Finland, Cultural Lone Wolf (Paperback)

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Key Phrases: migration theory, geographical overview, reactive cultures, Cultural Lone Wolf, Soviet Union, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Lewis attributes Finnish achievements in the last century to the culture rather than to political or business prowess. -- Reference & Research Book News, February 2005

Product Description

Why is Finland number one in Global Competitiveness? Why is Finland number one in mobile phones? Why is Finland regularly voted as the least corrupt country in the world? How did Finland become the world leader in managing water resources? Why are Finns regarded as the ideal "peacekeepers"? Why are Finns the world's biggest consumers of coffee and alcohol? Why are Finns the most silent people in Europe? Why is the future Finnish?

Finland, Cultural Lone Wolf is the story of an accomplished nation and her extraordinary people. Pursuing a "Lone Wolf" policy, Finland raised itself from a struggling, war-battered state in 1945 to one of the most developed countries in the world. Finland, blending the individualism of the West with cultural characteristics of the East, has retained its reputation as a stand-alone nation. These remarkable Finns speak a language unique in its origins and have kept their cultural identity intact despite the influences of powerful neighbors, Sweden and Russia. As business partners Finns are unsurpassed in leadership qualities yet inspire the successful team building that created the largest company in Europe. The exponential rise of Nokia from tire and timbers to leading the world's telecommunication industry is indicative of the Finns and their characteristic business style. Uniquely qualified to write about Finland, best-selling author Richard Lewis traces the fascinating Finnish origins, as well as her history and geography. He compares communication styles among the Finns and other cultures, including Asians, Americans and Europeans, and he explores the most dominant cultural values that define the Finns. His extensive experience with Finnish business allows him keen insight on leadership style, negotiation strategies and the uniquely Finnish suomi kuva (Finland image). And Lewis shines when describing the Finnish humor, complete with hilarious jokes and stories.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 227 pages
• Publisher: Intercultural Press (November 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193193018X
• ISBN-13: 978-1931930185
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #441,552 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finland Stands Apart from the Herd, July 18, 2005

By	Dr. Mark W. Lusk (Corvallis, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Finland is truly a unique place in so many ways and Mr. Lewis captures the spirit of the place with insight and skill. By nature, Finns are very modest people so it takes an outsider to toot their horn. Lewis is well suited to the job as he speaks Finnish (that is quite a job!) and has spent many years consulting there. The author rightly observes that Finland outranks all other advanced democratic nations on practically any important measure of development - literacy, economic competitiveness, equality (economic, social and gender), transparency, lack of corruption, low levels of crime, and high levels of technological innovation. He notes that while they do pay high taxes, they actually support these taxes because they ensure that everyone has high quality health care, education, and social support - no exceptions.

But apart from their success in forging a wealthy and egalitarian nation, the Finns stand out in many other ways. For one, they are not really all that Scandinavian. Their origins are obscure, but it is clear that their language and culture has roots outside of the Indo-European group. In some ways, like the Basques perhaps, they are a small and unique nationality with a world view that we should all admire. Among their virtues, Finns are extraordinarily honest, so much so that some see them as blunt. They can also be very taciturn. Indeed, the uninformed traveler to Finland may mistake their parsimonious use of spoken language as a sign of coldness or obtuseness. As Lewis points out, to the contrary, Finns are very intellectually inclined, but are deeply suspicious of wordy or flamboyant people. Also of interest, the author delves into why Finnish women have been so successful and have attained full equality in all spheres of life.

Even if you don't have the chance to visit Finland, this is a great book to read if you are interested in learning about a country that is getting it right!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Honest, intelligent look at a great nation.., February 5, 2005

By	martyk (Kansas) - See all my reviews

Brilliant work on the enigmatic nation of Finland. Full of facts, humor, history, Mr. Lewis has done his homework. Outstanding..

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars trumpet tooting, September 9, 2005

By	Masa - See all my reviews

As a native Finn I was actually embarrassed reading the "trumpet tooting" by Lewis in this book, but that seems to prove his experience of the Finnish people, modest, shy but despite this desperately in seeking of recognition from others.

As a truly modest Finn I can not see why our nation would differ from any other, to better or worse. But Lewis makes several points I have to agree on, about the Finnish nature, especially common sense, separateness, etc. etc... and I've never thought of the Finnish language giving us an advance in way of thinking.. a very interesting point indeed.

Overall, a very interesting read, if you're interested in the mindset of this small-yet-big nation up north..