Research Project

Karson Rackers

May 28, 2017

Research Paper

Week 4

Part I

1. What was the total value of U.S. imports from this country in the most recent year available? Of U.S. exports to this country?

Answer:

U.S. Imports- $38.1 billion

U.S. Exports – $39.1 billion

Source: "France." OEC - France (FRA) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2017.

1. Top 3 imports for this country

Answers: Cars ($29.6 billion), Crude Petroleum ($19.9 billion), Petroleum Gas ($18.6 billion)

Source: "France." OEC - France (FRA) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2017.

1. Top 3 exports for this country

Answer: Planes, Helicopters, and/or Spacecraft ($51B), Packaged Medicaments ($24.3B), and Cars ($21.2)

Source: "France." OEC - France (FRA) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2017.

1. Corporate tax rate

Answer: standard rate of 33.33%

Source: "France - Taxes on Corporate Income." PWC. N.p., 06 Mar. 2017. Web. 19 May 2017.

1. GDP

Answer: $2.42 Trillion

Source: "France." OEC - France (FRA) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2017.

1. Per capita income? 

Answer: 41702.40

Source: "France GDP per capita 1960-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast." France GDP per capita | 1960-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2017.

1. Low context or high context

Answer: High Context

Source: "Cultural Differences - High Context verses Low Context." The Articulate CEO. N.p., 21 Aug. 11. Web. 27 May 2017.

1. Average years of schooling of adults (male and female)

Answer: 7.9 years

Source: "France Education Stats." NationMaster.com. NationMaster, n.d. Web. 27 May 2017

1. % of population below poverty line

Answer: 8.1%

Source: "Contact CIA." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 27 May 2017.

1. Rate of population growth

Answer: 0.5%

Source: "Population growth rate." Google. Google, n.d. Web. 27 May 2017.

1. Life expectancy (male and female)

Answer: 82.37 years

Source: "Life expectancy at birth, total (years)." Life expectancy at birth, total (years) | Data. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2017.

1. Retirement Age (required or not and age when required or average age of retirement—specify which it is in the paper)

Answer: 67

Source: "Retiring in France." Retiring in France ; Practical Life ; pension system ; US retirees in France. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2017.

1. Individual tax rate

Answer: 50.30%

Source: "France Personal Income Tax Rate  1995-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar." France Personal Income Tax Rate | 1995-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2017.

1. Current Inflation rate

Answer: 0.61%

Source: Media, Triami. "Historic inflation France - CPI inflation." Historic inflation France – historic CPI inflation France. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2017.

1. World Bank rank on ease of doing business

Answer: 29

Source: "Doing Business." Doing Business in France - World Bank Group. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2017.

1. Most recent unemployment level

Answer: 9.6%

Source: "France Unemployment Rate  1996-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast." N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2017.

1. Cell phone usage

Answer: 61%

Source: "Mobile Usage Rises in France." EMarketer. N.p., 03 Dec. 2015. Web. 27 May 2017.

1. Internet usage per 1000 people

Answer: 825.96

Source: "All countries compared for Media > Internet > Internet users per thousand people." NationMaster.com. NationMaster, n.d. Web. 27 May 2017.

1. average # of vacation days per year

Answer: 30 days

Source: Alex, and Er E. M. Hess, 24/7 Wall St. "On holiday: Countries with the most vacation days." USA Today. Gannett Satellite Information Network, 08 June 2013. Web. 27 May 2017.

1. average # of leave (leave, sick, maternity/paternity) days per year

Answer:  10 weeks of vacation,

Source: Nardelli, Alberto. "The French take more holidays and work less – but does it matter?" The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 05 June 2015. Web. 27 May 2017.

1. Hofstede uncertainty score vs. U.S. explain meaning

Answer: France has an uncertainty score of 86, in comparison to the United States score of 46 shows that the United States has proven that they do a better job with dealing with the unknown of the future (Geert Hofstede). A high uncertainty score means that France is a country that avoids or unaccepting of the ever changing world, but that also means they are constantly trying to keep the environment the way it currently is. France is constantly trying to develop new technologies for a stable environment for the future. In contrast the United States has a low score meaning that they are open to changes and the unknown of what might happen. The United States Constitution allows for the unknown and easily adapts to such happenings.

Source: "Geert Hofstede." The Hofstede Centre. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2017.

1. Hofstede power distance score vs. U.S explain meaning

Answer: France has a high power distance score, 68, that goes hand in hand with a high uncertainty score (Geert Hofstede). The United States has a power distance score of 40 which also goes with the lower uncertainty score as well (Geert Hofstede). Having a higher power distance means that France has a larger gap and is unevenly spread among individuals in French society. For example children are raised dependent on their parents, teachers, and/or anyone in authority. The gap between the children and authority figures are clearly defined and separate. Members of these groups accept the unequal gap as well. In the United States everyone is considered their own individual, which means they are unequal and cannot be influenced by others. The United States having a low score and France having a higher score shows a difference in a 28 points. The United States sees each person as an individual that has the ability to change government decisions but there as gap between the government and the individual’s decisions or want to change the government. On the other side, France knows that there is a gap between the government and the people and push for the authority distance much more so than those in the United States.