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Image by Jorge Fernández Salas

Belgium

The Culture

City by night

     The Belgian culture is not homogenous and has its primary influences from the French and the Dutch, with some German influence as well. You can also experience Spanish, Italian, Greek, Arabic, and Turkish influences here as well. Family is at the center of Belgian life, and the obligation to one's family takes priority over other obligations. 

      Appearances matter to the Belgians and cleanliness is high on their list and is "a matter of national pride" (Belgium - Language, Culture, Customs and Business Etiquette, n.d.). Belgians always dress well as they like to make a good impression. Their homes are nice and tidy, and gardens are kept to "not disgrace the family and not insult their neighbors" (Belgium - Language, Culture, Customs and Business Etiquette, n.d.).

     Belgium scores a 57 on the Indulgence dimension. This is a high score and marks the people of Belgium as indulgent with a "willingness to realize their impulses and desires with regard to enjoying life and having fun. They possess a positive attitude and have a tendency towards optimism. In addition, they place a higher degree of importance on leisure time, act as they please and spend money as they wish" (Country Comparison Tool, n.d.-c).

     Belgian customs and traditions are deeply rooted in the country’s history and are an integral part of its cultural identity. One such tradition is the celebration of various festivals throughout the year. Belgians love to celebrate, and their festivals are a testament to their zest for life. From the vibrant Carnival of Binche, where participants don colorful costumes and dance through the streets, to the enchanting Christmas markets that light up the winter nights, there is always a reason to rejoice in Belgium (Belgium Travel: Culture, 2023). 

     Belgium is 75% Catholic and 25% Protestant. 

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Leadership & Business

Belgian Politics.jpg

Belgian business is conducted with an appointment. Meetings are avoided around the Christmas holidays and during July and August which are vacation times. Punctuality is necessary and builds trust, and meetings are formal. Belgians prefer to do business with people they trust. Men should wear dark colored business suits, and women should wear business suits or conservative dresses. Polished and laced shoes are an integral part of the professional image (Belgium - Language, Culture, Customs and Business Etiquette, n.d.-b).

     Inequalities are accepted in Belgium, and hierarchy is needed. The power in Belgium is centralized with each primary region having its own point of centralized power. On Hofstedes Power distance dimension of his Six Dimensions, Belgium scores a high 65. By Comparison, the U.S. scores a 40. In business, leaders have the final say, and team members have defined roles. The hierarchy is generally respected. Also, the Belgians do not like to mix social with business and keep their personal lives private (Belgium - Language, Culture, Customs and Business Etiquette, n.d.-a). Supervisors are clear and direct with direction, and decision making can be a time-consuming and laborious process (Belgium - Language, Culture, Customs and Business Etiquette, n.d.-a).

     Despite being direct, the Belgians are not pushy nor aggressive in business negotiations (The Belgian Management Style, n.d.).

     Although the Belgian's are direct and score high on individualism, they will search for compromise versus a winner vs loser situation. They score a 54 on Motivation towards Achievement and Success on per Hoftede's Six Dimensions (Country Comparison Tool, n.d.-b). By Comparison, the U.S. scores a 62.

      According to the KOF Globalisation Index, Belgium is the 3rd most globalized country in the world (KOF Globalisation Index, 2023). As you can see by its exports the small country has a far reach. "The top exports of Belgium are Petroleum Gas ($54.7B), Vaccines, blood, antisera, toxins and cultures ($47.1B), Refined Petroleum  ($32.4B),  Packaged Medicaments ($24.8B), and  Cars  ($22.6B), exporting mostly to  Germany ($91.9B),  France ($71.1B), Netherlands ($65.7B), United States ($29B), and Italy ($22.5B)(Workman, n.d.).

    

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Why is Belgian Chocolate so Beloved

Chocolate Bites

     The first Belgian chocolate factory was opened in Brussels in 1857. Belgian chocolatiers use only the finest cocoa beans sourced from around the world, and they roast and grind them in-house to create a rich, complex flavor profile (Vissers, 2023). Belgian chocolatiers source their cacao from the finest regions in the world including Africa, South America, and Asia. Their special process removes all bitterness and creates a smooth and silky chocolate. Belgian chocolate is also made with a higher content of milk than other chocolates and is known to have the highest content of sugar than any other chocolate.

      Belgium has the world's largest chocolate factory Wieze in East Flanders. The country supplies 20 percent of the world's industrial chocolate. Although chocolatiers can legally use up to 5% vegetable fats in the making of chocolate, the Belgians use 100% cocoa butter in their process (The Brussels Times, n.d.).

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Language & Communication

At carnival

     The official languages of Belgium are French, Dutch, and German, with Dutch being spoken by about 60% of the country, French (Wallon) by about 30%, and most of the remaining speaking German. The primary language spoken will vary by region, as the language of the north is Dutch, French is spoken in the south, and German in the northeast (Belgium - Language, Culture, Customs and Business Etiquette, n.d.-b).

     Belgium is an egalitarian society, and men and women are viewed as equals. Despite this, Belgium scores high on the scale of the Power Distance Index with score of 65, according to Hofstede's Six Dimensions, and The Culture Group (Country Comparison Tool, n.d.-c). The Belgians accept inequalities amongst people and believe in a hierarchy across society (Country Comparison Tool, n.d.-c).  Additionally. the Belgians are highly individualistic and believe that they are responsible for themselves and their immediate family as a opposed to being a more collectivist society with greater interdependence on the community around them. On Hofstede's Six Dimensions Belgium scores a very high 81 for individualism (Country Comparison Tool, n.d.-c).  Politeness is always expected. "Belgians prefer subtlety to directness, believing that subtlety is a reflection of intelligence" (Belgium - Language, Culture, Customs and Business Etiquette, n.d.-b). They are more direct than most other cultures though. They avoid confrontation as it is viewed as rude. 

     The Belgians lean towards being a low context culture. Communication

     

Worldview

Beer.jpg

When the world thinks of Belgium, the first things that come to mind are Belgian beers,  Moules-frites (mussels and fries), chocolate, waffles.  or football (soccer). We also think of castles and medieval towns. As small as Belgium is, it is a complex country with great diversity, and cultural influence. Many people unfortunately believe that Belgium is part of Germany. Belgium is actually divided into "three highly autonomous regions, the Flemish Region (Flanders) in the north, the Walloon Region (Wallonia) in the south, and the Brussels-Capital Region" (Wikipedia contributors, 2024b). NATO is headquartered in Belgium.

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