Open Source Summit Europe 2024

Willem and Daniel have been discussing on cultural differences between China and Spain and how to effectively engage newcomers from different regions. Two books were used as starting point: The Culture Map book by Erin Meyer and From the Soils by Fei Xiaotong, a sociological study of the Chinese society written in the 40’s. While Western societies tend to be more individualistics when approaching an OSS community, according to the book From the Soils, Chinese society works in a more ‘ring based’ scenarios where network of trust are quite important over the years. As an example in Chinese society, if you want to do business with another person, you need to be introduced by a trusted person. It is like a social currency to play with. In the case of the OSS communities, your personal career and public record can talk for you, so you do not need others to introduce you. Your own brand is your social currency. In China, an extra step may be required and a trusted person may introduce you. This talk will share experiences and good practices learned over the years to engage and onboard newcomers. Specially, those that face specific barriers such as language or cultural ones.