While studying in France, not only have I noticed the different lifestyle but also the different style when doing business. In a sense, their lifestyle outside of work is almost inevitably connected to their business lifestyle. The first thing I noticed about business in France is the importance of family in some businesses. Many businesses here have been passed down for many generations, and aim to keep that legacy alive over leadership, power, money, etc. Keeping family in these businesses provides them with authority that is foreseeable and loyalty that will maintain a business’s structure The second thing I noticed while being in France is their work schedule. This also has to do with their patience, they take their time in the mornings, lunchtime, and afternoons and seem to have no rush to get to work. The third thing I have noticed is business in France has a different approach than business in America. They have much more culture, and values associated with many of their businesses. Along with that, there is a certain manner in which French businesses communicate with one another as well. This is where family-life comes into play again as well as attitude, and respect when entering in French businesses. On the third topic, this also branches into the formality of their business. As a whole business in France is much more formal than what I am used to in the United States, in which I think we have a much more fast-paced society, while in France they are mellow and patient. Overall, having a sense of trust, loyalty and respect in business is one of the most important aspects that I have picked up on while visiting and I believe that many of those qualities come from deep-rooted history that shaped the French culture still today.
