Intercultural Negotiation We Live in

Intercultural Negotiation We live in a global world now and do business with people who are products of very different cultures from our own. Because one's values, motivations, and non-verbal communication habits are largely shaped and molded by the culture from which we emerge, it is very important to understand cultural differences when negotiating; otherwise, ignorance of styles, goals, and expectations may result in misunderstanding, frustration, and even failure to conclude the deal and reach an agreement. This essay will explore differences between American negotiators and Asian.

The difference begins with the goals of each as they come to the negotiating table. Americans come to seal the deal. Asians come to establish a long-term mutually productive relationship. Far-Eastern negotiating styles show both similarities and differences. For example, all Asians believe it is very important to gain knowledge beforehand of the other's cultural customs and assumptions.

Not only do they find out what they can about the business, but they also obtain personal information about individuals on the negotiating team -- where they went to school, for instance, and what their favorite foods are. They feel they have to know with whom they are dealing in order to develop a productive working relationship in which there is a strong sense of rapport. The relationship is everything to Asians. The deal and the money are secondary. The relationship is much more important than merely getting things done.

Asian team members have already formed solid relationships with each other as well. American teams members may never have worked together before and barely know each other. This puts them at a disadvantage when dealing with Asians. Asian negotiating teams usually have more people on them than American teams, which puts small American teams at a disadvantage. Fewer negotiators cost the company less and minimize disagreements among themselves, thus shortening the time it takes to reach an agreement.

Saving time is important to Americans who believe that "time is money." Japanese and Chinese negotiators do not. They believe there is always enough time to do whatever is necessary to develop a valuable, long-term business relationship. Japanese teams are bigger because they send individuals from all levels of the company who must reach a consensus before they seal the deal. They feel insulted when faced with only one or two negotiators on the other side.

Chinese teams are also larger but more hierarchical with status levels -- a leader and experts -- on the team. Chinese teams focus on respect for authority, and to them, the number of negotiators sent expresses a level of respect. In contrast, Korean teams are usually smaller but still hierarchical like Chinese. Chinese teams are similar to Japanese in that members must reach a consensus. Koreans, like Chinese, get upset if an opposing team doesn't send members with the same status as their team members hold.

Thus, the Korean style of negotiating seems to combine aspects of Japanese and Chinese styles. Like both the others, they send larger teams. Like the Japanese they must reach a consensus of agreement among themselves. Like the Chinese they are very status conscious. They add their own style to the mix in that they are more emotional than either of the other two. All three -- Japanese, Chinese, and Korean -- see the negotiation as merely a framework in which to form a long-term business relationship.

The final agreement represents the beginning of that relationship. Americans who are impatient about getting acquainted -- who view it as a waste of time -- will likely be judged negatively. The deal may be ruined. Another big mistake is to bring a lawyer to the opening negotiations. Asians see this as aggressive and confrontational behavior that is not conducive to forming an amicable and harmonious relationship. They are quite likely to withdraw if a lawyer is brought in.

There is also a difference in the way they think about things -- their mental processes. Americans tend to see things in terms of cause and effect, a linear approach to problem solving, while Asians see things in terms of cycles repeating themselves -- a circular or spiral approach to viewing a situation holistically. The Asian view takes longer and includes carefully considering all the long-term implications and nuances that Americans often ignore.

This way of thinking may be confusing to American negotiators at first, plus the fact that nothing is ever completely settled. Instead of solving one thing at a time and moving on to the next item, Asian style allows the negotiators to come back again and again (circular fashion) to points already discussed. They may even discuss many issues concurrently and consider the whole situation all at the same time. Use of time is a form of non-verbal communication.

It sends a message about what one believes -- and in this case, what the culture values. To Americans who value their time and see it as something they don't have enough of, the Asian view can be frustrating. To Japanese and Chinese team members, time is never something to be saved; thus, they have no conception of wasting it either. Koreans, on the other hand, take less time in making decisions, and they are also more open to sticking to an agenda.

In contrast, the Chinese are less willing to stick to an agenda, for the team is always more important than reaching an agreement. Koreans, like the Chinese also take a broader view of issues rather than focus on specifics one at a time. They don't trust detail-oriented negotiators.

Koreans may make decisions faster than Japanese or Chinese because their teams are smaller, and members are given more authority to make decisions, but Koreans also tend to use time in a manipulative manner -- as a "stalling tactic," for example, to wear down opponents and get what they want. Non-verbal messages appear to be more important to Asian negotiators. They rely on them as signs of "implicit understanding." Asians negotiate more intuitively and utilize empathy to interpret non-verbal messages.

Koreans especially rely on intuition and personal feelings rather than logic, although they are more confrontational and less docile than Japanese or Chinese negotiators. Koreans pay attention to their feelings and focus on the sense of connection they feel for the other negotiators rather than on the price of the goods or quality of the product. Koreans also observe closely and "feel" the characteristics of the other negotiators. They want to see sincerity, honesty, and good faith expressed.

If a personal relationship fails to develop or the opposing team members are perceived to be insincere, this can result in failure to reach an agreement. In all.