Cultural Knowledge Base
Practical prompts for cross-border work
Use cultural context as a starting point, then adapt to the people and situation in front of you.
Cultural guidance describes possible patterns, not rules about individuals. Validate assumptions through respectful questions and current local advice.
Country and regional context
Prepare for differences in communication, hierarchy, relationship building, decision-making, feedback, and meeting etiquette.
- Consider regional, generational, organisational, and professional variation.
- Ask colleagues how they prefer to communicate and make decisions.
- Recheck legal, market, and workplace information with current local sources.
Business situations
Apply cultural context to the specific task instead of treating national culture as a prediction.
- Hiring and onboarding
- Negotiation and stakeholder alignment
- Leadership, feedback, and conflict
- Remote and multicultural team collaboration
How to use the guidance
Prepare
Identify where expectations may differ and prepare neutral questions before the interaction.
Observe
Pay attention to the individual's preferences, organisational norms, and situational constraints.
Adapt
Confirm understanding, invite correction, and adjust your approach as you learn more.