Comparing Chinese And German Negotiating Processes

Submitted By May-Zhao
Words: 4069
Pages: 17
Open Document
Comparing Chinese & German Negotiating Processes

Negotiation is a social process by which interdependent people with conflicting interests determine how they’re going to allocate resources or work together in the future (Hames, 2012). Business negotiations can range anywhere from remuneration between employer-employee to international trade agreements. Before negotiating, it’s critical to understand the other party’s principal interests as well as your own; from this point each party is able converse and make concessions to best achieve their goals. In order to understand the opposing party’s principal interests and conduct a negotiation, there must be effective communication. Effective communication can only be achieved when the receiver interprets a message exactly as the sender intended. Without effective communication, issues and interests may be misunderstood or misinterpreted and the negotiation may fail. When conducting negotiations in a national context, generally both parties are residents of the same country, speak the same language, and share the same culture or have strong cultural similarities. In an international business context, parties may not share these similarities, in turn; negotiations may suffer from ineffective communication.

International negotiations are more complex than domestic negotiations as there are different elements relating to foreign cultures and governance that are introduced to the negotiation process. People from foreign cultures may not only speak different languages but also have different communication styles and use different forms of non-verbal communication. Geographic distances and foreign climates may also affect a negotiation process, altering the physical environment of the negotiation. Every nation has a particular culture to which its people communicate and conduct business; which impacts international negotiations. The economic, legal, and political characteristics of a country are a manifestation of a nation's culture. These elements increase the complexity of negotiations in an international context. Political systems dictate the channels of negotiation, the bureaucracy involved in reaching and communicating with various groups. Legal systems are closely tied with political systems and may constrain where and how international negotiations are conducted. Lastly, economic systems shape the way businesses operate in a country.

This paper will compare and discuss the cultural differences in business negotiation processes between Western and Asian cultures, specifically examining the negotiation processes of German and Chinese cultures. We will evaluate each negotiation style using a seven-step-process designed for international negotiations (see Appendix).

German Negotiation Process

Step 1: Preparation (7 Key Issues)

Negotiation Feasibility:

Germans have a saying, ‘Das Land der Mitte’ - The Land in the middle – whereby, they’ve never had a place to escape. Being in the centre of everything meant successfully negotiating to survive (Benea & Onita, 2013). One central governing concept for Germans - Gesamtkonzept - creates a framework and provides for a “logical structure…for the general position…German goals and aims… German interests…and…how the position will address the interests of counterparts” (Moore and Woodrow, 2010, p. 319).

Company Goals:

The goal for Germans is to find allays to “rally and support the future German position” (Benea & Onita, 2013, p. 26). This ties into the concept above, where Germany’s survival largely-depended on forming relationships with surrounding nations.

Compromise mandate:

“Germans often even recognize the interests and needs of counterparts with whom they disagree.” (Moore & Woodrow, 2010, p. 319). Unlike most cultures, Germans’ position is established bilaterally, with regard for the interests and concerns of the other party they’re negotiating with.

Knowledge about other side:

To understand the environment and context
Show More

Related Documents: Comparing Chinese And German Negotiating Processes

RE: German lifestyle in China Essay example

however it is important to understand the culture in order to be productive. Expats need to study and learn different communication strategies in order to be able to negotiate an agreement. In this report, cultural differences of Americans, Chinese and Germans are examined. Chinese are high context society that are communicating nonverbally. It is challenging to figure out Chinese culture if you were not born and raised in that region. Chinese people talk with their face, hands and so many unspoken words…

Words 961 - Pages 4

Forestation Policy In Germany

there are some loopholes and shortcomings of the Chinese forestation policies. It is very important for China to learn from the experience of the German forestation policies. This thesis will briefly illustrate the German forestation policies and explore what China may learn from Germany’s experience. Key words: Germany; forestation policies; China; experience 1. Introduction The German…

Words 2336 - Pages 10

An Analysis Of The Entangling Alliances

Simplified A. Bismarck’s shrewd assessment of German needs (Realpolitik) 1. Re: France 2. Re: A-H & Russian (3 Emperor’s League 1872(-logic: 3 autocracies 3. Re: Italy (w/ Aus=triple alliance)- the logic? (Tunisia 1881) 4. Summary of first diplomatic period B. 1890: Bismarck’s resignation; Germany fails to renew alliance w/ Russia B. 1890: Bismarck’s; Germany fails to renew alliance w/ Russia 1. Major turning point & Dip Rev of ENORMOUS proportion: anti-German pole coming together with France at center…

Words 745 - Pages 3

31 4 Outline 1 Essay

empire that included conquering China a. Would provide raw materials and markets for goods b. Give Japan more room for growing population d. Japan Invades Manchuria i. Northeast province of China; rich in iron and coal ii. Japan had invest heavily there iii. 1931, Japan seized Manchuria and set up puppet govt 1. Built mines and factories iv. Japan ignored protests of League of Nations and withdrew from it in 1933 e. Japan Invades China i. 1937 – Japan invades China 1. Capital of Beijing and Nanjing…

Words 826 - Pages 4

The Great Wall of China Essay

The Great Wall of China is one of the greatest architectural achievements ever recorded in history. The Great Wall translates to “long fortress.” The wall was made entirely by hand. It was built to protect the Chinese from intruders from different Nomadic Tribes. The wall is about 5,500 miles long. The wall did not stretch across all of China but it stretched from Shanhaiguan in the East to Lop Nur in the West. Some people say that you can even see the wall from the moon! Wouldn’t that be something…

Words 1253 - Pages 6

Cold War Essay

Republic of Romania 1947 Yugoslavia: Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1943 Hungary: People’s Republic of Hungary 1949 Czechoslovakia: Czechoslovak Socialist Republic 1948 Bulgaria: The People’s Republic of Poland 1946 East German: The German Democratic Republic 1949 Albania: The People’s Socialist Republic of Albania 1943 Iron Curtain speech Delivered by Winston Churchill; Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, March 5, 1946; emphasized the tension between Communist George…

Words 1199 - Pages 5

Finals: Soviet Union and Qing Dynasty Essay

Marx – a german philosopher Otto von Bismark -- a conservative Prussian statesman who dominated German and European affairs from the 1860s until 1890 Guiuseppe Garibaldi -- an Italian general and politician who played a large role in the history of Italy, considered himself one of the fathers of the fatherland. Camillo Cavour -- an Italian statesman and a leading figure in the movement toward Italian unification Kaiser -- the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, ruling the German Empire and…

Words 1007 - Pages 5

Chinese Culture Essay

which it is making offers. China must act upon the phrase i.e. think globally and act locally. It is essential because Chinese companies made the product as per their local market and consumers and direct them towards international consumers whose needs do differ from Chinese people. Chinese companies are striving to be the world’s market leaders and hold complete control over world consumers however they often lack in their efforts. Not only customers but government of china does also think in the…

Words 920 - Pages 4

Essay about By 1980 Relaxation On Taiwan Governments

1987 Nationals are allow to travel to China. 1992 to 1993 repaid grow 8m visites National Unification Council: to see China unified as a democratic and and free countries, China have to see democratic and economic. (Official Document.) SEF ARATs They are private foundations. Though they are not across the Taiwan strait and have quazzy official talks and whether the terms. They negotiate 1992 Consensus. they agreed a broad one China Principle. PRC china refer to PRC and ROC official means ROC…

Words 874 - Pages 4

Causes Of The Boxer Rebellion

Throughout most of the nineteenth and early twentieth century, China had gone through a lot of rebellions and wars, including the Boxer Rebellion. The Boxers consisted of a group of peasants who attacked Chinese Christians and foreigners and they also performed physical exercises that believed would make them be invincible. During the Boxer Rebellion, what they were trying to drive European powers out of China. The outcome of this was that the Boxers didn’t succeed at trying to get westernization…

Words 967 - Pages 4