International Management

International Management



According to a survey of over 200 chief executives in France, Germany, and the United States a business person cannot have 1 effective business style across such diverse context and people.
At the present time it appears that there are still very different leadership styles cutting across the European Union. The EU is a very diverse group of countries with differing languages, religions, histories, educational systems, and culture. The French, for example, are known for being autocratic leaders. The status of leaders in France is known to be based on position and the educational institutions they attend – known as the “grand ecoles”. Title & position are attained through this elite status and thus are paramount over advancement through skills and training.
The Germans are known for being assertive and primarily focused on the task and less on relationships. While very organized, based on technical expertise, they have been criticized for lack of innovation as leaders. Issues of the importance of human relations in leadership vary from country to country. Leaders in Europe who cut across national cultures must still consider the context and cultures of those countries and attempt to maintain a flexible leadership style.
Leadership refers not just to the manager-subordinate relationship, but to the important task of running the whole company, division, or unit for which the manager is responsible. Effective leaders carefully examine the entire context and develop sensitivity to others values and expectations regarding personal and group interactions, performance and outcomes-and then act accordingly.

Study Guide for International Management by Helen Deresky
International Management p 410-412