France and the United States: How Intercultural Competence Can Make or Break a Business in a Global World

Abstract

This thesis addresses the importance of intercultural competence to successful business practices in a globalized world from both a management and a marketing perspective. Drawing on research in the field of intercultural competence, section I addresses the role of intercultural competence in globalized business settings and discusses the acquisition and application of the principles of intercultural competence. Using France and the United States as examples, section II explores intercultural competence from a management perspective through a contrast of some primary cultural values and their implications on a business. Section III demonstrates the importance of intercultural competence from a marketing perspective through a comparison of McDonald’s in both French and American culture.