Introduction
Communication is a very important tool in any set up. It is even more important in the business world. For a business organization to be successful, the manager has to use very effective communication strategies. This is in relation to every person in the organization. The business environment calls for a high level of effectiveness in the communication. When communication is rightly used in an organization it can motivate the employees. However when it is wrongly used it will always demoralize the workers. This paper is dealing with cultural differences in communication norms. It goes further to look at the three aspects of communication, which are time, space and gestures and how each of these aspects is perceived in France.
A person that needs to start up a business in France would need to know quite a lot about the communication aspects that exist in France. This is in relation to time, space and gestures. For any communication to take place, time has to be used. A closer look at France as a nation in relation to communication aspects shows much relation to the culture that exits therein. (Hall, 1983)
This nation has people who are very busy and they don’t have much time to waste on anything whatsoever including communication. This means that any person wishing to start up a business in France has to consider the communication networks that she or he will use to communicate to clients or customers. Time is an important resource to French citizens and therefore the communication networks that will be incorporated by a person who wants to start up a business in this country have to be very fast. Even as the business entrepreneur communicates to customers and also employees in the organization, he or she needs to be strait forward and to the point. One doesn’t need much time explaining so many things concerning the business. No beating around the bush because this can make the entrepreneur to lose customers. Concerning this a person who wants to start up a business there can incorporate the internet as a communication tool. For French citizens, time is money so they have to have maximum use of it. Any person who is time wasting in communication is viewed or perceived as unserious with life and is actually not worth communicating to.
Another aspect of communication is gestures. According to the France culture, gestures are not perceived to be very important aspects of communication. This means that a person that intends to start up a business in this nation need not to waste time to meet customers and clients face to face. Communication networks that do not necessarily show gestures are encouraged and this will make the business to prosper. A person wishing to start business there can just use email addresses and chat to customers and clients. This will automatically make the business to flourish. (Lustig, 1998)
Cultural differences in communication norms in France are also seen in the communication aspect of space. Space perception in France is an aspect that is taken very seriously. People in France do not like talking to a person that is standing just too close. In fact there are unwritten rules concerning space in communication of French citizens. In France, people can feel that their space is violated if they face an unwelcome sound or just a stare. For instance there are instances when customer care employees just peer at customers. This in France is felt as infringing on a person’s space. A person wishing to start up a business in France needs to know this aspect of communication and how the people in France perceive it.
It is advisable to such a person that as he or she starts up the business, he or she should be keen on how communication interactions are carried out. This entrepreneur needs to train the employees concerning space perception of the French people so that they do not lose their customers through this. As the entrepreneur interacts with employees he or she needs to ensure that there is the consideration of this aspect of communication as it will keep the business moving. The entrepreneur has to ensure that he or she does not just stare at customers for such a long time because they feel that a person is infringing on personal space. In general people in France like having good space as an aspect of communication. An entrepreneur needs to maximize on communication networks that do not negatively affect the space of the clients and customers. (Wright, 2000)
Conclusion
Communication aspects and people’s perception is a topic that has been widely studied by very many scholars throughout history. These aspects are space, time and gestures. Research on the French culture shows unique perceptions on the issue of space, time and gestures. It is very clear that French citizens perceive space to be a very important aspect of communication. They do not like a person speaking to them while he or she is standing too close. A look at the other aspects shows that they also value time as a factor in communication. A person communicating to French people just has to be direct and to the point. No time wasted beating around the bush concerning an issue. Gestures on the other hand are not perceived as very important and a person that intends to start up a business in this nation can take advantage o this and incorporate communication networks like chatlines.
Reference:
Hall, E. (1983): The Silent Language. Media, Communication, Culture: A Global Approach. New York: Columbia University
Lustig, M. (1998): Intercultural Competence; Interpersonal Communication across Cultures; New York; Macmillan Press
Wright, W. (2000): Cultural Issues in Mediation; New York; Melbourne Press