Norway - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

169 Pages·2019·2.13 MB·English

by  Culture Smart!

CULTURE SMART!
NORWAY
Linda March
Revised and updated by
Margo Meyer
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ISBN 978 1 85733 883 6
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue entry for this book is available from the
British Library
First published in Great Britain
by Kuperard, an imprint of Bravo Ltd
59 Hutton Grove, London N12 8DS
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
www.culturesmart.co.uk
Inquiries: [email protected]
Series Editor Geoffrey Chesler
Design Bobby Birchall
Printed in India
Cover image: Hamnøy fishing village in the Lofoten Islands, north of the
Arctic Circle. © Shutterstock.
Images on the following pages reproduced under Creative
Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license:
56 © Frogn kommune.
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license: 59 © Ivar Husevåg
Døskeland; 61 © Sigmund; 69 © Sol Invictus; 80 © Kurt:S; 89 © Ingvar
Kjøllesdal; 101 © tuey; 105 © Trysil; 114 © Gunnar Hildonen.
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flyTime; 38 © Hildenbrand /MSC; 46 © Kjwathne; 76 © Ann-Christin
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Norway.
Public domain: 22 © Hans Peter Hansen; 25 © Gustav Borgen;
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About the Author
LINDA MARCH is a writer with a special interest in issues
affecting expatriate families. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland,
into a Royal Navy family, she spent much of her life on
the move, living and working in Europe and the USA. A
graduate of Hull University, she is a former head teacher
and has worked in the computer industry as a programmer
and trainer. Linda lived in Stavanger, Norway, for six years,
during which time she was on the Board of the Women’s
International Network (WIN).

MARGO MEYER is an American researcher, translator,
and writer with a Ph.D. from the University of California,
Berkeley. Her work for both individual clients and major
institutions covers a wide range of disciplines. She now
lives and works in Asker, in the greater Oslo region.
The Culture Smart! series is continuing to expand. All Culture Smart!
guides are available as e-books, and many as audio books.
For latest titles visit
www.culturesmart.co.uk
The publishers would like to thank CultureSmart!Consulting for
its help in researching and developing the concept for this series.
CultureSmart!Consulting creates tailor-made seminars and
consultancy programs to meet a wide range of corporate,
public-sector, and individual needs. Whether delivering courses
on multicultural team building in the USA, preparing Chinese
engineers for a posting in Europe, training call-center staff in India,
or raising the awareness of police forces to the needs of diverse
ethnic communities, it provides essential, practical, and powerful
skills worldwide to an increasingly international workforce.
For details, visit www.culturesmartconsulting.com
CultureSmart!Consulting and CultureSmart! guides have both
contributed to and featured regularly in the weekly travel program
“Fast Track” on BBC World TV.
ccoonntetnetsnts
Map of Norway 7
Introduction 8
Key Facts 10
Chapter 1: LAND AND PEOPLE 12
• Geography 13
• Climate 14
• A Brief History 18
• Norway’s Towns 28
• Government and Politics 31
• Norwegian Oil 32
• Norway’s Place in the Region 33
Chapter 2: VALUES AND ATTITUDES 36
• Cooperation 36
• Fairness 37
• Equality 38
• Punctuality 40
• Patience 40
• Natural Reserve 41
• Cradle to Grave Security 42
• Wealth and Generosity 42
• Royalty 43
• God’s Own Country 44
• Nature 45
• Everyman’s Right 46
• Norwegian Quality 47
• Work to Live, not Live to Work 47
• Consensus and Nonconfrontation 48
• Attitudes Toward Foreigners 49
Chapter 3: CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS 52
• The Norwegian Year 52
• Flag Flying Days 53
• Religious Festivals 55
• Nonreligious Celebrations 58
• Religion 62
• Family Occasions 63
Chapter 4: MAKING FRIENDS 66
• Work and Social Life 67
• Greetings 68
• Hospitality 69
• Good Manners 72
• Gift Giving 72
• Dressing for the Occasion 73
• Learning the Language 74
• Joining Clubs and Societies 75
• Expatriate Associations 77
Chapter 5: THE NORWEGIANS AT HOME 78
• Quality of Life 78
• Let There be Light 79
• Living Conditions 80
• Landscape and Architecture 82
• A House in the Country 83
• Rent or Buy? 84
• The Norwegian Family 86
• Daily Life and Routine 87
• Attitudes Toward Children 88
• Education 91
• Changing Lifestyles 94
Chapter 6: TIME OUT 96
• Shopping 97
• Tax Back for Tourists 98
• Banks and Currency 99
• Eating Out 100
• Service 102
• Alcohol 104
• Smoking 106
• High Culture 107
• Festivals and Events 109
• Leisure 111
• Sports 112
• Skiing 113
• The Great Outdoors 115
Chapter 7: TRAVEL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY 116
• ID and Residency 117
• Cars and Driving 118
• Air Travel 123
• Trains 124
• Buses, Streetcars, and Underground 126
ccoonntetnetsnts
• Boats and Ferries 127
• Taxis 129
• Cycling 129
• Where to Stay 130
• Health and Security 132
Chapter 8: BUSINESS BRIEFING 134
• The Office 135
• Working Hours and Timekeeping 136
• Coffee on Tap 138
• Lunch Breaks 138
• Business Entertainment 139
• Trade Unions 139
• Workforce Disputes and Labor Law 140
• Management Model 142
• The Glass Ceiling Broken? 143
• Board Meetings and Decision Making 145
• Presentations 146
• Negotiation 147
• Contracts and Fulfillment 148
• Establishing a Business in Norway 150
Chapter 9: COMMUNICATING 152
• Language 152
• Conversation 154
• Body Language 155
• Humor 156
• TV and Radio 157
• Newspapers 159
• Telephones 160
• Mail 161
• The High-Tech Norwegian 162
• Conclusion 163
Further Reading 165
Index 166
7
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m Norway is breathtakingly beautiful. From its
s
e
ur rugged coastline, where fjords have carved
cult their way into the land, to its wild mountainous
backbone, from its arctic tundra to the golden
sands of its unspoiled southern beaches, it offers
a wide range of physical contrasts. To get the
most from your visit to the Land of the Midnight
Sun, however, it helps to have some background
knowledge of what makes the people of this
northern kingdom tick. Culture Smart! Norway
aims to take you past their reserved exterior to
an understanding of how the terrain and climate
have shaped the Norwegian people. As well
as an insight into their values and attitudes, it
provides a useful outline of how the Norwegian
commercial world operates—vital information
for anyone doing business with one of the world’s
wealthiest nations.
And for when the working day is over, this book
provides tips on meeting and communicating with
“real” Norwegians that will make socializing a
pleasant and comfortable experience. Chapters on
the customs and traditions that form the bedrock
of family life will open the door to a glimpse of
life inside a Norwegian home. Understanding the
behavior appreciated by your hosts will enable you
9
introduction in
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d
u
c
tio
n
to accept an invitation from your new Norwegian
friends without apprehension.
Norway is a rich nation whose inhabitants enjoy
arguably the best quality of life in the world. With
no real poverty, a welfare state that provides for
the basic needs of all, and a strong commitment
to equality and fairness, Norwegians are naturally
proud of the society they have created and see
themselves as the equals of anyone. A deep respect
for the wildness and beauty of the natural world is
ingrained in the national character of a people who
delight in the great outdoors.
On first encounter, Norwegians are serious,
polite, law-abiding, and very hardy. They are also
very private people, which can make the newcomer
feel as if they have come up against a stone wall with
an icy wind blowing behind it. Getting to know a
Norwegian takes time, but when you are able to
read the signs that take you behind that façade you
will meet the warm, friendly, fun-loving, family-
oriented person hiding on the other side.
Culture Smart! Norway can help steer you
through the social and professional encounters
of your visit to this new culture, deepening your
understanding, and enabling you to establish
business partnerships and friendships with ease.