Digitalisierung im Vertrieb
(2023)
This paper explores the influence of French cultural standards and dimensions on the corporate culture, the management style and the international development of the French petroleum company Total by using empirical methods. Due to its important degree of internationalisation, Total projects a considerably internationalised outward appearance, in which French national cultural influences are hardly recognisable. On the other hand, the internal processes and structures of the company are significantly more influenced by French cultural characteristics and standards. Qualitative individual interviews of employees from the middle management of Total provide the basis for the empirical examination. The results of these interviews confirm the findings of analytical studies, complement them with broader views and provide clear indications for the influence of national culture on the type of communication, hierarchical structure, as well as work organisation and decision making processes within the company.