Description
Book SynopsisThis study examines France''s determination to remain aloof and unaffected as the world economy threatens the French way of doing business. Describing the difficulty in initiating change in French organizations, the author tells of the obstacles he encountered in attempting to modernize the working practices of a Paris firm. His observations are based upon customs and habits peculiar to the French, yet they apply equally to all foreign cultures. Management methods, attitudes to the outside world, and the historic roots of the French mentality are viewed and explained anecdotally, based on the author''s experience of living and working in France, and are accompanied by humorous illustrations.
Table of ContentsPART I Learning to Love Hierarchy; Chapter 1 The Perils of Cultural Cross-Dressing; Chapter 2 Spotting Those Barriers to Change; Chapter 3 The Big Standoff in the Workplace; Chapter 4 The Missing Interface at the Top; PART II What Makes Them Tick; Chapter 5 Managing Uncontrolled Spontaneity; Chapter 6 Privacy: Don’t Ask Me Where I Live; Chapter 7 Considering ‘Foolish Consistency’; Chapter 8 Elitism at its Best and Worst; PART III Eating and Talking – What They Do Best; Chapter 9 How Quickly the Barriers Crumble; Chapter 10 Words: The Subtlest Weapon; Chapter 11 The Crooked Road Forward;
