History of Cultural Diversity in London UK:Doing Business in the UK
The United Kingdom (UK) is comprised of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is important not only to be aware of these geographical distinctions but also the strong sense of identity and nationalism felt by the populations of these four countries.
Pay Day Loans
The terms 'English' and 'British' are not interchangeable. 'British' denotes someone who is from England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. 'English' refers to people from England. People from Scotland are referred to as 'Scots'. People from England are not likely to take offence at being called "English", whereas a Welsh, Scots, or Northern Irish person will.
Cultural Diversity
Formerly a very homogenous society, since World War II, Britain has become increasingly diverse as it has accommodated large immigrant populations. The mixture of ethnic groups and cultures make it difficult to define British as looking or acting in one particular manner. People may sound British and retain the cultural heritage of their forefathers while others may become more British than someone who can trace his/her lineage to the 5th century. The fact that the nation's favourite dish is now a curry sums up the cultural mish-mash that is modern day Britain.
Doing business in the UK
The British are rather formal. Many from the older generation still prefer to work with people and companies they know or who are known to their associates. Younger businesspeople do not need long-standing personal relationships before they do business with people and do not require an intermediary to make business introductions. Nonetheless, networking and relationship building are often key to long-term business success.
Rank is respected and businesspeople prefer to deal with people at their level. If at all possible, include an elder statesman on your team as he/she will present the aura of authority that is necessary to good business relationships in many companies.
British communication styles
The British have an interesting mix of communication styles encompassing both understatement and direct communication. This will equally apply if you are using a business mobile phone. Many older businesspeople or those from the 'upper class' rely heavily upon formal use of established protocol. Most British are masters of understatement and do not use effusive language. If anything, they have a marked tendency to qualify their statements with such as 'perhaps' or 'it could be'. When communicating with people they see as equal to themselves in rank or class, the British are direct, but modest. If communicating with someone they know well, their style may be more informal, although they will still be reserved. Read More ...
Cultural Diversity in London UK
Culturally, London comes into its own; it would be difficult to find any culture not represented somewhere in the busy streets and quiet suburbs of London. The streets swarm with a multitude of people of different ages, races and cultures. Moody Goth teenagers with their electric pink striped hair and black clothes mingle easily in the markets of Camden Town and Covent Garden with wrinkly Japanese grandfathers, enthusiastic tourists and local Londoners. Tired businessmen walk the same streets as new-age hippies and chattering groups of excited Asian school-girls.
More than three hundred different languages are spoken in London on a daily basis, and every sub-culture in the city is represented by its own speciality shops, restaurants and fashion stores. Not only is there a variety of contrasting races and nationalities living in London, but different generations as well. The disparity in culture between classes and generations of the same nationality are as great, or even greater than the cultural distinctions between diverse .. Read More ...
London UK - An Amazing Cultural and Social Melting Pot
I am still surprised, after more than twenty years on this turntable, that they are not more frictions amongst the various groups of people and social backgrounds. Multi-coloured skins, national costumes, hundreds of sometimes-mysterious languages, religious symbols proudly displayed add to the widely differing living conditions and magically varied cuisines. This cohabitation occurs peacefully and with surprising tolerance, at least on the surface.
Churches, mosques, synagogues, catholic, coranic schools neighbour each other; saris, boubous, chadors are brushing against one another; the veiled Muslim woman is integrated in the work force and the ambitious Indian reaches the peak of his/her profession. Medicine, journalism, finance are becoming coloured and provide the most ambitious with high-ranking jobs where all skins are tolerated. And, for the amateurs, London offers an orgy of restaurants and spicy cosmopolitan foods. Curry, sushi, tagine, mezzes, fajitas, tapas, poule au pot are on the menu...How can we resist this blending of traditions and customs and to this cultural richness? Musicals, concerts, movies also show a diversity catering for all tastes; everyone can find exotic entertainment or a film in one's own language. Read more ...
London's Multicultural Experience
Being one of the largest and most populated cities of Europe, London, the United Kingdom's capital is a cosmopolitan area in which a highly diverse range of peoples, cultures and religions coexist today. According to a Guardian newspaper editorial, "London in 2005 can lay claim to being the most diverse city ever." With more than 300 different languages spoken in London's streets by its permanent residents, such a claim seems at least reasonable.
During my last London visit, I was astonished by the multicultural experience a tourist like me could have, just by visiting different neighborhoods and talking to a variety of people. In fact, the city is considered today to be an international transport hub, it has excellent business mobile broadband facilities and is an extremely popular tourist destination, making London one of the most visited world's capitals; a fact that tremendously promotes its multicultural character.
London's metropolitan are has considerably grown over the centuries, especially during the 19th and early 20th centuries increasing industrialization that led to rapid population growth. England's capital was the most populated city of the world until 1925, when New York overtook its immense number of citizens. London continued to grow until World War II and the Green Belt legislation which led to its population largely remain static. .. Read more ...
