Postcards from the Edge of Global Research — Focusing on France, Part 3

Here, in the conclusion of our three-part (see part 1, part 2,) interview with Caroline Baker from EMRA, we explore the traditional dynamic between women and men in France. In case you missed Part 1 and/or Part 2, Caroline is a highly regarded moderator and researcher originally from the U.K.

Do you find that as a moderator you need to make any adjustments depending on region or culture?

Not particularly. There are obviously differences in accents. In the south, let’s say Marseille, that accent is quite different from Paris. And of course the climate is different — Marseille is on the coast of the Mediterranean — so that might influence what people eat or what leisure activities people have. But generally, no.

One thing that has come out in recent news related to France is the whole Dominique Strauss-Kahn incident, which has been played up greatly here in the U.S. While I know the French of course have a reputation for romance, I was actually shocked to learn there was more of a penchant for sexual harassment in everyday business settings than I was aware of. Any perspectives on this?

It is interesting, because the whole “DSK” affair, as we say here — well, it’s been so fascinating to see the way people react. It’s true now that in France, it has finally provoked a discourse about the problem of a chauvinistic society and men’s behaviour. And what is now being said more openly by women is, “Yes, I’ve been in a situation in France, whereby men in the workplace behave in an offensive and a harassing manner” … and a lot of women suffer from it! At it’s worst extreme, it can be an offense akin to rape and at it’s least extreme, it can just be a sexist remark. But some men here just can’t seem to stop themselves from making a comment on the size of your backside or your breasts — they just can’t forget for more than five seconds at a time that you’re a female. And I think this is still very widespread in France. They like to say they’re “Mediterranean,” in other words, southern Europeans and “Latin lovers,” as if it’s acceptable to behave in that manner in the workplace. So yes, I do think the Frenchmen can be extremely sexist, but fortunately, they’re not all quite as bad as Strauss-Kahn. They can also be extremely courteous — which is not a characteristic I necessarily associate with English or American men!

You conduct quite a lot of all-male B2B focus groups in IT in particular. In fact, that was the case for the projects you and I have worked on together. Have you ever experienced a negative situation there — or are men in focus groups too intimidated because they know there are people behind the glass and they’re being video-taped?

[Laughter] No, I’ve never had that problem when I’ve been moderating.

But there is in France — certainly more than England (which is a more Puritan kind of society) — this idea that I’m a man and you are a woman, which is at it’s nicest a very tiny little undercurrent of flirtiness you have to acknowledge. You have to give it a little smile. I’ve often found that French men like to be charming — they like my accent (which unfortunately I still have, even after all this time in France!) and I’m often given little compliments on my French. They’re not trying to pick me up or seduce me. It’s just a kind of repartee or banter. It happens less in focus groups, because, as you say, they’re in a more formal situation.

But France is still quite a macho country and women get paid less than men for doing exactly the same job. And women can be hired or fired basically because they are attractive or not.

While it varies from country to country certainly, the status of women in business and in society seems to be a somewhat universal problem. We’ll have to fix that! This has been a lovely interview and I thank you for your insights and candor. Keep us posted on your new book.

I look forward to our next study together!

Me, too. Thanks, Caroline.

 “Postcards from the Edge of Global Research” is a series of blog posts from Sylver Consulting about the challenges and rewards of orchestrating global and multi-cultural research. Next up in the series – “Interpreting the Arab World,” an interview with Dima Anbari of Tanweer MENA in the United Arab Emirates.

 

 

Categories: Cross Cultural Research, Market research