National Culture of France
The France national culture dimensions of individualism or collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity or femininity, and power distance, influence the predominant leadership style in the country. According to Hofstede 2001, France has a higher power distance, meaning that they highly accept inequality within society (Essounga, 2009). In France, certain individuals are given privileges that give them supremacy over others.
For example, parliamentarians are given parliamentary immunity that shields them from prosecution during the execution of their duties. France has a higher uncertainty avoidance with a score of 86 according to Hofstede, 2001 (Essounga, 2009). This means that individuals in the country undertake activities whose outcome they are sure about. An example is the fashion industry that has been popular in France since industrialization and has continued to be embraced by many generations. This has produced several re-known fashion icons such as Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Givenchy, and Lacroix among others (Essounga, 2009).
In France, collectivism is predominant since people uphold their cultural beliefs, language, and religion, which gives them a national identity (Kwasi, 2011). France is perceived to have a feminine culture, as individuals do not define their wealth with what they own, but by believing in themselves (Essounga, 2009). The country puts more emphasis on feminine attributes such as pursuing harmony and improving the quality of life for its citizens.
This is manifested in the success of its universal health plan, which is financed by the government, making healthcare affordable to all citizens. This is unlike in the masculine culture of America, where there is strong opposition against the universal health care plan since it is perceived as interfering with the country’s capitalistic ideologies.
Leadership Style in France
Charismatic leadership, where people envision leaders making sacrifices to accomplish the laid down vision, is more predominant in France. The French resist change, so they need a charismatic leader who they will obey freely without any coercion. Charismatic leadership is suitable for the French culture since it embodies a vision with values and concepts that followers can relate to. In conclusion, if a company wants to succeed in France and have its decisions accepted by employees, it should consider using the charismatic leadership style (Essounga, 2009).
References
Essounga, Y. (2009). A cross-cultural theoretical review of national culture, individual liberties, and leadership styles in the US and France. Web.
Kwasi, D. (2011). The impact of national cultures on corporate cultures in organizations. Academic leadership Journal 9 (2), 42- 54.