Negotiation is a process of discussion between two parties to reach an agreement that is in their interest. The purpose of negotiation may differ from one culture to another(Brett, 2014). For example, some cultures, such as American culture, aim to make a deal as quickly as possible, while others, such as Japanese culture, seek to build trust for long-term agreements.
In this paper, I will discuss the stages of the negotiation process across different cultures and the differences in culture-based persuasion techniques.
Stages of the negotiation process across different cultures:
According to (Craver, 2003), the negotiation process passes through five stages, they are (Preparation - Information Exchange - Bargaining - Agreement - Implementation)
1. Preparation stage: at this stage, the other party is studied and adapted to its culture and what is the best way to conduct negotiations; for example, American culture prefers official negotiations, like choosing a suitable official venue for negotiatitalksestaurant; in other cultures, such as Eastern and Latin cultures, they like to conduct negotiations after a working lunch in which they get to know the other party (Green, 2019).
2. Information exchange stage: Each party presents its information to the other at this stage. At this stage, it is necessary to study the most appropriate and best ways to present information to the other party. For example, American culture prefers future feasibility studies; on the contrary, Eastern culture prefers to display what has been accomplished in the past before studying the future benefits (Adair & Brett, 2004).
3. Bargaining stage: Everyone is trying to get the most out of the negotiation. According to Green (2019), at the international level, a professional translator is required at this stage so that some words or signs are understood, even if the negotiator speaks the same language.
4. Agreement stage: This is the stage of developing a strategy to implement the negotiation's outcome. We must understand the regulations and norms that the host country follows when making agreements. For example, in Saudi Arabia, contracts are conducted according to the provisions of Islamic rules.
5. Implementation stage: This is the stage in which work is carried out according to what has been agreed upon. Here, closer and more solid relationships are built, and work is done according to the country's culture in which the implementation will take place.
Differences in culture-based persuasion techniques:
The application of negotiation differs from one culture to another based on two theories:
The First Theory is based on three prototypes of cultures: “Dignity,” “Face,” and “H" nor” cul"u" es, a"cord"g t."
"Shon, "0"9), ""ignite" "ultra"e" I" "" sed o " rul" s, l"" was, and trus" in others to r"ach m "mutual cooperation"; we find this culture in the United States, Canada, and Northwest European countries; as for "Face Culture," it is a c" lecture-based "n cultural "orms and savi"g face, it" parties avoid "irect confrontation and negative feelings to reach a social relationship rather than work, we find this type widespread in China, Japan, and some East Asian countries, finally, "Honor Culture" it depends" on avoiding "insults, not "underestimating" the other" and building"strong relationships before agreements, we find this type in the Middle East and North Africa and some Latin American countries.
The Second Theory: according to (Ting-Toomey, 1982), this theory is based on three main styles of persuasion through negotiation with a different culture: "The Factual-inductive" b" sed on facts and figures, "e find this model in "he" the United States, "The Axiomatic-deductive"" based on ideas, princip" e," and beliefs, we see t""s model in East and Nort" Asian countries, "The Affective-intuitive""It is based on feelings" an" emotions, found in Mid" "e Eastern countries and"some Latin countries.
Conclusion
Of course, significant benefits can be achieved when studying all these previous cultural patterns to find the best ways to start negotiating with different cultures. Still, according to (Shon, 2019), it would be utterly wrong to stereotype and apply to a particular culture, as it is necessary to evaluate many other elements, such as identifying the negotiators' mentalities negotiators at different asp negotiators the issues raised in negotiation, and how they are presented.
References
Adair, W. L., & Brett, J. M. (2004). Culture and negotiation processes. The handbook of negotiation and culture, 158-176.
Brett, J. M. (2014). Negotiating globally: How to negotiate deals, resolve disputes, and make decisions across cultural boundaries. Retrieved from EBook Central. (Read Chapter 3: Culture and Strategy for Negotiating Deals)
Craver, C. B. (2003). The negotiation process. Am. J. Trial Advoc., 27, 271.
Green, A. (2019). How to Negotiate in Cross-Cultural Situations. Retrieved from https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/leadership-skills-daily/how-to-negotiate-in-cross-cultural-situations/
Shon, K. (2019). Cross-Cultural Communication in Business Negotiations. Retrieved from https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/international-negotiation-daily/cross-cultural-communication-business-negotiations/
Shon, K. (2019). How to Deal with Cultural Differences in Negotiation. Retrieved from https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/business-negotiations/how-to-deal-with-cultural-differences-in-negotiation/
Ting-Toomey, S. (1982). Toward a theory of conflict and culture.