UNITED KINGDOM

o VALUES AND ATTITUDES

 A sense of irony
 Irony is a trigger for laughter, which, to paraphrase the Glaswegian comedian Billy
Connolly, the British see as a form of free medication for body, mind and spirit.
 A sense of trust
 It is certainly true that trust is implicit in the way the British manage their affairs, within
local and central government, in their approach to law and order, including the principle
that policing is done "with the consent of the
people," in the way their judiciary system operates, and so
 on.
 The tradition of the "gentlemen's agreement" epitomized this philosophy of life land
continues to be cherished, especially by the older generations committed to traditional
values.
 A sense of fair play
 There is an old saying that "An Englishman's word is his bond," meaning as good as having
a legal agreement.
In other words, English society, which is not governed by a written constitution or a bill of
rights, conducted itself based on mutual trust and a sense
 of "fair play."
 Keeping order
 The English expression that "there is a time and a
 place for everything," suggests a need for order
 A sense of identity
 English customs and traditions involve a wide variety of costumes, from the pageantry
associated with monarchy and great state occasions
The Welsh celebrate St. David's Day on March 1 and many wear one or both of the
national emblems-a daffodil and leek-to mark the day
 A sense of fairness and compromise
 Tolerance, fair play, and an instinct for compromise are fundamental qualities of the
British character
In turn, this attitude has fed into "single issue" politics, which tend to engage in extremes,
such as the Animal Rights movement or the ultra-right British National Party.
 Royalty, class, honors
 The British royal family refers to the monarch and their relatives who hold titles and
positions of power and influence in the United Kingdom. The royal family plays a vital role
in maintaining the class system in England
 Purpose
+ Enable the creation of new titles and the acquisition of status
+Define one's position in society
+ Provide public confirmation of one's place in society
+ Maintain the class system in England
 Religion
  Christianity is the main religion in England. The Catholic Church has the largest adult
active membership of any Christian denomination.
Public Opinion:
- Churchgoing among Christians has dropped dramatically, with some observers
wondering whether Britain as a whole has a majority of believers anymore.
- Despite this, religious organizations, including many multifaith groups, continue to be
actively involved in volunteer work and the provision of social services.
- There is a growing trend towards acceptance and
respect for other faiths, with festivals.
 A sense of duty
 is a remarkable trait of the British character, where individuals and groupstake part in
volunteer work for the benefit of others.
- There are over 170,000 charitable organizations registered with the Charity Commission
for England and Wales.
-Thousands of other groups support local community activities and local needs in social
welfare, education, sport, heritage, the environment, and the Arts.
 -The Salvation Army is a highly respected Christian organization in Britain.
 High culture or low culture
 High culture refers to an environment where the arts are highly valued and considered a
benchmark of civilized life and behavior.
-Low culture, on the other hand, is characterized by a lack of emphasis on the arts and a
more philistine, anti-intellectual view.
 High culture countries, the arts are considered essential to civilized life and behavior and
are well-supported by the state.
+In Britain, the arts are often seen as divisive, and government support is often
conditional on being deemed to be in the national "cultural interest".
 +Britain's focus on arts is more pragmatic and less idealistic than in high culture countries,
with a greater emphasis on compromise and subsidy.
 Drink and work ethic
 The Changing Work Ethic:
- In the past, the British were not known for being over conscientious in the workplace,
with most people working simply to earn a living.
- Today, the world of work is very different, with high levels of youth unemployment,
"zero hours contracts", and a significant number of EU citizens coming to work in Britain.
- The idea of "devotion to duty" and "handwork" is not as prevalent as it once was, with
some exceptions, such as EU workers from the former Soviet bloc. The Impact of Drinking:
- Historically, the love of alcohol has been apart of British culture, with ale and beer being
popular drinks.
- Today, the UK is the world's sixth-biggest consumer of wine, and drinking continues to be
a part of the British way of life.
- Excessive drinking among young adults, including women, has become a problem for
both the police and health authorities.
 -The pub continues to be at the heart of localcommunities, but has suffered due to
drinkingand driving laws and non-smoking legislation.
  Humor as entertainment
 Situation Comedy (Sitcoms): Friends, Seinfeld, Frasier, Mrs Brown's Boys, Miranda.
-Sketch Shows: No specific examples provided, but a type of humorous genre mentioned.
- Stand-up Comedy: Live [Comedy] at the Apollo.
- Panel Shows: Mock the Week, Have I Got News for You.
- Satire: Mock the Week, Have I Got News for You.
- Cartoons: The Simpsons (appeals to both children and adults).
- Radio Comedy: I’m Sorry, I Haven't A Clue, The Now Show, Just A Minute.
- Cross-Dressing Comedy Common in Pantomime, where:
 -The "leading boy" (hero) is played by a girl.
 -The "wicked stepmother" (comic character) is played by a man.
o FRIENDSHIP, FAMILY, AND SOCIAL LIFE
 Informality, friendship
 -Casual interactions: using first name to call, meeting in casual places
 -Attitude Towards Friendship: laid-back approach, openness
 -Communication Style: Humor, Avoiding Over-Sentimentality
 Manners
 -formal manners: Serious atmosphere, using Mr or Mrs to call (in a crucial event), suits or
dresses, stay on neutral topics.
 -informal manners: Relaxed atmosphere, using first name, casual clothes, chatting on
personal story.
 The new familiarity
 -Communication : using first name, informal language(slang words..)
 -Depth of Connections: raise a sustainable connection, leading to fast relationship-
building.
 -Social media influence: Share their personal aspects of their life -> quicker relationship-
building
 -Public interaction : extend into real life, feel more comfortable.
 -Cultural Shifts : embrace informality, challenging traditional norms around formality and
respect between younger generation.
 The class system
 -Upper class : often have exclusive access to elite education and social circles.
 -Middle class : the backbone of British society, with varying levels of education and
income.
 -Working class : Major of labors who have lower-income jobs (significant part of British
society)
 Taboo subjects
 -Politics : political discussing in mixed company
 -Religion : religious beliefs
 -Sex and relationships : an intimate relationship can be considered private and making
people uncomfortable.
o TIME OUT
 Pomp and Pageantry
 The ceremonials of great public occasions continue to exert a hold on the
  imagination of the British, and are as much an attraction for them as for
 visitors from abroad
 Especially impressive is the spectacular Trooping the Color, when the Queen, as
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, accepts her new regiment of guards, in full
dress uniform, to mark her "official birthday" on the second Saturday in July.
 Where to go and what to do
 London is a word center of the arts and its theater options are legendary. There are many
fascinating museums: Design Museum, Imperial War Museum, National Maritime
Museum(NMM)
 the Eden Project in Cornwall; the Royal Botanic Gardens; Shakespeare's Birthplace,...
 Casual is good: being cool, relaxed, at ease
 Shopping: be both a chore and a pleasure
 In towns and cities, supermarkets of all sizes supply basic food needs
 Many villages have "village shop"
 Sporting life
 Football: Manchester City; Chelsea; Manchester United;...
 Cricket:
 The horse world: a big business, the biggest event is the annual Grand National, which
takes place in April at Liverpool.
 Marathon: the grueling 26.2 mile London Marathon, which has become an annual national
event.
 Golf: is a traditional pastime. in 2011 there were 1.3 million members of nearly 3000 gofl
clubs.
 The season: Main events
 Sporting events: the Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge on Thames( March); Derby
Day at Epsom(June),...
 Cultural events: Chelsea Flower Show(June), Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition(June),...
 Public holidays: New year's Day, Chirstmas Day,...
 DIY and gardening
 The weekend is the time when DIY and gardening
 Travel and transportation
 In Britain, you drive on the left, roads are good with network of motoways. The national
speed limits are 113kmph on motorways, 97kmph on open roads, 64kmph on dual
carriageways, 48kmph within towns.
 Britain has a reasonable public transportation system. Trains are the fastest, the cheapest
form of long distance travel is by bus.
 Britain has been returning to traditional tramway systems in major cities. Europe's biggest
tunneling project-Crossrail (73 miles)
o BUSINESS BIEFING
 Business formality
 Handshake
 Firm but not overly strong handshakes are common
Greetings include "Hello," "Nice to meet you," "How are you? “Greetings
 Business card
 are exchanged after handshakes, tend to be simple and professional
 First names
 Wait for the host to signal if first names are acceptable
 Friendship, being friendly
 The British tend to separate business from personal life. Younger generations may be
more casual, but there’s still a distinction between being friendly and forming close
friendships.
 Written Communication
 "Mr.", "Mrs.", "Miss" and "Ms." are still commonly used. Titles like "Dr", "Professor" or
military ranks are still required for formal etiquette
In general correspondence, there is a growing trend of using just a person's name. In
 Formality meeting and dress code
 Traditional business attire, such as the rolled umbrella, dark suit, and bowler hat
 Professional dress is still important for business meetings, with suits for men and neat
skirts or trousers and jackets for women
 Ties are less common; Bright and varied colors are now more accepted in professional
settings
 Smoking in office/public places
 Britain has been smoke-free since 2007, with smoking banned in public indoor spaces. The
number of adult smokers has significantly declined to 18.7%. Around 2.1 million adults use
e-cigarettes. Smoking among 16-to-18-year-olds remains an issue, with 20% still smoking
despite anti-smoking campaigns.
 Gift givings
 The British are uncomfortable with exchanging extravagant gifts, both at home and
abroad
.- Gifts in business relationships may seem too personal
- Visitors giving gifts should not expect reciprocity, but food, wine, or crafts from their
country are appreciated.
 Negotiation styles
 British business negotiations are often deferential, indirect, affable, and relaxed, where
humor is acceptable.
 Americans prefer to be "sold" something, while the British prefer to "buy," often taking
longer to make decisions.