Kwintessential's Blog

I am currently in Germany taking part in the European Language Industry Association (ELIA) Networking Days conference which takes part twice a year. As members we really like ELIA, its members and what is does for the translation and language sector.

We focus a lot on this website about cultural differences in business; however for us it's all about culture and understanding that culture influences who we are and what we do. Only when you understand your own "self" and the cultural programming your have received, can you move towards understanding the "other".

Has the adoption of western education, management and leadership paradigms killed off local and national management styles across the world? Voices in the UAE are claiming this is unhealthy and unsustainable as foreign principles can never 100% fit in with local cultural needs.

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘football’ (soccer to our American cousins)? The World Cup? Champions League? Fans cheering in the stand? Business? Money? Violence? Legend Eric Cantona would like us to think again...

Different perspectives = different priorities. This is true of anything in life and especially in global business.

You can read as many books about cultural awareness as you like; you will only become successful when working with other cultures when you put your knowledge into action.

Fancy yourself as a bit of a Culture Vulture? Next time you feel like flying off to get your fix of cultural diversity why not try one of these world cities?

Yale University behavioural economist Keith Chen has published a new study that supports the controversial theory that your language influences the decisions you make about your finances.

Do you question how important culture is to our daily lives? Well many do. In reality however culture is at play moulding the world around us every minute of every day; sometimes in ways we don't understand. New research by Romain Wacziarg suggests country’s income per capita is actually closely related to the its culture.

From companies to government institutions, managers are now realising that innovation and creativity is the way to make money and positively evolve. Soren Peterson has investigated what creative professionals believe are the ingredients for a booming creative economy.

It appears a lot of people in the UK have been tucking into horse meat without knowing it. The media has gone crazy with the story and this has made me wonder whether all the attention may actually change the British view of the meat? Will we see a cultural change?

It is well a known fact that a very British cultural trait is to keep yourself to yourself and not to bother others or cause them inconvenience. The "stiff upper lip" as it is sometimes known. Research suggests that this might be the reason why the UK cancer survival rate is one of Europe’s lowest.

The world is changing from day to day as localization continues to see amazing developments that push traditional boundaries. Did you think computer programming languages would always look like random nonsense and always in English? Think again! Ramsey Nasser has taken localization to the next level and in the process created a beautiful programming language based on the Arabic script.

As a company, it is never easy to unify an existing business with a newly acquired one through a merger or aquisition. The key to this may lie in ensuring the separate company cultures become one.

Export is seen as one of the ways in which the UK will pull itself out of recession and into growth. British entrepreneurs that want to take their business across the border should look in the northern direction, says journalist Jon Card. Here are a couple of  his tips to set up business in the chilly north!

Even though modern-day society seems to become more intercultural every year, the opposite is true for the Anglo-Indian community where Western traditions and appearances meet those of the Indian subcontinent. The BBC recently looked at the fate of the Ango-Indian culture which offers a fascinating insight into this little known group.

Different cultures have different food traditions, even at the Christmas table. Fed up with the traditional Christmas roasts, pudding and chocolates? We have selected a number of food traditions that might inspire you to spice things up a bit this Christmas!

We are all familiar with traditional Christmas decorations. The Christmas trees, mistletoe and other red, gold and green ornaments. However, different cultures use different decorations; in this article we explore Christmas decorations that are typical for certain other cultures or countries.

Can culture training for foreign footballers help solve the issue of racism in football? The Football Association seems to think educating players on British culture can help get rid of the ugly side of the game. Neil Payne gives his reaction to today's news.

Ever thought of going global with your design or construction company? You might run into problems you didn’t expect to occur. Here are a few tips on how to realise your global ambitions as smooth as possible!