Each and every country has its own unique business culture and etiquettes. The business hierarchy or structure also differs. These differences prevalent in the different countries are due to variation in the culture and the languages of the country. Geographical differences may have an effect on the business culture.
In this particular article, we will discuss about the French business hierarchy in details. The language acts a vital element in France. It is very necessary to know French in order to do business in France. The French business culture exhibits a strong and vertical hierarchy. In France, the final decision is in the hands of a person with the highest authority or position.
Most of the French corporate organizations have a central group called as ‘The Executive Committee’, which comprises of Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director and the heads of various other groups. The other groups in addition to the central group are the Corporate Services group, Market Operations and Technology group, Risk Management group, Legal Affairs group and the Financial Management group.
The Executive Committee
Managing Director: A managing director handles all the major administrative roles of the business organization. S/he conducts meetings with the heads of the different services group of the organization, in order to discuss the emerging issues within each division of the company. S/he monitors the day to day operations of the different divisions of the corporate organization.
Deputy Managing Director: A deputy managing director assists the managing director in the various business operations. The deputy manager develops various business plans and implements them, upon approval of the managing director. In addition, s/he reports the director on a continuous basis, regarding the various ongoing business situations.
Corporate Services Group
The purpose of the ‘Corporate Services’ group of the French business hierarchy is to provide administrative support to the business. The head of the group is the corporate service manager and s/he arranges meetings with the Executive Committee on behalf of the group.
Market Operations and Technology Group
The Market Operations and Technology Director is the head of the group. The main function of the director is to oversee all the product marketing, development and information technology aspects of the business. S/he is also responsible for creating new professional relationships with the clients.
Risk Management Group
The ‘Risk Management’ group is one of the imperative parts of the French business hierarchy. This group is headed by the risk manager. The risk manager designs and implements the whole risk management system of the organization. This includes financial safety measures, health safety measures and various business continuity plans.
Legal Affairs Group
The legal affairs officer is the head of this particular group. The officer conducts all the legal studies required on the part of the organization. S/he manages all sorts of legal matters associated with the organization.
Financial Management Group
The Financial manager is the head of this particular group of the French business hierarchy. S/he deals with all the associated financial matters. S/he develops and implements various financial schemes to increase the productivity of the organization.