High and low context culture embodied in Sino-American business negotiations
Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
Low Context and High Context Communication
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
Low Context and High Context Communication
开题报告表
论文（设计）名称 论文（设计）来源 学生姓名 一、调研资料的准备 The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of Low Context and High Context Communication 高低语境文化对中美商务谈判的影响 自选 邓红 论文（设计）类型 学 号 B 40902734 导 师 专 业 刘莉 英语 在确定主题后，我通过浏览图书馆相关书籍以及在CNKI中国知网上搜索与高低语境、商务谈判以及中美文化相关的文章与论文，搜集了很多对本论文有帮助的资料，也借鉴到了他人更加专业与得体的写作方法。 二、设计目的与要求 本选题旨在通过对高低语境是如何影响中美商务谈判的谈判方式、博弈决策进程、合同签署态度以及多次中美商务谈判最终结果对中美商务谈判中高低语境变化趋势的影响的介绍与分析，为中美谈判向更好、更顺利、更互利互惠的方向发展给出有价值的参考。 三、写作思路 1.高低语境介绍及孕育中美两国高低语境的历史人文背景； 2.探讨高低语境对中美商务谈判的谈判方式、博弈决策进程、合同签署态度等的影响；剖析中美不同语境的相互作用，对谈判博弈决策的影响，对最终合同签署的影响； 3. 从高低语境对中美商务谈判的影响来讨论目前高低语境在全球化进程中将会有可能的发展趋势。 四、预期成果 希望在本论文中能具体清楚地介绍高低语境以及中美所属语境对中美商务谈判具体的影响；深入地探讨中美谈判和中美两国语境的相互作用相互影响以及发展趋势；并以此为中美谈判向更好、更顺利、更互利互惠的方向发展给出有价值的参考。 五、论文进度安排与内容 2012年10月31日前，讨论论文的构思设计；2012年11月18日前，完成论文粗纲的写作，并经导师认可以及论文基本内容和参考资料的确定；2012年01月18日前，完成论文细纲的写作，经导师同意后开始进行论文的初稿写作；2012年01月24日前，完成初稿交导师，由导师给出论文修改的原则性意见；2012年03月21日前，向导师提交一式两份印好的论文定稿。 六、完成论文（设计）所需具备的条件因素 要顺利的完成好该选题下的论文，首先需要有足够多的权威的参考文献资料，然后需要与导师及时密切地探讨指导与修改，最后要准确逻辑地表达出论文的中心思想。 指导教师签名： 日期： 论文（设计）类型：A—理论研究；B—应用研究；C—软件设计等；
Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
Low Context and High Context Communication
摘要
文化是交流的组成部分，也是对跨国交流最重要的影响因素之一。中国典型的高语境文化与美国的低语境文化，导致中美人民在交流沟通上存在很大的差异。这些差异容易导致中美在商务谈判中彼此难以理解，造成交流困难。本文介绍了爱德华·霍尔对高低语境的定义，从高低语境产生的中美不同思维模式对中美商务谈判的影响，以及高低语境现在以及未来的趋同趋势这几个方面来对比分析研究中美交流的差异，以促进中美商务交流的顺利进行。
关键词：高语境文化；低语境文化；商务谈判；差异
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
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Abstract
Culture is the constituent part of the national communication, and one of the most important factors of international communication. However, the differences of High Context culture in China and Low Context in America has caused a great many of troubles for their mutual understanding and also influences their business negotiation. Therefore, finding out the differences between High Context culture in China and Low Context is the key to promoting the economic and cultural exchange between China and America. This thesis introduces Edward Hall’s definition of high context and low context and the influence of high context and low context on business negotiation between China and America as well as the future trend of convergence of high and low context culture. From these several aspects communication differences of China and America will be clear, so that it can promote the smooth communication between China and America.
Key words: High Context culture; Low Context culture
Communication; Business negotiation
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Contents
摘要 ................................................................................................................................................. iv Abstract ............................................................................................................................................. v Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1 I. The Definition of High Context and Low Context ........................................................................ 2 II. The Influence of High Context and Low Context on Business Negotiation between China and America ............................................................................................................................................. 5
2.1. The Difference of Thought Patterns ................................................................................... 5 2.2. The Difference of Negotiation Organization ...................................................................... 7 2.3. The Different Views of Values and Interpersonal Relationship ......................................... 8 2.4. The Different Language Model ........................................................................................ 11 2.5. The Different Negotiation Styles ..................................................................................... 12
2.5.1The differences of HC culture and LC culture on time conception ......................... 12 2.5.2The Differences of HC Culture and LC Culture on Negotiation Tactics................. 14 2.6. The Different Style of Negotiation Document Writing .................................................... 15 Ⅲ.The Convergence Trend of LC Culture and HC Culture ............................................................ 16 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 18 Literature Review ............................................................................................................................ 20 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................... 31 Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... 33
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
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The Influence of High Context and Low Context on Business
Negotiation between China and America
Introduction
As the quick development of globalization, more and more people do international trade, study abroad and go traveling all over the world. However, due to various historical, political and cultural backgrounds, and huge differences among people, the same message may be taken differently by different individuals. Based on these, unsuccessful communication will happen frequently. Therefore, in order to reduce conflicts and avoid misunderstanding in international communication, it’s necessary for us to know the culture and communication style of a country.
Cultural context plays a very important role in international communication among all the countries, especially in China and America whose cultures are vastly different in many ways, such as their basic values,
thinking
models,
language
systems
and
nonverbal
communications and many other aspects. Communication especially the international communication and culture are closely related. The words, tone and actions are made in some subconscious ways which are directly connected with the culture and show different meanings.
The comparative study of high-context and low-context is a great approach to understand the difference of Chinese and American culture
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
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and point out a specific way to figure out the cultural similarities and differences so as to conduct a successful business negotiation.
According to American anthropologist Edward T. Hall’s classification, culture is classified as high-context and low context. China belongs to high-context country, while America belongs to low-context country. That means Chinese tend to be more aware of their surroundings and environment and do not rely on verbal communication as their main information source. American people are just on the contrary. Therefore, to find out the differences of cultures and know them clearly is a key factor to improve the communication outcome between China and America.
I. The Definition of High Context and Low Context
The anthropologist Edward Hall provides us an effective means of examining cultural similarities and differences in perception and communication. He categorizes cultures as being either high or low context, depending on the degree to which meaning comes from the settings or from the words being exchanged. A high context communication or message is one in which most of the information is already in the person, while very little is in the coded, explicitly transmitted part of the message. In high context cultures most of the information is in the people who are a part of the interaction and many of the meanings being exchanged during the encounter do not have to be
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communicated through words. A low communication is just the opposite. For example, the mass of the information is vested in the explicit code. In low context culture, the verbal message contains most of the information and very little is embedded in the context or the participants.
China is a typical HC culture country, and Chinese people tend to be more aware of their surroundings and their environment and do not regard verbal communication as their main information source. The context of the message is well understood by both sender and receiver. On the contrary, Americans from a typical LC cultures country, put their thoughts into words. For them, verbal message is extremely important. It is the verbal message that the information to be shared is coded; it is not readily available from the environment because people in low context cultures tend not to learn how to perceive information from the environment. They tend to think if thoughts are not in words, then the thoughts will not be understood correctly or completely by listeners. When messages are in explicit words, the other side can act upon them, but members of high context cultures, like Chinese old man, have fewer tendencies to trust words to communication. They rely on context to help clarify and complete the message.
In china, because of the continuity and homogeneity of the culture, the historical tradition, local conditions and customs and human relations have high similarities. Most messages exist in the context which already
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have existed and became the shared resource. So as for the international communication, Chinese tend to depend on the underlying context to conduct the communication. In Chinese traditional culture, be modest and prudent is the good quality, so, in this condition, those people who express their emotion and opinions without scruple are not allowed to exist. America, the country which contains many immigrants always is considered as a big melting pot, its people are from different nations and races have different cultures and backgrounds. Because of the big differences of culture background, there are no shared culture background and same psychological schema for Americans when they continue a communication. So when they communicate, they depend on the clear code to finish the conversation. In this background, to conduct a successful communication, people must use clear and direct words. Besides, China is a collectivism oriented country and Chinese pursue the harmony and try to avoid conflicts. America is individualism oriented country and prefers to take direct conflict to solve problems.
There is a typical example of difference between Chinese and American communication styles to criticize others. If Chinese will criticize others, they always will use indirect ways. They will praise others’ good aspects and then tell the listeners their weak points. Maybe, they will criticize others’ weak point and use this way to hint the listeners what they didn’t do good. All in all, everything doesn’t need to be expressed so clearly,
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and the listeners can understand. In the same situation, Americans will not take a roundabout way; on the contrary, they will be straightforward to point out the listener’s weak points. This action is very normal for Americans, and listeners will not feel embarrassed or offended. Therefore, if a Chinese criticizes an American, the American cannot understand what the Chinese wants to express; and if an American criticizes a Chinese, the Chinese will feel shameful and disgraceful, even will hate the American. From this example we can directly and clearly know how important it is to know other countries’ culture when conduct a conversation.
II. The Influence of High Context and Low Context on Business Negotiation between China and America
Multinationality is one of the most important features of business negotiation. Negotiators from different countries and different nations have huge difference on thought patterns, negotiation organization, values, language model, negotiation styles and negotiation document writing and other aspects. Because of these culture differences, there always exist unsuccessful negotiations. So, in business negotiation, besides for the basic negotiation skills, it is also important to have a good understanding of culture differences on business negotiation. 2.1 The Difference of Thought Patterns
Chinese negotiators think the whole negotiation principal is the starting point to settle other problems. Only when the whole principal is decided,
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can the negotiation of details be continued. This ‘principal first, details second’ is one of the obvious negotiation models of Chinese. In the process of business negotiation, Americans pay more attention to the concrete rather than the entirety. When they face with a complicated negotiation task, they always break it down to a series of smaller, more manageable tasks and settle them independently. For example, they will settle the price, package, delivery and other relative problems one by one, then, the final treaty is the summation of all the smaller treaties. For Americans, it doesn’t matter whether there is a whole principal; the important aspect is to concentrate on the real specific problems to get the negotiation go on smoothly.
Chinese stress the comprehensive way of thinking originated from Chinese traditional culture. They hold the view that human and nature are an indivisible unity. With the regard to the relationship among people, they appeal to collectivism and trust their own intuition. For thousands of years, this kind of thought pattern has occupied a dominate position in China and become the core cognition and communication. Therefore, in the process of negotiation, Chinese negotiators like to settle problems from overall picture to details, from larger ones to smaller ones; they are used to making a comprehensive survey of the overall situation first, and then thinking over details. They like to discuss all the problems together, and there is no obvious order of preference. They are not willing to divide
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this negotiation to some single topics for discussion, until the last state of negotiation they just make concessions and promises and come to the final agreement. Americans tend to apply linear thought pattern, and that’s why they pay attention to details. They pursue the actual and eager to discuss the concrete clauses at the beginning. They think contracts should be an integrated, enforced and legally binding clauses. 2.2 The Difference of Negotiation Organization
Culture is the key point to choose negotiators. Different countries have different standards to choose negotiators, such as their personality, total quantity, and division of works and other aspects. Just as America is a country with small power distance，which means the distance between person with the most power and the one at the bottom is small and also means the society de-emphasizes the differences between citizen’s power and wealth. When Americans choose negotiators they will pay more attention to the negotiators’ eloquence, level of expertise and reasoning ability, but attach little importance to negotiators’ status in company. China is a country with great power distance. Therefore, statue is a key point to choosing negotiators in China. Therefore, negotiators should not only have a good command of social skills and also need a proper situation in the company. American negotiators have the inherent confidence and superiority complex, so they think several people who can handle these problems are enough. That’s why their negotiation groups
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only contain several main people. On the contrary, Chinese negotiation groups contain many negotiators, and for them, the negotiation groups symbolize country’s image or the groups’ image. The total members of the group are a way to measure the importance of the negotiation. Chinese people think the fewer the negotiators; the less sincere they appear, however, for Americans, the more negotiators in a group, the less capable they seem.
Besides, the function of lawyer in the negotiation is also different because of the culture differences. The sense of legal is deeply rooted in American’s mind, so lawyer plays an important role in the business negotiation. American negotiators will bring their lawyers together in every business negotiation especially the negotiation is in foreign countries. In China, legal sense is not so strong, they think bringing a lawyer together is not a friendly behavior and is the performance of distrust of partners.
2.3 The Different Views of Values and Interpersonal Relationship Individualism and collectivism are the two basic value orientations and their differences exert a great influence on business negotiation. Individualism indicates the extent to which a society is a loosely knit social framework in which people are supposed to take care only of themselves and their immediate families. America is a typically individualism country. On the contrary, collectivism emphasizes common
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interest, conformity, cooperation and interdependence. It indicates a tight social framework. Under the influence of Confucian culture, China is a collectivism country. Therefore, these cultures’ differences lead to the different behaviors and styles in negotiation.
For example, for American companies, the concept of equality is deeply rooted in everybody’s mind. The representatives of negotiation have complete decision-making power, if they think the decision is profitable, they can represent the company to make decisions and finish the whole negotiation. For Chinese companies, there are explicit boundaries between the superiors and subordinates. The representatives have little power to make decisions. In the negotiation process, they always will discuss together, and then they have to report to the company’s top about the negotiation content and consequence every time; the top leaders who even didn’t have taken part in the negotiation will make the last decision. So it is really a time consuming process.
Western culture stresses personality, while Eastern culture stresses interpersonal relationship. Western culture is a kind of culture which builds on the commodity economy society; market exchange and market competition are the main features. American negotiators pay much more attention to the actual benefits rather than the human relations. They always think the final purpose of conducting a negotiation is to sign a contract, realize economic interests, and at the same time to realize their
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own values and profit. The actual benefit cannot be changed as the interpersonal relations, besides, no matter which party proposed the scheme must be fair and reasonable. For them, no party can enjoy special preferential; business is business. For Chinese negotiators, they also care about the long cooperative and harmonious relationship. They think the purpose of the negotiation is to build and develop long cooperative relations. They don’t approve the pure commercial activities and always try their best to know more about their business partners from the informal situation. Only they believe in and get along well with their commercial partners will they do business with them. Interpersonal relation net plays a key role in their negotiation. For example, before the formal negotiation, they will bring foreign partners to visit the place of interests, to eat the most expensive and delicious food, to live in the cleanest and most deluxe hotels. They want to show their friendship by doing these. However, American negotiators do not always understand Chinese negotiators; they just want to finish the negotiation as quickly as possible. Also when Chinese negotiators conduct a negotiation, they will put a lot of money and time to build friendship as they think once the transactional relationship is determined; both sides have the obligation to consider the other’s needs and interests, and even the conflictions can be settled after the transactional relation is determined. Under the influence of this kind of idea, if America partners give Chinese party some
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preferential price, as the return, Chinese side will continue to cooperate with America party. All in all, Chinese party’s long cooperation is based on the ‘relationship’ not the interests. 2.4 The Different Language Model
In Hall’s view, Straightforward and euphemistic are the main differences of American and Chinese language model. Americans prefer the straightforward language model, stressing the direct and simple communication ways and advocating eloquent personality. And, they think argument can contribute to the settlement of problems and make a clear distinction between right and wrong. They think everyone has the right to express their own ideas. The divergence of the views just relates to the facts and will not affect the relations. Besides, they always try to avoid silence, because in western culture the person who keeps silence are considered as those who lacks confidence in interpersonal communication, and also it is considered as a way to avoid the negotiation topic and responsibility. Sometimes, silence also means the discordance of the negotiation and the break off the negotiation. That’s why in the negotiation process they always tend to make a clear and certain answer no matter the answer is approval or opposition.
China, a HC country stresses the humanity, and not to show their emotion directly is Chinese people’s main feature. In order to create a harmonious atmosphere in negotiation and also to avoid conflicts in language,
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Chinese negotiators are used to indirect communication and complex communication model, so, the listeners are sensitive to the words and have a good command of the ability to understand the implication of these words. Chinese people regard the silence as one of the important communication ways. For them, the pausing of voice and silence can contain so much meanings, like it can indicate approval, the keeping of own opinions and other meanings. During the negotiation process, Chinese negotiators prefer to use circumlocutory expression with facial expression and body languages, even when they express their refusals, they also add much qualifier. For example, when Chinese buyers find the packing of the goods are not so strong, they would not ask the sellers to improve the packing directly, but prefer to say: strong packing will protect the commodities from any possible damage during the transit. And this expression always makes American seller confused and cannot understand the true meaning of the Chinese buyers. 2.5 The Different Negotiation Styles
Different culture backgrounds show different negotiation styles, and these differences mainly are reflected in time concept and negotiation tactics. 2.5.1The Differences of HC Culture and LC Culture on Time Conception
For time conceptions, Trompenaars has identified two different approaches: sequential and synchronous. America is a highly developed
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country and American people live a fast- paced life, so they value their time and stress the efficiency. Their attitude to time is sequential. In cultures sequential approaches are prevalent, people tend to do only one activity at a time, keep appointment strict, and show a strong preference for following plans as they are laid out and not deviating from them. That means no matter what they do, they always strictly comply with the schedule, and focus on every section and every negotiation and try as quickly as possible to make a decision. For American people, a straightforward negotiation means high efficiency and also is a way to show their respect. HC culture China is just on the contrary. Chinese people’s time view is synchronous. In cultures where synchronous are common, people tend to do more than one activity at a time, appointment are approximate and may be changed at a movement’s notice, and schedules generally are subordinate to relationships. Therefore, Chinese people think during a certain time they can do many things, and a relaxed timetable can contribute to the mutual understanding and build a good relationship, then, they just come to the formal negotiation. So, from the culture’s differences, American negotiators are used to clear negotiation theme or problems’ order and negotiation time then settle them one by one. If the former problem is not completely solved, they will not begin with the negotiation of the later problem. Chinese negotiators like to talk about problems
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comprehensively and from the whole point of view to analyze and measure the important degree of these problems and even conduct several issues at the same time.
2.5.2 The Differences of HC Culture and LC Culture on Negotiation Tactics
Negotiation tactics mainly manifest in the steps of starting, consultation, and conclusion. Chinese people are used to talking about business at the table and also most of the businesses are done on the table, so business has a close relation with amusements. At the start of negotiation, Chinese will show their friendship and try to understand their partners to build the relationships. However, Americans will come to the main points at the beginning. In LC culture, work and play always are two different things and should not to be combined, the most ideal situation is according to the schedule to hold negotiation and come to an agreement as quickly as possible. In the consultation stage, Americans always welcome anybody to join in the conversation to express ideas. It is so normal for American people to interrupt others’ conversation. For Chinese people, in the consultation process, don’t get in a word, don’t interrupt and don’t force. This is also a way to show their respect. In the negotiation process between China and America, American people always are strong and positive and tend to dominate the whole negotiation. At last, for the conclusion, American people will think
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signing the contract is the termination of negotiation, but Chinese people don’t think so. Chinese people stress the long-standing ties with the partners, so they always will arrange a grand signing ceremony and glee feast. For them, the end of the negotiation also means the beginning of a good friendship.
2.6 The Different Style of Negotiation Document Writing
The differences of HC culture and LC culture also have a great influence on the style of negotiation document writing. Americans always are less tolerant on uncertain things. Signing contract is a way to reduce the uncertainty, so they pay much attention to the contract. They think signing the contract is a reliable and fair way to guarantee the profit of both sides. In general, Americans prefer a meticulous and specific writing style in contract. In the course of negotiation, American negotiators will seriously discuss the terms and the details of contract and will give clear provisions for the responsibility of breach of contract and compensation, so as to settle all the possible problems in transactions. Americans believe that the contract has the absolute effect for anyone who connects with the transaction and no one can outmatch the contract, and they also will strictly follow the terms of the contract. So, no matter what have happened, both sides can refer to the contract. Comparatively speaking, for Chinese people, harmonious human relationship is more important than any paper contracts. Chinese people think the contract can change
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with specific conditions, and they are also good at adjusting the relations between the two negotiation sides to make the negotiation get smoothly. So, Chinese written contract is shorter and just contain the main contents, intention both sides’ respective obligations and other general principles while lack details. If some unexpected things happened, they will depend on relationships to settle them rather than the specific details of the contract.
Ⅲ. The Convergence Trend of LC Culture and HC Culture
Globalization becomes the inevitable trend in the 21st century. It means that the communication, knowledge and culture can be shared around the world simultaneously. It is a process of integration, including economic globalization, politic globalization and the most important is cultural globalization. As the result, now the world has entered into an era of cross-cultural communication and cultures influence and infiltrate one another. So, the convergence of culture becomes unavoidable.
Based on this, in the intercultural communication between China and America, the theory of HC culture and LC culture are not absolute but relative and it connects with the specific situation and communication purpose of the both communication sides. The two communication styles can transform into each other on a certain condition. Like in the situation of business negotiation between China and America, in order to conduct a successful business negotiation, Chinese and American negotiators
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always will have a clear understanding of each other country’s culture in advance, and then they will choose the proper speaking model to make the conversation get smooth. This phenomenon is especially prominent in Chinese culture.
For example, American importer Smith yesterday just settled the problem of product purchase with Chinese exporter Mr. Chen. Today Mr. Chen had planned to take this opportunity to congratulate their successful preliminary deal so as to close their relationship. However, Smith just directly turned to the next problems.
Smith: Mr. Chen, should we discuss the packing?
Mr. Chen: Very well, we define ways of packing garments.
Obviously, Mr. Chen shows no surprise for Smith’s such a direct way, but just follows Smith’s topic to talk about the packaging. As it is known for the whole world, the culture of China is extensive and profound, Chinese people’s speaking model is so euphemistic; that’s why many foreigners who do not know all the Chinese cultures and speaking model will cause some irrevocable misunderstanding and embarrassment. But this situation is gradually changing. Since the reforming and opening policy in China, as the rapid development of economy and the quickening pace of life, Chinese culture is gradually turning to LC culture. For example, Chinese always depend on a person’s credit to do business before, and cannot know the conceptions of law and contract clearly. However, the contract
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begins playing an important role, even for the friends or for the relations they will do paper evidence now. Now, as the speeding up of life rhythm, almost all Chinese believe in ‘time is money’; people like coming straight to the point, avoiding talking in a roundabout way. In addition, in order to overwhelm American negotiators from the momentum, now Chinese negotiators will use the tit-for-tat words to cut into the key point. Also, people do not like the long working meeting which is just like ‘marathon’ and prefer a brief speech. As the consequence, the meaningless speech is much less than before and more speeches concentrate on the practical issues. In the academic field, people pay more attention to rational analysis, and there are more statistics data explaining articles. In a word, the main reasons for this phenomenon is that the globalization and the increasing international business negotiation and the rapid development of daily life makes people’s communication time become much less than before and the tacit understanding among people also becomes less and less, so the messages become brief and less. Conclusion
Chinese HC culture and America LC culture is very different, but this does not mean they totally oppose to each other. Having a clear understanding of the differences of HC culture and LC culture can contribute the two kind cultures’ mutual communication, absorption and fusion. It can also equip the negotiators with cross-cultural negotiation
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Low Context and High Context Communication
knowledge, letting both sides have a certain communication consciousness and strengthening their m cultural sensitivity, and can contribute the success of cross cultural negotiation.
In addition, LC culture is the trend of international communication. HC culture always cannot be understood easily by other LC countries, so the gradually change of China from HC culture to LC culture is an important progress in cross cultural negotiation. This change will be very helpful for the development of Chinese foreign relations, and will promote the exchanges and cooperation between Chinese people and Americans.
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
Low Context and High Context Communication
Literature Review
Abstract
Culture is the constituent part of the national communication, and also
one of the most important influence factors. However, the differences of High Context culture in China and Low Context in America has caused a great trouble for their mutual understanding and also influences their business negotiation. So, finding out the differences between High Context culture in China and Low Context is the key point to promote the economic and cultural exchange between China and America. Therefore, clearly to know the definition of HC culture and LC culture, the connection between culture and communication as well as HC culture and LC culture impacts the communication models, the influence of cultures’ difference on national business negotiation is so important. And, the future of LC trend of Chinese culture is also a new progress for the society.
Key words:
High Context culture Low Context culture
communication business negotiation
Introduction
Culture plays an important role on communication among people who come from different countries. So, it is obvious that having a good
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
Low Context and High Context Communication
understanding of other countries’ culture is a key point to going on a smooth communication with a foreigner and having a successful business negotiation. High context culture and Low context culture are the most important parts of cultures. They directly reflect the way people talk, think and understand. At the same time, they are the key parts that may lead to misunderstanding and conflicts.
Many people write papers to study the differences between high context culture and low context culture as well as the influence of them on Business Negotiation between China and America. All these papers show a various visions of HC and LC, and their influence on communication.
The definition of HC culture and LC culture
Many papers already have made deep and extensive study on the definition, the differences between HC culture and LC culture, and the influence of HC culture and LC culture on communication, the history origin and reasons of the differences between them and the conflictions they produced and other aspects.
According to these papers and Hall’s book Beyond Culture, there is a view that in high-context culture most of the information is in the physical context or is internalized in the person who is a part of the interaction. Very little information is actually coded in the verbal message.
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
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In low-context cultures as German and American, however, most of the information is contained in the verbal message, and very little is embedded in the context or within the participants.
The Connection between Culture and Communication
As to the connection between culture and communication, Malinowski in 1923 firstly proposed the “situational context” and “culture context”, which is beyond the limitation of the language itself and makes the context simultaneously include the words meaning and the features of outer words they have contained. Situational context refers to the general and specific environment of the use of language. Culture context refers to the culture environment of the use of language as well as people’s life and customs. As Smith in 1996 pointed out, communication will exist so long as people contact with each other. As long as people live to succeed their culture, communication is unavoidable. Thus there exist interactive relationship and cause and effect relationship between culture and communication. Culture affects or even decides the communication process and mode from the deep value and the recognition process of actions and other ways.
HC culture and LC culture impact the communication models. Rogers and Steinfatt in 1999 concluded the communication mode. Communication is a dynamic and reciprocating process and communicators’ roles also constantly change. People are the main parts of
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
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communication, and they decide the consequence of communication. The concepts of culture, like belief, value, rules and customs and other culture parts are the most influential factors except people themselves. So the communication patterns are decided by the culture.
HC culture and LC culture are the most typical cultures. The differences between them impact the communication models.
Professor Zhang and Professor Yang in 2008 pointed out that based on human relationship and communication models there exist some big differences between HC culture and LC culture. Chinese, as the representative of HC culture, presents more obvious humanity and personality. For example, communicators will take different communication ways on the basis of others’ identity, statue and position. American, as the representatives of LC culture, presents more common and objective models. For them, human relationship has no specificity. There is a lower connection between communication environment and the communication messages. In HC culture communication, the communicators’ personal relationship has a big connection with business relationship. For instance, they will deal with private affairs in working time. However, in LC culture communication, the two relationships are always separate. That is in working time people don’t do personal affairs, and in relaxation time they do not talk about work. On the other hand, indirect communication as the standard communication model is very
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
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popular among people in HC countries, and is extensively accepted by them. In LC culture countries indirect communication is also accepted by people, but direct communication is the standard communication model. For example, people in HC culture countries will pay more attention to others’ self-esteem and “face”. That’s why when they express their requirements, opinions or put forward their criticisms they will tend to use indirect model and talk in a roundabout way. People in LC culture countries, especially for Americans, think ‘face’ just a personal thing, therefore in communication, their words are much more direct than Chinese. But this is not absolutely right. Chinese are more direct than American when ask the things related to age, wage and marriage. Third, when conduct a communication, communicators from HC culture countries hope the listeners can bear the responsibility for the interpretation of messages. They think the speakers do not need to use words to express the message fully and precisely. However, the communicators from LC culture countries think the speakers should be responsible for the listeners, and should express clearly what they really want to say and make the messages easy to understand.
In HC culture country, people will use different words to different people and in different situations. On the contrary, there is less difference in LC culture country. Like the appellation for the second people. Chinese characters include “你” and “您” to distinguish the status and the age.
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
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However, there is only one word “you” in America words as the second person.
Mr. Du in 2010 said that the information in HC is most reflected and only little information needs to be transmitted in clear codes. The information in LC is always transmitted through direct words and almost no situation when people speak insincerely. The people in HC countries always stress tacit, when they go on a communication, they will follow tacit unconsciously. That means people may reserve some of their own thinking when they have a conversation. Thus, the communicators should not only understand the words, but also should “listen” to the deep meaning behind the words. The gestures or even the silence can contain so much information. In LC communication, if one can figure out the meaning of words, others can know what others want to say. It pays more attention to reason and logic, and precise words make the message clear. The Influence of Cultural Difference on National Business Negotiation
As for the influence of cultures’ difference on national business negotiation, many papers also already have made deep and extensive study on it.
Gerard Nierenberg in 2003 concludes the definition that negotiation is two or more parties with common or conflicting interests who enter a process of interaction with the goal reaching an agreement or preferably
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
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of a mutual benefit.
One of the features of the international business negotiation is multinational. People from different countries and districts, so their language, thinking model, decision process and negotiation manner are considerably different. But these differences may lead the negotiation to a deadlock. Therefore, when negotiators conduct an international business, knowing very well about the culture’s differences and their influence on negotiation are as important as holding the basic negotiation skills. It’s the key point to conducting a successful international business negotiation.
Miss Wang, she from five aspects to study the influence of the culture differences on international negotiation in 2009. Firstly, the influence of culture difference on negotiation organization. Different country has different standard to choose the negotiators, and their quantity and the division of their work. Just like America is a small power distance country, so when American choose the negotiators they will pay more attention to the negotiators’ eloquence, level of expertise and reasoning ability, and with little connection with the negotiators’ status in company. Chinese power distance is great, so statue is a key point to choosing negotiators in China. So the negotiators should not only need good social skills and also need a proper situation in the company. American negotiators have the inherent confidence and superiority complex, so their
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
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negotiation groups only contain several main people. On the contrary, Chinese negotiation groups contain many negotiators, for them, more people means more accurate division of labor. Different culture also has different influence on time view. American laid stress on the efficiency, and likes to prompt decision. Because of the high developed economy in America, Americans prefer to strictly obey the time schedule and try best to reduce the complicated rituals to get down to business. Chinese at first will let the American negotiators have a small travel and have a good rest, until the deadline they just begin the negotiation. Secondly, the influence of culture difference on negotiation processes. About the verbal communication, American don’t like to beat around the bush, so they always express their opinions directly, ‘yes’ or ‘no’ are distinguished very clearly. Chinese pay more attention to other’s ‘face’, so they will express their opinion in an indirect way. About the nonverbal communication, different countries use the same gestures to express different meaning. Thirdly, the influence of culture difference on the decision-making model is very clear. In America, the major persons-in-charge of the negotiations has the power to make decisions on behalf of the whole company. However, Chinese negotiation groups will always exchange their opinions during the whole negotiation process to coordinate the whole group’s action. So for Chinese making a decision is a time costing process. Fourth, the influence of culture different on the content of
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
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contracts is important. In general, Americans prefer to sign a meticulous contract which includes all the possible consequence and the way to solve them. American negotiators regard the transaction as contract and think the negotiators can explain every accident. For Chinese negotiators, they think negotiation is also a way to build good relationship with others. If some accident happens, they always based on their relationship solve the problem not the contract. Fifth, the influence of culture difference on interpersonal relationship is clear. The foundation of western society is modern market economy for which the market exchange and market competition are the main features. In this kind of society, human pursue the maximum of profit and think business is business, human relationship is very distant and indifferent. In Eastern society, especially in China human relationship plays an important role. For Chinese negotiators relationship is even more important than profit, just like ‘Friendship will remain if even we can't reach our business agreement.’
Due to these differences, there always exist some conflicts during the business negotiation process between America and China. Two countries must respect each other’s culture the negotiation can be continued. So, there must be a point that two countries can reach the agreement more easily.
The Future of LC Trend of Chinese Culture
In Mr. Huang Hanyang’s paper in 2012, he points out the LC trend of
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
Low Context and High Context Communication
Chinese culture. The culture of China is extensive and profound, that’s why many foreigners who do not know all the Chinese culture may cause some irrevocable misunderstanding and embarrassment. But this situation is gradually changing. Since the reforming and opening in China, as the rapid development of economy, Chinese culture is gradually turning to LC culture. For example, Chinese always depend on a person’s credit do things, cannot clear know the conceptions of law and contract. However, even for the friends or for the relations they will do a paper evidence now. Now, almost all Chinese believe in ‘time is money’, people like coming straight to the point, avoid talking in a roundabout way. People do not like the long working meeting which just like marathon and prefer to conduct a brief speech. So the meaningless speech is much less than before and more concentrate on the practical issues. In the academic field, people pay more attention to rational analysis, and there are more statistics data explaining articles. In a word, the main reason for this phenomenon is that the rapid development of daily life makes people’s communication time become much less than before and the tacit understanding among people also become less and less, so the messages become brief and less.
A nation’s culture is established by usage. International business negotiation should respect the different nation’s culture and deal the differences objectively. At the same time, Chinese HC culture and
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Tian Fu College of SWUFE The Influence on Business Negotiation from the Perspective of
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America LC culture is very different, but this do not mean they are totally oppose to each other. Conclusion
These papers give a comprehensive study to the influence of the culture on business negotiation between China and America. But most of these papers are from theory view to analyze this issue, and almost no papers studies the future trend of HC culture and LC culture. Therefore the future paper will from the more practical aspects and with proper examples to study the influence of the culture on business negotiation between China and America, and use many realistic examples to study the future trend of the HC culture and LC trend.
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Acknowledgements
First, I would like to thank my teacher Liu Li for her valuable direction and assistance in the preparation and written of this paper.
Sincere thanks go to my friend Huang Yan and Zou Yan who helped me a lot. They helped me to adjust the format. Without their help, maybe I could not finish my thesis so smoothly.
Last but not least, I am also grateful to my family for their encouragement and support.
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