1、完整论文河 南 科 技 大 学学 年 论 文题目Analysis and Countermeasures of Cultural Barrier in Intenational Business Negotiation浅析商务谈判中文化障碍现象及解决对策姓 名 院 系 外国语学院专 业 英 语指导教师 2011年 6月17日Abstractwith the advent of economic globalization, international economic and trading contacts are continuously increasing and negotiatio
2、n has become an essential part of business activities. International business negotiation is not only communication and cooperation in ecnomic field, but also exchanges and communication between different cultures. Corporations and units are faced with more and more business negotiations after our a
3、ccession to the WTO. In terms of the current situation, this essay firstly gives a brief introduction to business negotiation, culture and the impact of culture on business negotiation. Then, it makes a list of three manifestations of cultural barriers in internatioan business negotiation ,namely wa
4、ys of thinking barriers, language expression barriers and business values barriers of negotiators, and makes them more concrete through examples. Next, the essay gives three main reasons of the emergency of cultural barriers in business negotiation: differences on interpersonal negotiation, the conc
5、ept of time and values. Finally, based on the analysis above, the essay puts forward two countermeasures,that is, flexibly utilizing chinese traditional culture and correctly handling differences between western and chinese culture.Key words: cultural background, cultural barrier, values. 摘 要随着经济全球化
6、时代的到来,国际间的经济贸易往来与日俱增,谈判已成为国际商务活动的重要环节。国际商务谈判不仅是经济领域的交流与合作,也是文化之间的交流与沟通,而且文化因素的作用至关重要。我国加入世贸组织后,企业和单位所面临的国际商务谈判越来越多.本文就这一现状,首先对商务谈判和文化以及文化对商务谈判的影响作了简单介绍。接着列举了文化障碍在国际商务谈判中的三中表现形式,即谈判者的思维方式障碍,语言表达方式障碍和商业价值观障碍,并通过例子使其更加具体鲜明。然后本文又分析出文化障碍产生的原因,主要有三点:人际交往差异,中西方时间观念差异和价值观念差异。最后基于以上原因分析,提出两点对策:灵活运用中国传统文化和正确处
7、理中西方文化差异。关键词:文化背景;文化障碍;价值观OutlineIntroduction International business negotiation is actions and process performed by the parties who strive for reaching consensus through information exchange and consultation in order to meet respective needs. The main negotiation parties belong to two or more count
8、ries or regions. IA brief introduction to business negotiation and culture1.1 The introduction to business negotiation1.2 The introduction to culture1.3 The impact of culture on business negotiationsII. The manifestations of cultural barrier in international business negotiation2.1 Ways of thinking
9、barrier of negotiators2.2 Means of language expression barrier of negotiators2.3 Business values barrier of negotiators2.4.Case study of international business negotiation barrierIII. Analysis of the reason of the emergence of cultural barrier in international business negotiation 3.1 Difference on
10、interpersonal communicating ideas 3.2 Difference on the concept of time between westerners and easterners 3.3 Difference on the concept of values between westerners and oriental peopleThe countermeasures to overcome the cultural barrier in international business negotiation4.1 Flexibly making use of
11、 chinese culture4.2 Correctly handling differences between chinese and western culture. Conclusion All in all, people have realized that the reason of the failure of the cross-cultural negotiation mainly lies in the a lack of understanding of each others cultural backgrounds and the ignorance of the
12、 influence of cultural difference on the negotiation. Introduction International business negotiation is actions and process performed by the parties who strive for reaching consensus through information exchange and consultation in order to meet respective needs. The main negotiation parties belong
13、 to two or more countries or regions. I. A brief introduction to business negotiation and culture1.1 The introduction to business negotiation International business negotiation is actions and process performed by the parties who strive for reaching consensus through information exchange and consulta
14、tion in order to meet respective needs. The main negotiation parties belong to two or more countries or regions. The negotiators represente the interests of different countries or regions. At the same time, international business negotiation is cross cultural. Negotiators from different countries or
15、 regions possess different cultural backgrounds, values, ways of thinking, behaviors, communication modes, languages and customs, which will directly determine whether the international business negotiation is successful.1.2 The introduction to cultureSince cross cultural communication plays such an
16、 important part in international business negotiation, then what is culture? Culture is “a knd of mind programming that differs from a class of people from another class of people”. And it is the so-called “heart software, or “collective program” that makes each person become the product of its own
17、culture and makes mens behaviors restricted by their own culture, and at the same time culture is reflected through mens behavior,which, on the other hand, restricts mens understanding of foreign culture. People who are not so sensitive to cultural differences use their own culture modes to assess b
18、ehaviors, points of view, customs of people from another culture, which often brings about cultural conflicts.1.3 The impact of culture on business negotiationsIn terms of international business negotiation, if the two parties come from different countries or regions that have different cultures, va
19、lues and ways of thinking, the negotiation will not be so easy. A lack of understanding of cultural differences, inadequate preparation and improper management will make intenational business negotiation more difficult, inflence its smoothness, and even make two parties part on bad terms. Internatio
20、nal business negotiation is an important part of business activities. It is across-borders activity. Both sides come to an agreement on their commonly interested business issues through consultation. Negotiators from different cultural backgrounds have different communication methods, values and way
21、s of thinking, which means that understanding different cultures of different countries and knowing well cultural differences in business activities is of great importance.II. The manifestations of cultural barrier in international business negotiation2.1 Ways of thinking barrier of negotiators In t
22、he long course of history, people transfer their knowlege of the reality into experience and custom, and a certain kind of thought comes into being with the help of language. People also endow thoughts with certain modes, and then a kind of thinking form takes shape. Different national cultures poss
23、ess different ways of thinking, thinking properties and thinking stytles, which is the so called thinking difference. For example, oriental culture values imagery thinking, curve thinking, dialectical thinking, while western culture emphasizes abstract thinking, lineal thinking, form thinking. If on
24、e cant cross differences on ways of thinking, he may be confronted with nogotiating barriers.2.2 Means of language expression barrier of negotiatorsHall, an anthropologist, classified the society into high context society and low context society.In high context society, people of the same nation hav
25、e lived together for a long period, and language is just part of information transmission. Nonverbal communication occupies a large proportion because of the acquintance of each other. Therefore, chinese negotiators always express their ideas indirectly and implicatively, rarely refuse or refute dir
26、ectly mthey regard harmony as the prerequisities of realizing the value, and pursue permanent friendship and long-term cooperation. In sharp contrast, communication in European and American culture is low context. Due to the communication difficulties caused by long-term immigration and mutual blend
27、ing, the clarity and directness of language expression are particularly important.2.3 Business values barrier of negotiatorsAmong numerous cultural factors, values is part of the core. Values is permanant, stable and commomly accepted by society members. As a deep factor of cultural structure, value
28、s is not only part of social culture, but also the result of long-term penetration and accumulation of social and cultural factors in peoples heart. It continuously affects peoples attitude, needs and behaviors. Values differs greatly in different cultures.It is generally believed that collectivism
29、is ideological core of oriental culture, while individualism is the backbone of western culture. The ideas of independence, egoism and practical action are very popular in western countries. They advocate self-struggle and individualism. They are humourous, and values reality, self and practical act
30、ion, while chinese people pay more attention to collectivism and collective responsibilities and ethics. “Acquintances” and “relationship” have their special connotation and meaning.2.4. Case study of international business negotiation barrier A Brazilian company went to America to purchase equipmen
31、t. The negotiation was delayed by members of Brizilian negotiating group who went shopping and are 45minutes late.The U.S. representatives are extremely dissatisfied, and took a long time to accuse the Brazilian representatives of not abiding by the time and no credit. They announced that if this co
32、ntinued, further cooperation would be impossible. To them, wasting time is wasting money and resources. The Bralian representatives knew it was their fault, and had to keep apologizing for this. After the negotiation began, It seemed that American representatives still hold the grudge, which made th
33、e Brazilian representatives panicky, and always passive. The brazilian representatives who had mo mood to bargain with the American representatives and didnt carefully consider the requests put forward by the American representatives signed the contract hurridely.After the contract was signed, the B
34、railian representatives camled down, and found that they suffered a major loss, but it was too late. This is the use of the critical start-stytle strategy, through which one party make the counterparty feel guilty by strictly cyiticizing the counterpartys certain fault or etiquette mistakes in order
35、 to force the counterparty to give in. In this case, American representatives succesfully made use of the critical start-stytle strategy, which forced the brazilian representatives to hurriedly sign the contract which was favourable for the U.S. side.But at the same time it should also be noted that
36、 it was an international business negotiation which showed us the difference on the concept of time betwwen the two negotiators.III. Analysis of the reason of the emergence of cultural barrier in international business negotiations with the emergency of more and more international trades and the con
37、tinuous deepening of the globalisation, business activities between people from different cultural backgrounds become increasingly frequent. Therefore, the issue of cultural barrier in international business negotiation has gained more and more attention.In monoculture , negotiating proccess is fore
38、seeable and can be accurately controlled. However, cross-cultural negotiation possesses the property of uncertainty and is full of challenge, because cross-cultural negotiation is performed between different ways of thinking, communicating methods and behaviors. The main reason of the failure of cro
39、ss-cultural negotiation lies in the lack of understanding of each others cultural background and the ingnorance of the influnence that cultural difference has on negotiation. Next, we will further analyze the reasons of the failure of business negotiayion according to the case below. .3.1 Difference
40、 on interpersonal communicating ideas Chinese people focus on establishing long-term cooperation instead of the negotiating subject. Thus, on the first stage of negotiation, the nogotiating content involves in wide subjects and social activities. The subject will not be talked about until mutual tru
41、st is eatablished and the two parties kown more about each other. While westerners focus on the details and the trade, not on interpersonal relationship.Oriental people represented by chinese lay much empahsis on feelings and human relationship in interpersonal communication, which derives from chin
42、as traditional culture and the concept of harmony, friendly exchanges, unity to work and cooperation and mutual benefits. Such kind of attitude and interpersonal relationship are favourable for further cooperation of the two sides, and for businessmen , is helpful for the success of the transaction.
43、 From this respect, this concept and action is beneficial. This is also why chineses people are always courtesy first and chiese businessmen often fete the other side before the neogotiation.Rinnell Davis said , “In the banquet, people often talk about food, and exchange some formal, respectful and
44、friendly words. From the view of people in low context culture, what people talk about is not related to themselves, and doesnt contain any information. People just confrom to a series of etiquette more accurately than on other occasions, including toasting each other, and at the same time, speaking
45、 some polite formula which match the correlation and the situation .Talking is joyful and relaxing.” “The contract belongs to low contxt culture. For westerners, the meaning of the contract lies in the words. Before signing a contract, a westerner will probably proofread all the small print, which m
46、eans he will pay close attention to all the details of the contract to ensure none of the unfavorouble conditions are concealed in the legal items, used for composing the contract. Once accepted, the contract will firmly bind on both of the two parties. Even something unexpected happens, the contrac
47、t can not be violated. For example, if the market conditions change and either side suffers losses caused by this ,the party from low context culture wont regard it reasonable to modify the contract. This seems unfair for those from high context culture, who are used to taking the situations into co
48、nsideration. If a westerner gains unexpected benefits from the contract, he will consider it as good luck. Instead, if he losses, he will think he is unlucky.“If the contracting parties have any dispute, communicators from low context culture will try their best to settle the disputes according to the items in the contract, while communicators from high context culture who consider the context is more important than the contract items, will pay attention to the Public Relation and the context beyond the items in the contract. Above all, it is clear that westerners who pay mu