German and Dutch intercultural communication: A qualitative research

“Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster.” (Prof. Geert Hofstede, Emeritus Professor, Maastricht University.) This quote plays an important role in this master thesis because it stresses the ambiguity of culture and shows the importance of a well functioning cultural fit since synergy is defined as “the blending of individuals or groups that creates an emerging culture that has greater potential than the individual parts”. In the case that a firm correctly takes two cultures into account it can achieve higher returns and effectively perform in the intercultural context.