国际商务谈判中的不同文化的碰撞Impact-of-Cultural-Differences-on-International-Business-Negotiations.doc

Impact of Cultural Differences on International Business Negotiations
Contents
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………..1
Chapter One Cultural Differenceces………………………………………………..1
1.1 The Definition of Culture………………………………………….....................1
1.2 Causes of Cultural Differences………………………………………………….2
1.2.1 Regional Differences……………………………………………………….2
1.2.2 Ethnic Differences…………………………………………………………2
1.2.3 Political Differences……………………………………………………….2
1 .2.4 Economic Differences…………………………………………………….2
1.2.5 Religious Differences………………………………………………….......3
1.2.6 Value Differences………………………………………………………….3
1.2.7 Law and Ethics Differences……………………………………………….3
Chapter Two Impact of Cultural Differences on International Business Negotiations…………………………………………………………………………..3
2.1Impact of Value Views Differences on International Business Negotiations 4
2.1.1Impact of Time View Difference on Negotiation. 4
2.1.2Impact of Equality View Difference on Negotiation. 5
2.1.3 Impact of Objectivity Difference on Negotiation. 6

2.2 Impact of Negotiating Style Differences on International Business Negotiations. 2.3 Communication Process…………………………………..
3. COPING STRATEGY OF NEGOTIATING ACROSS CULTURES. 9
3.1 Making Preparations before Negotiation. 9
3.2 Overcoming Cultural Prejudice. 10
3.3 Conquering Communication Barriers. 10
CONCLUSION 11
BIBLIOGRAPHY 12
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 13

摘 要

不同文化条件下的商务谈判就是跨文化谈判。在世界经济日趋全球化的今天，随着国际间商务交往活动的频繁和密切，各国间的文化差异就显得格外的重要，否则将会引起不必要的误会，甚至可能直接影响商务交往的实际效果。这味着如何化解各国不同文化背景在国际商务谈判中是非常重要的。文章从文化差异的类型入手，然后解释了这些文化差异对国际商务谈判的影响，最后分析了如何正确解决谈判过程中文化差异的问题。文章强调了这样一个观点，在不同国家商务谈判中，谈判员应该接受对方的文化，并试图是自己被对方所接受，然后在有效沟通的帮助下做出正确评估，并找出它们之间的真正利益。此外，们应该尽可能的清楚的了解并发现对方的文化。这对文化谈判的成功至关重要。

关键词：文化，文化差异，商务谈判，影响

Abstract

The business negotiations under different cultural conditions come to cross- cultural negotiations. With the economic globalization and the frequent business contacts, cultural differences seem to be very important; otherwise they could cause unnecessary misunderstanding, even affect the result of the business negotiations. This means it is very important to know the different culture in different countries and the ways to avoid the culture conflicts in the international business negotiations. The article commences from the types of culture differences, then it explains the impacts of these culture differences on international business negotiation and finally it analyzes how to deal with the problem of the cultural differences correctly in negotiation process. Such a standpoint is emphasized: In the business negotiations between different countries, negotiators should accept the other party’s culture, and try to make him be accepted; then make a correct evaluation with the help of valid communication and discover their real benefits between them. Besides, we should know clearly and try to accept the culture differences as possible as we can. It is very important for the success of culture negotiations.

Key words: Culture, Clturaltal differences,Business negotitation,Impact
Introduction
Along with the advancement globalization and China’s WTO entry, business enterprises in China have to face more and more business negotiations with foreign enterprises, especially with American enterprises. In these negotiations, Chinese negotiators sometimes feel uncomfortable, puzzled, lost, irritated and the alike, because of unfamiliar custom and behaviors demonstrated by American negotiators. Meanwhile, American negotiators confront the same situation. Cult rural differences between China and west countries could cause many problems. Therefore, understanding cultural differences and overcoming them is crucial in international business negotiations.
Although the definition of culture is numerous and vague, it is commonly Recognized that culture is a shared system of symbols, beliefs, values, attitudes and expectations. Culture is a major determinant in business negotiation. So have a clear picture of culture differences if of great significance.

Chapter One Cultural Differences

The east countries and west countries have produced different cultures on the different continents. Among the different cultures, value views, negotiating style and thinking model appear more obvious.

1.1 The Definition of Culture

Culture is a national system of specific concepts and values. These concepts become people’s behavior during their life and work. As early as 1952, Kroeber and Kluckhohn listed 164 definitions of culture that they found in the anthropology literature. Of course, many new definitions have appeared since then. For example, some scholars gave such definition that culture is an integrated system of learned behavior patterns which are characteristic of the members of a society and not the result of biological inheritance. In the thesis, culture refers to the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, morals, customs, habits, and capabilities acquired by individuals who interact in a specific area of society.

1.2 Causes of Cultural Differences

The impacts of regional differences, ethnic differences, political differences, economic differences, religious differences and value differences on people’s life are embodied in the catering, clothing, housing, holidays, rituals and other material and cultural life in all aspects. These result in cultural differences in different countries and regions.
1.2.1 Regional Differences
Regional differences refer to that people in different geographical regions often have different languages, life styles and hobbies because of the differences of geographical environments, levels of economic development and traditions, which would affect their behavior and habits. For example, western countries pay more attention to Christmas, while the regions have no snow, such as some African countries near the equator, where people have no idea of Christmas. The reason is that the best decoration to Christmas is snow, but people near the equator are not familiar with the snow which never falls on there.
1.2.2 Ethnic Differences
Ethnic differences refer to that different ethnic groups in the process of long-term development form its own languages, customs, habits and hobbies. They have their own characteristics in their diet, clothing, housing, holidays, rituals and other material and cultural life.
1.2.3 Political Differences
Political differences mean that policies and regulations of the political system standardize the behavior of the people’s role so that people under different political system have different political concepts. Take America and France for example: the power of American president is strictly limited by the Constitution and the other two authorities---Congress and Supreme Court. While France has to expand their president’s power due to their own conditions.
1 .2.4 Economic Differences
Economic difference is a reflection of the cultural differences due to economic factors. For example, people in the western developed countries have the rich life, and receive the high education so that they pay more attention to the quality of life, and they have good safety awareness. But in the Third World, especially the developing countries, people are more concerned with the problem of food and clothing. So this is reflected in cultural differences.
1.2.5 Religious Differences
Religion is a historical product with human beings developing into a certain stage. There are three main religions in the world: Christianity, Buddhism and Islam. Christian (Protestant) is predominant in northern Europe, North America and Australia; Christian (Catholic) is predominant in Western Europe and South American countries. Islam largely scope of the Middle East and North Africa. Many people in Asia regions believe in Buddhism. Different religions have different cultural trends and precepts, which affect the way that people understand things, conduct and values.
1.2.6 Value Differences
Value concepts mean people’s evaluation criteria to human being’s internal world. It contains time value, wealth value, the attitude toward life and risk. To the same problems, different people in different societies have different views or even diametrically opposite views. For example, parents in western countries tend to cultivate children to be independent. They encourage their children to deal with their personal things by themselves. Parents in eastern countries, however, always spoil their children. They always help their children finish some things which the children have the ability to cope with by themselves.
This causes their dependence on their parents even when they grow up. This shows that different countries share different values.
1.2.7 Law and Ethics Differences
Law and ethics is an integrated system, but sometimes they are contradictive in business negotiation. Western people like to deal with things according to laws. They usually go to negotiate with accompaniment of their lawyers. On the contrary, eastern people pay more attention to ethics rather than laws. In their eyes, business ethics refers to the measurement of business behavior based on standards of right or wrong, rather than relying entirely on principles of accounting, management or laws.

Chapter Two Impact of Cultural Differences on International Business Negotiations

With the rapid development of economy, we need to do business with businessmen under different culture background, so in order to reach trade agreement, it is necessary for us to study the impact of culture differences on international negotiation in global business activities. The impact of culture differences on international negotiation is extensive and deeply. Different cultures divide the people into different group and they are also the obstacles of people’s communication. Accordingly, it is required that the negotiator should accept the culture of each other. Furthermore, through culture differences, it is important that the negotiator reveal and understand the other party’s goal and behavior and make him or herself be accepted by the opponent to reach agreement finally
2.1 Impact of Value Views Differences on International Business Negotiations

Value Views Differences on International Business Negotiations fall into three types: time view, negotiation style, thinking model. Each has big influences on business negotiation
2.1.1 Impact of Time View Difference on Negotiation.
The time view which affects the negotiator’s behavior varies from east countries to west countries. The oriental or the Chinese negotiators are usually cautious and patient. They need to go through the phrases of coming up with proposes, bringing up objections and ending the trade which takes a longer time. And they hope to arrange rich time to go on a negotiation, thus knowing more about the opponent .They are good at long and continuous battle. While west people or we could say American people, consider time is precious. They tend to resolve problems swiftly. So, in business negotiation, American businessmen often complain about the delay and the lack of efficiency of negotiators from other countries, while these countries also make a complaint that the Americans lack patience. There is a popular saying among American negotiators and businessmen: It is prohibited to steal time. That shows the time view of Americans. To them, time means money. The time view of Chinese is cyclic. They use long-term and systematic viewpoints to value the importance of the topic. A famous people classify the time view into two kinds: straight-line time viewand cyclic time view. The former pay more attention to concentration and speed, and the later stress doing many things at one time. That they insist on different time view leads to different negotiating style and method. The American people represent the straight-line time view and they have a strong awareness of modern competition. They look for speed and efficiency. So they value time badly and consider time as a special commodity whose value could be assessed. They often use minute to calculate time .They hope to reduce negotiation time at every phrase and want to complete the negotiation quickly. But the Chinese time view is cyclic and they place emphasis on unity.
Moreover, it is necessary to be punctual at negotiations. West people have a strong time view, if you don’t comply with the appointment time, they may give you a punishment and they will regard you as unreliable and irresponsible person. Being late for negotiation will give the west businessmen opportunities to exert pressure onyou, and then you will lose the status of being initiative.
2.1.2 Impact of Equality View Difference on Negotiation
America went through the bourgeoisie revolution of striving for the equality and freedom, so they take equality into their heart. Americans stick to equality and fairness in business, and hope that both could gain benefit. When introducing the topic or situation, the west people would like to use concrete method, particularly data.
Their negotiating method is that they will describe their viewpoint and propose at the beginning in order to get initiative. Under this principle, they would come up with a reasonable resolution which they think is very fair. In business relationship, the sellers from America regard the buyer as a counterpart. Americans are fairer than Japanese is sharing benefits. A lot of American managers think fair division of profits is more important than how much they could get. At this point, the east people are different. Because of the deeply influence of class view, they don’t pay much attention to equality. They usually adopt single-win strategy in business negotiations. When involving economic benefits they think much about their own benefits and profits and don’t give so much attention to the benefit of their partners. The market economic system of developed countries is quite mature, so west countries take win-win strategy more in negotiation; basically, they could take the benefits of both into consideration.
2.1.3 Impact of Objectivity Difference on Negotiation
The objectivity in international business negotiation reflects the degree to which people treat any things. West people especially Americans have a strong objectivity on the understanding of issues. At negotiation table, Americans don’t care much about relationship between people. They don’t care if the status of the opponent is equal to theirs. They make decision based on facts and data, not people. The saying that public things use public ways is a reflection of American objectivity. Therefore，Americans emphasize that Businessmen should distinguish people and issues, what they are really interested in is the actual problems. But in the other parts of the world, it is impossible for th