Les stratégies d'influence dans les situations de travail en chine et en France

This study aimed to show the impact of social position, category and culture on strategies of influence in a managerial context. Although cultural norms in a society can lead to preferences for certain types of behaviour, status and organizational culture are also determinants in interpersonal relations. To demonstrate this phenomenon, a questionnaire was presented to middle managers belonging to different cultures Chinese/French) and working in different sectors of activity (finance/industry). The participants were asked to evaluate strategies for dealing with situations in which a manager asks the target (of superior, equal or inferior status) to carry out a task. The results reveal some cultural similarities: there is relative consensus between Chinese and French managers on the strategies to adopt according to the status of the target. However, differences were also identified: in China there is more focus on relations with greater flexibility concerning social position. It appears therefore that certain values are necessary to participate in the phenomenon of globalisation, but these values seem to be negotiable, if not entirely negotiated, according to the culture.