Role in society

Such expectation produces a paternalistic attitude among French managers not unlike that demonstrated by Japanese, Malaysian and other Asian exec­utives. In the case of the French, emotion is a factor and managers or department heads will concern themselves with the personal and private problems of their staff. In addition to their commercial role in the com­pany, French managers see themselves as valued leaders in society. Indeed, cadres see themselves as contributing to the well-being of the state itself. Among the largest economies of the world, only Japan exercises more gov­ernmental control over business than the French. French protectionism dates back to the seventeenth century, when increased trade and exports were seen as a natural consequence of French military successes. Modern French companies such as Rhone Poulenc, Aerospatiale, Dassault, Elf Aquitaine, Framatome, Renault and Peugeot are seen as symbols of French grandeur and are 'looked after' by the state. A similar situation exists in Japan and to some extent Sweden.

The prestige and exalted position enjoyed by the French manager is not without its drawbacks both for the enterprise and for the national econ­omy. By concentrating authority around the chief executive, opinions of experienced middle managers and technical staff (often close to customers and markets) do not always carry the weight that they would in Anglo-Saxon or Scandinavian companies. It is true that French managers debate issues at length with their staff, often examining all aspects in great detail. The decision, however, is usually made alone and not always on the basis of the evidence. If the chief executive's views are known in advance, it is not easy to reverse them. Furthermore, senior managers are less interested in the bottom line than in the perpetuation of their power and influence in the company and in society. Again, their contacts and relationships at high­est levels may transcend the implications of any particular transaction. A Swedish executive I interviewed who had worked for a French company was appalled by the secrecy of motivation maintained by French senior executives. Information was not allowed to filter down below certain lev­els. In Sweden authority is delegated downwards as much as possible. In high context France, managers expect that their staff will know what to do - the logic will be evident.

BRITAIN

The feudal as well as imperial origins of status and leadership in England are still evident in some aspects of British management. A century has passed since Britain occupied a preeminent position in industry and com­merce, but there still lingers in the national consciousness the proud rec­ollection of once having ruled 15 million square miles of territory on five continents. The best young men were sent abroad on overseas postings to gain experience and to be groomed for leadership. It was the English, Scots and Irish who provided the main thrust of society in the USA - the power which was to assume the mantle of economic hegemony.

The class system persists in the UK and status is still derived, in some degree, from pedigree, tide and family name. There is little doubt that the system is on its way to becoming a meritocracy - the emergence of a very large middle class and the efforts of the left and centrist politicians will eventually align British egalitarianism with that of the US and Northern Europe - but it is worth noting that many characteristics of British man­agement hark back to earlier days.

British managers could be described as diplomatic, tactful, laid back, casual, reasonable, helpful, willing to compromise and seeking to be fair. They also consider themselves to be inventive and, on occasion, lateral thinkers. They see themselves as conducting business with grace, style, humour, wit, eloquence and self-possession. They have the English fond­ness for debate and regard meetings as occasions to seek agreement rather than to issue instructions.

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