Chapter Five

Cross-Cultural Communication
and Negotiation

McGraw-Hill/Irwin
 1. Communication Process

 Communication
 The process of transferring meanings from sender
to receiver.

 On the surface this appears straightforward

 However, a great many problems can result
in the failure to transfer meanings correctly
 Context plays a key role 7-3
 1. Communication Process

Is communication through spoken words or

written text better in a multicultural environment?

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1. Communication Process

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1. Communication Process

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1. Communication Process

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 1. Communication Process
Research has shown that managers in North America are often expected
or encouraged to be assertive and take the initiative in conversations.
In much of Asia, by contrast, managers are often expected to remain silent
and wait for an invitation to speak.
Managers in North America are frequently allowed to leave a
conversation once the main topic is finished; managers in Spain are
generally expected to linger awhile and talk about other things before
departing. Moreover, it is common for more than one manager to speak
at the same time throughout much of Latin Europe, while managers in
Northern Europe are more likely to wait until another speaker finishes.
Conversations in much of Latin America tend to have very few lapses of
silence– indeed, silence or “dead air” often makes such people
uncomfortable, forcing them to speak again. By contrast, silent periods
are very common in East and Southeast Asia, and are not a source of
discomfort. In Asia silence can signal respect and consideration of what
was just said.
(Source: Steers & Orland, p.177).
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 1. Communication Process

 Downward Communication
 Transmission of information from manager
to subordinate.
 Primary purpose of manager-initiated
communication is to convey orders/information
 Managers use this channel for instructions and
performance feedback
 Channel facilitates the flow of information to those
who need it for operational purposes

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 Communication Flows
Suggestions for Communication
 When communicating downward with nonnative
speakers
1. Use most common words with their most
common meanings
2. Select words with few alternative meanings
3. Strictly follow the basic rules of grammar
4. Speak with clear breaks between words
5. Avoid using esoteric or culturally biased words
6. Avoid the use of slang
7. Don’t use words or expressions requiring the listener
to form mental images
8. Mimic the cultural flavor of the non-native speaker’s
language
9. Paraphrase and repeat basic ideas continually
10. At the end, test how well the other person understands
by asking him/her to paraphrase what has been said
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 Communication Flows

 Upward Communication
 Transfer of meaning from subordinate to superior.
 Primary purposes are to provide feedback,
ask questions, and obtain assistance
 In recent years there has been a call for more
upward communication in U.S.
 In Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore upward
communication has long been a fact of life
 Outside Asian countries, upward communication
is not as popular

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 2. Communication Barriers

2.1. Language barriers

 Knowledge of the language used at headquarters is
not enough
 Fluency, technical knowledge, and writing
skills (such as letter writing) are also important

An American studying Japanese wrote New Year’s

wishes to Japanese contacts in basic Japanese
characters but omitted one character. As a result, the
message became “Dead man, congratulations”!

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 2. Communication Barriers

 Perception: A person’s view

of reality.
Culture Values
Misinterpretation: How others
see us may be different than we
think
Advertising Messages: countless
advertising blunders when words
are misinterpreted by others:
https://youtu.be/ALWwK7Vz4gY?s
i=grQoRa3taeEjEseS
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2. Communication Barriers

= “Eat your fingers off” in China!

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 2.Communication Barriers
 Nonverbal communication
 The transfer of meaning through means such as
body language and use of physical space.

Kinesics Chronemics
(Thời gian)

Proxemics
Chromatics
(Khoảng cách) (Màu sắc) 7-18
 2.Communication Barriers

 Nonverbal communication
Kinesics: Communication through body
movement and facial expression (Eye contact,
Posture, Gestures)

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 2. Communication Barriers

Japanese bow
Middle Easterners Tibetan
of the same sex people stick
kiss on the cheek out their
tongues.
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 2. Communication Barriers

 Nonverbal
communication
Proxemics: Study of the way
people use physical space to
convey messages.
 Intimate distance: very
confidential communications
 Personal distance:
family/close friends
 Social distance: most
business transactions
 Public distance: calling
across room or giving talk
to group
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 In US, the more
important the
manager, the
larger the office

In Japan and Euro,

everyone works in the
same large room
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 2. Communication Barriers

 Nonverbal
communication
Chronemics: The way time is
used in a culture. Two types:
 Monochronic time schedule:
things done in linear fashion
 Polychronic time schedule:
people do several things at
same time and place higher
value on personal involvement
than on getting things done on
time

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 2. Communication Barriers

 Nonverbal communication
Chromatics: The use of color to communicate messages.
Every society uses chromatics, but in different ways

In US
people wear
black in
mourning,
while in
India people
wear white

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 3. Achieving Communication
Effectiveness
 Improve feedback systems
 Provide language training
 Provide cultural training
 Flexibility and cooperation

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 4. Managing Cross
Cultural
Negotiations
 Negotiation
 The process of bargaining with one more parties
at arrive at solution acceptable to all.
 Two types of negotiation
1. Distributive negotiation when two parties with
opposing goals compete over set value.
2. Integrative negotiation when two groups
integrate interests, create value, invest in the
agreement (win-win scenario).
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4. Managing Cross Cultural
Negotiations

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 The Negotiation Process

1. Planning
2. Interpersonal relationship building
3. Exchanging task related information
4. Persuasion
5. Agreement

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 6
Cultural Differences
Affecting
Negotiations
 When negotiating
1. Don’t identify the counterpart’s home culture
too quickly; common cues such as accent may
be unreliable.
2. Beware of Western bias toward “doing”. Ways
of being, feeling, thinking, and talking can shape
relationships more powerfully than doing.
3. Counteract the tendency to formulate simple,
consistent, stable images.
4. Don’t assume all aspects of culture are equally
significant.
5. Recognize that norms for interactions involving
outsiders may differ from those for interactions
between compatriots.
iarity with counterpart’s culture.

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 Negotiation Tactics

Location
Time limits
Buyer-seller relationship
Bargaining behaviors
 Use of extreme behaviors
 Promises, threats and other behaviors
 Nonverbal behaviors

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 4. Managing Cross Cultural
Negotiations
Time limits can be used tactically even if the negotiators meet at a
neutral site. For example, most Americans like to be home with
their families for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year
holiday. Negotiations held right before these dates put Americans
at a disadvantage because the other party knows when the
Americans would like to leave.
Effective negotiators view luncheon, dinner, reception, ceremony,
and tour invitations as times for interpersonal relationship building.
“ When American negotiators, often frustrated, ask how long they
must wait before beginning to “do business,”… …the answer is
simple: wait!
In fact, a successful negotiation has already begun, even if
business has yet to be mentioned”!
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 Exercise
For 11 straight years, the Toyota Camry has been the best-selling car in the
United States, and the firm’s share of the American automobile market was
solid. However, the company is not resting on its laurels. Toyota has
expanded worldwide and is now doing business in scores of countries. Visit
the firm’s website and find out what it has been up to lately. Next, go to the
jobs section site and see what types of career opportunities there are at
Toyota. Then, drawing upon this information and the material you read in
the chapter, answer these three questions: (1) What type of communication
and negotiation challenges do you think you would face if you worked for
Toyota and were in constant communication with home-office personnel in
Japan? (2) What type of communication training do you think the firm
would need to provide to you to ensure that you were effective in dealing
with senior-level Japanese managers in the hierarchy? (3) What conclusions
can you draw regarding communicating with the Japanese managers, and
what guidelines would you offer to a non-Japanese employee who just
entered the firm and is looking for advice and guidance regarding how to
communicate and negotiate more effectively?
 1. Communication and Negotiation Challenges with Home-Office Personnel in Japan Challenges:
 High-Context Communication:
Japanese communication relies heavily on context, non-verbal cues, and shared cultural understanding. This may lead to
misunderstandings for individuals accustomed to direct, explicit communication.
 Formality and Hierarchy:
Japanese business culture places significant importance on hierarchy and formal communication, which might feel
restrictive for individuals from more egalitarian cultures.
 Indirect Feedback:
Feedback is often given indirectly to avoid conflict, making it challenging to interpret the true intent behind the message.
 Consensus Decision-Making (Nemawashi):
Japanese organizations emphasize consensus, requiring time and effort to build agreement across stakeholders. This
process can seem slow or cumbersome to those unfamiliar with it.
 Language Barriers:
While many Japanese professionals are proficient in English, subtle nuances might be lost in translation, causing potential
miscommunication.
2. Communication Training Needed for Effectiveness with Senior-Level Japanese Managers
- Cross-Cultural Communication Skills:
 Teach high-context communication strategies, including reading non-verbal cues and understanding implicit messages.
 Train employees to adjust communication style based on hierarchical levels, emphasizing respect and formality.
- Japanese Business Etiquette:
 Cover practices such as bowing, exchanging business cards (meishi), and proper meeting conduct.
 Highlight how to use appropriate honorifics and titles in correspondence.
- Active Listening Techniques:
 Focus on listening carefully for indirect feedback and implied meanings.
- Language Support:
 Offer basic Japanese language courses to help build rapport and bridge communication gaps.
- Decision-Making Framework:
 Explain the process of nemawashi and how to contribute to consensus-building in the Japanese business environment.