Do the Dutch and American Cultures Truly Have Close Similarities? Contextual Investigation of Deeply Embedded Cultural Differences among American and Dutch members of a Dutch Sports Organization

Abstract

This study focuses on the differences between the American and Dutch cultures within the context of a Dutch sports organization which consists of American and Dutch members. Even though many culture-comparative studies have established close similarities between these two cultures, the present study does not seem to find any evidence for those similarities. Culture-comparitive studies often do not take into account contextual variability. Yet, when research is conducted in specific contexts, one can gain a better understanding of the similarities and differences between different cultures, which this study aimed to do. Therefore, this study contains a critical analysis of the differences, in contrast to the close similarities discussed in many culture-compartive studies, between the American and Dutch culture within a specific context.