role of culture in international negotiations
Over the recent past, more businesses have gone global. Additionally, politicians are always engaged with their counterparts from other parts of the world. According to Cardenas (2019), culture comprises of the socially transmitted values, attitudes, norms and behavior patterns of a given community, which may comprise an organization, country, or ethnic group. This paper explores the role of culture in international negotiations.
Cultural differences make business negotiations more complicated. For instance, cultural differences create an opportunity for misunderstandings between negotiating parties. For instance, a U.S firm may be negotiating with its Japanese counterparts when the representatives of the latter make a statement suggesting that they are having difficulty accepting the proposal made by the former. This may be interpreted by the representatives of the U.S firm that their Japanese counterparts are still willing to continue the business negotiations. However, Japanese culture encourages people to avoid confrontations (Cardenas, 2019). By saying that they are experiencing some difficulties accepting a business proposal, representatives of the Japanese firm are insinuating that the discussions between them and their U.S counterparts are over.
At the same time, culture may influence the goals of the international negotiations. For instance, Cardenas (2019) says that he has encountered a survey that revealed that Spain negotiators are interested in achieving a signed agreement while their counterparts from India are looking forward to establishing a healthy long-term relationship with those they are entering a business contract with. The two parties may be frustrated by each other’s approach to negotiations.
In order to be successful in international negotiations, businesses should conduct their homework regarding the culture of the entities they want to do business with. Additionally, representatives need to demonstrate respect for cultural differences between them and their business partners. At the same time, being adaptable and flexible is essential for companies and individuals involved in international negotiations (Alwan & Wolf, 2019). Businesses and individuals should focus on establishing a common ground when they are engaged in talks with their counterparts from other parts of the world.
In conclusion, culture is an integral part of each society, and it plays a crucial role in determining many aspects of an individual’s life. This paper has demonstrated that culture influence the goals and approaches used by negotiating parties who are from different ethnic or national backgrounds. As a result, this paper has suggested that international negotiators carry out a thorough research on the parties they intend to interact with in terms of their norms, use of language, and expectations.