Question

Select any two countries and using the academic literature examine the impact of cultural differences on the negotiation process. Outline the cultural characteristics of each country and then provide a comparative analysis of how these cultural characteristics impact upon how they negotiate.

Answer 1

Culture in any country is mainly maifested in terms of :

• Languages spoken
• Family
• Education
• Customs
• Behavior and roles
• Attitudes
• Thoughts and feelings
• Manners

People believe that culture plays an important role in the negotiation process. Mainly the cultural aspects impact the following stages in the negotiation process :

• Languages spoken : The languages spoken are different in different countries and thus it impact the negotiation in a big way. The language spoken affects the language in which the contract is written,understood and signed. It also affects the business people getting cheated by the domestic people. People speaking in foreign language are mostly deceived by the local people.
• Way of greeting each other : The way people greet each other varies from country to country and thus it impact the beginning of the negotiation. If the business partners greet each other in the same way, it creates a good impression.
• Timelines : In some countries people are very particular about the time whereas in other countries,they dont bother much.
• Manners and attitudes : Mannerism and attitude varies from country to country. Speaking loud and in high tone is considered good in some countries whereas in other countries it is taken as a symbol of rudeness and disobeyance.

Comparison of culture between India and America and its impact on negotiations

Cultural Parameters	India	America	Impact on Negotiations
Languages spoken	Hindi	English	Generally the contract is written in English so that both the parties can understand and sign it. Sometimes if any of the parties doesnt understand the language,they keep a translator before signing the contract. There are more chances that a person fromAmerica is deceived by the local people if he doesnt speak in Hindi.
Way of Greeting	Joining hands and saying Namaste	Handshake or kissing each other	Greeting plays an important role in the beginning of the negotiation. It builds up a rapport between the two parties if both of them handshake each other.
Timelines	Delay everytime	Punctual	As Indians delay the tasks everytime, the American party has to keep reminding the Indian partner so that there would be no delay in the delivery and the project completion
Manners and attitude	Speaking loud	Soft speaking	As people speak loudly in India even in business meetings, it is taken as a wrong notion by the partner and they assume that the person is angry or very rude. Sometimes the deal doesnt take place because of this.