International HRM
As a nuclear science and engineering student, I would assume that an international career opportunity would arise from one of the European countries. With France being the world leader in nuclear power production, I would choose this country to pursue a career. France is remarkably smaller than the United States and their politics are much simpler, so nuclear power has been broadly accepted and produced nearly 70% of France’s electricity. In France, there are many opportunities to grow within my career field, but there are things I need to consider as well.
According to Hofstede’s theory, below are the comparisons between France and the U.S.:
- Power Distance:
- France: 68
- U.S.: 40
- Individualism:
- France: 71
- U.S.: 91
- Masculinity:
- France: 43
- U.S.: 62
- Uncertainty Avoidance:
- France: 86
- U.S.: 46
- Long Term Orientation:
- France: 63
- U.S.: 26
- Indulgence:
- France: 48
- U.S.: 68
The French working culture is structured and well planned. They like to have all available information ready, and they follow very hierarchical structures of power. They are not super indulgent people, and have a more feminine score on the outlook of life and competition. The French are known to be blunt and talkative, yet are able to adapt to different scenarios. The U.S. on the other hand, is the highest scoring for individualism in the entire world and are less formal in term of communication. They also follow hierarchical structures of power, but are less traditional in recent years. The U.S. is very indulgent compared to France, and follow a very masculine culture of competition. Americans are more open to new ideas and new ways of life, yet are simultaneously more judgmental than other countries.
I would take this opportunity in a heart beat, as long as the wage was worth the level of work that I would be doing. I have always wanted to live abroad and develop new skills in my field. I would take into consideration the location, wage, benefits, the job itself, and the long term goals.
References
Country comparison. Hofstede Insights. (2021, June 21). Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/france,the-usa/
Javascript required! Nuclear Power in France | French Nuclear Energy – World Nuclear Association. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-a-f/france.aspx
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