THERE is a lull before the renewed storm in the battle for Alstom, a French group whose turbines power generators around the world and whose high-speed trains sprint across the countryside. Too small to compete in a tough global market, Alstom had all but agreed to sell its energy operations to General Electric, an American conglomerate with complementary interests. Fearing a loss of jobs, France’s government encouraged Siemens, a German firm, to take a different tack, offering to swap its transport activities for Alstom’s energy operations and turning the rivals into a pair of European champions. Siemens says it may see its way to making a firm offer by June 16th. Meanwhile GE is in and out of the Elysee palace, chatting with President Franois Hollande and his aides, improving its offer in the light of their concerns and, it seems, winning supporters.

All this says something about how France operates and how foreign firms must adapt to it. Political support for the acquisition is important, for Alstom is seen as one of France’s industrial crown jewels. Even if the government hesitates to invoke the powers it conferred on itself in May to block such a deal in defence of its strategic interests, the public sector is still Alstom’s main customer in France. So communication and building trust are vital.

GE understands the importance of soft power. It should: it has been in France for more than 40 years, and its joint venture with France’s Safran making jet engines has worked smoothly for almost as long.

Accompanying Jeffrey Immelt, GE’s boss, on his rounds in Paris is Clara Gaymard, an author and mother of nine with a quick wit, several languages and the fattest address book in town. The president of GE in France since 2006, she does not make big operational decisions. But as ambassador for the firm she is important, for she brings to the job her membership of three networks.(Economist)

翻译：

这是阿尔斯通争夺战的风暴卷土重来前的宁静。阿尔斯通作为一家法国集团，它的涡轮机组为全球的发电机提供电力，而它生产的高铁也疾驰在乡间。在残酷的全球市场下太过于微不足道，阿尔斯通除了把它的能源运营部分出售给美国综合性集团通用电气之外别无选择。担心失业，法国政府鼓励德国企业西门子采取一项不同的措施—提出用西门子的交通活动来交换阿尔斯通的能源经营部分以此将对手分成一对欧洲的盟友。西门子称其会在6月16号根据具体情况发出实盘。同时通用电气也在积极与爱丽舍宫方面联系，通过与法国总统奥朗德以及其助手沟通,根据他们关心的方面进行发盘的改进，这好像是在赢取支持者。

这些都反映了法国是如何运作的并且国外企业必须适应这样的情况。收购的政治支持是非常重要的，因为阿尔斯通被视作法国工业桂冠上的明珠之一。即使政府犹豫五月份调用它的自己授予的能量阻止交易以保护它的战略性利益，在法国国营部门经济仍然是阿尔斯通的主要客户。因此沟通和信任的构建是至关重要的。

通用电气理解软实力的重要性。它应该了解：它已经在法国经营了超过40年，它和法国的赛峰集团的联合风投使得飞机引擎产业平稳运行了很多年。

在其巴黎行程中陪伴着通用电气老总杰弗瑞·伊梅尔特的是克拉拉·盖马尔，她是一名作者同时也是九岁孩子的母亲，有急智、掌握多门语言、并且十分了解当地情况。自06年起担任法国通用总裁，她并没有做大的运营决定。但是作为这家公司的大使，她是很重要的，因为她为这项工作带来她的三个关系网络。