Belgium Cultural Analysis

I. Introduction II. Brief Discussion of Belgiums relevant history III. Geographical compass a. Location amidst France (S) and Holland (N) Ger more and Luxembourg (E) and sum Sea (W) b. Climate Belgium has equ adapted weather, adoring in summer (May to September) and cool to refrigerated in winter, with snow truly likely. temperate mild winters, cool summers rainy, humid, cloudy c. d. Topography The coastal component p imposture, extending about 1648 km (1030 mi) inland, consists of sand dunes, flat lea land, and p anileers (land re take overed from the sea and protected by dikes), and attains a maximum of 15 m (50 ft) above sea level.Eastward, this region in st sequences gives way to a gently curlicue centimeimeral plain, whose more fertile v individually(prenominal)eys atomic number 18 irrigated by an extensive nedeucerk of shoot awayals and waterways. Altitudes in this region ar about 60180 m (200 600 ft). The Ardennes, a heavily wooded plateau, is located in southeastward Belgium and continues into France. It has an aver date altitude of about 460 m (1,500 ft) and reaches a maximum of 694 m (2,277 ft) at the Signal de Botrange, the orbits graduate(prenominal)est point.Chief rivers be the Schelde (Scheldt, Escaut) and the Me purpose (Maas), both of which rise in France, flow by Belgium, pass finished the Netherlands, and empty into the unificationwards Sea. IV. Social Institutions a. Family i. The nuclear family Belgians be among the happiest, or so satisfied wad in the bea and among the to the lowest degree(prenominal) likely to leave their country. bliss is a safe and comfortable tone sh ard with family and friends. Much of the Belgian goal revolves al just about their family. The Belgian family has re master(prenominal)ed very crocked despite enormous changes in familiarity due to industrialization. slightly children clear a strong sense of loyalty non lone(prenominal) to their pargonnts, plainly b esides to grandp argonnts, siblings and cousins. The extend family has re master(prenominal)ed relatively close. It is not unusual for a family to lie with in the same local anaestheticity or as yet the same rear throughout a life fourth di clobber forcesion. The average Belgian family size is 2. 9 throng. ii. The widen family The extended family has re primary(prenominal)ed relatively close. It is not unusual for a family to live in the same locality or even the same firm throughout a life clip. iii. Dynamics of the family . agnate mappings p arnts in Belgium sent their children to pre initiate programs so that they could give away to become more(prenominal) independent and affablely adept. Most Belgian children over age 2 attend these take- ancestryed programs liberal- m. Belgian p argonnts listed littler classes and more physical look ating and harmony as desirable improvements. 2. Marriage and causa Long marriage engagements be common, as is living toge ther in the lead or instead of marriage. Only civil marriages are easy-grounded, plainly legion(predicate) couples in like manner fuck mop up a ghostly ceremony. As you announce your wedding in Belgium, the first thing that you must do is to print cardinal wedding invitations, one from the grooms family and the an other(prenominal)(prenominal) from the brides family. The invitations are a symbol of the union of the two families as well as the descent of the new union. Following the ancient Belgium customs duty the bride must walk up the isle to hand her mother a whizz flower which is followed by an embracing. After your marriage is over the bride presents the grooms mother a hotshot flower and and then the two of them embrace. This symbolizes the brides acceptance of her new mother which is simply fantastic.another(prenominal) noteworthy wedding feature in Belgium is that the bride must carry a finickyly embroidered handkerchief with her name on it. This is aut horisation as after your marriage exultation is over this handkerchief is framed and hung on the w every in a rump of honor. at that place is more to add to this tradition. This very handkerchief is passed on to the next womanish fragment of the brides family when she plans to get married. iv. Female/ manlike Roles Fathers are ultimate closing makers. Mothers field of operations and rule household matters v. Education 1. The role of study in society a. particular b. Secondary c.Higher d. The structure of the readingal system consists of pre school (3-6 geezerhood) six days of primary school and six historic period of secondary school. Belgium has two systems of education the state system and the toffee-nosed ( more or lessly Catholic) system. Education is cease in both of these systems, and the curriculum is the same. in that location are four types of education customary Secondary Education (ASO) planetary education closely theoretical that prepares schoolchilds for hikeder education. finesse Secondary Education (KSO) Along with general subjects, students take visual arts, music, dance, drama, etc.A previous knowledge of the subject is required. professional person psyche Secondary Education (BSO) in this folk students whitethorn choose from a plectron of courses such a hairdressing, car mechanics, and sewing, among others. Students complementary the 12th year level detect certificate of higher secondary education. This parchment is sufficient for higher specialized read interpreting, architecture, technical engineering, pedagogy, etc. Only 16 17% of Belgian students graduate at this level. Education is considered very all important(predicate) in Belgium. therefore monetary metre are high and students take school very seriously.At Christmas and Easter schools are closed for two weeks. Carnaval and any Saints Day (Nov. 1) bring compendious breaks of a week each. Summer holidays (vacation) last from June 30 to September 1. 2 . Literacy rates 99% over 15 post read and write vi. semipolitical System 1. political Structure federal parliamentary state under a constitutional monarchy 2. Political Parties Flemish parties Christian parliamentary and Flemish or CDV Marianne THYSSEN Dedecker List Jean-Marie DEDECKER Flemish big(p)s and Democrats or Open VLD Bart SOMERS Groen Mieke VOGELS (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) New Flemish Alliance or N-VA Bart DE WEVER Social Liberal Party or SLP Geert LAMBERT note precedent to 19 April 2008, kn cause as disincorporated spirit Social Progressive Alternative or SP. A Caroline GENNEZ Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB Bruno VALKENIERS Francophone parties Ecolo (Francophone Greens) Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Isabelle DURANT Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH Joelle MILQUET National comportment or FN Daniel HUYGENS Reform Movement or MR Didier REYNDERS Socialist Party or PS Elio DI RUPO other minor parties 3.Stability of disposal Very Stable Original member of EU and debt = 80% of GDP 4. finicky Taxes Expatriates in Belgium are principally regarded as Belgian assess residents and are and so subject to Belgian income tax on their worldwide income. However, the Belgian authorities prepare encouraged multinationals to transfer foreign executives to Belgium by introducing special tax concessions to non-Belgians who are temporarily disciplineing in the country. The tax concessions put up such transportations to be treated as non-residents for tax purposes. The concessions do not expire in to inheritance tax.To qualify for these special concessions, a number of factors are considered e. g. does the barter make specify a limited time? , has the expatriates family moved? , is the expatriates centre of economic and/or personal interest in Belgium? , is the employment with a qualifying entity? . Under the special concessions Only Belgian sourced income is taxable, including property income and dividend income, although bestow world -wide, earned income must be declared. municipal taxes are pay offable at 7% of total income tax payable. there is no capital gains tax, except for legitimate types of bargain of Belgian property. Expatriates who benefit from the non-residents special tax regime flowerpotnot invoke double taxation agreements because they wholly apply for the benefit of Belgian residents. 5. Role of Local Government each of the countrys has a council of 50 to 90 members take for four-year terms by direct voter turnout and empowered to legislate in matters of local concern. A governor, appointed by the king, is the highest executive officer in each province. There are 589 communes.Each municipality has a townshipspeople council elected for a six-year term. The council elects an executive physical structure called the board of aldermen. The head of the municipality is the burgomaster, who is appointed by the sovereign upon nomination by the town council. Recently, the number of municipaliti es has been greatly reduced through consolidation. vii. Legal System 1. Organization of judicatory system The judiciary is an independent secernate of government on an equal foothold with the legislative and the executive branches. Minor offenses are dealt with by justices of the peace and police tribunals.to a greater extent serious offenses and civil lawsuits are brought in advance regularize courts of first instance. another(prenominal) district courts are commerce and labor tribunals. Verdicts rendered by these courts may be appealed before 5 regional courts of appeal or the 5 regional labor courts in Antwerp, capital of Belgium, Ghent, Mons, and Liege. All offenses punishable by prison sentences of more than five age must be dealt with by the eleven courts of assize (one for each province and the city of Brussels), the only jury courts in Belgium. The highest courts are five civil and execrable courts of appeal and the supreme Court of Cassation.The latters duty is to verify that the law has been properly utilize and interpreted. The constitutionality of legislation is the province of the Council of State, an advisory legal group. 2. Code, common, affectionateist, or Islamic law country? Belgian Civil Code 3. interest in Patents, craftsmanshipmarks, other conventions Yes viii. Social Organizations 1. assembly behavior 2. Social Classes There is a relatively even distri saveion of wealth, with 5 to 6 portion living close to the poverty line. The majority of the population is nerve center class.The vast majority has equal opportunities for education and a professional life. There is a very inclusive well-disposed hostage system. 3. Clubs, Other organizations Belgium hosts many international organizations and hundreds of lobbying-groups, only their presence has little direct advert on social life. The close authoritative organizations are the Catholic Church and its affiliates and social organizations related to the pillars, such a s trade unions. 4. Race, Ethnicity, and Sub culture The nations cultural renewing has been enriched by international and local immigration.The high numbers of Flemish names in the south and Walloon names in the north indicate long time inborn mobility. In the last hundred years the roughly important immigrant groups were Jews who form a sizable community in Antwerp Poles, who came in the early 1930s and after the fall of communism Italians (in the 1930s and 1950s) and North Africans and Turks, who arrived in the 1960s. There are many new-fangled immigrants from other countries in the europiuman colligation as well as many expatriates working in or around European Union institutions and NATO headquarters.The percentage of noncitizens in the population is high at 15 percent nationally and 28 percent in Brussels. ix. military control customs and practices- Relationships & Communication. Although third-party introductions are not necessary, they often smooth the way. . unheedin g of how you are introduced, you must always be polite and well mannered. .Belgians are wide-awake and p brutalnt so take time before they trust others, be they individuals or representatives of companies. .Business dealings tend to be bureaucratic. There are many procedures and a great deal of paperwork. Belgians are gauzy linguists and many are sufficiently swimming to conduct clashs in English. .Belgians prefer spook to directness, believing that subtlety is a formulation of intelligence. .Although they are more direct in their communication than many cultures, if a result is too direct it may be seen as simplistic. .They prefer communication to be logical and based on undercoat . Belgians often engage in long, little discussions before reaching a decision so that they can be reliable(a) that they stir considered all the alternatives. They cogitate it is rude to be confrontational. Business Meeting Etiquette .Appointments are necessary .The person you are meeting be queath generally set the time for the meeting, commonly mid morning or mid afternoon. .Avoid scheduling meetings during July and August, which are prime vacation times the week before Easter and the week between Christmas and New Year. .Everyone is expected to arrive on time .Arriving late may brandmark you as unreliable. .Meetings are dinner dress . scratch appointments are more socially than art oriented, as Belgians prefer to do commercial enterprise with those they know. Do not remove your tip during a meeting. fix Etiquette .Men should labour dark coloured, right assembly line suits with snow-white shirts and silk ties. .Women should stick out concern suits or conservative dresses. .Men should only violate tied(p) habilitate, never loafers or other slip-ons, as they are too casual. .Polished shoes are an integral part of a professional image. Business Cards .Business cards are exchanged without formal ritual. .Have one side of your business card translated into French or Dutch. This shows adore and understanding of the linguistic heritage of your colleagues. If you have meetings in both areas, have two sets of business cards printed, and be conscientious to use the proper ones. .Present your business card so the recipient can read the side with their national language. V. faith and Aesthetics a. Religion and other sentiment systems i. Orthodox doctrines and structures universality is the main religious faith. The government financially supports the Catholic and Protestant churches as well as the Judaic and Muslim faiths. The Catholic Church controls an important network of schools with 70 percent of the pupils in secondary education and two main universities.Religious beliefs and practice declined during the twentieth century, but approximately 65 percent of Belgians believe in God. some people who place they do not believe in God take part in religious rituals for major events such as baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Minority fai ths include Muslims, Jews, and Protestants. ii. Relationships with the people The Catholic Church controls an important network of schools with 70 percent of the pupils in secondary education and two main universities. iii. Prominent religions Catholicism iv. Membership of each religion v. all powerful or influential cults? No b. Aesthetics i.Visual Arts The meretricious age of graphic arts lasted from the fourteenth century to the seventeenth century and was embodied mostly in painting. The Flemish Primitives school of painting (fourteenth and fifteenth centuries) made the region the main esthetical center of Europe outside of Italy. Artists such as Jan avant-garde Eyck (13951441) and Rogier avant-garde Der Weyden (14001464) were interested in spatial composition and psychology and rendered the colorise and textures of living and material objects with realism. The main artistic figure of the next century was Pieter Breughel the sr. (15251569), with his lively paintings o f peasant life.Pieter Paul Rubens (15771640) was the most illustrious painter of his time, receiving commissions from European sovereigns. His main focus was on the human figure. Rubens influenced Anthony Van Dyk (15991641) and Jacob Jordaens (15931678). The graphic arts declined until the late nineteenth century, when James Ensor and Rene Magritte (in the twentieth century) revived the avant-garde. The most innovative works of living artists can be seen in contemporary art museums in Antwerp and Ghent. ii. Music Classical, Blues and Jazz, Folk, knock down and Rock iii.Performing arts The Franco-Flemish means dominated European music in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, with composers such as Josquin des Prez and Orlando di Lasso. In the twentieth century, the most famous Belgian musician was the singer Jacques Brel. Several living classical composers are active. The harmonica player Toots Thielemans is the most famous jazz musician. The Blindman Kwartet combines jazz, pop , and classical music. The presence in Brussels between 1959 and 1987 of the French choreographer Maurice Bejart horny a new generation of choreographers.The main theatrical centers are De Singel in Antwerp and the Kaai Teater in Brussels. Several theaters and orchestras are supported by the government. iv. Folklore and relevant symbols The calotte (plural calottes, French from Provencal calota or Italian callotta), is a skullcap emaciated by students at catholic universities in Belgium. In the front of the calotte are chevron representing the Belgium flag (black, yellow and red) and stripes representing the colour in of the city or the university where the calotte has been received.At the bet on of the calotte, the faculty of the student is represented by a color and a symbol, with if need an additional symbol to determine the speciality. florid stars around the calotte represent the number of years that the student has studied successfully (if a year has to be retaken, a argent star will represent it). In addition to that, a number of semiofficial and personal pins will be added to the calotte, all representing something about its owner examples include positive position in a student organisation (above the considered years star) Hobbies and occupations (cardplayer, partyer ) Character (patriot, lazy ) the meaning of the calotte has evolved, but whatever the theories may be on its origins, the calotte is mainly a support that indicates the students belonging to a group. The student is also able to express his individuality by fooling several insignia on the calotte that will reflect their academic curriculum, their personal interests and even their character. VI. Living Conditions a. Diet and Nutrition i. pith and veg consumption rates lolly and potatoes are the traditional staple foods. Most meals include, pork, chicken, or beef, and Seafood is hot in the northern part of the country. The national drink is beer, but wine is imported in coarse quantities. In northern cities, popular dishes include mussels with fries and waterzooi a broth of vegetables and meat or fish. Throughout the country, French fries are eaten with steaks or minced raw meat. preparedness is traditionally done with butter quite than oil in that location is also a high consumption of dairy products. ii. exemplary Meals Traditionally, the noon meal is the main meal of the day businessmen take a two-hour break and most children come station from school. This is the meal that begins with soup or hors doeuvres, then a hearty meat or fish dish with potatoes, followed by a separate course of salad or cooked vegetables. frequently the meat is carved in the kitchen and the record garnished with seasonal picvegetables. It is interesting to note that picvegetables and salads are almost a social locating symbol the higher the level, the more picvegetables and salads are used.For most families, however, potatoes are the only vegetable requiremen t. A dessert for dinner would be fruit and cheese, a tart or pudding. Wine or beer is usually served as well iii. Malnutrition rates n/a iv. Foods in stock(predicate) The Belgian market offers best opportunities and has enjoyed considerable growth in mod years in the following areas 1. wellness and organic foods, 2. energy foods and sports drinks, 3. snack foods, 4. cultural foods, 5. ready-made and microwave products, 6. frozen and white food and vegetables, 7. ried fruits and nuts, 8. wine, 9. specialty meats such as bison and pet food, 10. seafood, and 11. specialty products (e. g. kosher food, mad rice,maple products and other confectionery goods etc. ) b. living accommodations i. Owning your own home isnt considered such an important an investment as it is in some other countries. Types of housing obtainable While property in Belgium is bald-faced by UK normals, the various fees, charges and deposits associated with buying a house and securing a mortgage are lik ely to discourage all but the most determined buyers.Theres no mortgage relief on income tax ii. Do more people own or rent? more than own iii. Do most live in one family dwellings or with other families? One family c. Clothing i. National Dress Belgians, especially those in the cities, wear modern Western-style clothes. The ethnic costumes of the Flemings and Walloons are seldom fatigued today. On some farms women still wear the traditional dark-colored clothing and white aprons, and men wear the old-fashioned caps. ii. Types of clothes worn down at work Men who work in offices are expected to wear suit jackets to work.It is generally acceptable for women to wear slacks to work. d. Recreation, sports, and other leisure activities i. Types operational and in demand The most popular participant sport in Belgium is bicycling. Belgians also participate in and watch association football, and there are many regional teams. Other sports popular in Belgium include tennis, hogback r iding, hiking, and skiing. Belgians also enjoy the popular European sport of sand sailing. A break of minicar with sails called a sand yacht is impelled along the coast, powered by the wind. besides popular, especially in Wallonia, is pigeon racing. As many as 100,000 pigeons may be entered in a single race. Like many other Europeans, Belgians are avid soccer fans. There are over lx teams in the national league. Concerts and theater are popular evening pastimes in the cities, and Brussels also has opera, ballet, and cafe cabarets (restaurants with musical sport such as singing and dancing). ii. component of income spent on such activities 9. 5% e. Social Security Belgium has a all-inclusive system of social shelter, which applies to all residents.It covers family benefits, unemployment indemnification, work chance insurance, wellness thrill, old age and invalidity pensions, and long-term care insurance. Belgium takes great pride in its benefits systems and the quality of its social trade protection work, although the high cost of providing those services and benefits (employer divisions of up to 40 per cent accession employee contributions of up to 20 per cent of plebeian pay) has recently prompted the government to consider changes to the social security system in an sample to encourage individuals to assume greater state for the costs of retirement, disability and even health care. . healthCare Health insurance is mandatory in Belgium, and basic cover is generally provided by the national social security system. Contributions are paid by both employers and employees, and most forms of public assistance (unemployment benefit, old age pensions, certain forms of sickness and gestation benefits) are paid net of withholdings for health insurance, the benefit authority effectively paid the employer contributions. Foreigners coming to live in Belgium without working (e. . retirees and the idle rich) must generally raise proof of health in surance in order to obtain a conformity permit. There are special health insurance plans, valid in a number of countries, designed specifically for the call for of expatriates and those who travel frequently. If you qualify for non-resident tax status, you may not be required to stand to national social security, in which result you will probably be cover by your employers health care plan. (You should check All employees and self-employed people in Belgium must contribute to a health insurance livestock ( mutualite/ziekenfonds) as part of the normal social security recordment process. Some notes are restricted to members of various religious, political or professional organisations for historic reasons, but most are open to all. Your employer should be able to provide you with information about operable funds, and you should ask neighbours or colleagues for recommendations. All funds charge the same basic contribution and pay like benefits, but some take longer than others to make reimbursements.Health insurance contributions are made by your employer at a time to your chosen fund. These amount to 7. 35 per cent of your gross salary, of which 3. 55 per cent is withheld from your pay and the remaining 3. 8 per cent contributed by your employer. If youre self-employed, you contribute the full 7. 35 per cent through your quarterly social security payments. Cover is mechanically provided for dependent family members, including spouses (if they dont have their own cover) and children up to the age of 18.When you enrol in a Belgian health fund, theres a six-month delay period before you can claim benefits. This waiting period can be waived if you were previously included for at least six months in another persons health cover (i. e. as a dependant) or, in many representatives, if you were cover by a state health care plan (or the equivalent) in another EU country for at least six months before your arrival in Belgium. For most medical services, you mus t pay the bill and then submit the recognize for reimbursement.Reimbursements are usually less than the charges incurred, and most Belgians take out supplementary health insurance to cover the unreimbursed portion or to upgrade their cover from the statutory level. Many employers provide supplementary health insurance cover as an employment benefit, or you can purchase individual cover. supplementary health insurance is also available to self-employed people through professional associations and private insurers. In typical Belgian fashion, the exact nature of what is and isnt cover by the state system is quite an complicated.Services rendered by most doctors and specialists, infirmaryisation, prescriptions, maternity and childbirth, rehabilitation and other forms of therapy are normally covered, although the self-employed are covered only for major risks, which include mental illness, tuberculosis, cancer, patrimonial diseases and birth defects, most types of surgery and child birth. There are no fewer than 18 categories of medical procedure and service, each with its own reimbursement level, varying from 0 to 100 per cent (although the number of items qualifying for 100 per cent reimbursement is constantly diminishing because of funding problems).There are also certain best-loved categories of people who are entitled to a higher level of reimbursement for many items, including widows, orphans and those receiving certain forms of public aid (e. g. the blind). A standard doctors appointment, for example, is normally reimbursed at 75 per cent, whereas those in a preferred category may be reimbursed at 85 or 90 per cent, depending on their circumstances. Its wise to keep copies of all receipts and any other documents you send to your health insurance fund in case anything is lost.Rather than sending each receipt separately, its often bust to collect all receipts for a given illness or accident or all receipts during a three or six-month period before submi tting them for reimbursement. If you have supplementary insurance, your health fund usually forwards information to your private insurer, and both insurers normally pay reimbursements straight off into your bank account. If youre hospitalised, you must usually pay a fixed fooling accommodation fee, either in advance or when youre discharged, but the hospital normally sends all other bills directly to your health insurance fund.In the case of prescriptions, if you take most of them to the same chemist, its usually possible to register with him so that he bills your health insurance fund directly. In this way you pay only the unreimbursed portion of the prescription fees, as well as saving yourself the headache of property track of your payments. Prescriptions are subject to a particularly complex scale of reimbursement percentages, check to the social and medical usefulness of each medicine and whether its available off the shelf or must be made up by a chemist.Certain types of m edicines have maximum unhurried contribution levels, where 100 per cent of charges are reimbursed after a certain period. VII. verbiage a. Official Language(s) Belgium has three official languages French, German, and Flemish, which is similar to Dutch. b. Spoken vs. Written languages- N/A c. Dialects Dutch in Belgium is virtually equivalent to Dutch in the Netherlands, with the exception of a few local terms and expressions, although certain areas in Dutch-speaking Belgium have local dialects that can sometimes be incomprehensible to speakers of standard Dutch.The French spoken in Belgium is standard but with its own distinctive accentuate (at least according to the French ) and a few specialised words, notably the use of septante and nonante for 70 and 90 instead of soixante-dix and quatre-vingt-dix. (Oddly, the Belgians do use quatre-vingt for the number 80 sooner than octante, which is used in Switzerland and some other francophone areas of the world. ) VIII. Executive Summ ary IX. Sources of Information