Cultural Overview - France

To better illustrate the cultural differences I encountered while in France, understanding where both countries fall on different scales is important. The best way to compare these cultural differences is by using the Hofstede dimensions, which is essentially a framework that assesses and classifies different national cultures. The following diagram shows where France and Canada fall on the scale:

Country           PDI     IDV      MAS   UAI
France              68        71         43       86
Canada              39          80        52      48       

Canada and France differ greatly in some cultural aspects but in others they range closely. For instance, as individualistic (IDV) societies, both countries put emphasis on personal achievement. Furthermore, both cultures have a moderate masculinity (MAS) where male characteristics such as assertiveness and competition are prominent. This was obvious in France when I was exposed to the professional culture and business practices in France. Both countries share many of the same ideals when it comes to professionalism and ethics. However, when it comes to power distance (PDI), Canada has a more equally distributed level of power amongst people in the organization versus France who exhibits a more rigid hierarchical society. Lastly, Canada has a moderate level of uncertainty avoidance (UAI) meaning that Canadians generally take more risks and are more accepting of change. On the other hand, French people tend to avoid uncertainty with strict regulations and adherence to laws.

With these dimensions briefly explained, my personal experiences can  be better understood. When reading each of the sections, some of the dimensions may stand out more than others but all of them were present during my time in France. The Hofstede model helped me to prepare for interaction with French people and will help you to make the comparisons between both cultures.