Cultural Analysis of Global Business

Everyday life for everyone on the planet continues to revolve around communication, whether it is at the office, during family gatherings, during business transactions, or for any other endeavor requiring interpersonal interaction (Varner, 2000). According to the author quoted above, communication is only efficient when both sides are able to understand one another’s cultural origins in addition to one another. Such comprehension is crucial to maintaining successful communication that avoids misunderstandings or cultural misinterpretations that could lead to conflict. The first step in establishing an effective communication appreciates the cultural diversity between parties (Samovar et al., 2014). Individuals from different cultural backgrounds exhibit diverse traits, behavior, and patterns. Thus failure to acknowledge such diversity may form the onset of failure in a business transaction or communication in general (Adler, 2003). For one to be an effective cross-cultural communicator, these factors must be in consideration. First, an individual has to remember that his/her culture provides a guideline for acceptable belief and behavior. Second, a person must also be sensitive to a broad range of both verbal and non-verbal cues. Third, an individual in a conversation should be flexible towards the opinions and perceptions of other people and their way of life; and last, an individual should be aware his/her behavior is not universal but based on a particular culture, hence not necessarily correct.

According to Korac-Kakabadse et al. (2001), high-context communication often functions appropriately in collectivist cultures while low-context is predominant in individualist cultures such as France. Geert Hofstede classified France as an individualist country having scored 71 in the individualistic category (Buckermann, 2012). High score in individualism index implies that the society tends to be individualistic in a way that everyone cares for themselves and immediate family members (Okazaki & Mueller, 2007). While collectivist cultures put emphasis on groups and loyalty, individualist societies require people to take care of themselves and their immediate families.

The following subsection highlights both the verbal and non-verbal communication in France. It is noteworthy that individuals aspiring to do business in France must have considerable knowledge of the French way of communication. According to Thorne (2003), the first impression often means much to the French and may determine the outcome of a business relationship or any other activity involving human interaction. The way an individual behaves during a communication process matters a lot to the French people. Thorne (2003) stresses that the French will not ignore what a communicator does during the communication process, and non-verbal signals often form a huge part of the process.

1.1.1 Verbal communication. In the French culture, it is often important for an individual to have vast knowledge about the topic of discussion before taking part in a conversation. The reason behind this is that more often than not conversations usually develop into spirited debates, and one may be required to produce evidence to substantiate certain claims or assertions. As a foreigner who has paid a business visit or any other visit to France, an individual need to have a deep insight into the country’s politics, history, among other aspects of French culture to gain an advantage during a conversation with the people of France. It is also noteworthy that individuals should be in a position to respond to questions about their country, including its history, politics, and culture among other issues. According to Samovar et al. (2014), the interruptions during a conversation are usually common, and therefore an individual should take note and provide a response when the need arises.

1.1.2 Non-Verbal Communication. Non-verbal communication entails the act of conveying messages without the use of words as a spoken language (Jones & Quach, 2007). According to Jones and Quach (2007), non-verbal communication uses such cues like gestures, signs, eye contact, and proximity among others to convey the messages during a conversation. While non-verbal cues are everywhere irrespective of the differences in culture, there is a need for an individual the use of such cues in certain cultures to ensure efficient and productive interaction through communication (Jones & Quach, 2007). The following literature provides an in-depth discussion of the practical non-verbal cues that an individual needs to understand while communicating in France.

1.1.2.1 Greetings. The process of non-verbal communication in France often utilizes the aspect of politeness as its primary goal (Hughes et al., 2002). According to the author stated above, the French are always sensitive to the issues of social status and ranks. Hence it would appear impolite to extend one’s hand to a superior individual. The handshake usually marks the important difference between the act of greeting in the French culture and other nations like the US. Whereas the US people adopt a multiple pomp approach and the use of their shoulder during handshakes, the French utilizes a one-pomp movement instead. Due to widespread belief that politeness open doors, the French uses the aspect of politeness to open doors for women, followed by the saying; Après vous, je vous en prie (after you, please). The activity mentioned above is an instrumental aspect of the French culture since it depicts the proper upbringing and education of an individual (Topan, 2011).

1.1.2.2 Gestures. The French always use gestures as an important tool to convey messages during a communication process. An interesting aspect of the French culture, particularly during non-verbal communication is that they often shy away from admitting to the fact that they have not understood someone’s speech, as this would amount to a loss of face (Topan, 2011). Nonetheless, there is a need for any person involved in non-verbal communication to know the appropriate time and person to engage in the application of gestures due to the high priority of politeness in the French culture.

1.1.2.3 Posture. Just like gestures, postures are also important aspects of non-verbal communication in France. Individuals, especially children learn to stand up straight as evident in the feelings of pride and nationalism by the French. According to Topan (2011), the French usually view their country as the most advanced nation in Europe as well as the most unified, hence the need to behave by such belief. The French culture expects an individual to avoid pocketing of hands while speaking to partner as well as the swinging of arms. It neither allows for leaning back nor placing one’s feet on a chair or desk during a conversation as it amounts to disrespect and rudeness (Hughes et al., 2002).

1.2 Religion

1.2.1 Roman Catholic. The most predominant religion is Roman Catholic, constituting between 83 to 88 percent of the country’s population. According to Richardson (2004), France remains a powerful nation in Western Europe with secularism traditions, often referred to as laïcité. The revolutionary efforts to abolish the influence of the Catholic Church in French politics resulted in the emergence of French laïcité. Studies show that Christianity is still the predominant religion in France, constituting about 65% of the country’s populace, while the French society has a basis from the Catholic culture (Hughes et al., 2002). However, recent studies demonstrate that only 4% of the country’s population attend church services on a weekly basis. The studies further show that individuals who do attend the weekly services are often older than the average French citizens. Atheists and Agnostics constitute about 25% of the population in the country while 9% are Muslims (Richardson, 2004). The Hindus, Buddhists, and ethnic-religionists make up less than 1% of the country’s population (Hughes et al., 2002). Although the Jewish population in France are small, the community is no doubt the largest in Europe. The ethnic and religious pluralism is expanding in France, thus presenting challenges to the Republican secular ideals. The French law of 1958 stipulates that every citizen has a right to equality irrespective of the differences in race, religion, or origin. According to the constitution, it is illegal for anyone to interfere with the religious belief or practice of another citizen (Richardson, 2004).

1.3 Ethics

Ethics entails the science of human conduct measured regarding rightness or wrongness of the act. According to Valentine and Barnett (2003), ethics refers to the code of moral standards of conduct that attempts to distinguish what is right from wrong. Ethical considerations often vary from one culture to the other (Valentine & Barnett, 2003). Notably, what may be right in France, for instance, is not necessarily right in another culture, say, the US. The ethical behaviors of individuals in a country should be in tandem with the prevailing culture, be it in business or regular interaction in the society.

In the business realm, for instance, entrepreneurs who opt to pursue business activities in France have to be aware of the cultural underpinnings that affect entrepreneurship in the country (Arjaliès, 2010). The success of any business initiative in the country hinges primarily on an individual’s understanding and practicing of acceptable ethical business behavior. The different traditions and sources in France form the foundation of the country’s moral value system. The human rights and freedom declarations constitute the core aspects of the French legal system. Hence the contravention of these rights raises ethical concerns in the country (Fassin et al., 2010). The French moral system also derives much of its facets from the secular laws and values. According to Diane-Laure (2010), the French religious traditions have also played critical roles in shaping the ethical values in the country. A study carried out by Pew Research Center in 2005 and 2011 affirmed the high tolerance level of the French citizens compared to the rest of the world (Arjaliès, 2010).

1.4 Values and Attitudes

As noted earlier in this article, the French take a lot of pride in their country and national values, and anyone who comments otherwise is likely to offend the French people. It is notable that many foreigners, especially the Americans have had divergent views about the French culture, by misinterpreting it as rude. The year 1851 marked the time when chauvinism came to light in France, an expression depicting people’s attitude that their gender, race, and the country is superiority to others’ (Lamont, 1992). Unlike other cultural societies, the French culture often tends to tolerate certain interesting aspects of secular ideals, including bearing children to unmarried couples (Lamont, 1992).

1.5 Manners

The French culture guides the behavior of individuals in France, and foreigners on visits or business missions may find it necessary to understand the required manners while in the country. In the corporate sector, for instance, the French culture requires an individual to focus more on building a relationship instead of procedures as well as desisting from combining private life with professional life as witnessed in such cultures like the US. Besides, there is need to look smart rather than efficient to convince people effectively.

1.6 Customs

The French, like other countries globally, have unique social customs that may be challenging for any foreigner who visits France for the first time. According to Buckermann (2012), custom entails a widely accepted and traditional way of doing things or behaving in a particular place, society or among a group of people. An individual planning to go to France should be ready to conform to the social customs that are predominant in the country, though foreigners may be excused for their ignorance of the acceptable behavior and way of doing things. For instance, an individual should say good day, Madame/Sir (Bonjour Madame/ Monsieur) followed by a handshake after being introduced to someone. Additionally, the French people often shake hands with everyone on arrival at and departure from work. The French social customs are critical not only for effective interaction and communication but also the pursuance of business activities in the country, hence the need to take them seriously while visiting France.

1.7 Social Structures and Organizations

Every society has a distinct pattern of social practices and social institutions that not only constitute the community but also define the limits on behavior. Social systems may encompass religion and politics while the social practices involve social roles among other facets of the society (Buckermann, 2012). While the French revolution swept away several legal privileges extended to the clergy and the nobility, and restored the principle of legal equality among the citizenry, it fell short of erasing the sharp distinctions that existed among the social groups in the country. The rigid social structure in France was still vivid in the early 20th century (Hartmann, 2000).

1.7.1 Social classes. France witnessed a considerable social change, particularly the upsurge in the affluent social group of the French population after the Second World War. Accordingly, France experienced a reduction in wealth inequality as well as the social inequality due to the expansion of the middle class during the period mentioned above. In the current setting, a person’s social status hinges on the money, success, and power rather than birth (Hartmann, 2000). The postwar France also exhibited the growing role of women in the society as more women joined the workforce in the early 1970s (Hartmann, 2000)

1.7.2 Crime. France, particularly Paris is relatively safe and secure for people of all calibers, including students, businessmen, and tourists, among others. However, cases of street crime have tainted the general security levels by reporting cases of crimes, particularly places frequented by tourists. The rate of murder in France stood at 1.0 per 100,000 population in 2012 according to the Stöckl et al. (2013). According to the UN (2013), France had slightly over 660 murders in 2012 alone. While the statistics on murder rate mentioned above may reflect a typical state of crime in Europe, it constitutes only a fifth of the death rate in the United States. French judicial system has sufficient laws and provisions, with efficient law enforcement agencies both at the national and local levels to deal with crime in the country.

1.8 Education

The French government has always prioritized education, with substantial resource allocation from the annual national budget directed to the sector. The Catholic Church controlled the education system in France before 1789 before the stakeholders instituted the centralized and standardized system of education after the French Revolution (Durkheim, 2013).

1.8.1 Elementary education. The French education system has made it compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 16 years to attend school. Elementary school often known as “enshrinement élémentaire” commences at age 6 and lasts for five years (Durkheim, 2013). This level of education encompasses two cycles, including a two-year basic learning cycle and a consolidation cycle that takes 3years. Elementary education places much emphasis on the first language introduction, mathematics, writing, French, reading, science, and social sciences (Durkheim, 2013).

1.8.2 Secondary education. French students enroll for secondary education having completed the elementary schooling. In this level of education, students undergo the lower secondary as well as the upper secondary education. The lower secondary school (enseignement secondaire du premier cycle) entails a 4-year study period where students from elementary school pass through before joining the upper secondary education. Unlike the lower secondary education where learning takes place in middle schools (collèges), upper secondary education occurs in high schools (lycées). The upper high school is a 3-year education program involving students of 10, 11, and 12 years old. Students with DNB get direct access to the educational level, with only a few students with CFG gaining entry into the program. Whereas the general academic stream earns students the diplôme du baccalauréat general, the technology-based stream culminates into diplôme du baccalauréat technologique. On the other hand, the vocational stream leads to the baccalauréat professionnel. All three types of baccalauréat enable students to gain access to the university studies. However, students who pass the baccalauréat examination receive the certificat de fin d’études secondaires.

1.8.3 The Baccalaureate program. This program assumes three concentrations, including economic and social science, literary, and scientific levels. Students under the baccalaureate program pursue such course like science, math, chemistry, physics, philosophy, civics, social science, languages, as well as physical education in their last year of study.

1.8.4 Higher education. The outcome of the baccalaureate examination determines whether a student gets admission to a higher education program or not. Admission to certain selective programs in the greater degree of education requires students to sit for a competitive examination known as concours before they can be fit to join the programs. Such a requirement compels students to pursue a two-year preparatory study at specified high schools (lycées).

2. How are these Elements and Dimensions Integrated by Locals Conducting Business in the Nation?

2.1 Communication

As noted earlier in this article, the French often put much emphasis on the first impressions, an issue that has a direct impact on a business relationship. The communication approaches adopted by an individual in France, including verbal and non-verbal communication, determine the success or failure of a business relationship or negotiation. The business culture in France often follows a formal process as businesswomen and men draw clear lines between private and personal life on one hand and professional and public life on the other. They prioritize the use of venous form as a professional issue while speaking at any business meeting. The French tend to avoid the informal speech unless invited to do so. Besides, they use the surname first during the introduction, and any outsider should take note of that while shaking hands in France. The French begin business meetings with a handshake, that is often less firmly but quicker than the American handshake. Nonetheless, locals appreciate the fact that their communication style focuses on classiness and not flashiness. Thus the strict professionalism is in order and a good rule for that matter. While many people in France speak English, the locals take pride in their language as a national identity, hence speak the French language during business encounters.

Non-verbal cues are also important for any business meeting or negotiation as practiced by the locals. For instance, the French locals often acknowledge such physical cues like maintaining a correct posture while addressing someone as well as avoiding to pocket like some of the fundamental communication factors in business. Besides, they also put much emphasis on maintaining a direct eye contact during a conversation as a sight of maturity and professionalism, especially in the first meeting.

2.2 Religion and Business

As noted earlier in this article, the French constitution provides for the freedom of expression and choice of religion by the citizens. The predominant religion being the Catholics. Christianity forms the basis of the French way of life, and business practices are not exceptional. For instance, while the French put much emphasis on the formality, they also stress on issues of courtesy, an aspect stipulated in the Christian moral teachings.

2.3 Ethics in Business

The French culture, as well as the Constitution, dictates the way businesswomen and men pursue their business activities in the country. While some business practices are ethical, there are certain aspects of business activities that may be unethical according to the French culture. The local entrepreneurs pursuing business activities in France are aware of the cultural underpinnings that affect entrepreneurship in the country. The success of any business initiative in the country hinges primarily on their understanding and practicing of acceptable ethical business behavior. The different traditions and sources in France form the foundation of the country’s ethical value system. The locals take advantage of the existing human rights, and freedom declared in the French legal system to practice the ethical behaviors while engaging in business activities in the country. The secular values and laws, as well as the religious traditions in the country, define the ethical behavior in the business realm. The locals practice a variety of issues in business ethics, including maintaining effective business relationships, extending courtesy to a business partner, exhibiting high degree of tolerance (Arjaliès, 2010), and ensuring good appearance and communication ideals, especially in the first business encounter.

2.4 Values and Attitudes

The French people prioritize and take pride of their national culture and nationalism, and any negative comments are likely to offend the citizenry. The French values and attitudes have tended to shift as the global business and workplaces undergo transformation. For instance, the period around 1981 marked the origin of the term ”chauvinism,” an expression depicting an attitude that places certain gender, race, or country on a more superior platform than others. According to Santoni (1991), France was a male-dominated society where men were superior to women. Such belief still crosses the mind of many people in France irrespective of the fact that women play critical roles both in business and family. It is notable that the French treat punctuality as a casual factor, an issue that other cultures lie the US detest. According to Santoni (1991), the French often exhibit relaxed attitude, including attending business appointments, an issue that the locals understand and do not give or expect apologies for late arrival for such meetings. A notable feature of the French culture is that they tend to measure success regarding wealth, the educational level of an individual, and the reputation of the family.

2.5 Manners

Manners play a critical role both socially and in the business world as they reflect not only the education level of an individual but also his/her social class. The French culture defines the manners of individuals both in the society as well as the business field. In the corporate sector, for instance, the French culture prioritizes building relationships instead of procedures as well as drawing a clear line between the private life and professional life as witnessed in such cultures like the US. Besides, there is need to look smart rather than efficient to convince people effectively. According to the French etiquette, there is a need for an individual to respect superiors in a meeting, and such issues like opposing them openly are unacceptable. Besides, the locals have integrated such manners like shaking hands with everyone before meetings commence, an issue that happens every morning at work in many organizations in France. The dress code also matters highly in business meetings and workplaces, as it demonstrates the level of respect an individual exhibits towards colleagues and the superiors (Burns, 2005).

2.6 Customs

Just like other cultures, the French have defined social customs that governs the acceptable behavior of individuals both in the social sphere as well as the business arena. According to Adams et al. (1996), the local French entrepreneurs have mastered the social customs, and often apply them effectively in any business engagement. For instance, the French often prioritize handshakes before the commencement of any business meetings and upon the completion of such meetings. Besides, they always remember to say good day, good day, Madame/Sir (Bonjour Madame/ Monsieur) before having the handshake, particularly after the introduction process. The French social customs are critical not only for effective interaction and communication but also the pursuance of business activities in the country.

2.7 Social Structures and Organizations

Irrespective of the French revolution, the country still witnesses social distinctions among people in different social groups. As a result of the French revolution, the country experienced a reduction in wealth inequality as well as the social inequality due to the expansion of the middle class during the period mentioned above. The postwar France also exhibited the growing role of women in the society as more women joined the workforce in the early 1970s. Although women constitute almost 46% of the country’s workforce today, they are in high numbers in low-paying jobs (Adams et al., 1996). The French culture respects hierarchy both in the society and the workplace, an issue that the local entrepreneurs have successfully transferred to the business activities.

2.8 Education

The education system in France stands tall as the epitome of culture and business studies. The country’s higher education present opportunities for students who seek to explore not only arts and humanities but also courses in management and business studies. The local entrepreneurs have been able to integrate the skills and expertise acquired from French education, particularly higher education to pursue business effectively.

3 How do both of the above Items Compare with US Culture and Business?

The French culture has several diversions from the American culture, including attitude and values, customs and etiquette, ethics, education, social structure, and organization, as well as religious organizations. This chapter attempts to compare and contrast the two cultures as well as the business activities in these two countries.

3.1 Compare France with the USA

The business environment and practices differ sharply between French and the US cultures. For instance, the French people often draw a clear line between private and personal life from the public and professional life. On the contrary, the line stated above is blurry in the US culture as individuals tend to mix personal life and professional life. While Americans put much emphasis on the respect for time, especially during business meetings, the French people are informal on issues to do with time. Notably, Americans prioritize punctuality, and any form of lateness is treated with the high level of seriousness it deserves. Culprits of such misconduct must apologize to the stakeholders in the meeting and explain the reason for lateness. On the other hand, the French culture do not put much focus on punctuality as expected and anyone doing business with a French should be aware of the issue and not expect any apologies for any lateness. Another notable difference between the French and American business culture is that the French business people only exchange their cards of activities after establishing a relationship with another person. They usually put much emphasis on treating the contents of the card. In the US, on the other hand, businesswomen and men often exchange business cards after the first meeting, and without giving much attention to the contents as witnessed in French culture (Martin & Chaney, 2006).

The US and French business culture, though sharply different, usually merge in certain cases. For instance, both the French and American businesswomen and men engage in handshakes before the commencement of business meetings. Besides, the first impression is critical to achieving a successful business relationship in both French and American business cultures. Another important aspect to note is the importance of direct eye contact in both cultures

However, the two cultures differ on the introductory process. For instance, the US businessmen and women typically state all their names; though insist on using the first name. Contrarily, the French often give their second names as part of the introduction process. While the French people put much emphasis on fashion and dress code, including during business meetings, the Americans are often casual not only in the dress code but also in addressing one another. Unlike the French people who are always formal in most of the things they do, including greetings, the Americans tend to be friendly and outgoing, and would often wave from a distance or say hello (Gesteland, 1999).

The American and French cultures differ sharply on values and attitude according to the previous studies. According to Adams et al. (1996), the French culture often attributes the success of an individual to his/her financial strength, family reputation, and level of education. On the contrary, the American people perceive success of the people on an individual basis, especially on who they are and not their families. The latter culture focuses on providing equal opportunities for all the people, irrespective of race, gender, and social status. While the French people stress on formality, including in greetings, meetings, dress code, and the general behavior, the Americans are often casual, and believe that formality is ”un-American.” Previous studies affirm that French are the most patriotic people in the world as they take pride in their country and national culture. On the other hand, Americans value individual achievements, thus take pride in personal accomplishments and not a group or communal accomplishments.

3.2 Hofstede’s Analysis

The French and American cultures have often exhibited sharp differences, and there have been misunderstandings and difficulties whenever representatives from the two nations interact and communicate (Hofstede, 2011). This chapter seeks to analyze the both the French and American cultures based on the categories mentioned above.

3.2.1 Power distance. This dimension revolves around the attitude of the society towards inequality (Hofstede, 2011). It entails the degree to which the less powerful organizations and institutions in a society or country not only accept but also expect the unequal distribution of power among the society members. According to Hofstede (2011), France, with a score of 68 displayed a higher level of acceptance of inequality in the society compared to the US, which scored 40. In France, children often grow up with emotional dependency on their parents, and subsequently teachers. The tendency of dependence will, later on, move to superiors, thereby displaying a society that tolerates a certain level of inequality acceptance. Unlike the US where the populace tends to fight of inequality in the society, institutions, and organizations, the French culture often has such powers centralized in governments, companies, as well as certain geographical areas such as Paris.

3.2.2 Individualism. Hofstede addressed the level of interdependence among members of a society in this dimension. According to the above author, people often tend to look after themselves and immediate family in individualist societies while the community members are in groups, and their loyalty is key in exchange for care. Both France (71) and the US (90) have high individualism score, an issue that demonstrates the high level of individualist society in both the countries. With the above score of individualism in France, the parents ensure that their children become emotionally independent regarding their societal groups. As noted earlier, individualist societies ensure that individuals take care of themselves and their direct family. The combination of high power distance and high individualism score is distinctive of a few communities, including Northern Italy, Belgium, Spain, and France (Okazaki & Mueller, 2007). The above combination may, for instance, imply that junior staff may have respect for their superiors while doing the opposite of what is expected of them as they assume to know better. On the contrary, the combination of low power distance and high individualism score in the US may imply that the managers and superiors in organizations are accessible and that the organizational hierarchy is just but for convenience.

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