Blog Post #4 : Evaluating Intercultural Behavior

Cultural differences are an important factor in international negotiations. In addition to language differences, different cultures have differing values, perceptions and philosophies. As a result, certain ideas may have very different connotations in different cultures. These differences of interpretation may lead to conflict, or escalate existing conflict.

For instance, Americans and Japanese tend to have different views on the purpose of negotiations. An American was renegotiating a contract with a Japanese. What the Japanese see as a reasonable willingness to modify a contract to reflect changes in the parties relationship, Americans see as a tendency to renege. American insistence on adherence to the original terms of the contract may be perceived as distrust by the Japanese. Consequently, a conflict erupted and the relationship turned sour because on their different views on contract.

As what I view, Americans see the goal of negotiations as to produce a binding contract which creates specific rights and obligations. The emphasis is on getting a contract signed rather than building a relationship. The relationship may develop once the first contract has been signed. While Japanese see the goal of negotiations as to create a relationship between the two parties; the written contract is simply an expression of that relationship and contracts are not perceived as final.

People from different cultures encode and decode messages differently, increasing the chances of misunderstanding, so the safety-first consequence of recognising cultural differences should be to assume that everyone’s thoughts and actions are not just like ours. It is essential that we research the cultures and communication conventions of those whom we are propose to meet, this will minimise the risk of making the elementary mistakes.

The main strategy for effective communication is to learn to be empathetic, it is only through empathy that we see things from the audience’s perspectives and know what their expectations are. In addition, to be versatile in the way to be open and welcome others’ feedback about who we are so that we can improve progressively and lastly, to reflect ourselves as a communicator constantly so that we can communicate effectively with people no matter where they come from and who they are.