Cultural Differences Between France And The United States
Understanding Cross-Cultural Differences: Through the Lens of Societal Disparities between France and the United States
Northeastern University
October 25, 2012
INTRODUCTION
Over the past several decades, the number of businesses expanding globally has increased tremendously. Improved technology and removal of trade barriers has made it significantly easier for firms to expand overseas and take advantage of unsaturated markets and growth opportunities. This increased expansion has led to today’s businesses becoming “globally-interdependent and interconnected” (Okoro, 2012). This interdependency between businesses is clearly evidenced in the recent global economic crisis. As the United States experienced its sub-prime mortgage defaults …show more content…
She spoke of how the French define success by how someone lives their life. A Frenchman is deemed successful based on:
[What he has] read, seen and knows,… how and what he eats -- as well as his mastery of French... Beauty and the poetry of life are braided into [life]. The way the baker twists the tissue around a croissant, the way a scarf is folded, the color of shutters and the form of the railings on street corners are part of the poetry of France. (Platt, 2002).
Comparatively, the United States scored 62 on this index and is therefore considered a relatively masculine society. The prevailing mentality in the society is that “winner takes all” and Americans are often comfortable talking about or showing off their successes and achievements (Hofstede, 2010). When most of the world pictures American culture, they often think of our materialistic nature and how we are obsessed with work, even sometimes willing to work 60 hours per week to earn the most money possible. Family falls to the wayside and the beauty of life itself is not emphasized nearly as much as the beauty of what money can …show more content…
Hall was an anthropologist and is best known for his research in intercultural relations and communication. He worked with cultures all over the world, including the Navajo, Hopi, Spanish-Americans, and the Trukese and used his knowledge of cultural differences to consult for businesses and governments (Hall, 2012). He developed several important concepts to compare cultures, one of which is the concept of high and low cultures. This idea can be used in conjunction with the Hofstede dimensions described earlier to gain an even greater understanding of nuanced cultural differences.
Hall’s concept of high and low context cultures relates how cultures communicate. Low-context cultures, generally the Germanic and English-speaking countries, communicate directly and linearly (Platt, 2003). It is easy to share information and communicate with one another. As Platt described in her article Out of Context, “If you see something advertised in a catalogue in the US, you phone the number indicated. Someone will answer [and take your order]. The context--the who and why, of a business transaction--doesn 't matter” (Platt,
Northeastern University
October 25, 2012
INTRODUCTION
Over the past several decades, the number of businesses expanding globally has increased tremendously. Improved technology and removal of trade barriers has made it significantly easier for firms to expand overseas and take advantage of unsaturated markets and growth opportunities. This increased expansion has led to today’s businesses becoming “globally-interdependent and interconnected” (Okoro, 2012). This interdependency between businesses is clearly evidenced in the recent global economic crisis. As the United States experienced its sub-prime mortgage defaults …show more content…
She spoke of how the French define success by how someone lives their life. A Frenchman is deemed successful based on:
[What he has] read, seen and knows,… how and what he eats -- as well as his mastery of French... Beauty and the poetry of life are braided into [life]. The way the baker twists the tissue around a croissant, the way a scarf is folded, the color of shutters and the form of the railings on street corners are part of the poetry of France. (Platt, 2002).
Comparatively, the United States scored 62 on this index and is therefore considered a relatively masculine society. The prevailing mentality in the society is that “winner takes all” and Americans are often comfortable talking about or showing off their successes and achievements (Hofstede, 2010). When most of the world pictures American culture, they often think of our materialistic nature and how we are obsessed with work, even sometimes willing to work 60 hours per week to earn the most money possible. Family falls to the wayside and the beauty of life itself is not emphasized nearly as much as the beauty of what money can …show more content…
Hall was an anthropologist and is best known for his research in intercultural relations and communication. He worked with cultures all over the world, including the Navajo, Hopi, Spanish-Americans, and the Trukese and used his knowledge of cultural differences to consult for businesses and governments (Hall, 2012). He developed several important concepts to compare cultures, one of which is the concept of high and low cultures. This idea can be used in conjunction with the Hofstede dimensions described earlier to gain an even greater understanding of nuanced cultural differences.
Hall’s concept of high and low context cultures relates how cultures communicate. Low-context cultures, generally the Germanic and English-speaking countries, communicate directly and linearly (Platt, 2003). It is easy to share information and communicate with one another. As Platt described in her article Out of Context, “If you see something advertised in a catalogue in the US, you phone the number indicated. Someone will answer [and take your order]. The context--the who and why, of a business transaction--doesn 't matter” (Platt,