Abstract:

The article presents cultural attributes typical of German culture, which contribute to the success of German economy and the well-being of German society. Cultural features which determine the specific economic behavior and the nature of the internationalization of German investors include collectivism enhanced by a high level of social trust, the tradition of cooperation between enterprises and the state, increased propensity to avoid risk (resulting in the concentration of economic activity in medium-tech branches) and long-term orientation. An important element of this economy, which became a peculiar artefact of German culture, are family businesses. Many of them have successfully transformed into international corporations. Nowadays, this phenomenon is reflected in the managing strategy of these entities and in the positive perception of products labelled as made in Germany (country of origin effect) on international markets.  The article shows that the cultural complementarity of Germany – the country of origin of capital and Poland – the host country is beneficial both for the investor and the host country.