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Four-Monthly - Issue 1

Le MAGl a n g u a g e s , B u s I n e s s & C u l t u r e

unIted kIngdomIreland

6 CaPGEMINIManpower and resultsFinding 0ut About the Capgemini Brand “People Matter, Results Count”

16 INTERCULTURaL MaNaGEMENTthe orolia success story Managing Teams Abroad

20 INTERCULTURaL INSIGHTAn investigation by our Intercultural Expert, Christine Baudot

Not for sale. Please disPose of resPoNsibly.

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2 - Intercountry Le mag

Editorial

ICT at the TOP in the United Kingdom and Ireland

Intercultural management

has become an essential part of

the development of international

relationships and we have designed Intercountry

Le Mag to look into it more deeply.

In this first issue we talk to professionals from the

Information and Communications Technology

markets in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Our editorial choice was influenced by the maturity

of these markets and their proximity to France.

We hope this magazine is a source of international

experience which gives you some insight into the

cultural differences and development opportunities

available on the other side of the Channel.

We would also like to give the magazine a linguistic

dimension and so it is available in English and in

French, with some of the most commonly used

business phrases translated.

I leave you to discover more for yourself and wish

you happy reading!

ChrIstophe DeleBarreCo-Director of Intercountry

Intercountry Le mag - 3

Summary

Intercountry (SaRL) - Language Training - Intercultural Training.Registered Office: Parc Tertiaire du Rotois - 62710 COURRIERES - +33 (0)3 21 13 75 21 - www.intercountry.com.

Legal Representative / Publication Director: Christophe DELEBARRE. Editor: Pauline HAUET. Editorial Secretary: Juliette DEMOUTIEZ. Graphics: Carole MULLOT. Intercultural Expert: Christine BAUDOT. Printed in France par SENSEZ, rue Pierre et Marie Curie 62223 SAINT LAURENT BLANGY. LEGAL FILING: June 2013.

Zooming in

4. On the United Kingdom & Ireland

experiences from ICt professionals

6. Capgemini Manpower and Results

7. Learning Light Sheds Light on e-learning

8. Want to Set Up in the United Kingdom: Think UKTI

10. 1000mercis Successful Globalization

11. Aquafadas On the Digital Page

12. Good SEO Practices with Woptimo

14. IDA Ireland Heading Towards a European Silicon Valley

16. Intercultural Management: The Orolia Success Story

18. eSocialMedia Think Global to Act Local

19. Data Internationalization: How to Protect Yourself

Intercultural Insight

20. An Investigation by our Intercultural Expert,

Christine Baudot

a teaching aside

22. The Intercountry Analysis

How do you Assess the Effectiveness of Training


On the

&

Economic data For 2011

unitEd kingdom

irEland FrancE

GDP ¤ 1,840 bn ¤ 159 bn ¤ 1,996 bn

GDP Growth Rate 0.8 % 1.4 % 1.7 %

the united Kingdom today holds the 1st place in Europe in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and software sector. For its part, Ireland, the “European Silicon Valley” has undergone spectacular growth in the field of ICT and more particularly in the area of cloud computing, video games and social networks.

In 2011, the united Kingdom maintained its position as the No 1 destination for foreign investors in Europe.- 50 % of multinational European headquarters are in the United Kingdom.

the market for Information and Communications technology represents 12 % of British GDP and 25 % of Irish GDP.

Franco-British and Franco-Irish trade levels

- 1,500 subsidiaries of French companies are located in the United Kingdom and employ 400,000 people.

the Irish economy is very open to international trade. For more than 20 years, Ireland has successfully adopted a model for economic growth based on attracting foreign investment (IDE) which represents 112 % of GDP.

Zooming In

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Le mag - 5

Stock oF FrEnch invEStmEntS in 2011

French Investments in the United Kingdom ¤ 0.42 bn

French Investments in Ireland ¤ 18.5 bn

Sources: UBIFRANCE United Kingdom; French Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain; UBIFRANCE Ireland.

unitEd kingdom ForEign tradE

Imports of Goods and Services in 2011 ¤ 617.6 bn

Exports of Goods and Services in 2011 ¤ 571 bn

Proportion for France in United Kingdom Imports 5.8 %

irEland ForEign tradE

Imports of Goods and Services in 2011 ¤ 48.2 bn

Exports of Goods and Services in 2011 ¤ 92.9 bn

Proportion for France in Irish Imports 4 %

The United Kingdom is France’s 5th largest client and its 7th largest supplier.

France is also one of Ireland’s main trading partners, being its 5th largest client and its 6th largest supplier.


CapgeminiManpower and Results

Created by Serge Kampf in Grenoble in 1967, today Capgemini is the only European company among the 5 world leaders, and one of the five leading companies in the ICT field on a global scale. “Since the 80s, a strong will to expand has led the company to extend its geographical presence to a number of countries, including the United Kingdom” Bob Scott told us. To this end, the company acquired several companies including Hoskyns, which was the British market leader. In the context of its globalization strategy, Capgemini also set up in several countries across Europe and North America, and then in Asia, and in South America. The group is now present in 44 countries and its staff speak around a hundred different languages. “Our acquisitions have made our teams multicultural and have brought us a lot of talented people.” Numerous training courses have added to and strengthened the skills of individuals. Capgemini has been able to build on these skills at an international level and optimize intercultural communication between all its teams. “The French have a tendency to be very academic during business meetings, they like debating. On the other hand, the British are guided by opportunities and instinct. We needed to make allowances for that.”Conserving the values, the corporate

culture and the entrepreneurial spirit of our company were the cornerstones of our globalization. “We are proud to foster an entrepreneurial spirit and leave our teams a great deal of freedom. What is more, we prefer to speak about leadership rather than management.” Its strategic locations also enable Capgemini to remain at the cutting edge of the latest technological trends in the market. In fact, bearing in mind the impact and the speed of development of certain technologies, it is vital to be permanently on the look-out in order to prevent yourself from being overtaken in a given market. Nowadays, the four main drivers of industrial technology are: the Cloud, “Big Data”, mobility and social media. “At the moment, we are very much present in the red-hot sector of mobile solutions. The Cloud is also vital because clients will be buying decentralized services over the next four to five years.” This has been a successful international growth strategy which means that the

group can offer its clients the use of its own computing services, its own platform, its own data centre and even its own applications that work all over the world. In the past few years, Capgemini has also invested heavily in outsourcing business processes which means its clients can trust it not only with the management of their data systems but also with other business processes (accounting, HR, sourcing, etc.). Whilst Capgemini is able to meet the increasing demand for internationalized services, the group doesn’t neglect national markets. “In France, just as in Spain and in Italy, there are medium-sized companies that want to purchase their services from companies from their own countries”, Bob Scott explained to us. When it comes to satisfying those companies, Capgemini has several advantages over its American competitors. That “Europeanism” is also valued by the numerous clients who are looking to break into the European market.

Bob Scott, Marketing Director and Senior Vice-President of Capgemini group.

The European leader in management consulting and computer services, Capgemini employs 9,000 people in the United Kingdom and more than 125,000 across the planet.

www.capgemini.com

vocabulary

■ On a global scale A l’échelle mondiale

■ To strengthenFortifier, renforcer

■ A cornerstoneUn axe fondamental

■ At the cutting edge of A la pointe de

Scan QR Code for more vocabulary


Learning Light works with Training Managers who are starting to use e-learning for training. They also offer consultancy services for e-learning solution providers and help them adapt their teaching content to corporate needs. When budgets are tight, adapting to corporate needs is vital. For Gillian Broadhead, Director of Learning Light in London, “these restrictions are also the main reason for the drive towards e-learning.” In fact, budgets are devoted to training sessions that have a direct impact on the company’s business and which enable it to meet a real need. This is the case for e-learning, a method that guarantees access to effective methods of learning. “Thanks to LMS systems, Managers have access to the teaching content and can monitor the progress of their staff.” Banks and financial institutions were the first to adopt e-learning in order to ensure that their staff were trained in the law. In 2012, for example, there was a new law on corruption, and a lot of e-learning courses were created to meet the needs of bankers, accountants or even lawyers. Most major companies have used e-learning for several years and as a result have significantly diminished their training costs per employee. Small and medium-sized enterprises have

Learning LightSheds Light on e-learning

Gillian Broadhead, Director and David Patterson, Consultant with Learning Light London.

Has e-learning become indispensable nowadays? As a company that is an expert in this field, Learning Light spoke to us about the benefits of e-learning.

only just started to experiment with this method. “Once managers start to have recourse to this type of training, it is generally adopted for all their training systems.” A study carried out by Learning Light has revealed that there has been consistent growth in online training in public sector educational projects in France. In this sector, there were 19 projects in 2010 and that figure increased to 42 in 2012. A positive State attitude towards this kind of training will certainly encourage more and more companies to opt for e-learning.

www.learninglight.com

vocabulary

■ The drive towards e-learningL’essor du e-learning

■ An accountantUn expert-comptable

■ To have recourse toAvoir recours à

■ To be carried out byEtre réalisé par



Want to Set Up in the United Kingdom?Think UKTIAfter a successful degree in European economics and management, Caroline Fraval joined the British Embassy in Paris. She is now the UKTI (UK Trade & Investment) Sales Development Manager.

Would you introduce UKTI to us?UKTI is a vast network of more than 2,300 consultants and staff spread across about a hundred countries. We have a twin mission. First of all, helping foreign companies to set up in the United Kingdom by informing them, making things easier for them and accelerating the internationalization process. Secondly, helping British companies to export all over the world. Each year we give free advice that helps hundreds of companies to set up in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom particularly wants to attract French companies in certain business sectors, such as Information and Communications Technology , for example. That is why we are based at the British Embassy in Paris. Our teams are Franco-British. This dual culture means we can offer individualized support on all the issues involved in globalizing a company, regardless of whether they be tax, sales or legal concerns.Could you say something about the ICT market in the United Kingdom?The British market is the European leader in terms of software and computing

to attract French companies to come and set up in the United Kingdom. Specifically, this programme offers funding for the creation of ICT companies and for innovation in ICT. Tax advantages also attract a lot of foreign companies. In fact, with a view to encouraging more and more innovation, the British government has set a tax rate of 10% on any profits arising from new patents. There are also major tax deductions for research and development costs. In January the government allocated funding of £600 million for technology development in the fields of robotics or of data revolution.Finally, a simplified administrative regime encourages companies to launch projects.Is it “easy” and “fast” to set up in the United Kingdom?Yes, everything has been done to ensure that an entrepreneur spends the least possible time on bureaucracy and so can concentrate on the project itself. A real entrepreneurial spirit can be found in the United Kingdom. Company administration is simplified in order to facilitate proceedings and not to discourage enterprise. That forms part of British pragmatism which allows things to move ahead quickly and which also allows the UKTI teams to be very reactive with their French clients.It is widely said that you need 24 hours and £1 of capital to form a company in the UK. In reality, you need about two weeks. The only difficulty you may encounter could be with opening a bank account. This can sometimes slow down the

Caroline Fraval Sales and Development Manager for UKTI Paris.


services and is worth £58 billion a year. From a “Market Value” and level of maturity viewpoint, it is a very attractive market.What do you think are the main advantages drawing French companies to setting up in the United Kingdom?There are a lot of business opportunities in the British market for innovative French companies. Furthermore, the United Kingdom has created a huge programme


process because of the checks that have to be carried out as part of the struggle against money laundering.French Companies often choose the United Kingdom as their first destination in their globalization strategy. Is it a more accessible country culturally speaking?The advantages referred to previously help with setting up a business and allow French companies to launch themselves internationally. Additionally, the fact that English is spoken and that the European headquarters of most companies are there adds to the interest for foreign firms. Many companies look on the United Kingdom as a springboard towards globalization, a test market, which enables them to grow their presence and credibility abroad. The United Kingdom is close to France from a cultural view point. However, it is useful to know certain working and cultural codes when doing business there. British companies prefer packaged solutions rather than a lot of different specification documents. Sometimes, you also have to be able to decode: “that’s interesting” can sometimes mean “that’s brilliant” and sometimes “that does not interest me at all”!Are there any ICT technology clusters in the United Kingdom like there are in the United States?Yes, several technology clusters have been set up and attract several companies, for example, Tech City, an area located to the east of London, which

was inaugurated in November 2010. In the beginning it was a cluster of only 15 companies but now there are more than 1,300 including Google which decided to set up its Google Campus there.Would you advise French ICT companies to set up in the United Kingdom?Yes, providing they have good advice so that they don’t take unnecessary risks. In fact, even though this is a priority market for the United Kingdom, companies must have something that differentiates them from the competition, or position themselves in a niche market in order to work continuously in the United Kingdom. UKTI can act as a consultant here and help the company to decide on its strategic orientation. Every business sector is represented by specialists, who can advise companies on their projects.

A government organization set up in 1977, its headquarters are in London with a network of more than 2,300 consultants and staff spread across more than 100 countries.

www.ukti.gov.uk

vocabulary

■ To set upS’implanter

■ Level of maturityNiveau de maturité

■ The struggle against money launderingLa lutte contre le blanchiment d’argent

■ A springboard towards globalizationUn tremplin vers l’internationalisation

InterpretationIn communications you have to distinguish between the outward attitude and the message the person really wants to convey. Observing and interpreting are two different matters. Interpreting attitudes according to our own reference values often leads to misunderstandings.


1000mercisSuccessful Globalization As the Managing Director of 1000mercis in London, Dorothée Lacroix has worked for ten years within this international group that operates in more than 25 countries, based in London, Paris and New York.

Could you introduce us to 1000mercis?It was founded in February 2000 by two French people, Yseulys Costes and Thibaut Munier. 1000mercis offers innovative solutions to companies wanting to optimize the acquisition and retention of clients using interactive social media. As experts in Web and Mobile CRM, we offer solutions that combine winning over new clients and making them loyal using multi-channel marketing systems.Why was 1000mercis founded in Paris and then set up in London? London is one of the most international capitals in Europe and therefore a pertinent place to launch our internationalization strategy. Know-how is the same as in France, so integration was not difficult from that point of view. Lack of reputation amongst British advertisers, on the other hand, presented us with quite a challenge.Can you talk to us about the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) market, please? The UK ICT market is a mature and very dynamic one. Nevertheless, there are still several challenges, such as relevant database management or setting up e-CRM.

What is your management style?I give trust and autonomy even though I am very much “present”. We are all enjoying taking part in this adventure within a young (27 years old on average) and international team (20 nationalities).What do you value most, individual or collective progress?Good individual knowledge of our services enables goals to be reached and fosters collective progress.What do you consider to be the most high risk activity in your firm?Database management (our core business), which is connected with data compliance and protection. What advice would you give to firms that want to set up in the United Kingdom?

Recruit “natives” and take cultural differences into account. For example, hierarchical barriers are not clearly visible in the United Kingdom. 1000mercis adopted this trend from the start but it is not widespread in France. Also, in business, the English are decisive and want things to be clear, so you must not hesitate to get straight to the point.What image do you have of foreign firms who have set up in the United Kingdom?Besides the major multinationals that have their headquarters there, foreign companies are often innovative SMEs who are attracted by low social security charges, and have come to try their hand.What has been your greatest success?We have won several prizes: the Franco-British Business Award in 2010, the prize for the best customer loyalty strategy in the e-Marketing Awards, the e-Commerce Trophy in 2011 and e-Commerce e-mailing innovation prize for our retargeting programme.

www.1000mercis.com

Dorothée Lacroix.

vocabulary

■ AdvertisersAnnonceurs

■ To fosterFavoriser

■ Core businessCœur de métier

■ HeadquartersSiège social



it is very difficult to break into. The level of adoption of New Technologies is not the same in the United Kingdom as it is in France. “Our challenge is to show that even with our French antecedents, we can satisfy English clients.” In order to do just that, Aquafadas is relying a great deal on developing its own network of British sales partners.

Aquafadas supports companies in the innovative field of digital publication. As a specialist in creating software to enable e-books to be created and read, there is no shortage of projects for this firm from Montpellier.

AquafadasOn a Digital Page

InterpretationStatus, or the attitude towards the hierarchy, is an important factor that varies enormously from country to country. Hierarchical barriers are less visible in Great Britain than in France, and the way things are run is different, with a preference for the project mode. This way of working means everyone needs to follow the same procedures. One of the challenges will be adapting your attitude to meet Anglo-Saxon norms...

Mathieu Kopp and Claudia Zimmer are the co-founders of Aquafadas. After having worked in London in a start-up specializing in new technologies, in 2004 they launched their first video cataloguing program in Montpellier. The Aquafadas project was created then. They imported Anglo-Saxon style management from the United Kingdom. “The team is young and management is through dialogue and discussions”, explained Allison Reber, the Communications Manager. Allison Reber and the staff speak fluent English and French, and some of the staff can speak Japanese, Italian or German. Aquafadas has developed a network of sales partners all over the planet, leading to linguistic and cultural diversity. “Since the field of publishing is very much bound up with the culture of each country, it is strategically important to have local teams who know the needs and cultural codes of their own country. That enables us to grow more quickly in international markets.” Already present in the United States, the firm would like to set up in the United Kingdom. The market for e-books is very competitive there and

www.aquafadas.com

Allison Reber, Communications Manager Aquafadas.

vocabulary

■ To speak fluentlyParler couramment

■ The field of publishingLe domaine de l’édition

■ To be bound up withEtre lié à

■ Sales partners Partenaires revendeurs



A former Search Quality Strategist at Google in Ireland, Sébastien Monnier returned to France in 2009. He then ran the Paris office of an SEO agency before setting up his own company, Woptimo, in February 2011.

Good SEO Practices withWoptimo

Could you introduce your company to us?Woptimo is a Web marketing company specializing in natural referencing. We support the performance and visibility of our clients’ websites on Google and on other search engines. Our company has several European partners and we work for French and foreign clients. Can you talk about your experience with Google in Ireland? When I started working with Google, I was surprised by the corporate culture, which is very open and has a “perfect world” side to it. The canteen is free, there is an on-site gymnasium and there are bright colours everywhere! It is a very pleasant place to work.The transverse management in the various teams also surprised me. At Google, an employee does not always have to go through their manager to drive a project forwards. Employees are freer and more independent in their jobs than in France. It is possible, for example, to meet around a table football machine, get an idea there and start a project! For example, that was the case for Gmail which was designed as an internal

Sébastien Monnier (bottom left) founder of Woptimo with his European partners (former Googlers)

product for Google, created to replace Outlook. Gmail is now known worldwide!Can you talk to us about the ICT sector in the British, Irish, and French markets? The Irish and British markets have



the advantage of being much closer to the American market than the French market is. That can be explained in part by their close linguistic and cultural proximity. What’s more, many American companies have their European headquarters in Ireland (Yahoo, EBay, Google, Facebook) or in the United Kingdom. In France we do not benefit from that proximity and consequently economic growth is more difficult. We have innovative companies that are held back by lack of funding. Going back to the example of Google, if the company had been French, it is not certain that it would have existed.Google has benefited from funds from Stanford University that supplied it with equipment and the money to grow. In France, corporate partnerships are always complicated. Since I have worked

www.woptimo.com

Interpretation

vocabulary

■ To drive a project forwardsFaire évoluer un projet

■ MistrustMéfiance

■ SubcontractingSous-traitance

■ RenewalRenouveau

As expatriates, we all suffer from culture shock and go through the four stages of adjustment to a country, from the honeymoon to full integration. It is often useful and comforting to join a network of expatriates, or to work with people of the same nationality. Woptimo mentions the expatriation of services, a situation that is made easier by means of social networks, the media and remote working. Having said

that, it is important, in the context of virtual working, not to lose sight of the human side of communications. There is another person on the other side of the mailbox. What is at stake here is knowing how to balance the advantages and disadvantages. You might gain speed and have more options but the cultural differences, which are still there, will be less visible, just like the language barrier is in virtual teams. So - new challenges!

Our universe is changing constantly. I have a habit of saying that every six months we change profession!

in both the world of research and the corporate world, I have been able to observe the mistrust between the two worlds. That might change, but it will take time. Or, to point out another difference, I could also talk about subcontracting in the field of web content creation. The United Kingdom works more easily with India or Pakistan whilst France turns more to North Africa. What do you think are the cultural differences between France and the United Kingdom? There are lots! Business relationships are different. For example, I have just had a call from an Englishman who said to me several times “It’s lovely to work with you.” It was the first time we had spoken and he had a very warm approach. A Frenchman would not have behaved in the same way. It might also be due to the absence of the “tu” and “vous” forms of address. As for the Irish, they are a little more direct than the French but there is never really any problem since everything can be settled around a pint in the pub on a Friday night!

Would you consider setting up in the United Kingdom or in Ireland? I would prefer Ireland because it is a country I know well. There are several advantages: tax, language and currency. It is the only country in the euro zone that speaks English and has such low tax rates. And it is only two hours flight from Paris, which is also very practical.If you had to sum up your Irish experience in three words, what would they be?Renewal, progress and Guinness!


IDA IrelandHeading Towards a European Silicon Valley

Could you introduce us to the IDA?Created in the 60s, the IDA (Industrial Development Agency) has the remit of attracting foreign investments to the Republic of Ireland and of supporting foreign companies in their globalization processes. The agency is currently preparing to position Ireland at the forefront of the world economy in specific sectors, including that of Information and Communications Technology. Our headquarters, based in Dublin, coordinates all our teams across Europe, Asia, South America and the United States. Can you tell us about the market for Information and Communications Technology in Ireland? In the 1980s several international companies set up in Ireland, such as Apple, Intel or HP. Nowadays, seven of the top ten companies in the Information and Communications Technology sector have businesses in Ireland in addition to other major players in the market. Ireland has one of the largest Information and Communications Technology business hubs within the OECD.

Pat Howlin, first Vice-President and North America Director at IDA Ireland International Financial Services Centre – an Irish Business Centre located in the heart of Dublin

Is foreign investment still there despite the crisis? Yes, we are currently in a record period in Ireland despite the global recession. Foreign investment and employment are higher than they have been for ten years. Ireland achieved growth of 1.4% in 2011 and the companies tracked by our agency recorded their 3rd consecutive year of growth in employment in 2012. In terms of French investment, there are about thirty French companies in Ireland today.

What percentage of Irish exports comes from investments by foreign companies?Ireland benefits from a solid reputation for Information and Communications Technology and the IDA supports more than 200 companies that directly employ 38,500 people in this field. Foreign investment in Ireland amounts to ¤ 35 billion, which represents 22% of total exports and that figure is expected to increase even more.What are the advantages that encourage firms to invest in the field of Information and Communications Technology? First of all, I must stress the four key criteria that need to be met before investing in the field of Information and Communications Technology: the technological environment, the existence of qualified personnel, the economic environment and the competitive environment. Ireland meets all of those criteria. The labour force is young and highly qualified and there are pools of multilingual and multicultural talent. Foreign companies can exploit these advantages to grow and to go global. There are also, of course, notable tax advantages but they would be useless if the four criteria I have just talked about were not met. It is important to be aware of this. Can you talk to us about these tax advantages?Ireland offers a reduced tax environment for companies and has a simple and transparent approach to tax: there is a

The head of IDA Ireland’s Information and Communications Technology department, Pat Howlin, explained to us why his country has become a favourite destination for foreign investment.



single, non-negotiable tax rate of 12.5% for all companies. There is also a tax credit of 25% on return on investment in order to enable companies to develop new technologies and thus encourage innovation. Which has been your most successful investment project?There have been several of them! The Microsoft group, for example, has recently announced that they are investing an additional $130 million to extend their data centre near Dublin. There is also Digital Reality, which has bought 4,000 square metres of land to set up their data processing centre. These centres are multiplying at a phenomenal rate with currently 200,000 square metres under construction. Dublin has

one of the greatest concentrations of data centres in Europe, with up to 30 centres operational around the city. We are building a real “cloud ecosystem”...

www.idaireland.com

InterpretationOne of the keys to integration is knowing how to adapt to the country’s way of life, which is easier if the expatriates find there are advantages and benefits from doing so.

International Financial Services Centre - an Irish Business Centre located in the heart of Dublin

vocabulary

■ Foreign investmentInvestissement étranger

■ The labour forceLa main d’œuvre

■ To be aware ofAvoir conscience de

■ Tax rate Taux d’imposition


Intercultural Management The Orolia Success StoryPublic Relations Director for Orolia, a global specialist in critical GPS applications, Elodie Cally is currently teaching people about the stakes involved in Internal Communication and is the author of a book “How to Successfully Manage Press Relations using Web 2.0”.

Could you introduce the Orolia group to us? Created in October 2006, the Orolia Group was listed on the Paris Stock Exchange in July 2007 and in less than six years has achieved ten successive takeovers of companies or assets. Whilst they have widened our international presence, the various acquisitions will rapidly enable the Group to occupy a world leadership position in niche sectors such as maritime, defence, security, aerospace, aeronautical and telecommunications.How do you manage your teams?The men and women at Orolia are our competitive advantage. We seek out excellence in terms of people management in order to contribute to the overall growth of the company. This translates into an entrepreneurial culture interested in continuous improvement: international facing and open to change and diversity. Changes are looked on as opportunities for improvement or enrichment rather than as threats or limitations. We are also developing a culture open to dialogue and argument in order to foster innovation, involvement and efficiency.What is the official language and how many languages are spoken every day in your company’s environment?More than 85% of the group are engineers and managers. 3/4 of the employees in the group are based outside our borders and overall 1/4 are Swiss, 1/4 American

and 1/4 English. For a transnational group, working abroad means speaking the language of business and today that is English.Your group has its headquarters in France and is present in several countries across the world, notably in the United Kingdom. What is your location strategy?Through its external growth strategy, the group carried out three transactions in the United Kingdom with the acquisition of the assets of Sarbe, a company specializing in military distress beacons, Rapco Electronics and of McMurdo which is a worldwide name in the marine sector. In a globalized economy, where competition is international and intense, the success of such transactions depends a great deal on the good management of “multinational” teams.In your opinion, what are the main difficulties that can be encountered in intercultural management? Change brings fear! As Antoine Darima explains, “Individuals faced with change find themselves faced with information to be assimilated that is different from what they had access to previously. Their world changes, forcing them to accept different rules, norms, presuppositions. Now, psychology acknowledges that the adjustment of received ideas is more difficult than raw learning.” Before setting up an international action plan, you have to understand the strategic organization of the different units, to

Elodie Cally.



know what the relationships are between managers and their teams, and to take account of cultural differences. Once all these have been understood, change can be accompanied by language training, intercultural training or even inter-site meetings.This kind of initiative is vital when it has to do with bringing together teams who have to cooperate with each other within a transnational organization, who have to be capable of working remotely and who, de facto, are forced to leave their usual reference system and their “comfort zone” behind.Do you have any stories that highlight the intercultural differences which a company can face when its teams are located in various countries? Stories, and how! A French colleague recently confided in me that he had asked his English colleagues to stop organizing meetings between 11.30 and 12.30 UK time... so that he was to able to take a lunch break with his French colleagues.

Oh the good old French canteen! At midday in England, forget about the canteen... it is a sandwich in front of your PC brought from home or bought from one of the local supermarkets. Recently, another colleague contacted his Swiss counterpart, to ensure that an order had been received. The Swiss replied, “Your order went right on ahead.” What he meant was: “Your order has not been entered !”I would also like to mention that an internal group newsletter is planned for launch this year. One of its initiatives is to encourage our colleagues to talk about their own viewpoints and their own anecdotes on cultural differencesWe have also recently organized an internal photo contest on the topic of “multi-culturalism”, which is part of the group’s DNA. That contest was a great success and allowed us to get staff from all around the world involved for a relatively modest budget!

www.orolia.com

InterpretationThe concept of culture is not limited to the national culture. There are also trade cultures and corporate cultures. They all involve values, beliefs and standards or norms. Unlike national cultures that are mostly unchanging because they are based, amongst other things, upon historical values, corporate cultures can be changed. It requires the investment of time, careful thought, support and implementation and thus a budget. But equally it means that you can get everyone subscribed to a common viewpoint.

Engineer based at Guidel (56) - Photo taken as part of an internal photo competition

vocabulary

■ Company takeoversAcquisitions de sociétés

■ AssetsActifs

■ RemotelyA distance

■ CounterpartHomologue

Chri

stia

n B

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eSocialMediaThink Global to Act LocalSocial networks are an essential means of communication for companies. The London company eSocialMedia brings its expertise in social media to major international groups and to local companies.

In 2009, Colm Hannon witnessed the rise of social networks in the business world and so he left his native Ireland for the British capital. This future CEO foresaw that companies would need advice on using social networks and founded his own firm, eSocialMedia. “We help B2B companies in their communications with their clients or prospects by using social media”, he explained. Nowadays, eSocialMedia’s expertise is widely acknowledged and the company wishes to become the No 1 reference in web B2B communications. In order to achieve that goal the company uses various experts for training its staff. It also has more than 60 international social media partners. Colm Hannon explained why these partnerships are indispensable. “A lot of companies try to communicate abroad in the same way they do in their own country. That is destined to fail. The best strategy is to think global and to act local, by adapting to every market.” eSocialMedia helps companies with their web communication strategies on both a worldwide and a local scale. In the United Kingdom, just as in France, companies still need to be trained in using social media in their communications strategies.

“Our role here is to persuade all the stakeholders of the fundamental nature of social media in B2B nowadays. On the other hand, in the United States, the approach will be different since companies are generally one or two years ahead of the rest of us when it comes to making social media their own.” The United States is still at the cutting edge of the latest technology, of the innovations that eSocialMedia follows closely by keeping in contact with Silicon Valley. Colm Hannon does not rule out the possibility of opening an office in Paris. “It would be a marvellous experience. The key to success is adopting French culture and using a network of local contacts.”

Colm Hannon Managing Director of eSocialMedia.

vocabulary

■ To be acknowledgedEtre reconnu

■ StakeholdersParties prenantes

■ One or two years aheadUne ou deux années d’avance

■ To rule outExclure, écarter

InterpretationA mix of cultures encourages innovation which was recently identified by managers in international companies as one of the 5 necessary managerial skills (See DDI study, p.21). The notion of innovation includes recruiting local talent and the management of that talent at a corporate level. Sharing skills was referred to in several of these interviews and that is the famous expression: “Think global, Act local” at work.

www.esocialmedia.co.uk



Data Internationalization: How to Protect Yourself A barrister in Lille for 16 years, Blandine Poidevin is a specialist in new technologies law, Internet law and intellectual property law.

What are the various legal issues for Information and Communications Technology at an international level? When it comes to ICT, companies doing business abroad are often confronted by contract law, copyright, tax law, or personal data protection and storage problems. Do these issues also exist in Franco-British relationships?Yes, it is important to remember that these are two different legal systems, one based on Common Law and the other on civil law. This necessarily gives rise to certain legal and cultural divergences. What is more, in France we have a much wider acceptance of the protection of private life within a company than in the United Kingdom. What are legal consequences of the phenomenon of data internationalization?Data internationalization and the development of cloud computing have given rise to many questions about data storage. Each state has its own legislation and you have to comply with the legal framework of the country in which the data is received, processed and used. However, European territories have an EC directive that is intended to simplify the regulations for data storage in Europe. Let us take the

example of a French firm with a subsidiary in the United Kingdom. It has two options: either the company complies with French and British legislation in a very formal way, or the company decides to apply European law in its contractual relations with its subsidiary. It may then use Binding Corporate Rules (BCR), for example, which enables it to create its own legal framework for personal data. That framework must then be complied with in contractual relations with various subsidiaries in Europe. Data sharing can then take place more easily within the group.

What advice could you give to French companies with regard to data storage?First of all remain within the European Union, because difficulties arise when storage takes place outside that area. In Asia for example, the notion of data protection is very difficult to implement because the view of society is far more collective than individual. One must also be very vigilant because some players in cloud computing may warrant that storage takes place within the European territory. However, it is up to the user of the cloud to check where the data is stored. It is very important to think about the legal context beforehand, so as to be able to anticipate any problems that might arise and to protect contractual relations abroad.

www.jurisexpert.net

Blandine Poidevin.

vocabulary

■ StorageStockage

■ Subsidiary Filiale

■ Legal frameworkCadre juridique

■ To implementMettre en œuvre



Key Intercultural Factors

G lobalization lies at the heart of corporate growth, teams are scattered across the entire planet, communications

are becoming virtual and expatriation is becoming frequent. Whilst travel has often made people dream, intercultural communication can become a nightmare and can have serious consequences for the success of a project, a merger or an expatriation. In fact, people often feel the need to confront the differing viewpoints of those from other cultures and whilst such conflicts can help advance understanding, they can also lead to clashes and a lack of understanding.So what factors are at stake? How can you build upon those differences? According to F. Kluckhohn, culture is “the way a human group thinks, feels and reacts [...] and which represents its specific identity [...] The heart of a culture is formed of traditional ideas and the values that attach to it.”So culture is that group of values, beliefs and standards that are linked to history, education, and religion. All of these items are deep-rooted, and form part of our cultural DNA. This “original” culture cannot be changed. Those values and beliefs are present, even if invisible, both at an individual and a country level. They can only become visible in our behaviour. In intercultural relations, that is where our

China. At a corporate level, one of the articles refers to differences in project management. We are dealing with two different ways of working, but this does not mean that the two teams do not have the same goal – success. You therefore have to be able to distinguish between “observing” and “interpreting”. Here are five key items which are often “interpreted”, that is, seen through one’s own values and filters, and which can thus lead to misunderstandings and even to the failure of a project.1. The language barrier. This includes much more than just learning grammar and vocabulary. We need to know what to say, but also who to, when, how and why, whilst being aware of the possible reactions. This is the linguistic intercultural aspect. It is also important to note here that a great deal of culture shock occurs between countries that “apparently” speak the same language. Many American expatriates experience culture shock when they arrive in Great Britain. Yes, they all speak English, but the language is not the same, attitudes are different etc. The less the difference is expected, the greater the shock will be. 2. Non-verbal communication. Here again, avoid interpreting the attitudes of other people via your own standards and attitudes. Theirs are different, and non-verbal communication will be too.

Today, inter-culturalism lies at the heart of corporate concerns. The idea of inter-culturalism can mask many different factors and challenges. Being aware of this helps to convert intercultural issues into opportunities for growth.

Intercultural Insight

first challenge lies. We all have a tendency to think, consciously or unconsciously, that everyone reacts in the same way as we do. That is far from being the case, and results in different attitudes towards a single value. For example, respect is a value shared by many. However, respecting someone will not manifest itself in the same way in France and in


3. Stereotypes. We all want to put labels on people, and that can be reassuring. The danger is that you then want those labels to stick and you reject any other possibilities. 4. The tendency to judge using your own standards and values. There are no “good” and “bad” cultures.5. Stress. Interaction is getting faster and faster, and even virtual. Faced with the unknown and with no time to think, as is often the case with inter-cultural relations, there is a tendency to unconsciously take refuge in stereotypes and preconceptions. In order to minimize the consequences which could result, give yourself, and give your contacts, the benefit of the doubt. To conclude this initial point, to considerably improve intercultural skills you therefore have to follow three steps:1. Become aware of differences (no, we do not all react in the same way).2. Get to know yourself and the other person. 3. “Put it into practice” (review preconceived ideas, understand attitudes, build on the differences, etc.).Some interviewees have highlighted that recruiting local people, who perforce work differently, was a source of innovation and corporate success. This is a perfect link to point 3 above.Secondly, and after the “individual”, let us turn to groups and organizations. Hofstede was one of the first researchers

to define the factors of cultural differentiation and to sort them into five main dimensions. His analysis was based on a study made in the 1980s of IBM employees in close to 70 countries, and has been updated since then.■ Hierarchical Distance.The degree of cultural acceptance of inequality of status and power between individuals. ■ Controlling Uncertainty.The degree of tolerance that one culture may have faced with concern about future events.■ Individualism and Collectivism.Expresses the degree of freedom of an individual in relation to a group, and the degree of autonomy in relation to the group and to social norms. ■ The Male/Female Dimension.Shows if a society is more sensitive to emotional factors (feminine) or factual ones (masculine) and organized with a marked separation of the roles of the two sexes or otherwise.■ Short Term/Long Term Orientation.For example, the values associated with the short term are respect for traditions and meeting social obligations. Cultural dimensions were identified by country, and the differences between them can be enormous. France for example gets a high score for “risk avoidance”. In Great Britain the result is 2.5 times lower, and for them it is better to try something and get it wrong than not

to try at all. Another difference between these two countries is the importance given to status and the hierarchy, which is very high in France and less so in Great Britain.These cultural dimensions are not an absolute for all inhabitants in those countries – the stereotype is lurking! However, they reflect tendencies based on the culture and are not negligible during mergers and relocations.Lastly, culture is also to be found in professions and in companies.Amongst the differences in organizational culture, one is of particular interest, since the topic has appeared in several interviews: the degree of acceptance of a leadership style and a hierarchy. Imagine a very hierarchically oriented and authoritarian manager who has to manage a team that operates in a very “egalitarian” way. That manager should ask themself about the differences and adjust their attitude. The impact we have is as important as what we understand about each other.An initiative for cultural change in an organization demands major investment ■ thinking about it and implementing it demand time and outside support. However, this work is necessary in the case of mergers/acquisitions where the majority of failures are due to the attitude of “there is no alternative” imposed by the purchaser, who cannot see or manage the differences that exist.Finally, a recent study by DDI (Dimensions Development International) has contributed a vital element. To the following question: “What are the five skills needed for tomorrow’s global leaders?”, three skills were brought up almost unanimously:■ lnnovation.■ Developing talent.■ Supporting change.Being aware of different cultures, values and attitudes, and being able to adapt to local realities will enable us to work with other viewpoints, to cater for the differences, to help skills emerge and to build upon diversity.ChrIstIne BauDot

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How do You Assess the Effectiveness of Training?

The return on investment from training is most often little or badly assessed. It is nevertheless necessary to ensure that training has had the expected impact in terms of individual and collective performance. In order to do this, what the training promises must be expressed from the start in terms of operational benefits.

The Basis is Key Indicators The assessment must form part of the whole training process. In order to assess the efficiency of training, it is vital to have access to key indicators which will make it possible to monitor trainee attendance, progress and level of satisfaction.

The indicators must then be studied individually (for each trainee) and collectively (average results for all trainees).

Donald KIrKpatrICK devised a model to assess training efficiency. It is a 4-level model:■ level 1 - reactions:At the end of the training are the reactions positive? ■ level 2 - learning:Developing knowledge and skills. ■ level 3 - Behaviours/transfers:Use of the skills acquired in working situations.■ level 4 - organizational results:Impact of training on general performance.

Assessing the effectiveness of training is becoming a major issue for companies. In this article you will find a few simple rules that will help you to assess the efficiency of a training system.

It is necessary to be able to demonstrate the contribution that training makes to individual and collective performance. It is extremely important to plan training according to the company’s business so that it will produce the maximum operational effect.

Calculating the ROI of a Training SystemThis assessment model was later extended by Jack PHILLIPS, by adding a 5th level to enable the financial ROI of training to be calculated. The calculation is done using the following

A Teaching Aside

formula: roI = (Benefits / Costs)*100

The benefits of training (earnings and/or savings) may be calculated by converting the indicator values used in the 4 level assessments into monetary values. The deduction of the total training costs from the amount of the benefits will thus enable the return on financial investment for the training to be obtained.Finding out the profitability of training requires setting up an assessment system throughout the whole training process. In order to do so it is necessary for all the stakeholders to make a


We are a teaching systems company specializing in language and intercultural training.

The company was formed in 1992 after major work researching the structures of value systems. Our first assignment was helping French and British Eurotunnel teams to work together.

In 1998, Intercountry developed its first programmes “Languages, Business & CultureTM”, to meet the need for language training for the Auchan group’s managers, dispersed throughout the world. We thus devised our first mixed training system that combined two forms of learning: courses on CD-ROM developed by Intercountry and courses by telephone.

In 2001, Renault entrusted the training of 700 people to us. In order to be able to handle them whilst maintaining a high level of quality, we decided to develop our own LMS and our own online resources centre. We were thus one of the 1st providers to offer a combined training system that was fully integrated, combining e-learning and courses by telephone.

Since 2001, we have continuously improved our training system in association with our clients.

Today, we are one of the five foremost providers, in terms of turnover, in the distance learning language training market.

What sets us apart is: ■ Our capacity to help learners progress by one reference level for each 40 hours with a coach and 80 hours of e-learning, which gives an excellent ROI.■ An attendance rate of 93% over 100,000 hours of training carried out in 2012.■ A satisfaction rate of 95%.■ Our capacity to manage the entire training system for our clients from registration to evaluation and to enable them to monitor the progress of training sessions based on key indicators.

Key Figures■ 65 staff.■ € 2.2 m turnover in 2012.■ More than 100,000 hours of training given in 2012.■ People trained in 16 countries for two years.

Our Awards■ Deloitte In 2010 and 2011, Intercountry took part in FAST 500 organized by Deloitte. We feature as one of the 500 companies in Europe, Africa and the Middle East that has shown the strongest growth in turnover over five years.■ Expolangues Intercountry has won the 1st prize for teaching innovation 3 times at the Expolangues exhibition in Paris. The prize is awarded by a European jury.

A Teaching Aside

long-term commitment and not lose sight of the issue of training return on investment.

Peculiarities of Language Training: Alternatives to Calculating ROI The system assessment depends on the nature of the training and does not automatically require the use of all the levels of the model set out above. As regards language training, levels 1, 2 and 3 are sufficient to have a good indication of ROI. To go some way further, however, there is an alternative to ROI calculations in the field of language training. Here the cost of progress is calculated compared with the European Languages reference benchmark called CECRL* , which has 6 levels.

since learning a language is a complex process, we estimate that a minimum of 120 hours of training are needed to progress one level on the european reference Framework.

Based on this hypothesis, the formula for calculating the cost of progress for each reference framework level is as follows:

Cost of progressing by one level in the european reference Framework = hourly training cost x 120 hoursthe InterCountry teaM* Common European Framework of Reference for Languages P

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