How to negotiate with french companies?

Résumé du document

French people often seem unnervingly cool and worldly, sometimes even aloof, especially to Britons and Americans. This is not surprising as they are great thinkers, and they value intelligence and eloquence. Philosophy is part of a French child's education. Logical thinking and a passion for ideas and abstract argument are inherent in the people. This can cause problems for visitors from more pragmatic cultures, such as Britain and the USA, who often claim that the French are difficult. This simplistic dismissal ignores the contribution that they have made to philosophy, literature, science and the arts over centuries. The French are rigorous debaters, and they enjoy exercising this skill. To work with French partners, travel with a well-prepared proposition, and think through the answers to all the awkward questions they could bring up.

Extraits

[...] Great gifts: flowers, in odd numbers and not yellow; also avoid chrysanthemums (associated with funerals and carnations). Chocolate and liquor. Avoid giving: wine, it may suggest they don't know their vintages. Conversation topics Ice-breakers: France's fascinating regions. Food and wine. Six Nations rugby, World Cup football. Ice-makers: Compare French vs. UK unemployment rate. Ancient Franco-British rivalries: a well-outworn topic. Why you've abandoned French wine for the New World varieties. [...]

[...] They are very conscious of the status of being French. They like to invest in big, imaginative projects aimed at increasing their international prestige. The French also feel frustrated that their beloved language is rapidly losing ground to English in global business and diplomatic circles. You will earn respect if you speak at least some French. In France, there are close links between the industry and government, and the top officials of both are graduated from the Grandes Ecoles, where the entry is based on competitive examination. [...]

[...] Team-working The criterion for selecting team members is specialization in a field required by the work or project. A strong leader will be the point of reference for all decisions, and relationships between team members are often based on competition rather than collaboration. This is something that comes from France's rigorous education system. Individual team members may act within their competence (or sometimes extend it) without waiting for group consensus. The authority of the team leader is essential in ensuring group harmony and completion of goals. [...]

[...] But it's important to see France in context: it retains its rich agricultural, manufacturing and service sectors. It boasts only of poverty rate while 20% of children live in poverty in the US and 15% in the UK, according to UNICEF. What about French values and attitudes? In French business, as in other countries', building relationships is very important, and it can often be a slow process. Not as slow as it can be in Asian countries, of course, but much more than in America and England. It is not possible to rush this process. [...]

[...] The French communication style is more direct than the English one The French working style is much more formal than the English one The French discussion style is fast-moving when the English one is slow and measured The business attitude is more progressive in France and more traditional in England The leadership style is more vertical in France and rather flat in England Business relationships are more task-oriented in the UK and more relationshipsoriented in France The decision-making style is slightly more individualistic in France than in the UK where it is a rather individualistic as well but not so much The basis for decision-making is mainly facts in England, and it is more instincts in France The attitude to time is strongly scheduled in England and more flexible in France As far as the work/life balance is concerned, French people work to live, whereas English one often tend to live to work, although they are generally less productive. What people misunderstand about the French Foreigners say: The French are obstinate. They're too emotional. They're too direct. They talk too much. They never get to the point. They can't keep to the agenda. They're fussy. They have extravagant ideas. They're poor team worker. They prefer ideas to facts. They're opinionated. The French say: We believe we are right. We are Latin, but we also believe in rationality. [...]