ChapterSevenCross-culturalNegotiation
Pre-classDiscussionTherearetwocommonbeliefsaboutcross-culturalbusinessnegotiations:First,dealinginonecountryistotallydifferentfromdealinginanyothercountry.So,globalnegotiationsarelikelytobecompletelydifferentfromdomestictransactions.Second,negotiatingglobaldealsarethesameasnegotiatingdomesticbusinessdeals.They’reallbusinesstransactions.
CONTENTS7.1LanguageandCommunication7.2UnderstandingCulturalDifferences7.3NegotiationamongCultures7.4CulturalConflictManagement
LanguageCommunicationVerbalAspectsofNegotiationNonverbalAspectsofNegotiation
VerbalAspectsofNegotiationWhenpeoplefromdifferentculturescommunicate,culture-specificfactorsaffecthowtheyencodeanddecodetheirmessages.Thesamewordscanmeandifferentthingstopeoplefromdifferentcultures,evenwhentheytalkthe“same”language.E.g.“Tablingaproposal”U.S.wantstodelayadecisionBritishcounterpartsthinkimmediateactionistobetaken.
VerbalAspectsofNegotiationWhennegotiationisundertakenbypeoplewhosecommonlanguageisnotthemothertongueofoneormoreparties,themostsensiblethingtodoisaskquestionsconstantlythroughouttheprocessthatarelikelytoyieldclarifyinganswers.Negotiationsonlysucceediftheparties“buyinto”theagreementandaretrulywillingtofulfillthebargaintheyhavemade.
GuidelinesforConversingwithPeoplefromAnotherCultureAvoiddiscussingpoliticsorreligionunlesstheotherpersoninitiatesthediscussion.Avoidhighlypersonalquestions.Avoidanyactions–evensubtleones–thatcouldbeperceivedtomeanyoubelieveyourculturedoesthingsbetterthananother.Keepyourcommunicationsimpleandstraightforward.Avoidslang,jargon,figurativeexpressions.
GuidelinesforConversingwithPeoplefromAnotherCultureEnunciatewordscarefullyandspeaksomewhatmoreslowlywhencommunicatingwiththosewhospeakEnglishas