This will include only shaking hands; other ways of touching or embracing are rare.[16]

Protocol and Etiquette in Business

During introduction people in Poland always shake hands. One should say their full name and have eye contact with the introduced person. Poles also shake hands when they depart. Women tend to stretch their hand to a man first, and kissing women's hand can be encountered. However, nobody expects foreigners to use this practice.

In further conversation, one should use the surname and title of the introduced person. Poles are not so informal as Americans, and only close friend and relatives use their first names, Poles are proud of their education and the business card should include all professional and academic titles.[17]

Business gifts in Poland may include a bottle of good liquor, for instance whiskey or cognac. On social occasions one may present good quality perfume, chocolates, or wine. [18] When invited to private house, it is common to bring flowers. Some flowers in Poland have certain connotations and one should be aware of that. Chrysanthemums are brought to funerals, and red roses are reserved for lovers. The number of flowers should be uneven. Even numbers are related to death. [19]

The problem of bribes is very common in Poland. Anna Murdoch (1999) gives many examples of foreign managers who experienced corruption here. One of them says, "I am surprised by Polish mentality. Bribing may be encountered everywhere." [20] Foreign business-persons complain about difficulties caused by red tape and bribes. Polish partners or officers often expect some kind of discount, gratification or bribe.

Poles have different dining habits from Americans. Breakfast is eaten early in the morning, and there is no lunch break at noon. The main meal is consumed after work, that is at three or four in the afternoon. At about eight in the evening a light supper is served. Business meals are usually eaten in restaurants, but invitations to private houses also happen.[21]

Poland is a Catholic country so it celebrates typical Christian festivals like Easter and Christmas. Additionally, Poles celebrate Corpus Christi and All Saints Day and all businesses are closed on those days. In May there are two state holidays: Worker's Day on 1st May and the national Holy Day to celebrate the 1791 Constitution on 3rd May. Companies and offices do not work then, and it often happens that employees take two-or-three-day leave which gives them a one-week holiday. Foreign businesspeople should take it into consideration when planning a business trip to Poland.[22]

Seven Polish Deadly Sins According to R. Ziemkiewicz

Rafał Ziemkiewicz in Wprost[23] presented reasons for Poles' problems with adapting themselves to capitalism. He suggested that it is Polish mentality, attitude to work and aspirations which are to blame for Poland's not belonging to the elite of the richest countries. Ziemkiewicz pointed out the following seven sins of the Polish: dishonesty, distrust, sick envy, laziness, the cult of a loser, inability to cooperation, and 'going Muslim.' Now these sins will be given more attention.

Consent to dishonesty is omnipresent in Poland. Buying stolen things is not uncommon. It is a bargain, after all. Also stealing from one's employer is notorious; it takes place despite strict control. On the other hand, the employer does not pay his/her business partner on time, and treats his/her employees like potential thieves who have not been just caught red-handed yet but it is the matter of time. In exactly the same way the employer is treated by all state offices and thereby the vicious circle is completed.

Mutual trust is an extremely important requirement of development. In Poland, however, the elites do not trust common people - the mob in the elites' eyes, and common people do not trust the elites - perceived as the gang of thieves and liars by the man in the street. An average Pole is very distrustful; s/he thinks that everybody wants to cheat him/her. It is better, then, not to enter into any ventures as the other party just waits to take advantage of the situation. It is even more so with foreigners, goes Polish thinking pattern, which is the source of Polish xenophobia. However, even more cautious one should be towards the Polish government who is ready to change the regulations at any time and then enforce them retroactively.

In an old Polish joke about a goldfish caught by representatives of different nations, the others ask for some material goods for themselves, for example a house like the one of their neighbors. A Pole, however, asks the goldfish, to make his neighbors' house burn down. Polish envy is absurdly disinterested. "If I feel bad, why should others feel good? I can't feel better, but I can make others feel worse, then I won't be alone." People who choose to improve their own fate rather than to make others feel worse get on the majority of Poles' nerves. They are virtually hated for not staying passive and complaining about everything and everyone.

The saying "Robota nie zając, nie ucieknie" ("Work is not a rabbit, it won't run away") is one of Poles' favorites. Polish laziness is very difficult to eradicate. Even after the introduction of capitalism, little has changed. Recently all Saturdays were declared free by the Sejm in the situation when the economy is slowing down and the unemployment is soaring. It has also become the norm that days between Holy Days are also holy days. The beginning of May and November are Holy Days of national laziness.

It is suspicious to be successful in Poland. There is a tendency to believe that when one is successful s/he must have been wangling because in Poland you cannot 'make it big' and be honest at the same time. In Poland, a loser is looked up to, which in western countries would unimaginable. But the cult of a loser has had a long tradition in the country by the Vistula River. At school Poles are fed with clichés about the 'moral victory' of insurgents despite their actual loss. It should come as no surprise, then, that a loser becomes almost equal with a national hero. There is one more point to it, namely when one is not successful, it means that s/he is honest since, as many Poles assume, to be successful, one cannot play fair.

A well-known saying goes: "Gdzie dwóch Polaków, tam trzy zdania" ("Wherever there are two Poles, there are three opinions"), which clearly shows that the Polish are unable to cooperate with one another. It is impossible to make an average Pole do something for his/her local community of his/her own accord. If some kind of activity is compulsory, s/he will try all available means just to evade the responsibilities. The Polish hate engaging themselves in any parties, organizations or associations, as they simply do not care. Once in a blue moon they spare a few zlotys for charity to have a clear conscience and then they come back to their favorite state of keeping aloof.

The last sin mentioned by Ziemkiewicz is called 'going Muslim.' In death camps in the Nazi times people who lost their will to live were called Muslims. Many Poles have 'gone Muslim' during the transformation. The omnipresent apathy is only broken by fits of aggression. Many Poles have stuck in hopelessness and they do not feel like finding a way out. It may come as a surprise but they feel satisfied with their fate. They do not want to take the risk and look for a better job in another city or abroad. The Polish assume that it simply has to be the way it is now, that there has to be a mess in the government, that the situation cannot be improved, and that there is no escape from their own stupidity. This lack of aspirations is the most deadly sin of all.

M. Jędrecki's "Polaków Portret Własny"

Marek Jędrecki[24] provides a more humorous picture of the Polish. Underneath some of his points are cited:
- Poles like talking for hours even when it does not give them any noticeable solutions (they tend to be intelligent and funny).
- Poles are very sensitive as far as the correct use of the language is concerned.
- They want to be educated but when they are, they cannot make use of it.
- As far as discussions and opinions are concerned, they are individuals but they fail to notice the individuality of other people.
- When they have a task to complete, they usually leave things in a mess and the task is not fully completed.
- They hate being forced to complete a task.
- They hate censorship.
- Sincerity wins their hearts (even if pretended).
- They are democratic by nature (they do not have social classes, and if they do, upper classes do not impress them).
- They like talking about good organization but they have difficulties in organizing.
- When foreigners pay them compliments because it lies in their nature, they are too excited about the fact.
- They are positive that their culture influenced the world and are surprised that other nations do not notice this fact.
- They just love foreigners who try to say a few words in Polish, especially when they make lots of mistakes.
- They like to make their history more convenient for their purposes.
- They love traveling.
- They hate informers.
- They argue about details.
- They like unusual phenomena and fail to notice everyday, important things.
- They hate being criticized by their superiors.
- Making decisions is a privilege, not a kind of work for them.
- They always consider themselves the most competent ones.
- They have emigrants all over the world.

Bibliography

1) Carter Krystyna, Simple Etiquette In Poland, (Simple Books Ltd, 1992).
2) Chaney Lillian H., Martin Jeanette S., Intercultural Business Communication, (Prentice Hall, 2000).
3) Gallois Cynthia, Callan Victor, Communication and Culture, (Chichester: John Wiley & Sons,1997).
4) Gesteland Richard, Roznice kulturowe a zachowania w biznesie, (Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, 2000).
5) Hofstede Geert, Kultury i organizacje, (Warszawa: Polskie Wydawnictwo Ekonomiczne, 2000)
6) Kłos Sokół Maria, Shortcuts to Poland, (Warszawa: Wydawnictwo IPS, 1996).
7) Murdoch Anna, Wspolpraca z cudzoziemcami w firmie, (Warszawa: Poltext, 1999).
8) Sułkowski Łukasz, Kulturowa zmienność organizacji, (Warszawa: Polskie Wydawnictwo Ekonomiczne, 2002).

Articles:
1) Ziemkiewicz Rafał, Siedem Polskich Grzechów Głównych, Wprost, 23.12.2001.

Internet Sources:
1) Jędrecki A. Marek, Polaków Portret Własny, www.free.ngo.pl/stowarzyszenie_wolno-myślicieli/strony/char_pol.pl

____________
1. Sułkowski Ł., Kulturowa zmienność organizacji, Polskie Wydawnictwo Ekonomiczne, Warszawa 2002, p.127.
2. Sułkowski, op. cit. p.128
3. Sułkowski, op.cit.p.126.
4. Sułkowski, op.cit., pp.126-127.
5. Murdoch Anna, Współpraca z cudzoziemcami w firmie, Poltext, Warszawa 1999, p.74-76.
6. Sułkowski, op. cit. p.126.
7. Sułkowski, op. cit., pp.129-130.
8. Gesteland Richard, Różnice kulturowe a zachowania w biznesie, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa 2000, pp.211-212.
9. Sułkowski, op. cit., p.130.
10. Gesteland, op. cit., p.211.
11. Murdoch, op. cit., p.61.
12. Gesteland, op. cit., pp.210-211.
13. Gesteland, op. cit., pp.211-212.
14. Kłos L., Shortcuts to Poland, IPS Wydawnictwo, Warszawa 1996, p.171.
15. Gesteland, op. cit., p.211.
16. Gesteland, op. cit., p.212.
17. Gesteland, op.cit., p.212.
18. Gesteland, op. cit., p.213.
19. Carter K., Simple Etiquette in Poland,p.20.
10. Murdoch, op. cit. p.67.
21. Gesteland, op. cit., p.213.
22. Carter, op. cit., p.35.
23. Wprost 23.12.2001
24. Jędrecki A. Marek, Polaków Portret Własny, free.ngo.pl/stowarzyszenie_wolnomyślicieli/strony/char_pol.pl.

 

Opracowanie: Leszek Kowalik

Wyświetleń: 1828