5 business culture differences between France and Germany

1. Power distance

This first dimension describes distance from power, and shows how far people accept or tolerate an unequal distribution of power. As you will have guessed, the values for this dimension are not the same for France and Germany. In German companies, for example, people use the informal du more easily, whereas the formal vous is a deeply rooted habit in France. France has a strong hierarchical dimension (68%) against 35% for Germany. Germany, on the contrary, is one of the countries where power distance remains low. Participative management is far more common in Germany than in France, while employees in a French company are less likely to take part in decision-making.

2. Individualism

Individualism is a fairly simple term to understand. It describes how strongly people feel tied to the group. The higher the score, the more individualistic the country's culture. An individualistic society is therefore the opposite of a society where the whole, the group, matters most. China, for example, has a low individualism score, because the community counts for more. Comparing France and Germany, the power distance dimension suggests that Germany is a slightly less individualistic society. The two countries are close (67% for Germany against 71% for France, see chart), so the difference is less striking than for other dimensions.

3. Masculinity versus femininity

The term is blunt, to say the least, and probably outdated, yet the Dutch researcher chose it to describe how gender roles are divided in a country. If the score is low, Hofstede speaks of a “feminine” society; if it is high, of a “masculine” one. He assumes there are exclusively male and exclusively female roles. A “feminine” society, however, is not one where gender roles are strictly set. In a “feminine” culture, social relationships, the environment and people are taken more seriously. In a “masculine” society, on the other hand, money and material things are much more important values. France is more feminine than masculine (43% masculinity), while Germany, at 66%, has a rather masculine culture.

4. Uncertainty avoidance

This dimension is a little harder to grasp at first. Let's keep it simple and take the United States as an example. Uncertainty avoidance is a country's tolerance for “not being sure” and for ambiguity. How does a society deal with the unknown and the unexpected? And above all, how does it react to the anxiety that change brings? Some societies try to keep that anxiety to a minimum. They avoid uncertainty and apply stricter rules, with less flexible laws, for example. When a country is less tolerant of change, innovation moves more slowly, or not at all in some countries. The higher the score, the more a country fears the unknown.

Comparing the United States and France confirms what we have all heard before: American culture is more about trying and getting started, even at the risk of stumbling. The French don't like surprises! France (86%) is almost half as tolerant of change as the US (46%). And compared with Germany? When you plan your international development, bear in mind that Germany (65%) is more tolerant of change than France. Both countries nevertheless remain far more cautious than the United States on this dimension.

5. Short-term and long-term orientation

This dimension ties in with the previous one, but adds a few points. A society with a long-term vision focuses intensely on preparing for the future, and puts more effort into it than a society with a short-term vision. The latter is more anchored in its habits and emphasises tradition and normality in the face of change. Once again, it is about the fear of change. Comparing France and Germany, still according to Hofstede, Germany is strongly oriented towards the long term (83%), while France is also long-term oriented, to a lesser degree (63%). Both countries will still save, invest and remain disciplined in reaching their goals.

6. Indulgence versus restraint (bonus)

This newer dimension, officially added to Hofstede's model in 2010, completes the other five. Do happiness and the pleasures of life have a place at every moment, including at work? And should they be openly enjoyed? An indulgent society is one whose members consider happiness and the joy of living to be everyone's right, to be enjoyed in many areas of life.

Restraint, on the contrary, means that happiness and pleasure should be a well-earned reward: hard-won through moderation, self-control, duty and putting one's own needs aside. The joy of living is, in a sense, postponed. So what about Germany and France? According to Hofstede, France scores 48%, and Germany, slightly lower, 40%. France is almost exactly halfway between indulgence and restraint, while Germany leans towards restraint. According to the Dutch researcher, German society tends more towards scepticism and pessimism. Even so, the French score of 48% suggests that the French enjoy life less than people commonly think.

In short

Although they are neighbours and some of their cultural dimensions are close, France and Germany have cultural differences that shouldn't be overlooked. French society pays more attention to people and their environment, while Germany focuses more on money and material goods. French hierarchy can culturally unsettle German partners, since participative management and informal address are far more ingrained in Germany. German society is also slightly more collectivist than French society, which leans towards individualism. Finally, when developing in the German market, bear in mind that Germany is less “fearful” of the unknown and more open to innovation and change than France.