Abstract
The purpose of this article is to explore the tension between the push for homogenization through the globalization of business and the heterogeneity of national economies. Two tiers of economic functioning are hypothesized and an attempt to identify them in the French and U.S. economies is made. It is also hypothesized that the French economy is experiencing more stress, because of the difference between its national brand of capitalism and the Neo-American values of global business. A review of comparable, national labor statistics available revealed that, in the short term, the French workers seemed to be in better condition than the U.S. workers. However, France's high unemployment rate, particularly among the more educated, and lack of involvement in the "new economy" industries may be signs of the tension hypothesized here. Limitations of the data available and ideas for future research in this area are discussed.