Projet sur les entrepreneurs français de Philadelphie

Introduction
You are going to select one "entrepreneur" from the list below. These are business people from France or from another French-speaking country (Belgium, Quebec) who started a business of their own in the Philadelphia area.

Objectives
The aim of this exercise is to provide you with an opportunity to communicate in French, in an authentic business context. You will interview the entrepreneur of your choice according to the guidelines below.

Your written report should be accompanied by some illustrations and will be published on this French for Business site.

Activity
Interview and written report due:week after spring break

  1. oral report (5 min) in French, in class (Tuesday 18 March)
  2. with overheads and documentation.

Call and arrange a visit

  • Follow politeness guidelines on the telephone:
    (see section on "Phrases-clé" au téléphone)
  • Call first and introduce yourself in French.
    Explain the purpose of your call (in French).
  • Explain the purpose of the activity (project will also give visiblity: report will be placed on U.Penn homepage and given to the Franco-American Chamber of Commerce of Philadelphia)
  • Set up a visit and interview the person
      

 Guidelines/Lignes directives.

  1. Nom et fonction de la personne interrogée?
  2. Nom de l'entreprise/de la société? Statut juridique ici aux USA?
  3. Secteur d'activité principale?
    ex. De quel type d'entreprise s'agit - il? Service? Fabrication? Produit?
  4. Histoire de l'entreprise? Organisation?
    ex. Depuis quand est-elle installée aux USA? Combien y-a-t-il d'employés?
    (Cadres? Autres?)
  5. Pourquoi Philadelphie?
  6. Fournisseurs?
  7. Distribution?
  8. Clientèle?
  9. Remarques sur les différences interculturelles (France-USA)
  10. Contacts avec l'étranger (expliquer?)
  11. Publicité; site internet?
  12. Remercier bien poliment
  13. IMPORTANT: Demander une carte de visite et un court document publicitaire (à scanner! voir modèle ci -dessous)

Liste d'entreprises (non-exhaustive)

Rappel: vocabulaire

Les PME ont un directeur; les G.E ont un PDG. Le directeur peut être le patron (owner) ou le gérant (manager) et il gère l'entreprise.

Modèle:voir site French for business at the University of Texas, project 1