Crossing Cultural Time Zones

"Get with the Times!" Now there's a request that's more complicated than what it first seems. Time, as most often conceived in modern society, is a contrived social construct that brings order and convenience to our everyday lives. Time, though, is not a static, strictly defined notion, but rather a fluid one that's surprisingly open to interpretation. You needn't embark on an intergalactic voyage at light speed to perceive time differently. In fact, on a much shorter trek across this little globe of ours, you'll find that perceptions and relationships with time change considerably. The Virtue(?) of Punctuality Strict adherence to schedule is prevalent in most of North America, Western Europe, and Australia, particularly when it comes to business. The "time is money" perception that drives the economies of many of these countries carries a certain secular sanctity. No serious professional in these parts of the world would dream of arriving 20 minutes late for a business meeting. Yet in parts of South America, Africa, and Eastern countries such as China and India, where the concept of time is more fluid, there's really no such thing as 20 minutes late.

More Than One Way to Sit and Chat
In these countries, interaction with family, friends, and associates tends to trump punctuality. A flexible sort of "carpe diem" philosophy, in which living in the moment is the ideal, is their answer to the West's time-is-money concept. A 9 a.m. meeting in Malaysia, for example, can be expected to begin sometime during the 9 o'clock hour rather than on the hour. This frees people to interact casually with one another as they do business, the idea being that such behavior will build trust and lasting relationships. Where Western cultures make precise appointments so as not to cause delays to one's own or others' plans, Eastern cultures aim to accomplish the same thing by not letting future engagements interfere with the present.

Fashionably Late
While it's safe to say that many Western cultures value punctuality, it's more subtly complex than that. Punctuality applies in the business world and in formal situations, but there are social events for which arriving late is preferred. Take cocktail or office parties, for instance. Upon arriving as much as an hour late to leisurely events such as these, you won't find guests tapping their watches and casting disapproving glares in your direction. Dinner parties are another story, as courtesy to the cook requires timely arrival.

"Entschuldigen Sie Bitte!"
In some pockets of the Western world, however, Germany and Scandinavia for example, lateness is a fashion faux pas for most any occasion. So while you're still trying on shirts and fidgeting with finger foods in preparation for your next Friday night soiree, don't be surprised when Sten and Gerda show up at 7:30 on the button and wonder if they've chanced upon the wrong house.