Cultural exchanges serve a variety of purpose. When one culture & # 39; s may be used to bridge political dividends, increase the understanding of another nation, or providing an export market for products and services. be mistrust and resentment when it is exported to other parts of the world.
In the United States, the making of films, Los Angeles is a factory town that produces films, television shows, and musical records in the same way that Gary, Indiana produces steel and refines oil. Nowhere is this cultural divide more interested than the consideration of cinema in the United States and France.
The French view of American cinema is well expressed by film producer Marin Karmitz. Karmitz has stated that, "US movie industry is big business, but behind the industrial aspect, there is also an ideological one. ; s images, and so sell a certain lifestyle, a certain culture, certain products, and certain ideas "(Francesco 441). Is French culture threatened by the importance of American films and entertainment? A closer examination of the two competing cultures, and the role of the cinema in each, is important in finding the answer.
American and French Cinema
The Role of the Cinema in France
The Battle of France and the resulting German victory in 1940 led to an era of intense internal examination of French culture as a means of finding an answer, and fixing blame, for the defeat. film "Le Grande Illusion" (which was banned by the French Government in 1939). Jean Renior & # 39; s film was one of the most popular French films of the interwar years and was the culmination of a series of anti-war films that began with Gance & # 39; s "J & # 39; Accuse" in 1919. The "Grand Illusion" is that war solves anything (Jackson 148). After the defeat, this movie, along with novels by Proust and Cocteau, were blamed For creating a pacifist culture in France. Marin Karmitz 's comments about the power of film quoted above, therefore, are well grounded in French history and culture.
The Motion Picture Industry in America
While "Slaughterhouse Five" and "One Flew over the" (Francesco 442). Most American films are produced purely for entertainment value and, at the same time, do well financially both in the US and abroad .
Contrasting French and American Culture
As stated in the text, "organizational and national cultures influence organizational behavior" (Francesco 13). Understanding of the varying views of the entertainment industry between the United States and France can only be reached at an examination of their cultures.
Hofstede & # 39; s Dimensions of Cultural Values
Based on his analysis of over 100,000 IBM employees across the world, Hofstede determined that there are dimensions to explain different cultures: individualism / collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and masculine feminine.
Individualism / Collectivism
This individuals societies, people are more concerned with themselves and their families than with others. This holds true even when individuals are part of a team.
The holds in the former Soviet Union and its satellites despite their conversations in the society is that individuals will subordinate their goals for the good of the group.
Under Hofstede 's analysis, both the United States and France are individualist societies. Individual initiative is important and rewarded. by their lead players and producers.
Power Distance
Power distance is defined as the level to which less powerful members of an organization accept that power is unevenly distributed.
These distinctions may be based on economic wealth, education, or organizational ranking. It is considered positive behavior for someone in a high-level position to treat someone at a lower level as an equal. Organizations in small power distance societies tend to have more participation at all levels in the decision making process.
While society, an individual 's society, or individual' s person. The person is in the higher organizational or societal position treat others with respect, the differences in rank are clear and never Fully forgotten. In large power societies, decisions are made by leaders with little or no input from those below them on the hierarchical ladder. Delegation of decision - making is rarely done.
While the cartoon. "Two bemused French peasants are being told by an intellectual: & # 39; How can you be surprised [about the defeat?] You gorged yourselves on the works of Proust, Gide, and Cocteau. All these writers shared in common the fact that they are homosexual "(Jackson 4). Not only this cartoon portray the ideals of the elites, it also points out again the importance of the arts in swaying French public opinion.
Several years ago, Sperry Rand Corporation ran advertising campaign based on the idea of listening. In its advertisements, it illustrated The message Sperry Rand tried to convey was that its executives were open to ideas regardless of their source.
Uncertainty Avoidance
Uncertainty avoidance defines the preferred amount of structure in a society. This structure may involve civil laws or strict conduct of behavior at the one extreme, and the acceptance of a wide range of behaviors at the other.
The risk avoidance behavior found in these cultures can lead to a dearth of new commercial ventures and a desire among managers to the same organization for a long period of time.
In contrast, weak uncertainty avoidance societies favor unstructured situations, strong feelings of personal confidence, and entrepreneurial behavior.
In a society where experts and intellectuals are respected because of their social rank , high value is placed on the arts and the protection of native culture.
The entrepreneurial nature of the American movie industry is underscored by two facts. The first is that early movie pioneers in California did not move to the West Coast for its abundance of sunshine, but to Secondary, many of California 's early studios were founded by Jewish businessmen from the East Coast, who because of prejudice , were blocked from pursuing traditional carers in banking and big business.
Masculine / Feminine
In masculine society, success, assertiveness, and competition are rewarded. Hofstede defines American society as masculine and French society as femininity.There are several ways to view At the same time, American studios were founded by risk makers who were rewarded financially for their efforts .
As "Le Grande Illusion" opportunity, French films are often overtly political in nature.
Conclusion
Hofstede & # 39; s Dimensions of Cultural Values offer a framework with which to explore these differences. In contrast, American society is characterized by individualistic, small power distance, weak uncertainty avoidant, and masculine.
When viewing the lens of culture, it is not difficult to understand how the French populace feels threatened by the American entertainment industry. Le French culture is so closely tied to the arts and influenced by it, as the movie "Le Grande Illusion" Opinion , the average French citizen may rightly feel threatened by the influential of values structure, uncertainty avoidance, and care for others, the often violent, high action American cinema productions may cause anxiety, fear, and At the same time, French citizens should question the impact this type of entertainment will have on their society and be wary of the threat it possesses to their culture.
Works Cited
Francesco, Anne Marie and Barry Allen Gold. International Organizational Behavior. 1998. Prentice-Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ. Jackson, Julian. The Fall of France, The Nazi Invasion of 1940. 2003. Oxford University Press: New York.
