Negotiations and Culture
When dealing with people of differing cultures, especially those who are adversaries, we must go above and beyond to understand what makes them tick. What we perceive them basing decisions on could be the complete opposite due to deep seeded cultural beliefs that they hold. In addition to understanding the enemies culture it is also important to understand our own and how those values are effecting the decisions we are making. Garcha (2012) lays out the different ways that culture can hinder negotiations. One being that culture moulds a individuals perception of reality; second, it can block out information that does not conform to the cultural assumptions being held; third, by misinterpreting the other party's words and actions; and lastly impelling the individual to assume a incorrect motive based on his/her beliefs (3-4). Glaser (1991) suggests that when negotiating with other cultures it is important to establish a good relationship before the talks begin and to not assume that they are interpreting things the same way you are (1). Balancing the back and forth to not come off as too soft but at the same time avoiding being disrespectful and stubborn is hard but should be desired. In the end, patience and working on a better understanding of where they are coming from will lead to more desirable results. When negotiating, Glaser (1991) also points out the importance of figuring out whether the opposing side is part of a low context culture or high context culture (1). Different cultures negotiate in different ways and understanding how they do is vital if you wan't to communicate with them effectively.
Low Context Cultures
Low context cultures, such as the U.S. prefer that negotiations will meet in the middle where both parties give up certain things to obtain others and the final result is fair for both parties. Low context parties also are open to negotiating remotely and are not so concerned with establishing relationships with the opposing party. The main concern of low context parties is to the issue at hand rather than a lasting relationship following a agreement. This also leads to a more direct, aggressive, and often heated communication when dealing with low context cultures.
High Context Cultures
High context cultures on the other hand are want to establish a long term relationship with the other party. This culture places a high level of importance on face-to-face negotiations to prevent uncertainty and a possible crisis. Its easy to be hard and talk bad about a adversary when they are thousands of miles away, but in person conversations are usually much more cordial and stable. High context parties will be willing to sacrifice if the conversation is about price, but usually due pride, will not compromise when the issue at hand is based on principle. Over time the high context cultures will expect a certain level of trust to be formed and negotiations to be cordial vs. the high pressure and aggressiveness of low context cultures. Rather than rushing to a decision, the high context culture will take its time before coming to a agreement.
Know who you are dealing with
In the end, knowing your opposing party's culture is extremely important before going into negotiations. While this is obvious, something that might not be so obvious is the importance of knowing yourself. What type of culture are you? Are you low context and going up against a high context culture? Figuring out what parts of your own culture you need to adjust that can hinder a agreement with the other culture is important while at the same time realizing the ones that will give you the advantage over the other culture is key to winning negotiations.