Culture of France

1. Assignment 1
Country: France
Submittedby: MohsinAshfaq
Submittedto: Prof.Mr. Siddique
Registration no: L1S13BBAM2033
Course: BusinessCommunication
UniversityOfCentral Punjab

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Country:France
Understand social customs
Q no.1: How do people react to strangers? Are they friendly? Hostile? Reserved?
Ans: French people are very much reserved and often rude. They are not very friendly to
strangers and not very hostile to the ones they don’t know.
Q no.2: How do people greet each other? Should you bow? Nod? Shake hands?
Ans: They say 'Bonjour' or 'Salut' to each other. (Salut is for someone familiar). If it is a formal
greeting, they shake hands as well, but if it is between two familiar persons, they may kiss each
other on both cheeks.
Q no.3: How do you express appreciation for an invitation to lunch, dinner, or someone’s
home? Should you bring a gift? Send flowers? Write a thank-you note?
Ans: When you are invited to dinner party in France, you should always ask your French host
what they would like you to bring on the day. They would usually either decline your offer or
ask for some wine, sparkling or dessert. The host usually shares with all of the guests what they
receive on the day (ie: wine, dessert, chocolate, cheese etc.) It would be considered rude for the
host to keep it for themselves (unless the giver specifically request so and specifically mentioned
it is a gift).
If the host tells you not to bring anything, still bring something! (a bottle of wine or maybe some
flowers).
Q no.4: Are any phrases, facial expressions, or hand gestures considered rude?
Ans: For formal greetings there is only hand gestures considered right. But in informal greetings
these things are not considered rude.
Q no.5: How do you attract the attention of a waiter? Do you tip the waiter?
Ans: Well, a small extra-tip is always appreciated, of course. It’s the mark you were satisfied
with the way you were served by your waiter (garçon in French, pronounced Gar-son with the on
sounded like in honking not like in son’). It’s a sort of a Thank You note. But you are under no
obligation here.
Q no.6: When is it rude to refuse an invitation? How do you refuse politely?
Ans: If you are going to refuse an invitation, make sure you find a simple and plausible excuse.

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Q no.7: What topics may or may not be discussed in a social setting? In a business setting?
Ans: Don't discuss personal life with business people. Personal lives are kept separate from
business relationships. The French get down to business quickly, but make decisions slowly after
much deliberation. Organizations are highly centralized with a powerful chief executive. Bosses
are often dictatorial and authoritative
Q no.8: How do social customs dictate interaction between men and women? Between
younger people and older people?
Ans: The social customs dictate interaction in men and women or in younger and older people by
shaking hands and kissing on cheeks.
Learn about clothing and food preferences
Q no.9: What occasions require special clothing?
Ans: All of their occasion carry certain dress codes for example on a dinner they might wear
semi-formal but on weddings they wear formal dresses.
Q no.10: What colors are associatedwith mourning? Love? Joy?
Ans: Lavender is associated with joy , and white is associated with mourning.
Q no.11: Are some types of clothing considered taboo for one gender or the other?
Ans: Wearing blue jeans or sneakers is looked at as a symbol of economic depression (Paris)
because most foreign teens wear them
Q no.12: How many times a day do people eat?
Ans: Generally 3: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Q no.13: How are hands or utensils used when eating?
Ans: Utensils used are :
A Fork, A Spoon, A knife, A napkin, A cup, A glass cup, A table cloth, A plate, A glass
pitcher, A teaspoon
Q no.14: Where is the seat of honor at a table?
Ans: The place of honor at the table is to the right side of the host because most people are right-
handed

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Assess political patterns
Q no.15: How stable is the political situation?
Ans: As compared to other countries in the world France has a very much stable political
situation. A few fluctuations are a part of each economy.
Q no.16: Does the political situation affect businesses in and out of the country?
Ans: Having a stable political situation does help businesses to have huge margins f profit
generations.
Q no.17: Is it appropriate to talk politics in social or business situations?
Ans: It is not usually an issue because political structure leads to profitability as well.
Understand religious and social beliefs
Q no.18: To which religious groups do people belong?
Ans: Roman Catholism
Q no.19: Which places, objects, actions, and events are sacred?
Ans: Sacred places:
Notre-Dame-La-Grande, St-Germain-Des-Prés, Notre Dame Cathedral, Chartres
Cathedral
Sacred objects:
Hopi Tribal masks
Sacred events:
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are a missionary congregation in the Catholic
Church
Q no.20: Do religious beliefs affect communication between men and women or any other
group?
Ans: Yes they do affect French people do not converse very openly with people who belong to
other religious groups.
Q no.21: Is there a tolerance for minority religions?
Ans: French people certainly not tolerate minorities and show aggression against them.

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Q no.22: How do religious holidays affect business and government activities?
Ans: These holidays are already in the minds of business companies and government so it does
not really affect their activities.
Q no.23: Does religion require or prohibit eating specific foods? At specific times?
Ans: If you are a Catholic , you are not allowed to eat meat on Friday, instead of meat canteens
in France serve meet.
Learn about economic and business institutions
Qno.24: Is the society homogeneous or heterogeneous?
Ans: The society is hetrogenous
Q no.25: What languages are spoken?
Ans:FrenchBasque, Catalan, Corsican, Dutch, FrancComtois, FrancoProvençal, Norman, Picard,
Occitan
Q no.26: What are the primary resources and principal products?
Ans: Barley, Bauxite, Cattle, Coal, Fruit and Vegetables, Grapes, Iron Ore, Maize, Oats, Oil and
Natural Gas, Pigs, Potash, Potatoes, Poultry, Salt, Sheep, Sugar Beets, Timber, Uranium, Wine,
Wheat.
Q no.27:Are businesses generally large? Family controlled? Government controlled?
Ans: Businesses are large and government oriented
Q no.28: What are the generally accepted working hours?
Ans: The 35 a week hours was the legal standard limit, after which further working time was to
be considered overtime.
Q no.29: How do people view scheduled appointments?
Ans: People do not need to book their appointment through the Call. They need to have prior
scheduled appointment,
Q no.30: Are people expected to socialize before conducting business?

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Ans: Although socializing across hierarchical lines is almost unheard of, French businessmen
and women like to keep things formal to start instead to socialize.
Appraise the nature of ethics, values, and laws
Q no.31: Is money or a gift expectedin exchange for arranging business transactions?
Ans: No, money or gifts are not exchanged for a business transaction
Q no.32: Do people value competitiveness or cooperation?
Ans: they are more into competitiveness than into cooperation
Q no.33: What are the attitudes toward work? Toward money?
Ans: they are less worried about their work and have a casual behavior.
More about French work ethics. Here is an example: Berthillon (on the Ile-Saint-Louis) is by far
the best ice-cream maker in Paris, with amazing flavors. All year people queue in line in the
street to buy his wonderful ice-creams and sherbets, except in Summer: until recently, the shop
closed from July 13 to September 2. Why? In Summer, there is too much work and
Mr.Berthillon and his family were on vacation, like everybody! This is why a large majority of
people think that it is normal that shops are closed on Sundays.
Q no.34: Is politeness more important than factual honesty?
Ans: They are more honest than polite they have their own set of rules which they follow.