GC & E COUTRY CULTURE

Centennial College

ASSIGNMENT
GC & E in France
Course: Fundamental Business – BUSN 119 SEC.002
Professor: Shanks Seetharam
Due date: 25 Feb 2018

1
GC & E COUTRY CULTURE
Centennial College

SECTION A:

Business in France

France is a country that I have chosen in order to analyzed about its business. With the distinct

and unique approach to many facets of working life, the business in France stands as the 5th

largest economy country in the world which includes a range of fields from hi-tech to banking

and finance. This research contains 7 parts of the general business in France: the background,

structure, management style, communication, meeting, team working, facts and figures as well.

Business background in France.

In 2008, France has a difficult turning point that challenging the sustainability of the traditional

models of their society. In fact, with the unemployment rate 10% and the calling to reorganize

the market from the citizens at that time, there are a huge influence to both the development of

the policy as well as the manner of business.

Furthermore, government and the specific education are playing the pivotal role to the business

in France. The government has a vital function in the direction of French companies since the

Second World War ended while the specific education system calls elite schools would train and

push students who are brilliant in order for joining in the global commercial organizations in the

near future. Indeed, in the late eighties, the French government motivated the growth of some big

businesses in here in order to face with other businesses all over the world. On the school side,

this education system not only trains the brightest students but also is the best place can create a

PDG (or CEO) for French companies. One of the well-known schools of this kind of education

2
GC & E COUTRY CULTURE
Centennial College

system named Grandes Ecoles. As the results of the corporation between government and this

education, the economy of France ranks as 5th in the world.

Business Structure.

Most companies are divided by the levels and the functionality which inside that, the PDG (or

CEO) holds the highest sway. In fact, the PDG decides the future direction of the company in the

specific way. This decision then spread down for the manager or director of each department in

the company to effectuate. So, the PDG tends to call indicators while in some countries as

Sweden or Netherlands, the PDG is called collaborator. Another interesting thing about French

business structure is that the control is often hold in the hands of the PDG in order to push the

motivation near the main approach. Inside this system is a rigid organization which all the

reports should lead immediately to the PDG.

On the other hand, for those who have less important position in the company, this approach

seems to be suitable for the system which are performing well and brings good results. The

disadvantages of this system may just clear when the problems occur and calling for the quick

response.

The Management Style in France.

The Grandes Ecoles is the elite schools that most senior managements in French companies were

educated. About this school system, these colleges train students who have the excellent skills in

analyzing economy and after that, they become a leader with the incredible academic accuracy.

Furthermore, decisions, when it was taken by the senior management, will be promulgated to the

junior management lines to execute. These decisions can be done by those who have the same

high level (the PDG system).

3
GC & E COUTRY CULTURE
Centennial College

Team working

The education system motivates the conscious of contention and the comparison from an early

year, which the competition among the pupils in order to pass the entrance examination to enroll

the Grandes Ecoles. The activities in a group or team are not popular in France, particularly in

this typical age or in the workplace; therefore, people prefer to work as an individual in their

personal sets of objectives. Thus, the defining of teams is a group of specialists who work on

their own issues for a leader.

Besides that, in order for promoting a specialism project, teams often layout the functional lines

and it quite hard to achieve because the fidelity between the project team and the functional task

of the team members are divided.

Communications

In France, the style of your conversation is really important as what you actually say. In fact,

French recommends the perfection in using the language and the way you present your ideas

delicately. Another notice point in the French communication is that it would not be accepted if

you speak French badly or you have a poor French. Furthermore, debate often occurs in daily life

as well as in the professional conference. The reason is to raise logically ideas between people

who are involving in the debate. As a conception in here, it is better when you and your friend do

not have a same opinion.

During the discussion, to avoid the highly confrontation between the involvers, there are several

interruptions happens. This thing, in some way, can lead to the success ending result.

Writing is as essential as debate in the French business. Most companies require the extremely

high performant in the document as well as the correct written language. Therefore, in order to

4
GC & E COUTRY CULTURE
Centennial College

show whether you have good education and a sign of intelligence or not, your writing business

would say that. Furthermore, before the companies accept your file, they will check carefully as

many times as possible.

Facts and figures

Population 67.19 Million

Population Density 104/km2

 545,630 square km of land

Areas  1400 square km of rivers

and lakes

 Average: 83.3 years

Life Expectancy at Birth  Males: 79.1 years

 Females: 85.7 years

Adult Literacy 99% population

Euro (EUR)
Currency
CFP franc (XPF)

Unemployment rate
9.50%
(2017)

The Inflation rates

+ 1.30%
(2017)

GDP per Capita $43,600

(USD) (data are in 2017 dollars)

5
GC & E COUTRY CULTURE
Centennial College

GDP Growth
+ 1.60%
(2017)

Machinery, aircraft,

transportation equipment,

Merchandise exports iron and steel, plastics,

chemicals, beverages,

pharmaceutical products.

Machinery, vehicles,

Merchandise imports equipment, chemicals, crude

oil, plastics, aircraft.

Germany 19.30%

Belgium 10.60%

Netherlands 7.90%

Main importing partners Italy 7.80%

(2016) Spain 7.00%

US 5.80%

China 5.10%

UK 4.20%

Germany 16.00%

Spain 7.60%
Main exporting partners
US 7.30%
(2016)
Italy 7.20%

UK 7.00%

6
GC & E COUTRY CULTURE
Centennial College

Belgium 6.80%

SECTION B: France’s rating

To begin with, corruption is a concept that shows the abuse of public power or resources for

personal gain and it can occur in any level of government or business. In this research, corruption

rate would be demonstrated on the Corruption Index by Transparency.

The Corruption Index is a research analysis about the corrupting of 180 countries. More specific,

this index ranks these countries by the public sector and score from 0 to 100, which 100 means

that country is very trustworthy and 0 shows the extremely corruption. In fact, in 2017, New

Zealand was ranked with the highest score (89) by their activities against the corruption while

France stayed in the 23rd of the list which the score of 70. Furthermore, from 2012 to now, the

figure of France’s corruption tends to unchanged. Another point, this score reflects the status of

France that just belongs to the average group of the world and need to do more action to end

corruption.

Besides, the corruption has a huge impact on the economy of France and on the civil society in

particularly. For the economy, the investment of the foreigners and the growth or the

development of industries would go down. The GDP of France would be affected heavily,

especially the inflection rate goes up. In fact, last year, the inflection rate of France went up to

1.30% whereas in 2016, the rate was 0.30%.

On the society side, the unemployment rate increases and many society’s vices might happen.

For example, the changing of unemployment in France I mentioned on the Facts and Figures was

9.50%.
7
GC & E COUTRY CULTURE
Centennial College

SECTION C: 6 GC & E Outcomes

Global Citizen and Equity is a concept that people need to follow in order to accomplish their

opportunities and access to the fundamental human right of the world. It is not only helping

my perspective more critically and globally related to my personal behavior, but I also can act as

a global citizen. In fact, global issues are not simply related to France or some countries else or

one particular union; therefore, I, as an individual, should understand my human right and my

responsibility as a global citizen in order for making the world become better with social justices,

sustainable resources and equity.

I have the insight of my role and my onus in the society by studying Global Citizen and Equity.

Firstly, I have to understand my responsibility and then contributing to my neighbor community

by entering into some non-profit organizations, such as volunteer teams, charity, in order to solve

the currently social injustice issues or society’s vices. In fact, it is really essential for me and

others students to know well the culture of different regions as well as gain more the experience

from them. From business side, respecting and knowing many cultures can draw the incredible

result for me like pushing my social relationship up.

Otherwise, studying Global Citizen and Equity is not only helps me to raise my awareness of

duty but also do the action to find the solution for global problems. Additionally, my

contributing to the globe might become a typically role for others to set as their goals.

Some countries in the world was given by the natural mother the exuberance of the water

resources (lake, ocean, rainfall), other countries have faced a big dilemma related to lacking the

fresh water to. An example for that issue is in some South African countries. The shortage of the

water resources plus the rain had caused the extremely drought condition in here. The land

8
GC & E COUTRY CULTURE
Centennial College

become dry is one of the dangerous impacts that these countries met. Via this example of Global

issue, everyone should recognize the influence of global issues. Although the issue just happens

on a specific country, but people need to contribute their action to cut down the effect of climate

change.

In order to get the critical thinking, especially thinking outside the box, as a global citizen, I

should continue learning from my experience. Speaking out against the global issue (the

society’s vices or the social injustice issues) is a necessary thing I need to do right now.

SECTION D:

In my opinion, in order to become a good global citizen, I need to do these things. First of all, I

need to understand and respect to the value of variety of cultures. In fact, learning from the

experience and develop myself day by day is the next thing I should do. Next, I should have the

awareness of the protecting the nature resources and show that on my community to make the

influence on other people. Lastly, I should study well to become a typically citizen of the globe.

SECTION E:

References
Business in France. (2018, Feb 25). Retrieved from World Business Culture:
https://www.worldbusinessculture.com/country-profiles/france/

Corruption Index 2017. (2018, Feb 25). Retrieved from

https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_perceptions_index_2017

Facts and Figures. (2018, Jan 1). Retrieved Feb 24, 2018, from https://www.insee.fr/en/accueil

Facts and Figures. (n.d.). Retrieved Feb 24, 2018, from CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fr.html

Lecture made by Professor Shanks Seetharam

GC&E links

9
GC & E COUTRY CULTURE
Centennial College

10