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Bulgaria

Culture

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     The beautiful country of Bulgaria is situated in Southeast Europe, in the Northeast part of the Balkan Peninsula, placing in directly in the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa (Geographic Location | Bulgaria Travel, 2024).  Bulgaria has a rich cultural history influenced mostly by the Thracian, Slavic, and Bulgar cultures, but also have Byzantine, Turkish, and Greek influences among others. If history, art, and ancient cultures are your interest, then Bulgaria is a perfect location. 

     Most Bulgarians belong to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, which has played a major role in retaining a sense of being "Bulgarian." Their religious beliefs acted as their default support system under the Ottoman empire and Communist rule through 1990 (Bulgaria - Language, Culture and Etiquette, n.d.). Religious holidays including life moments like baptisms, weddings, and even death play a huge part in cultural celebrations. Christmas and Easter are the most important holidays of the year. Saint name days are also very important. 

     Family is the center of the social unit and tend to be extended rather than nuclear. There may be several generations under one roof, and like most collectivist societies the members work together for support (Bulgaria - Language, Culture and Etiquette, n.d.). 

     Oral stories & folklore, literature, dance, and art form an important part of cultural traditions, and legends hat are passed along generations (Bulgaria - Language, Culture and Etiquette, n.d.).

     Bulgaria is a hierarchical society, scoring a 70 on the Power Distance Index in Hoftsede's Six Dimensions (Country Comparison Tool, n.d.-d) and respect and honor is always reserved for the people with age and position. The oldest should always be greeted first and by their title. The eldest are also given the power and responsibility of group decisions (Bulgaria - Language, Culture and Etiquette, n.d.)

     

     

Business & Leadership

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         Business meetings are formal, and the initial one is about introductions and getting to know people better to build trust. The following meetings are used for more business focus. Eye contact in meetings is key to building trust. Communication style in meetings tend to be high context as described by Eward T Hall. They may speak in a roundabout way to avoid using any language that can be held against them later. Meetings should not be rushed, and Bulgarians are not deadline oriented. They are more focused on getting a full understanding of the discussion or process (Belgium - Language, Culture, Customs and Business Etiquette, n.d.-a).

     In leadership, after hours socializing is key to building relationships. It is recommended that people use any opportunity for a social engagement to build trust and to show that you are a person of integrity. It is important to know that many senior executives are former Communist Party members and may appear stiff and officious (The Bulgarian Management Style, n.d.) You may see a clear difference between the older generation and the younger generation of leaders. Generally, among the older generation, you will find deference to authority, coupled with a sense of loyalty and a detached attitude toward meeting the objectives and goals of the company. Among younger workers, however, you are more likely to find an eagerness to explore the new opportunities that the market has to offer (The Bulgarian Management Style, n.d.). Change can be difficult in Bulgaria and they take a collectivist approach towards any changes that are to be made. This can be reflected in their score of 40 on the Motivation towards Achievement and Success Index (Country Comparison Tool, n.d.-e).

     

Language & Communication

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     Bulgarian is the language of Bulgaria and is used by 85% of the population. It is the oldest of the Slavic languages to be written and was replaced by the Russian version of Cyrillic in the 18th century. Many Turkish words were adopted during the Ottoman rule, and the language has also borrowed from Latin, Greek, Russian, French, Italian, German and increasingly English (Bulgaria - Language, Culture and Etiquette, n.d.).

     Bulgarians have a high-context communication style, and there is more meaning in the expression than the words. It is important to be observant to non-verbal cues (Culture Crossing, n.d.). 

     Between family and friends, there is little personal space when communicating. With people of the opposite sex, and with business colleagues it is appropriate to keep an arm's length (Culture Crossing, n.d.).

     Eye contact in conversation shows honesty. Between opposite sexes, holding the gaze may show interest, and between men is often seen as a threat (Culture Crossing, n.d.)

     Bulgarians only adhere to strict time constricts as it pertains to the start times of meetings. End times are mere suggestions, and in social settings the Bulgarians tend to live in a fluid and negotiable time state (Culture Crossing, n.d.-b). Their approach to time can be viewed as a polychronic as described by Dr Hirshorn in the video Time, Language and Non-Verbal. For the Bulgarians, relationships are valued over time constraints.

Cultural Curiosity

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What are the most popular sports in Bulgaria? I found a list of the most popular sports in Bulgaria, and I was somewhat surprised by the findings. The actual sports were not surprising, but the order of popularity were. See the list below:

  1. Football (Soccer)

  2. Volleyball

  3. Basketball

  4. Wrestling

  5. Hockey

  6. Golf

  7. Rugby

  8. Baseball

  9. Cycling

  10. Aikido

  11. Swimming (Kuch, 2023) 

     While I was not surprised to see football at the top of the list, I was very surprised that weightlifting did not make this list. The Bulgarians are ranked 4th on the Olympic weightlifting table behind the USSR, China and the U.S., Bulgaria today boasts 37 medals in the hoisting event: 12 gold, 17 silver, and 8 bronze (A Revolution in Olympic Weightlifting, 2023). 

    Bulgarian football hit the world scene in the 1994 World Cup, where the National team made it to the semi-finals. They were led by Hristo Stoichkov (Kuch, 2023)

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