Belgium Cultural Analysis

I. world II. Brief Discussion of Belgiums relevant history III. Geographical telescope a. Location between France (S) and Holland (N) Ger many another(prenominal) and Luxembourg (E) and mag makeic north Sea (W) b. Climate Belgium has c one-time(a)-temperate weather, warm in summer (May to family) and cool to cold in winter, with coulomb precise likely. temperate mild winters, cool summers rainy, humid, cloudy c. d. Topography The coastal region, extending round 1648 km (1030 mi) inland, consists of sand dunes, flat stray land, and polders (land reclaimed from the sea and protected by dikes), and attains a upper limit of 15 m (50 ft) above sea level.Eastward, this region gradu entirelyy gives way to a gently rolling central plain, whose many fertile valleys atomic fall 18 irrigated by an extensive network of canals and waterways. Altitudes in this region be ab away 60180 m (200 600 ft). The Ardennes, a heavily wooded plateau, is located in southeast Belgium and continues into France. It has an aver sequence altitude of about 460 m (1,500 ft) and reaches a maximum of 694 m (2,277 ft) at the Signal de Botrange, the lands highest point.Chief rivers atomic number 18 the Schelde (Scheldt, Escaut) and the Meuse (Maas), both of which get on in France, flow through Belgium, pass through the Netherlands, and empty into the North Sea. IV. loving Institutions a. Family i. The nuclear family Belgians argon among the happiest, intimately satisfied nation in the world and among the least likely to leave their country. happiness is a proficient and comfortable life sh atomic number 18d with family and friends. Much of the Belgian culture revolves approximately their family. The Belgian family has re master(prenominal)ed very close-knit despite great changes in baseball club due to industrialization.Most children make guess a strong sense of committal non only to their p atomic number 18nts, merely too to grandp atomic number 18nts, siblings and c ousins. The extended family has remained relatively close. It is not foreign for a family to spirited in the identical neighborhood or until now the same house throughout a lifetime. The average Belgian family size is 2. 9 passel. ii. The extended family The extended family has remained relatively close. It is not unusual for a family to live in the same neighborhood or notwithstanding the same house throughout a lifetime. iii. Dynamics of the family . p arntal roles p atomic number 18nts in Belgium sent their children to pre indoctrinate programs so that they could learn to become more independent and kindly adept. Most Belgian children over age 2 attend these state- bloodlineed programs full-time. Belgian p argonnts listed smaller classes and more physical grooming and music as sexually attractive improvements. 2. Marriage and Courtship Long marriage engagements atomic number 18 common, as is livelihood together forrader or instead of marriage. Only civil marriages be legal, but many couples also have a phantasmal ceremony. As you declare your wedding in Belgium, the first thing that you must do is to print two wedding invitations, one from the grooms family and the otherwise from the brides family. The invitations are a symbol of the union of the two families as well as the st machinationing of the new-fangled union. Following the ancient Belgium tradition the bride must walk up the isle to hand her mother a single prime of life which is followed by an embracing. After your marriage is over the bride presents the grooms mother a single flower 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 supernumeraryly embroidered handkerchief with her name on it. This is required as later your marriage celebration is over this handkerchief is framed and hung on the ring in a place of honor. at that place is more to add to this tradition. This very handkerchief is passed on to the next female fragment of the brides family when she plans to get married. iv. female person/Male Roles Fathers are ultimate decision makers. Mothers discipline and rule nursing home matters v. culture 1. The role of tuition in society a. Primary b. auxiliary c.Higher d. The structure of the developmental remains consists of pre school (3-6 days) six years of primary school and six years of secondary school. Belgium has two systems of education the state system and the private ( nearly Catholic) system. Education is free in both of these systems, and the curriculum is the same. There are four types of education General tributary Education (ASO) general education any(prenominal)ly theoretical that prepares students for higher(prenominal) education. artistic production Secondary Education (KSO) Along with general subjects, students take visual liberal arts, music, dance, drama, an d so onA previous knowledge of the subject is required. Professional Secondary Education (BSO) in this category students may choose from a selection of courses such(prenominal)(prenominal) a hairdressing, car mechanics, and sewing, among others. Students completing the 12th year level know certificate of higher secondary education. This diploma is sufficient for higher change study interpreting, architecture, technical engineering, pedagogy, etc. Only 16 17% of Belgian students graduate at this level. Education is considered very cardinal in Belgium. indeed example are high and students take school very seriously.At Christmas and Easter schools are closed for two weeks. Carnaval and All Saints Day (Nov. 1) fix short breaks of a week each. Summer holidays (vacation) last from June 30 to September 1. 2. Literacy rates 99% over 15 can read and deliver vi. Political System 1. Political Structure federal parliamentary land under a constitutional monarchy 2. Political Parties F lemish s a good dealies Christian classless and Flemish or CDV Marianne THYSSEN Dedecker List Jean-Marie DEDECKER Flemish Liberals 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 troupe or SLP Geert LAMBERT note prior to 19 April 2008, kn deliver as purport 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 improver and Democratic Center or CDH Joelle MILQUET National Front or FN Daniel HUYGENS rejuvenate Movement or MR Didier REYNDERS Socialist Party or PS Elio DI RUPO other minor parties 3.Stability of Government Very Stable Original member of EU and debt = 80% of GDP 4. Special Taxes Expatriates in Belgium are largely regarded as Belgian tax residents and are therefore subject to Belgian income tax on their worldwide income. Howev er, the Belgian authorities have support multi subjects to transfer foreign executives to Belgium by introducing special tax concessions to non-Belgians who are temporarily working in the country. The tax concessions allow such tran enjoymentations to be hardened as non-residents for tax purposes. The concessions do not confine to inheritance tax.To set apart for these special concessions, a number of factors are considered e. g. does the employment contract allot a limited time? , has the expatriates family moved? , is the expatriates centre of economic and/or respective(prenominal)ized interest in Belgium? , is the employment with a discarding entity? . Under the special concessions Only Belgian sourced income is taxable, including property income and dividend income, although total world-wide, earned income must be declared. Municipal taxes are yieldable at 7% of total income tax getable.There is no capital gains tax, except for definite types of sale of Belgian prope rty. Expatriates who benefit from the non-residents special tax regime cannot invoke double taxation agreements because they only apply for the benefit of Belgian residents. 5. Role of Local Government severally of the provinces has a council of 50 to 90 members elected for four-year terms by demand 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 t consumesfolk council elected for a six-year term. The council elects an executive body called the climb on 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 municipalities has been greatly reduced through consolidation. vii. Legal System 1. organization of judiciary system The judiciary is an independent branch of government on an equal footing with the legislative and the executive branches. Minor offenses are dealt with by justices of the peace and police tribunals.More serious offenses and civil lawsuits are brought before district courts of first instance. Other district courts are commerce and stab tribunals. Verdicts rendered by these courts may be pulled before 5 regional courts of appeal or the 5 regional labor courts in Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Mons, and Liege. All offenses punishable by prison sentences of more than five years must be dealt with by the el steady courts of assize (one for each province and the city of Brussels), the only board courts in Belgium. The highest courts are five civil and criminal courts of appeal and the domineering Court of Cassation.The latters function is to verify that the law has been properly applied and interpreted. The constitutionality of statute is the province of the Council of State, an advisory legal group. 2. Code, common, socialist, or Islamic law country? Belgian Civil Code 3. Participation in Patents, trademarks, other conventions Yes viii. Social Organizations 1. Group behavior 2. Social Classes There is a relatively even distribution of wealth, with 5 to 6 percent brisk close to the meagreness line. The majority of the population is middle class.The vast majority has equal opportunities for education and a professional life. There is a very inclusive social security system. 3. Clubs, Other organizations Belgium hosts many international organizations and hundreds of lobbying-groups, but their charge has teeny-weeny condition impact on social life. The most influential organizations are the Catholic perform and its affiliates and social organizations related to the pillars, such as trade unions. 4. Race, Ethnicity, and Sub culture The nations cultural diversity has been enriched by international and local immigration.The high numbers of Flemish label in the south and Walloon names in the north indicate long time internal mobility. In the last hundred ye ars the most important immigrant groups were Jews who form a sizable community in Antwerp Poles, who came in the early 1930s and later on the fall of communism Italians (in the 1930s and 1950s) and North Africans and Turks, who arrived in the 1960s. There are many recent immigrants from other countries in the European Union as well as many expatriates working in or roughly 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. transaction customs and practices- Relationships &038 Communication. Although third-party introductions are not necessary, they often smooth the way. .Regardless of how you are introduced, you must always be polite and well mannered. .Belgians are careful and prudent so take time before they trust others, be they individuals or representatives of companies. . agate line dealings tend to be bureaucratic. There are many procedures and a great deal of p aperwork. Belgians are excellent linguists and many are sufficiently fluent to conduct meetings in English. .Belgians prefer subtlety to directness, believing that subtlety is a reflection of intelligence. .Although they are more direct in their communication than many cultures, if a response is too direct it may be seen as simplistic. .They prefer communication to be limpid and based on reason . Belgians often engage in long, diminutive discussions before reaching a decision so that they can be certain(p) that they have considered all the alternatives. They recall it is rude to be confrontational. Business Meeting Etiquette .Appointments are necessary .The person you are meeting volition generally set the time for the meeting, unremarkably mid morning or mid afternoon. .Avoid scheduling meetings during July and August, which are prime vacation propagation the week before Easter and the week between Christmas and New Year. .Everyone is judge to arrive on time .Arriving late may brand you as unreliable. .Meetings are formal .First appointments are more socially than vocation oriented, as Belgians prefer to do business with those they know. Do not withdraw your jacket during a meeting. Dress Etiquette . manpower should founder dark coloured, blimpish business suits with white shirts and silk ties. .Women should wear business suits or conservative dresses. .Men should only wear laced shoes, never loafers or other slip-ons, as they are too casual. .Polished shoes are an integral part of a professional image. Business Cards .Business control panels are exchanged without formal ritual. .Have one side of your business card translated into French or Dutch. This shows respect 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 careful to use the proper ones. .Present your business card so the recipient can read the side with their national language. V. Religion and aesthetics a. Religion and other belief systems i. Orthodox doctrines and structures Catholicism is the main religious faith. The government financially supports the Catholic and Protestant churches as well as the Jewish 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 light speed, but approximately 65 percent of Belgians believe in God. Many people who say they do not believe in God take part in religious rituals for major events such as baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Minority faiths embroil 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 devotions Catholicism iv. Membership of each religion v. Any powerful or influential cults? No b. Aesthetics i.optical Arts The golden 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) do the region the main artistic essence of Europe outside of Italy. Artists such as Jan forefront Eyck (13951441) and Rogier Van Der Weyden (14001464) were interested in spatial composition and psychology and rendered the colors and textures of living and material objects with realism. The main artistic figure of the next century was Pieter Breughel the elderberry bush (15251569), with his lively paintings of peasant life.Pieter Paul Rubens (15771640) was the most far-famed 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 mod works of living artists can be seen in contemporary art museums in Antwerp and Ghent. ii. Music Classical, Blues and Jazz, Folk, Pop and Rock iii.Performing arts The Franco-Flemish style dominated European music in the fifteenth and one-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(prenominal) 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 stimulated 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 symb ols The calotte (plural calottes, French from Provencal calota or Italian callotta), is a skullcap worn by students at Catholic universities in Belgium. In the front of the calotte are stripes representing the Belgium flag (black, discolour and red) and stripes representing the colors of the city or the university where the calotte has been received.At the back of the calotte, the ability of the student is represented by a color and a symbol, with if needful an adjunctal symbol to determine the speciality. Golden stars around the calotte represent the number of years that the student has studied successfully (if a year has to be retaken, a silver star will represent it). In addition to that, a number of official and personal pins will be added to the calotte, all representing something about its owner examples include Official position in a student organisation (above the considered years star) Hobbies and occupations (cardplayer, partyer ) Character (patriot, lazy ) the mean ing of the calotte has evolved, but some(prenominal) the theories may be on its origins, the calotte is mainly a sign that indicates the students belong to a group. The student is also able to express his individuality by wearing 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.Meat and vegetable function rates Bread and potatoes are the traditional staple foods. Most meals include, pork, chicken, or beef, and Seafood is familiar in the northern part of the country. The national drink is beer, but wine is imported in large quantities. In northern cities, fashionable 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. Cooking is traditionally done with butter quite an than oil there is also a high consumption of dairy products. ii.Typical Mea ls Traditionally, the noon meal is the main meal of the day businessmen take a two-hour break and most children come home 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 platter garnished with seasonal picvegetables. It is interesting to note that picvegetables and salads are almost a social status symbol the higher the level, the more picvegetables and salads are used.For most families, however, potatoes are the only vegetable requirement. 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 addressable The Belgian market offers good opportunities and has enjoyed considerable growth in recent years in the following areas 1. health and organic foods, 2. energy foods and sports drinks, 3. snack foods, 4. soc ial foods, 5. ready-made and microwave products, 6. frozen and fresh 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, wild rice,maple products and other confectionary goods etc. ) b. Housing i. Owning your own home isnt considered such an important an investment as it is in some other countries. Types of housing available While property in Belgium is cheap by UK standards, the various fees, charges and deposits associated with get a house and securing a mortgage are likely to dissuade all but the most determined buyers.Theres no mortgage relief on income tax ii. Do more people own or rent? More own iii. Do most live in one family dwellings or with other families? One family c. article of clothing i. National Dress Belgians, especially those in the cities, wear modern Western-style vesture. The ethnic costumes of the Flemings and Walloons are seldom worn 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 at work Men who work in offices are expected to wear suit jackets to work.It is generally acceptable for women to wear slack to work. d. Recreation, sports, and other leisure activities i. Types available and in demand The most popular participant sport in Belgium is bicycling. Belgians also participate in and limit soccer, and there are many regional teams. Other sports popular in Belgium include tennis, horseback riding, hiking, and skiing. Belgians also enjoy the popular European sport of sand sailing. A sort of minicar with sails called a sand yacht is set along the coast, powered by the wind.Also popular, especially in Wallonia, is pigeon racing. As many as speed of light,000 pigeons may be entered in a single race. Like many other Europeans, Belgians are avid soccer fans. There are over sixty teams in the national league. Conce rts and theater are popular evening pastimes in the cities, and Brussels also has opera, ballet, and cafe cabarets (restaurants with musical theater entertainment such as singing and dancing). ii. Percentage of income spent on such activities 9. 5% e. Social Security Belgium has a comprehensive system of social security, which applies to all residents.It crosscuts family benefits, unemployment amends, work accident insurance, health care, old age and invalidity pensions, and long-term care insurance. Belgium takes great pride in its benefits systems and the property of its social security services, although the high cost of providing those services and benefits (employer contributions of up to 40 per cent plus employee contributions of up to 20 per cent of gross pay) has belatedly prompted the government to consider changes to the social security system in an exertion to encourage individuals to assume greater responsibility for the costs of retirement, disability and even h ealth care. . wellnessCare Health insurance is mandatory in Belgium, and elementary 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 maternity benefits) are paid net of withholdings for health insurance, the benefit authority effectively paying the employer contributions. Foreigners coming to live in Belgium without working (e. . retirees and the idle rich) must generally produce evidence of health insurance in order to obtain a entrance hall permit. There are special health insurance plans, valid in a number of countries, designed specifically for the needs of expatriates and those who travel frequently. If you qualify for non-resident tax status, you may not be required to contribute to national social security, in which case you will probably be cover by your employers health care plan. (You shoul d check All employees and mercenary(a) people in Belgium must contribute to a health insurance fund ( mutualite/ziekenfonds) as part of the normal social security memorandum process. Some funds 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 available funds, and you should ask neighbours or colleagues for recommendations. All funds charge the same basic contribution and pay similar benefits, but some take longer than others to make reimbursements.Health insurance contributions are made by your employer straight off to your chosen fund. These add up to 7. 35 per cent of your gross salary, of which 3. 55 per cent is withheld from your pay and the remain 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 waiting 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 cases, if you were covered 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 must pay the bill and then progress the receipt for reimbursement.Reimbursements are usually less than the charges incurred, and most Belgians take out supplementary health insurance to cover the unreimbursed mickle or to rise 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 subscribe nature of what is and isnt covered by the state system is rather complicated.Services rendered by most doctors and specialists, hospitalisation, prescriptions, pregnancy and childbirth, rehabilitation and other forms of therapy are normally covered, although the self-employed are covered only for major risks, which include mental sickness, tuberculosis, cancer, hereditary diseases and birth defects, most types of surgery and childbirth. There are no a few(prenominal)er 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 preferred categories of people who are entitled to a higher level of reimbursement for many items, includin g 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 communicate and any other documents you send to your health insurance fund in case anything is lost.Rather than sending each receipt separately, its often better to collect all receipts for a given illness or accident or all receipts during a 3 or six-month period before submitting them for reimbursement. If you have supplementary insurance, your health fund usually forwards information to your private insurer, and both insurers normally pay reimbursements directly into your bank account. If youre hospitalised, you must usually pay a fixed daily accommodation fee, either in advance or when youre discharged, but the hospital normally sends all other bills directly to your hea lth 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 retention track of your payments. Prescriptions are subject to a particularly complex subdue of reimbursement percentages, according 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 medicines have maximum long-suffering contribution levels, where 100 per cent of charges are reimbursed after a certain period. VII. Language a. Official Language(s) Belgium has three official languages French, German, and Flemish, which is similar to Dutch. b. Spoken vs. pen languages- N/A c. Dialects Dutch in Belgium is virtually identical to Dutch in the Netherlands, with the exception of a few loca l terms and expressions, although certain areas in Dutch-speaking Belgium have local dialects that can sometimes be cryptic to speakers of standard Dutch.The French spoken in Belgium is standard but with its own distinctive accent (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 rather than octante, which is used in Switzerland and some other francophone areas of the world. ) VIII. Executive Summary IX. Sources of Information