As we revel in the wake of Globalization, models of organizations and styles of management are becoming increasingly similar. However, this conversion has a limit. Some cross-cultural differences will not disappear so easily and managers will have to understand and appreciate these cultural oddities' if they wish to run a successful business.
Let us take China and France as examples of two very different countries that may have cross-cultural problems while doing business. First we will give a general overview of the two countries and then discuss some management practices that may vary between these eastern and western cultures.
General Overview:
France
Geographical location: Western Europe
Population: 62.000.000 people
Language(s): French: 42,100,000 (92%)
Oc languages: 1,670,000 (3.65%)
German and German dialects: 1,440,000 (3.15%)
Oïl languages: 1,420,000 (3.10%)
Arabic: 1,170,000 (2.55%)
Economic status: France has a balanced and highly diversified market economy in which industry accounts for approximately 27 percent of gross domestic product or GDP (produit intérieur brut), services account for more than 68 percent, and construction, transportation and agriculture play an important role. France has ranked for the past 20 years as the West's fifth economic power.
Political system: French political system is characterized by the opposition of two political groups: one left-wing, centered around the French Socialist Party, and one right-wing, centered around the Rassemblement pour la République (RPR), then its successor the Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP). The French government is republican in form.
Religion: 62% Roman Catholic, 6% Muslim, ...
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...anagerial practice. We believe that a simpler approach, prior to any business problem solving criteria, can lead to a similar three-dimensional classification.
Our guiding principle model, whereby sense of belonging, family or tribal or educational differentiation; culture and religion, the moral set of rules historically promulgated; and management analysis and language, linguistic exactitude or conceptual processes, may also provide a systematic formula for cultural comparison and harmonization.
We further contend that the need for comparative analysis, especially in the magnitude of variations between cultural traits - perhaps derived from ancient differences between hunters and farmers - will allow management training models to be developed. Basic human attributes of patience, trust and integrity should weather most cultural storms. If not, try patience again.
The largest community in France is that of Algerian origins. The North Africans and Muslims in France create controversy amongst the citizens. The French government believes that the m...
Geert Hofstede, Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations Across Nations. Second Edition, Thousand Oaks CA: Sage Publications, 2001
This investigation plans to explore the multiple political parties that existed during the French Revolution and how their doctrines reflected that of the citizens of the French Empire, from 1789 to 1799. This paper will focus upon the ideas of egalitarianism, or the belief in equality.
Covering such a vast area and population dispersion, France is home to several different religions. The majority of people in France practice mainly Roman Catholicism. Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim religions fall into the minority with around ten to fourteen percent of the entire population practicing these religions. Each religion has its own set of rules, beliefs, and bylaws with only a few overlapping ideas, this is what causes a culture to be so diverse and ultimately making other cultures differ from one another.
Compared to other countries, France’s economy is the fourth largest in the world. France is a very industrialized nation, yet it has kept some of the cultural characteristics that contribute to its old-world charm. The economy is “exceptionally diversified” (“Economic Structure”, 1). It produces everything from aircrafts to pharmaceuticals.
Triandis, H., & Wasti, S. (2008). Culture. In D. Stone, & E. Stone-Romeo, The influence of culture on human resource management processes and practices (pp. 1-24). Psychology Press
In the article, Cultural constraints in management theories, Geert Hofstede examines business management around the globe from a cultural perspective. He explains how he believes there are no universal practices when it comes to management and offers examples from the US, Germany, France, Japan, Holland, China and Russia. He demonstrates how business management theories and practices are very much subject to cultural norms and values and by understanding these differences, it can give managers an advantage in global business practices.
The Main Features of Government and Society Under the Ancient Regime in France before 1789
It is my opinion that their ethnocentrism will eventually be their downfall if they do not change soon. France is currently the largest tourist destination in the world, and this tourism industry contributes greatly to their economy and GDP. Nevertheless, if they continue to treat foreigners with such contempt, this is sure to decline and their economy will suffer for it. It is ironic that the French are so against foreigners in their country, yet they also rely on it to survive and thrive. In the following decades, I am hopeful that there will be a change in policy and attitude in France, and that someday they will learn to welcome immigrants and their cultures.
For hundreds of years, France had been running on a political system called the Old Regime. This system divided the population of France into three groups, also known as estates. Two of the three estates had rights and privileges such as being excused from paying taxes, and having the opportunity to run for a high office. The other estate was not treated with the same luxury. They had to pay insanely high taxes and many did not get the right to get an education. The first estate was made up of the Roman Catholic Church. They were at the top of the social class and owned ten percent of all of France’s land. The second group was made up of the French nobility. The rich nobles accounted for twenty percent of France’s land, but only made up roughly two percent of the population. The third group was for the commoners. It made up about ninety seven percent of the French population. The third estate was split into three subdivisions. The first of the three groups were the Bourgeocies. The Bourgeocies were mostly bankers, business owners, and artisans. They had the opportunity to get an education and make a decent amount of money. But, they had to pay extremely high taxes which caused them to not make much money. The next group was the low income French workers. They were frequently unemployed and did not have enough money for food. The last group was the peasants. Shockingly, the
The Hofstede model of national culture differences, based on research carried out in the early seventies, is the first major study to receive worldwide attention. This influential model of cultural traits identifies five dimensions of culture that help to explain how and why people from various cultures behave as they do. According to Hofstede (1997) culture is Ù[ collective programming of the mind? This referring to a set of assumptions, beliefs, values and practices that a group of people has condoned as a result of the history of their engagements with one another and their environment over time. In this study, culture refers to a set of core values and behavioural patterns people have due to socialisation to a certain culture. The author̼ theoretical framework will be applied to compare differing management practices in China and the West. The five measurements of culture identified by the author are:
Communication is the key to organization for these companies and leaders depend largely on its effectiveness. In one study of cross cultural communication, managers were asked to think of seven problems before the meeting to make the communication effective (Barriers of Cross Cultural Communication in Multinational Firms). But, how do people understand each other when they do not share the same culture? To answer this question we must first understand cross cultural management. This type of management focuses on the behavior of people working together as a group ...
The differences in other cultures vary from beliefs to ways of life, or norms, of the different societies. The importance of understanding and sensitivity to other countries’ differences is crucial to a business’ success. “Lack of familiarity with the business practices, social customs, and etiquette of a country can weaken a co...
Since the end of World War II, international operations have become a reality for an increasing number of corporations. Many of these initial efforts began as simple export schemes to sell goods overseas to supplement domestic sales. Over time, however, international operations have become increasingly more complex: from joint-ventures to purchasing existing foreign firms to ‘green-field’ start-ups. While export operations usually require no more than extended business trips overseas, more complex international operations demand long-term assignments of key personnel outside their home-country. What would normally be considered routine business transactions in the home country can become very complicated when they are conducted between individuals and organizations from different cultures. In this essay we will examine how this cultural gap can affect international business and joint ventures.
Tylor has pointed out that "culture is complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, art, morals, laws, customs and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society". According to this definition, it is easy to know that every nation has different cultural preferences, national tastes and value standards. These factors impact on every part of management in multinat...