The importance of the culture factors in business negotiation 文化因素在商務(wù)談判中的重要性

1、Theimportanceoftheculturefactorsinbusinessnegotiation文化因素在商務(wù)談判中的重要性【摘要】隨著經(jīng)濟(jì)全球化的趨勢、國際商務(wù)活動(dòng)的日益頻繁，越來越顯示出對多元文化理解的必要性和跨文化談判能力的重要性。商務(wù)談判中的文化因素引起了人們越來越多的關(guān)注。無庸置疑，在跨文化的商務(wù)談判中，除了基本的談判技巧、理解不同地區(qū)的文化因素、認(rèn)識文化差異外，還要采取相應(yīng)的策略和不斷調(diào)整自己的談判風(fēng)格，這樣將對成功的商務(wù)談判起到至關(guān)重要的作用?！娟P(guān)鍵詞】文化因素商務(wù)談判IntroductionWiththeemergenceofeconomicglobalization

2、andChinasentryintoWTO,internationalbusinessbecomesincreasinglyintercultural.Asinternationalbusinessrelationsgrow,sodoesthefrequencyofbusinessnegotiationsamongpeoplefromdifferentcountriesandculturesthatcancreateconsiderablechallengesforbusinessrepresentativesunfamiliarwiththeculturesofdifferentgroups

3、.Sotheinterculturalapproachtointernationalbusinessnegotiationhasattractedincreasingacademicattention.Negotiationscaneasilybreakdownbecauseofalackofunderstandingoftheculturalcomponentinthenegotiationprocess.Therefore,tothesuccessfulnegotiations,thetwosidesmustfirstunderstandtheculturaldifferences.Neg

4、otiatorswhotakethetimetounderstandtheapproachthattheotherpartiesarelikelytouseandtoadapttheirownstylestothatonearelikelytobemoreeffectivenegotiators.Thusinaninterculturalnegotiation,inadditiontothebasicnegotiationskills,itisimportanttounderstandtheculturaldifferences,andtomodifythenegotiationstyleac

5、cordingly.Thispaperfocusonthefourdimensionsofcultureanddifferentnegotiatingstylestoillustratetheimportanceoftheculturefactorsinbusinessnegotiation.NegotiationandCultureTheverydefinitionofnegotiation,initsmodernsense,canvaryfromculturetoculture.Whatanegotiationisdesignedtoaccomplishisseendifferentlyb

6、ydifferentgroupsofpeople.Beforeoneevencomestothetable,suchdifferencesinthemeaningorpurposeofthenegotiationaffectthenegotiation,ashowonedefinestheprocessofnegotiatingisculturallydetermined.Someculturesseeitonlyasanopportunitytobargain,othersastheestablishmentofalifetimerelationshipthatgoesbeyondtheoc

7、casionalmeeting,stillothersasanopportunitytodemonstratetheircapacityforeloquenceanddebate.Somedonotseenegotiationasaprocessatall.Forinstance,AmericansandEuropeanstendtoseenegotiationsasacompetitiveprocess;theChineseandtheJapaneseseeitasacollaborativeendeavor.Sotherearemanymorechallengesinanintercult

8、uralenvironmentthaninamono-culturalsetting.Interculturalnegotiationsarenegotiationwherethenegotiatingpartiesbelongtodifferentculturesanddonotsharethesamewaysofthinking,feeling,andbehavior.Thenegotiationprocessisgenerallymorecomplexbecauseculturalnormsmayundermineeffectivecommunication.SomeCultureFac

9、torsinBusinessNegotiationLanguagegoesbeyondthespokenword,encompassingnonverbalactionsandbehaviorsthatrevealhiddencluestoculture.Inthenegotiationprocess,interpersonalcommunicationisthekeyactivitythattakesplaceattheverbal,nonverbal,situationalcontextuallevel,andatotalcommunicationsystemcanassisttheneg

10、otiatortobridgethegapbetweenutteranceandfeltmeaning.Threekeytopics-time,space,bodylanguage-offerastartingpointfromwhichnegotiatorscanbegintoacquiretheunderstandingnecessarytodobusinessinforeigncountries.TimeTwodifferentorientationstotimeexistacrosstheworld:monochromicandpolychromic.Monochromicapproa

11、chestotimearelinear,sequentialandinvolvefocusingononethingatatime.TheseapproachesaremostcommonintheEuropean-influencedculturesoftheUnitedStates,Germany,Switzerland,andtheScandinavia.Japanesepeoplealsotendtowardthisendofthetimecontinuum.Polychromicorientationstotimeinvolveworkingonseveralactivitiessi

12、multaneously.Thetimeittakestocompleteaninteractioniselastic,andmoreimportantthananyschedule.ThisorientationismostcommoninMediterraneanandLatinculturesincludingFrance,Italy,Greece,andMexico,aswellassomeEasternandAfricancultures.Spaceorientationsdifferacrosscultures.Theyhavetodowithterritory,divisions

13、betweenprivateandpublic,comfortablepersonaldistance,comfortorlackofcomfortwithphysicaltouchandcontact,andexpectationsaboutwhereandhowcontactwilltakeplace.Forexample,anAmericanetiquettemanualadvisesthisaboutpersonalspace:“Whenyoumeetsomeone,dontstandtooclose.Anuncomfortableclosenessisveryannoyingtoth

14、eotherperson,sokeepyourphysicaldistance,orhellhavetokeepbackingofffromyou.Aminimumoftwofeetawayfromtheotherpersonwilldoit.”Therearelargedifferencesinspatialpreferencesaccordingtogender,age,generation,socioeconomicclass,andcontext.Thesedifferencesvarybygroup,butshouldbeconsideredinanyexplorationofspa

15、ceasavariableinnegotiations.BodyLanguageBodyLanguagecanbetellingasitcanhelponedeterminetheexactmeaningofwhattheothersideissayingandalsocanhelpyougetyourownmessageacross.Likesanddislikes,tensions,andassessinganargumentareshownbynumeroussignssuchasblushing,contractionoffacialmuscles,giggling,strainedl

16、aughterorsimplysilence.Whereverapartynegotiates,thenegotiatormustwatchandobservetheotherparty.Peoplewillseated,leanforwardiftheylikewhatyouaresayingorareinterestedinlistening.Theysitbackwithcrossedarmsiftheydonotlikethemessage.Nervousnesscanmanifestitselfthroughnonverbalbehavior,andblinkingcanberela

17、tedtofeelingofguiltorfear.FourDimensionsofCultureAnyanalysisofcultureisincompletewithoutthebasicrecognitionofculturaldifferences.Ithasbeenarguedthatdifferencesamongculturescanbeexplainedaccordingtofourdimensionsofculture.Individualism-CollectivismInindividualisticculturesthefocusofonesbehaviorcanbeu

18、nashamedlyself-centered.Theindividualcanmakeobjections,statehisfeelingsandbeopenlyjudgmental.Successorfailureislefttotheindividualanddoesnotcausethesamedegreeofshameamongthegroup.Inindividualisticcultures,peopletendtoputtasksbeforerelationshipsandtovalueindependencehighly.Peopleintheseculturesareexp

19、ectedtotakecareofthemselvesandtovaluetheneedsoftheindividualoverthoseofthegroups,community,orsociety.Individualisticculturespreferlinearlogicandtendtovalueopenconflict.Membersfromindividualisticsocietiesexpecttheothersidesnegotiatorstohavetheabilitytomakedecisionsunilaterally.Collectivistnegotiators

20、tendtoassumethatdetailscanbeworkedoutifthenegotiatorscanagreeongeneralities.Collectivistsocietiesshowmoreconcernfortheneedsoftheotherpartyandfocusmoreongroupgoalsthanindividualisticsocieties.Membersofcollectivistsocietieschafewhenmembersfromindividualisticsocietiespromotetheirownpositionsandideasdur

21、ingnegotiations.PowerDifferentialTheideaofpowerdifferentialdescribesthedegreeofdeferenceandacceptanceofunequalpowerbetweenpeople.Cultureswherethereisacomfortwithhighpowerdifferentialarethosewheresomepeopleareconsideredsuperiortoothersbecauseoftheirsocialstatus,gender,race,age,education,birthright,pe

22、rsonalachievements,familybackgroundorotherfactors.Cultureswithlowpowerdifferentialtendtoassumeequalityamongpeople,andfocusmoreonearnedstatusthanascribedstatus.Generallyspeaking,themoreunequallywealthisdistributed,thebiggerwillbethepowerdifferentialinanynationalsetting.Nationalcultureswithahighpowerd

23、ifferentialincludeArabiancountries,Malaysia,thePhilippines,Mexico,Indonesia,andIndia.Negotiatorsfromthesecountriestendtobecomfortablewith:hierarchicalstructures;clearauthorityfigures;therighttousepowerwithdiscretion.CountrieswithalowpowerdifferentialincludeU.S.,Austria,Denmark,Israel,NewZealand,Irel

24、and,Sweden,Norway,Finland,Switzerland,Britain,andGermany.Negotiatorsfromthesecountriestendtobecomfortablewith：democraticstructuresandflatorganizationalhierarchies;sharedauthority;therighttousepoweronlyinlimitedcircumstancesandforlegitimatepurposes.Theideaofuncertaintyavoidancehastodowiththewaycultur

25、esrelatetouncertaintyandambiguity,and,howwelltheymayadapttochanges.Ingeneral,countriesthatshowthemostdiscomfortwithambiguityanduncertaintyincludeMuslimcountriesandtraditionalAfricancountries,wherehighvalueisplacedonconformityandsafety,riskavoidance,andrelianceonformalrulesandrituals.Trusttendstobeve

26、stedonlyinfamilyandclosefriends.Itmaybedifficultforoutsidenegotiatorstoestablishrelationshipsofconfidenceandtrustwithmembersofthesecultures.TheUnitedStates,Scandinavia,andSingaporeareidentifiedashavingahighertoleranceforuncertainty.Membersoftheseculturestendtovaluerisk-taking,problem-solving,flatorg

27、anizationalstructures,andtoleranceforambiguity.Itmaybeeasierforoutsiderstoestablishtrustingrelationshipswithnegotiatingpartnersintheseculturalcontexts.Masculinity-FemininityThetermsmasculinityandfemininityareusedtorefertothedegreetowhichaculturevaluesassertivenessornurturingandsocialsupport.Theterms

28、alsorefertothedegreetowhichsociallyprescribedrolesoperateformenandwomen.CountriesandregionssuchasJapanandLatinAmericaareratedaspreferringvaluesofassertiveness,task-orientation,andachievement.Inthesecultures,theretendtobemorerigidgenderrolesand“l(fā)ivetowork”orientations.Incountriesandregionsratedfemini

29、ne,suchasScandinavia,Thailand,andPortugal,valuesofcooperation,nurturing,relationshipandsolidaritywiththoselessfortunateprevail,andthemoralbeliefismoreoneof“worktolive”.Ofcourse,itisimportanttorememberthatassociationswithgendervarygreatlyacrosscultures,sothatelementsconsideredmasculineinoneculturemig

30、htbeconsideredfeminineinanother.Negotiatorsmayfinditusefultoconsiderthewaygenderrolesplayoutintheculturalcontextsoftheirnegotiatingpartners.NegotiatingStyleItmustbeemphasizedthatthereisnoonerightapproachtonegotiations.Thereareonlyeffectiveandlesseffectiveapproachesandthesevaryaccordingtomanycontextu

31、alfactors.Asnegotiatorsunderstandthattheircounterpartsmaybeseeingthingsverydifferently,theywillbelesslikelytomakenegativejudgmentsandmorelikelytomakeprogressinnegotiations.Theresearchandobservationsbymostscholarsindicatefairlyclearlythatnegotiationpracticesdifferfromculturetocultureandthatculturecan

32、influence“negotiatingstyle”-thewaypersonsfromdifferentculturesconductthemselvesinnegotiatingsessions.Forexample,U.S.negotiatorstendtorelyonindividualistvalues,imaginingselfandotherasautonomous,independent,andself-reliant.Thisdoesnotmeanthattheydontconsult,butthetendencytoseeselfasseparateratherthana

33、samemberofawebornetworkmeansthatmoreindependentinitiativesmaybetaken.Americannegotiatorstendtobecompetitiveintheirapproachtonegotiations,includingcomingtothetablewithafallbackpositionbutbeginningwithanunrealisticoffer.Therefore，Americannegotiatorsoftenactinanimpersonalway-“businessisbusiness”istheir

34、maxim.Besides,Americannegotiatorsarealwaysmission-driven-anxioustobringpartiesconcernedintoagreement,andtheyhavelittleinterestinbuildingupanyrelationship.Furthermore,Americannegotiatorsliketobeopenlychallengedforthenegotiation,andtheythinkitisquitenormaliftheyrunintoanyconflictwithanypartyconcerned.

35、Chinesenegotiatorsalsolookforwardtolong-termpartnership.UnlikeAmericanegotiators,theyarenotinahurrytopushforanagreement.Generallythereisaslowstartto“warmup”,andthenitisfollowedbysometentativesuggestions.LiketheirJapanesecounterparts,Chinesenegotiatorsdonotexpectanyopenconflictforwhateverreasons,andt

36、heyaretryingto“saveface”forbothsides.TheChinesearereservedandknownfortheirhospitalityandgoodmanners.TheChineseconsidermutualrelationshipsandtrustveryimportant.Therefore,timewillbespentinthebeginningenjoyingteaandsocialtalk.However,theyaresomeofthetoughestnegotiatorsintheeyesofforeignnegotiators.Tech

37、nicalcompetenceofnegotiatorsisnecessary,andanon-condescendingattitudeisimportantbecausetheChineseresearchtheiropponentsthoroughlytogainacompetitiveadvantageduringnegotiation.Nothingisfinaluntilitissigned;andtheyprefertouseanintermediary.TheChinesedelegationwillbelarge.Theyrarelyuselawyers,andinterpr

38、etersmayhaveinadequatelanguageskillsandexperience.AlthoughChinesenegotiatorsimplythatthereisnocompromiseorthirdchoice,inrealitythereisampleroomforcompromise.Evenasdifferentapproachestonegotiationacrossnationalculturesareidentified,changeisconstant.InternationalbusinessculturetendstoprivilegeWesterna

39、pproachestonegotiation,centeringonproblem-solvingandlinearcommunication,asdomanysettings.AsWesternnormsarebalancedwithEasternvalues,andlocaltraditionsarebalancedwithregionalandnationalapproaches,negotiationpracticescontinuetheirglobalevolution.Culturecaninfluencethewayinwhichpersonsperceiveandapproa

40、chcertainkeyelementsinthenegotiatingprocess.Knowledgeoftheseculturaldifferencesmayhelpnegotiatorstobetterunderstandandinterprettheircounterpartsnegotiatingbehaviorandtofindwaystobridgegapscreatedbyculturaldifferences.Equallyimportant,professionalandoccupationalculturemaybeasimportantasnationalcultur

41、einshapingapersonsnegotiatingstyleandattitudestowardthenegotiationprocess.Iftrue,negotiatorsshouldatleastnotetwoimportantimplications.First,practitionersneedtotakeintoaccountprofessionalculture,aswellasnationalculture,intheirstudiesandanalysisoftheimpactofcultureonnegotiatingtable,negotiatorsfromdif

42、ferentculturesbutwithsimilaroccupationalorprofessionalbackgroundsmightseektotheelementsoftheirprofessionalcultureintryingtobridgetheculturalgapbetweenthem.ConclusionTherehasbeenmuchresearchinthefieldofnegotiation,andthereisfortunatelynowagooddealofinformationaroundthatcanguideusinourquesttobecomebet

43、ternegotiators.Mostlikely,aswithmanyoftheotherskillsmentionedinthepaper,wehavetolearnhowtonegotiatethroughtrialanderror.Mostlikely,wehavedevelopedparticularindividualstylesthatwearecomfortablewith.However,researchhasshownthattherearecertainwaysofnegotiatingthataresimplymoreproductivethanothers.Mosti

44、mportanttoushere,perhaps,isthefactthattheresearchoneffectiveversuslesseffectiveinternationalnegotiationstylesseemstosupportcertainaspectsofthewaysomeculturesnegotiate,whilediscouragingotheraspects.Negotiatorsasmembersofsocietyareledeasilyintoattitudesofculturalbias.Theonlywaytoovercomethatbiasistocr

45、eateawarenessofonesownculturalsystembyunderstandinghowotherpeoplebehaveinanothersystem.Thenegotiator,fromhisknowledgeofhisopponentscultureandhissensitivitytoit,canadapthisbehaviortothesituationandservetheinterestsoftheinteraction.Themoreandbetterthecommunication,thegreatertheamountofinformationshare

46、dorextracted,andthegreaterthebuild-upoftrust,themorelikelyisthepossibilityofcreatingthesatisfactionthatnegotiatorsareexchangingattheendoftheday.Inordertobeeffectivethenegotiatorsoperateasdetectivessearchingforcluestothevaluesandinterestsoftheircounterparts.Theyavoidassumptionsaboutpartnerconcerns：th

47、eylookforwhatdoesmattertothepartnerratherthanwhatshouldmatter.Inshort,theymustbecarefulnottoallowculturalstereotypestodeterminehisorherrelationswithlocalbusinesspersons.Notes1Graham.J.&Herberger,R.(1983).NegotiatorsAbroadDontShootfromtheHip.HarvardBusinessReview,61,160-169【References】1WilliamStallin

48、gs;withacontributionbyRichardVanSlyke.BusinessdatacommunicationsM.PrenticeHall,c2001.2BehrouzA.ForouzanwithSophiaChungFegan.BusinessdatacommunicationsM.McGraw-Hill,c2003.1212UncertaintyAvoidance不久以前，我讀了一本書。書中把人生比作一次旅行。人生一世，就好比是一次搭車旅行，要經(jīng)歷無數(shù)次上車、下車；時(shí)常有事故發(fā)生；有時(shí)是意外驚喜，有時(shí)卻是刻骨銘心的悲傷降生人世，我們就坐上了生命列車。我們以為我們最先見到的

49、那兩個(gè)人我們的父母,會(huì)在人生旅途中一直陪伴著我們。很遺憾，事實(shí)并非如此。他們會(huì)在某個(gè)車站下車，留下我們，孤獨(dú)無助。他Notlongago,Ireadabook,inwhichamanslifewascomparedtoajourney.Thelifeofamanisjustlikeahitchhiking,duringwhichmanytimeswegoupanddown.Nowandthenthingswillhappenaccidently,someofwhicharetobeunexpectedexcitement,whilesomeheart-breakingsorrows.Whenf

50、irstembracedtheworld,wearealreadyonthetrainoflife.Wetakeitforgrantedthatthefirsttwopersons,ourparents,whomweareencounteredwith,willaccompanyusalltheway.Sadly,thingsdonotgoonaswethought.Ourparentswillgetoffthetrainatacertainstation,leavingus,bereftandhelpless.Theirloveand們的愛、他們的情、他們不可替代的陪伴，再也無從尋找。盡管如

51、此，還會(huì)有其他人上車。他們當(dāng)中的一些人將對我們有著特殊的意義。他們之中有我們的兄弟姐妹，有我們的親朋好友。我們還將會(huì)體驗(yàn)千古不朽的愛情故事。坐同一班車的人當(dāng)中，有的輕松旅行。有的卻帶著深深的悲哀還有的，在列車上四處奔忙，隨時(shí)準(zhǔn)備幫助有需要的人很多人下車后，其他旅客對他們的回憶歷久彌新但是，也有一些人，當(dāng)他們離開座位時(shí)，卻沒有人察覺。10有時(shí)候，對你來說情深義重的旅伴卻坐到了另一節(jié)車廂。你只得遠(yuǎn)離他，繼續(xù)你的旅程。當(dāng)然，在旅途中，你也可以搖搖晃晃地穿過自己的車廂，去別的車廂找他12可惜，你再也無法坐在他身旁，因?yàn)檫@個(gè)位置巳經(jīng)emotiontousandtheirirreplaceablecomp

52、anycanbefoundinnowhere.5However,therewillbesomebodyelsewhowillgetonthetrain.Someofthemwillhavespecialmeaningtous.Someofthemmaybeoursiblings,relativesandfriends,andwewillalsoexpereincetheimperishablelove.Someofourtravellingcompanionsarequitelight-heartedontheway.Whilesomemaybearimmensesorrow.Stillsome,backandforth,arereadytohold