German-style management: a little-known asset?

Summary In the lively debate that has been going on for some years about the differences between the French and German economies, one idea that is frequently raised is that of a "German model" that would be more efficient overall than its French counterpart. On this point, most of the discussion focuses on the structural and macroeconomic characteristics of each of the two countries. In France, the emphasis is rather on the support that the public authorities can provide to companies (tax or social protection system, labor costs, support to specific sectors, etc.), whereas on the other side of the Rhine, this dimension is relatively secondary. Strangely, one aspect is often neglected, or even completely forgotten: management. Nevertheless, it is in the day-to-day work of companies, large and small, that this "German model" is implemented, its success depending a lot on the way projects and teams are managed. This article is therefore interested in some of the characteristic features of German-style management, and in the differences it presents with French-style management. The objective is to complete the analysis and the understanding of the "German model" by a micro-economic perspective, referring more to concrete practices within companies than to the great macro-economic debates.