Chapter 4
Are American negotiators people-oriented or task-oriented?
American negotiators are task-oriented. They can move mountains. They take responsibility and push things through to their conclusion like few others in the world. They get things done.
What does effective interaction mean?
Effective interaction means giving of yourself—trying to see the world of others and to respect their life ways. It means not forcing your ways on them. Yet at the same time, it means being true to yourself and your ways. To be really effective, interaction must be a two-way street or, of course, it is not interaction at all.
Are there any problems in American style of negotiation?
Yes, there are.
Falling into the win-lose trap
Ignoring cultural gaps
Failing to recognize the host country's negotiating ob¬stacles
Being in too much of a hurry
Not listening for communication barriers
Wearing blinders with respect to relationships and emotions
Using language that is too hard to understand
Americans are obsessed with time, aren’t they?
American negotiators want to get down to business and conclude the negotiations as quickly as possible. This impatience can seriously limit your negotiating power, since as a result American negotiators are often the first to make concessions.
Why is it hard to understand Americans during the negotiation?
Considerable number of cliche’s and amount of jargon used by Americans. This reliance on slang makes it very difficult for TOS to grasp our meaning, even if TOS speaks English. By using simple, straightforward language, we can help ourselves by helping others understand them.
Why do americans ignore cultural gaps?
Not knowing the nuances bf behavior in different cultures—and not recognizing that they exist at all—can raise serious problems for international negotiators. Americans would rather take a beating than learn a foreign lan¬guage, which makes Americans seem disrespectful of other cultures.
Chapter 5
Why are the Japanese slow in making decisions?
The emphasis on the group helps explain why the Japanese are so slow making negotiating decisions. It takes time to ensure that there is "buy-in" from all members of the team. The group emphasis also influences whom you are trying to convince at the negotiating table.
Why is presenting business cards very important for the Japanese?
This factor helps explain why the Japanese emphasize the relationship with one's counterpart. Getting to know the other person helps to bring orderliness and predictability to the negotiating process. Similarly, the Japanese pay great attention to ritual, such as presenting business cards
Do we need to learn foreign languages?
An important part of verbal communication is literally speaking the same language. You might wonder if you really have to learn a foreign language to talk to these people. The short answer to this question is of course "yes." Communication is enhanced when both parties are working to share a common language. The degree to which this is necessary, however, depends on the individuals with whom you are negotiating, their language, their culture, and the amount of business you are doing with them.
Why is nonverbal communication important during the negotiation?
Nonverbal communication, or body language, is important for two reasons: (1) to help determine the meaning of what TOS is saying; and (2) to help you get your own message across.
How could the pace be an obstacle between American negotiators and their international counterparts?
American negotiators want to get down to business, while their international counterparts may take additional time to build relationships or to reduce the ambiguity associated with this stranger (i.e., you, the U.S. negotiator).
What is always critical to any successful negotiation?
Meeting the needs of one's opponent is critical to any successful negotiation, yet not all domestic or international negotiators look for win-win solutions to the negotiation.