Kultur und Organisationen: Europe a charming continent

The musical Europe

(Map found in Yahoo Image)

Europe is a continent full of history and influences that has impacted the rest of the world.

First with great ancient civilizations, as the Greek and then the Romans, and then they began conquering the world.

Europe like that has given the world many challenges but also many gifts, being one of them the Music, which plays an important role in their culture and everyday life.

In a presentation, made by Juan Manuel Muñoz and David Castaño, music was mentioned with classic musicians as Mozart, Beethoven and Hayden, and then romantic ones as Chopin.

(Photo taken from the personnal colection. "Bach in the Thomas Kirche Leipzig" by María Natalia Suárez Vallejo)

However, they left behind the huge influence music has in Europe and how it can play a role in the negotiation process as a basic part of their lives.

Especially in Germany, as a home of many of the most important musicians, business people are proud to carry the influence of these artists in their products and products.

It is also very common to use music and its history as “small talk” for negotiations or visit to the operas and see one, going to places where musicians were born or lived… can be part of a business visit too.

Music is the air and people are proud of it.

But music plays also an important role today as an Integration booster. There is the Context Eurovision that the European Broadcasting Union started in the 1950s. It basically stated with Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Pretty much all the European Union founders except Switzerland.

(Eurovision Logo and Istabul 2004 publicity taken at Yahoo Images)

And with the years it has being growing having all kind of European countries, all the members of the European Union, nonmembers as Russia, Iceland, other as Turkey, the new born countries as Macedonia… and the list goes on. And the nice thing is that it is something that integrates the whole Europe and moves a step further in the bonds created in the continent.

It is definitely an amazing contest, where countries appreciate other cultures other people and everyone participates. There is even a Eurovision for Children.
One of the most wonderful things is that the countries can show their culture, what kind of music, dances, and dresses they have… or they go with other things that are common in all the countries but that finally show that they are not so different. They share they roots, they life styles, their likes… their dreams. It is a show that has been bringing Europe together though music!!!!

So if you are negotiating with Europeans and if you have the opportunity to travel there get ready to enjoy some music, make it part of your life and become a music lover!!!

Question: How is the role of Germany in the European Union?

Despite the fact of that the European Union is a Union as its name says; there are clear leaders who influence a lot the decisions taken and that are the ones pushing the Union to move forward and grow.

One of those leaders is Germany , and Bulmer and Paterson (1996)study that situation in their article “Germany in the European Union: gentle giant or emerging leader?” The first issue they address here is the German diplomacy and the importance for the country to become part of the European Coal and Steel Community, in order to recover the power of its industries and play an active role in the area, and more after the mess they made with the Second World War and the destruction it left behind.

Then they analyze Germany as an economic power. That power has made Germany a strong engine of the Union and a helping hand for the rest of the members. And it is important to mentioned additionally to the analyses of the authors the importance of Germany as the third economy of the world until very recently, because it is now between the 4 and 6 place, which still is good in a global context and they will continue as the European leading economy for a long time.

Economically, Bulmer and Paterson (1996) also mentioned the importance of the reunification of Germany and how they translated in the unification of Europe, pushing for the integration of East Europe to the EU and willing to help them in the process. And from all the members of the EU they are finally the ones who understand better the situation thanks to the experience of the DDR (East Germany). Germany was more sensitive towards the cold war and its effects (Bulmer and Paterson, 1996).

Then they move on with other diplomatic issues, and internal factors, being for me very interesting the role of the public opinion. Even though there is divided opinion, Germany tries to incentive a positive opinion on the process, being careful with issues as a broader Eastern Enlargement and still managing the idea of the Euro, but that at the end with the years we have seen that were able to be addressed because the Euro was implemented and the Eastern countries are entering the EU.

With the civil society, it is also important to see their actions special in the private economic sector, since German companies though trade and investment have gained them a big power and an important role (Bulmer and Paterson, 1996).
In the article the relationship between France and Germany is also addressed and it a core part of the EU establishment and development, and even though there have been differences they have managed to be the main leaders of the Union.

To conclude, Bulmer and Paterson (1996)saw at that time Germany more as a “gentle giant” than as a leader within the EU, first because of their focus on a better reunification of the country with all the financial and political efforts toward it, but they also recognize its important influence as one the largest member states.

But personally, looking at Germany today, I would definetly say that they are leaders and that that they know where to go and how to do it, protecting obviosly internal interests but they are one of the most commited countries and have done all their efforts to take a step further, supporting for example the European Constituion and having like that a Political Union. However, time will tell what happens and how far they come, but I’m convinced Germany will always be in the top spots and influencing the European Union.