wtfeWays They Frame Engineering
日本語

The NordicsvsGermany

北欧とドイツNORDDE

Seen from the Nordics: each line below describes Germany relative to the Nordics.

Swap: see the Nordics from Germany

Culture Map: eight scales

Erin Meyer's eight scales, sorted by how far apart the Nordics and Germany sit, largest gap first.

Filled dot: the Nordics, where you are looking fromHollow ring: Germany

Where you will notice the difference6 scales

  1. Leading

    Germany keeps more distance between boss and team than the Nordics (3 steps)

    NORD by country: DK −3, SE −3, FI −2

    The Nordics −3, Germany 0, on a line from −3 (Egalitarian) to +3 (Hierarchical).

  2. Persuading

    Germany wants the theory before the conclusion more than the Nordics (2 steps)

    NORD by country: DK +1, NO +1

    The Nordics +1, Germany −1, on a line from −3 (Principles-first) to +3 (Applications-first).

  3. Evaluating

    Germany gives negative feedback more directly than the Nordics (1 step)

    NORD by country: DK −1, FI −1

    The Nordics −1, Germany −2, on a line from −3 (Direct negative feedback) to +3 (Indirect negative feedback).

  4. Deciding

    Germany leaves decisions to the person in charge more than the Nordics (1 step)

    NORD by country: DK −2, SE −2

    The Nordics −2, Germany −1, on a line from −3 (Consensual) to +3 (Top-down).

  5. Disagreeing

    Germany is more willing to disagree openly than the Nordics (1 step)

    NORD by country: DK −1, SE +1

    The Nordics −1, Germany −2, on a line from −3 (Confrontational) to +3 (Avoids confrontation).

  6. Scheduling

    Germany sticks to fixed plans and deadlines more than the Nordics (1 step)

    NORD by country: DK −2, SE −2, NO −2

    The Nordics −2, Germany −3, on a line from −3 (Linear time) to +3 (Flexible time).

Where you are close2 scales

  1. Communicating

    The Nordics and Germany sit on the same step

    NORD by country: DK −2, SE −1, FI −1

    The Nordics −2, Germany −2, on a line from −3 (Low-context) to +3 (High-context).

  2. Trusting

    The Nordics and Germany sit on the same step

    NORD by country: DK −2

    The Nordics −2, Germany −2, on a line from −3 (Task-based) to +3 (Relationship-based).

Positions are read by eye from Erin Meyer's published charts and rounded to seven steps. A step means “further towards that pole”, not a measured distance. How the positions were read

Hofstede: six dimensions

Scores from 0 to 100, sorted by the gap between the Nordics and Germany. They describe national averages, not either country's character.

The Nordics are not one country: each score is the average of four national scores (Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway).

  1. Motivation towards achievement and success

    Germany scores 52 points higher than the Nordics (66 against 14)

    The Nordics: average of Sweden 5, Finland 26, Denmark 16, Norway 8

    The Nordics 14, Germany 66, on a line from 0 (Consensus-oriented) to 100 (Decisive).

  2. Uncertainty avoidance

    Germany scores 25 points higher than the Nordics (65 against 40)

    The Nordics: average of Sweden 29, Finland 59, Denmark 23, Norway 50

    The Nordics 40, Germany 65, on a line from 0 (Tolerant of ambiguity) to 100 (Avoids ambiguity).

  3. Indulgence

    Germany scores 25 points lower than the Nordics (40 against 65)

    The Nordics: average of Sweden 78, Finland 57, Denmark 70, Norway 55

    The Nordics 65, Germany 40, on a line from 0 (Restrained) to 100 (Indulgent).

  4. Power distance

    Germany scores 7 points higher than the Nordics (35 against 28)

    The Nordics: average of Sweden 31, Finland 33, Denmark 18, Norway 31

    The Nordics 28, Germany 35, on a line from 0 (Low power distance) to 100 (High power distance).

  5. Individualism

    Germany scores 4 points lower than the Nordics (79 against 83)

    The Nordics: average of Sweden 87, Finland 75, Denmark 89, Norway 81

    The Nordics 83, Germany 79, on a line from 0 (Collectivist) to 100 (Individualist).

  6. Long-term orientation

    Germany and the Nordics both score 57

    The Nordics: average of Sweden 52, Finland 63, Denmark 59, Norway 55

    The Nordics 57, Germany 57, on a line from 0 (Short-term) to 100 (Long-term).

Country averages. About 80% of variation in values is between people inside a country (Taras et al. 2016).Source: The Culture Factor — Country comparison tool (2026).About the Hofstede dimensions

What the sources say, theme by theme

Entries for the Nordics and Germany, side by side on wide screens. Each keeps its own confidence label and citations.

Design & quality

The Nordics3 claims

Germany2 claims

Failure & risk

The Nordics3 claims

Germany5 claims

Feedback & code review

The Nordics4 claims

Germany3 claims

Hierarchy & decisions

The Nordics5 claims

Germany3 claims

Communication & docs

The Nordics3 claims

Germany3 claims

Work & careers

The Nordics4 claims

Germany5 claims

Open source & community

The Nordics5 claims

Germany5 claims