Cultural traditions and business communication style of France. (2 hrs)

Questions.

1. What do you know about country background of France?

2. What values are basic for French society? What are the traits of the French?

3. What are the rules of arranging appointments and working days schedule?

4. What business behavior and negotiation peculiarities are typical for the French? (Attitude to women and their status in the society.)

5. How will you characterize French business practice? What objectives do the French focus on?

6. What should a traveler to France know about business entertaining and protocols (dress code, gifts, etc.)?

Case study.

AN OFFICE PARTY

An American manager by the name of Bill Morris worked for an American multinational firm. One year he was transferred to France. When he began working in the French office, he wanted to get to know his employees and show them that he was friendly and interested in a good work relationship. He decided to throw a party for the whole office. He thought it would be a good way to get acquainted with everyone in a less formal environment. He invited everyone in his office, including secretaries and executives, for a big party in his elegant apartment. Everyone accepted the invitation. He was pleased that no one had declined his invitation.

At his apartment Morris served a buffet of snack foods and drinks. The employees could help themselves to whatever they liked. The manager liked this casual style of parties. As an informal and relaxed host of the party he could show them that he was an open person and easy to talk to. Morris feels these are important qualities of a manager and boss.

The party, however, was not a success. The employees were very uncomfortable as guests. They felt they didn’t know Morris well enough to be in his home. They thought he was showing off his money by inviting them to his elegant apartment. They also were not comfortable with one another because they were not used to socializing together.

 

Topics for essays

1. Do’s and taboos in protocol of different countries.

2. The role of entertaining in building if business relationships in different countries.

3. Keeping up with electronic (e-mail) etiquette.

4. Culture shock and how to cope with it.

Recommended sources

1. Axteil, Roger F. Do's and Taboos around the World. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1990.

2. Copeland, Lennie, and Lewis Griggs. Going International. New York: Random House, 1985.

3. Fons Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner: Riding the Waves of Culture. NB Books, 2003.

4. Gesteland, Richard R. Cross-Cultural Business Behavior: Marketing, Negotiating, Sourcing and Managing Across Cultures. 4th ed. Copenhagen Business School Press, 2005.

5. Lewis, Richard D. When Cultures Collide: Leading Across Cultures. 3rd ed. Nicholas Brealey International, 2005.

6. Maureen Guirdham: Communicating Across Cultures at Work. Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.

7. Milton J Bennett: Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication. NB Books, 1998.

8. Moran, Robert T., Philip R. Harris, and Sarah V. Moran. Managing Cultural Differences. 7th ed. Elsevier, 2007.

9. Morrison, Terri, and Wayne A. Conaway. Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in More Than 60 Countries. Adams Media, 2006.

10. Tomalin, B. and Nicks, M.: The World’s Business Cultures and How to Unlock Them. Thorogood Publishing. London, 2007.

 

Internet sources

1. http://www.expatfocus.com/expatriate-france-business-culture

2. http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/france.htm

3. http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/France/Society_and_Culture/

4. http://www.worldbusinessculture.com/Business-in-France.html

Theme 4.

Cultural traditions and business communication style of Germany. (2 hrs)

Questions

1. What essential features of Germany as a country and a federal state can you mention?

2. What details concerning making appointments should a businessperson traveling to Germany know? (punctuality, modes of arranging a meeting, working hours, vacation period, etc.)

3. What are the peculiarities of German business practice?

4. What is German business culture characterized by?

5. Can you characterize negotiation techniques and decision making in Germany?

6. What do you know about business entertaining and protocols in Germany? (greetings, titles, form of address, etc.).

Case study

FRENCH – GERMAN BREAKDOWN

A major French manufacturing company needed a new computerized system for its shipping and handling department. The French company hired a German software and engineering company to develop the computerized equipment. This equipment was going to be put in the French company's warehouses. The two companies agreed on a plan with the following four phases: 1) develop software specifications for the shipping and handling department, 2) design the software, 3) make the computerized machines using the software, and 4) put the new equipment in the warehouses. They also developed a general schedule of when each phase should be completed.

In the first phase, the two companies agreed on the preliminary specifications for the new software and began to write a more detailed description of these specifications. At first, these meetings were friendly and effective. The two teams used English in the meetings and had no difficulty speaking to each other. However, within three months there was a breakdown in communication and cooperation between the two companies.

The German engineers complained that the French team changed the software plans too frequently. Every time the German team thought they had an agreement on the detailed specifications of the computer software, the French team came up with new ideas and changes which delayed the project. The German team complained that the French were often late and therefore the deadlines were not being met.

The French team also had complaints. They said that after the preliminary specifications were made, they thought of some basic ideas that would lead to great improvements. The German team rejected the new ideas even though the new ideas might be important because they said they were finished with that step in the process. The French team complained that the German team required fixed dates for everything and only cared about keeping the schedule.

The Solution

The French and German teams decided to live for a short period of time in each other's countries. In this way they could learn to appreciate the time value differences in each country and learn more about each other's cultures.

Topics for essays

1. Compare laws regulating international trade in civil and common law systems.

2. Lex Mercatoria and its application.

3. Concept of time and its impact on business relationships in different cultures.

4. Short overview of contract law in Germany.

Recommended sources

1. Brown, Robert. "Swatch vs. the Sundial: A Study in Different Attitudes towards Time," International Management, December 1987.

2. Moran, Robert T., Philip R. Harris, and Sarah V. Moran. Managing Cultural Differences. 7th ed. Elsevier, 2007.

3. Moran, Robert T., and William G. Stripp. Dynamics of Successful Business Interactions. Houston: Gulf Publishing, 1991.

4. Ricks, David A. Blunders in International Business. 4th ed. Blackwell Business, 2006.

Internet sources

1. http://www.germany-info.org.

2. http://www.salesaideurope.com/Germany.htm

3. http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/germany.htm

4.http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/germany-country-profile.html

Theme 5.