By Jacob Vossestein

People from all corners of the world, involved in government, business and culture, come into contact with Dutch colleagues, either here in the Netherlands or in their own country. All these people have to "deal with the Dutch" They point out that it is the underlying values and norms of the Dutch that puzzles and sometimes irritates them. Help is now at hand. No matter whether you're visiting the Netherlands for a business trip, intend to work there for a while, or just have regular contact with Dutch people in your own country, being prepared for these underlying aspects of Dutch culture will make your working and social interactions more effective and therefore more satisfactory. This handbook will also prove very helpful for Dutch people who work with expatriates.