France
By: Edward • Essay • 2,160 Words • June 2, 2010 • 1,131 Views
France
ESCUELA UNIVERSITARIA DE ESTUDIOS EMPRESARIALES EN ZARAGOZA
INGLES EMPRESARIALES
FRANCE
1. Specific habits in business
Making appointments
Generally, people should strive to be punctual but arriving for business
appointments 10-15 minutes after the scheduled time is not considered late and is
therefore acceptable in France. French employees get five weeks of vacation, and
take at least three in July or August. Moreover, France practically 'shuts down' in
August. With the mandatory reduction of the work week to 35 hours, executives are
getting additional vacation in lieu of shorter working weeks (14 to 16 extra days every
year). It results in a lot of offices being practically deserted during Christmas and
Easter school closings. One should take this into account when planning business
trips to France. Typical office hours are from 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 or 7:00 p.m.
Monday through Friday. In midday there is a break for lunch. In Paris, lunch begins at
1:00 p.m. In the provinces, lunch begins at noon or 12:30 p.m. Lunch may last for two
hours or more. So the best time to schedule meetings is usually 11:00 a.m. or 3:30
p.m. The French have a great respect for privacy. It is necessary to knock and wait
before entering into a room. Additionally, do not "drop in" unannounced.
Businesspeople should always give notice before their arrival.
Greetings
A business meeting should begin and end with a brisk handshake accompanied
by an appropriate greeting and the exchanging of business cards. In accordance with
French business protocol, use first names only when invited. Use of first names has
become common for colleagues at work. This is less frequent when the age or
position gap is very large. Outsiders, clients, suppliers are usually referred to as
“Monsieur” or “Madame” followed by surname. “Madame” is a basic title of courtesy
for all women, as is “Monsieur” for men. Today, the courtesy title “Mademoiselle” is
rarely, if ever, used and should be avoided. The French will sometimes introduce
themselves by first saying their surname, followed by their first name. If both sound
like first names, this can be especially confusing; i.e. if Maurice Francois introduces
himself as “Francois”, “Maurice”.
The French handshake is brief, and is accompanied by a short span of eye
contact. Kissing on the cheeks across genders is also common greeting amongst
colleagues at work. It is not extended to outsiders. Man should not attempt it until
female colleagues have made the initial move.
Despite the formality of French business culture, people tend to stand close
when speaking to each other. Moreover, touching a shoulder or patting an arm is also
commonplace and usually within the bounds of French business etiquette.
Maintaining eye contact is important, but don’t try to focus too intently on the other
person.
Communication
Perhaps no other culture so highly regards its language as a symbol of itself.
The French are extremely proud of their language. So it's strongly recommended to
learn basic French phrases and use them whenever possible. These efforts will be
well appreciated and remembered. While knowledge of French is a distinct
advantage