How to manage cross cultural differences in a French Business environment

Résumé du document

The structures of internal business have been radically transformed over the past few decades. Changes in communication, transportation technology and shifts towards global interdependency have resulted in companies becoming more and more international and therefore intercultural. In addition to this globalisation, the reduction of funds is demanding that companies combine protecting international interests with always fewer employees. The solution in most cases has been the forming of intercultural teams.

Working in these intercultural teams is really not easy and demands a lot of work and pre-knowledge. After this "Intercultural Communication and Teamwork Training" course, I am now a bit more able to handle the intercultural diversity in a team. Thanks to the knowledge I got from this course, I would like to share it with other people in order to make them work easier in an intercultural team. I will also use my own knowledge I earned from my cultural background.

Extraits

[...] French are often demonstrating and striking. Each time the government tries to change something we strike .I really hate it but that is the way it is. This also fits in with the French self-image of themselves as “râleurs” (moaners,), and what better way to have a good moan than to block the motorway with hard-to-sell fish or rotting peaches as a protest against the EU fishing quotas or exploitative supermarket (5).Whether others countries try to discuss and try to find compromises with the government before striking, French first strike without thinking and after try to speak. [...]

[...] Now I am quite sure that I could better get along with a Chinese than for instance with an English. That was a very good lesson that I learned from this course as I will try not to make this mistake again. I will also be more flexible and accept that some others' ideas can be very good as well .I have now understood that we all have different cultural dimensions depending on the country we are born in .If somebody will be late to a meeting I would first try to figure out if he is from a monogronic or a polychronic perspective. [...]

[...] The potatoes stay potatoes, the carrots stay carrots , the onions stay onion , but all take on certain characteristics of each others' flavours; This blending creates a unique combination that gains from each ingredient”.(8) I think it is a great illustration. Actually when you get to know other cultures you don't change, you are still the same you are only improving yourself with the help of the others. But no culture can pretend to be the best one among others. Finally I will explain how I would like to apply the content of this course to my academic and professional life. First I would like point out that I have worked and studied in an international context for 5 years. [...]

[...] Heft 91 ,Oktober 2005 ManagerSeminaire Verlags GmbH, Bonn N.N. Journal du Management Online, 08/06/2005. Barbara Borra, CEO of Whirlpool. http://management.journaldunet.com/dossiers/050686patrons_etrangers/borra.sh tml Accessed date:18/10/2005 N. N Journal du Management Online, 08/06/2005 directions s'internationalisent” http://management.journaldunet.com/dossiers/050686patrons_etrangers/lead.sht ml Accessed date : 18/10/2005 N.N .Challenge Stereotypes „Dijon France“2004. [...]

[...] need for certainty: In France we need certainty for sure. I know that it is the biggest difficulty foreign managers in French firms encounter:”French have a very rigorous and analytical approach. They never have certitude and are very long in decision making” said Mrs Barbara Borra CEO of Whirlpool. She is Italian and to her point of view rather make mistakes than never take a decision” It is very difficult for non-native to understand this French approach. We don't like changes. [...]