商务谈判中的沟通技巧分析

ChapterOneIntroductionIntoday’sfullymatureworldmarket,thedevelopmentofinternationalmarketsandtradehasbecomethemainchannelforsmallandmedium-sizedenterprisestodeveloptheirbusiness.Asthedomesticmarketisbecomingincreasinglysaturated,inordertoseekfurtherdevelopment,manyenterpriseshaveshiftedtheirtargetmarkettoforeigncountries,soitisveryimportanttoestablishinternationaltradecontractswithforeignenterprises.Ofcourse,themostimportantlinkintheprocessofsigningacontractisundoubtedlyinternationalbusinessnegotiation.Sincethe1990s,drivenbythetideofeconomicglobalization,theinternationalflowofcapitalhasdevelopedrapidly.Inthiscontext,somepeoplethinkthattheroleofinternationaltradeineconomicgrowthwillbediminished,butitisnot.Firstofall,undertheconditionofeconomicglobalization,theincreasinglydetailedinternationaldivisionoflaborhasnotonlymademoreandmoreconsumergoodstradable,butalsomoreandmoreintermediateproductsandserviceshaveenteredthefieldofinternationalexchange,thusexpandingthescopeoftrade.Secondly,undertheconditionofeconomicglobalization,thenatureofsocializedproductionandmarketeconomyhasnotchangedfundamentally,marketexchangeisstillthepremiseofexpandingreproduction,andinternationaltradeisstillthemainwayofexchangeintheworldandthe“barometer”ofeconomicrelationsbetweencountries.Finally,undertheconditionofeconomicglobalization,althoughthescaleofinternationaldirectinvestmentisincreasingandtheroleoftransnationalcorporationsisbecomingmoreandmoreprominent,itdoesnotexcludeinternationaltrade,stilllesscannotreplaceinternationaltrade;onthecontrary,theinternationalizationofcapitalandproductionhasnotonlyprovidedmoreconvenientconditionsforinternationaltrade,butalsoaddednewtrademodesanddrivingforces.Intoday’sworld,withthetrendofinternationaleconomicintegrationintensifying,enterprisesofallcountrieshavetheurgentrequesttogoabroadandcarryoutinternationaleconomicexchangesandcooperation,andChinaisnoexception.ThesuccessfulaccessiontotheWTOhasbroughtopportunitiesforChineseenterprisestoentertheinternationalmarketinanall-roundway.WiththefurtherdeepeningofChina’seconomicdevelopmentandreformandopeningup,Chinaismorecloselyconnectedwiththeworldeconomy,andthebusinessexchanges,internationalexchangesandcooperationwithcountriesaroundtheworldaremoreandmorefrequent.Internationalbusinessnegotiation,asanimportantwayofcommunication,isundoubtedlyindispensable.Andintheinternationalbusinessnegotiation,communicationskillsisanindispensablecomponent.Intheprocessofnegotiation,ifwedonotpayattentiontocommunicationskills,itwillcausealotofunnecessarytrouble,andevencauseacertainthreattothenegotiation,whichforeshadowsthefailureofnegotiationandbusinesscooperation.Withtheincreasinginternationalizationofcommercialactivitiesandincreasingcommercialexchangesbetweencountries,internationalbusinessnegotiationsplayamoreprominentroleintheseactivities.Atthesametime,cross-culturalcommunicationhasbecomeaproblemthatnegotiatorsfromdifferentcountriesandregionsmustfaceintheprocessofnegotiation.Therefore,communicationisgettingmoreandmoreattention.Inordertomakethenegotiationproceedsmoothly,negotiatorsmustcorrectlyrecognizethedifferencesincustomsandculturesofdifferentcountriesandregions,fullyunderstandtheculturalbackgroundoftheircounterparts,andmakeadequatepreparationsforthenegotiationandformulatereasonablenegotiationstrategiesbasedonskilledcross-culturalcommunicationskills.Onlyinthiswaycanweensurethesmoothprogressofthenegotiation,sothatbothsidesofthenegotiationcanachievethepurposeofwin-win.Businessnegotiationisanessentialactivityintheeconomicactivities,thenegotiationpartiesthroughtheagreementtodeterminetheexchangeofvariousconditions,itcanpromotethetwosidestoreachanagreement,isanessentialpartofthenegotiation.Businessnegotiationandcommunicationisaprocessofmutualadjustmentofinterests,reducingdifferences,andultimatelyestablishingcommoninterests.Ifthenegotiationandcommunicationskillsarenotappropriate,theconflictbetweenthetwopartieswillnotonlyleadtothebreakdownoftrade,butalsocauseeconomiclosses.Communicationnotonlyallowseachothertohavetheirownneedsandclearlyandaccuratelyunderstandeachother'sideas,butalsomakesthenegotiationprocesssmoother.Tointerpretnegotiationas“judgmentinconversationandcommunicationinjudgment”isundoubtedlyamustincommunicationwithpeople.Therefore,correctcommunicationandexchangeinnegotiationisveryimportant.Ininternationalbusinessnegotiations,thepartiesinvolvedinbusinessactivitiesindifferentcountriesandregionstrytoreachaconsensusthroughnegotiationandcommunicationinordertomeettheirownneeds.Thisarticlewillreviewandcommentontheculturaldifferencesofbusinessnegotiation,theimportanceofcommunicationskillsandthecultivationoftalents.Businessnegotiationiscross-cultural.Negotiatorsfromdifferentcountriesandregionshavedifferentculturalbackgrounds,andnegotiatorshavedifferentlanguages,customsandwaysofthinking.Therefore,itisimportantforbothsidestobepreparedtoknoweachother.ChenSiyu(2022)pointsoutinOnTheCommunicationSkillsofBusinessEnglishinInternationalTradeNegotiationsthattheremaybesomeproblemsintheprocessofinternationalbusinessnegotiationsduetothedifferencesinthinkinglogicandvaluescausedbyculturaldifferencesbetweendifferentregions.Therefore,itisnecessarytocultivatebusinessnegotiationtalents,startfromtheculturaldifferencesbetweenthetwosidesofthenegotiation,andfullyunderstandthembeforethenegotiation.Intheprocessofnegotiation,itisveryimportanttoimprovethefeasibilityandefficiencyofnegotiationandimprovethenegotiationabilitythrougheffectiveandaccurateskills.Businessnegotiationshouldalsoattachimportancetothecultivationofbusinessnegotiationtalents,improvetheprofessionalknowledgeandabilityofnegotiators,andapplythemintopractice.LiuDong(2020)pointsoutinAnAnalysisoftheApplicationofBusinessEnglishandCommunicationSkillsinInternationalBusinessNegotiationsthatonthebasisofcultivatingbusinessEnglishtranslationtalents’professionalqualitiesandenhancingtheirknowledgereserve,theyshouldtraintheircommunicationskillssoastoimprovethesuccessrateofinternationaltradenegotiations.InNegotiationPreparationinaGlobalWorld,Rudd,JillE;Hughes,D.Timothy(2019)guidesreadersthroughaseriesofissuesthatneedtobeconsideredwhendevelopinginternationalandcross-culturalbusinessnegotiationskills.Itusesthemethodologyofexaminingfailedbusinessnegotiationstoanalyzehowimprovedcommunicationleadstosuccessfuloutcomes.Eachchapterpresentsthetheoreticalbackgroundrelatedtocommunicationfailuresandexploresalternativestrategiesforthissituation.Inbusinessnegotiation,languagecommunicationskillsareanindispensablecomponent.Goodcommunicationcanestablishagoodinterpersonalrelationshiptoobtainmoreopportunitiesandsuccess.InTheApplicationofLanguageCommunicationinBusinessNegotiation,FeiFei(2019)pointsoutthatbusinesscommunicationanddevelopmentbetweencountriesabroadarerealizedthroughbusinessnegotiation,whichmakestherelationshipbetweenpeoplecloser.Masteringtheappropriatelanguageartsduringnegotiationshelpstoconductsuccessfulbusinessnegotiations.Whethertheresultofthenegotiationissatisfactoryornotdependsontheeffectiveandsmoothcommunicationbetweenthetwoparties.Inthenegotiation,Iputtherightnegotiationskillscanmakethenegotiationresultsachievepracticalresultstoachieveawin-winsituation.InAContemporarySimulationInfusedintheBusinessCommunicationIntheCurriculum,Drury-GroganML,RussTL.(2013)pointoutthatstudents'responsestotheinjectionofcontemporarysimulationintothebusinesscommunicationcurriculumwereinvestigated.Studentssaythattheexperiencehelpsthemlearnhowtoworkbetterinateamandhowtoimprovetheircommunication.Thesimulationprovidesthemwithachallengingbutpositiveexperiencetodemonstratetheprinciplesofbusinesscommunicationtheyhadlearned.ChapterTwoCommunicationSkillsCommonlyUsedinBusinessNegotiations2.1CommunicationPreparationSkillsInasuccessfulnegotiation,theimportanceofpreparationbeforecommunicationcannotbeignored.Therightstrategyistoprepareforarainydaybeforeanegotiation.Knowyourcounterpartwellbeforeyoucommunicate.Asthesayinggoes,knowingyourenemyandyourselfisthebestwaytowinahundredbattles,whichisespeciallyimportantinbusinessnegotiations.Themoreyouknowaboutyouropponent,thebetteryou’llbeabletonegotiate.Asifweknewthebottompriceofthetenderinadvance,naturehasthelowestcostandthehighestchanceofsuccess.2.1.1UnderstandingtheRelationshipBetweentheTwoPartiesBusinessnegotiationcommunicationisoftenaffectedbytheexistingrelationshipbetweenthetwoparties.Ifbothpartieshavedonebusinesswitheachotherinthepastandareongoodterms,suchfriendlyrelationsshallbethebasisfornegotiation.Ifthetwopartieshavedonebusinessbefore,buttherelationshipisnormal,thenthegoaloftheopeningistotrytocreateamorefriendly,harmoniousatmosphere;ifbothpartieshaveacertainamountofbusinesscontactsinthepast,buttheirownimpressionoftheothersideisnotgood,thentheopeningstageofthenegotiationatmosphereshouldbeseriousanddignified;ifthetwosideshaveneverhadbusinesscontactsinthepast,effortsshouldbemadetocreateasincereandfriendlyatmosphere,inordertodiluteandeliminatethestrangenessbetweenthetwosidesandtheconsequentdefensiveness,soastolayagoodfoundationforsubsequentsubstantivenegotiations.Thenegotiatingpartiesshouldrespecteachother,getalongwellwitheachother,seekcommongoals,makeappropriateconcessionswhennecessary,andpursuetheircommoninterests.2.1.2ClarifyingInterestIssuesConflictsofinterestinnegotiationsoftenlienotinobjectivefactsbutinhowpeoplethinkdifferently.Inbusinessnegotiations,whenbothsidesholdtheirownopinions,bothsidestendtothinkaccordingtotheirownmindset,whichisoftenastalemateinnegotiations.Ifthetwosidesofthenegotiationhavemorecommoninterests,itiseasytoreachthesamepositionandperspective,whichisaprerequisiteforgoodcommunicationbetweenthetwosides.Otherwise,itwillbedifficultforthenegotiatingpartiestounderstandtheotherside'sposition,andtheeffectofcommunicationisnottobeexpected.Thereisonlyoneoutcometothegame,andnegotiationsarenot.Theresultofnegotiationisnot“youwin,Ilose”or“youlose,Iwin”.Bothsidesofthenegotiationshouldfirstestablishtheconceptofwin-win.Anegotiationshouldendinsuchawaythatbothpartiesfeeltheyhave“won.”Whatkindofnegotiationmeans,methodsandprinciplesshouldbeadoptedtoachievetheconclusionofthenegotiation,whichistheessenceofbusinessnegotiationpursuit.Therefore,inthefaceoftheconflictofinterests,negotiatorsshouldpayattentiontoandtrytofindouttherealinterestsofbothsides.Onthisbasis,applysomemutuallyagreedmethodstomaximizethebenefits.Awin-winsituationshouldexistinmostnegotiations.Creativesolutionscanmeettheneedsofbothparties.Thisrequiresthatthenegotiatingpartiesshouldbeabletoidentifywherecommoninterestslie.Everynegotiatorshouldkeepthatinmind.Everynegotiationhaspotentialmutualinterests.Commoninterestsmeanbusinessopportunities.Emphasizingcommoninterestscanmakenegotiationsgomoresmoothly.Inaddition,negotiatorsshouldpayattentiontotheexistenceofcompatibleinterestsofbothsides.2.1.3DiscoveringtheCharacteristicsoftheNegotiationObjectBeforenegotiation,negotiatorsmustfirstunderstandthecharacteristicsofthenegotiationobject,soastoworkoutthecorrespondingnegotiationstrategy.Thecharacteristicsofthenegotiatingobjectmainlyincludethenegotiatingobject’squalifications,tatus,negotiatingstyle,negotiatingexperience,negotiatingteammembers'knowledgestructureandprofessionalexperience,etc.Thesuccessorfailureofabusinessnegotiationandthestrengthofthenegotiator'spositionoftendependonthedegreeofinformationmasteryofoneparty.Themoreinformationyouhave,theeasieritistonavigatethenegotiationprocess.Theseinformationmaterialsincludenegotiationopponents,themselvesandnegotiationenvironmentandotheraspectsofinformation.Theinformationaboutthenegotiatingpartneristhemostdifficultandimportanttoknow.Onlybyunderstandingandanalyzingthenegotiationopponents,canwehaveaclearunderstandingofthepositionofbothpartiesinthenegotiation,theirbiggestdemandsandthescopeandrangeofconcessions,aswellasthelimitingfactorsofnegotiation.Inthisway,wewillbeabletojudgethesituationandadvancefreelyinthenegotiation.2.2QuestioningSkillsInbusinessnegotiations,“ask”isoftenusedasameanstofindouttheneedsoftheotherside,grasptheotherside'spsychologyandexpresstheirfeelings.Howto“ask”isverydelicate.payattentiontoandflexiblyusingoftheskillsofquestioningcannotonlycausethediscussionandobtaininformationfrombothsides,butalsocontrolthedirectionofthenegotiation.Whatquestionscanandcannotbeasked,howshouldyouaskinordertoachieveacertaingoal,andaskabouttheactualsituation,theenvironment,etc.Manybasicknowledgeandskillsneedtobeunderstoodandmastered2.2.1AttractingtheOtherParty’sAttentionAlotofwell-craftednegotiationscenariosendupbeingdifficultbecausewould-benegotiatorsdon’tspendtheirtimethinkingaboutwhattheywantfromtheothersideandwhytheyneedtogetit,butdon’ttakethetimetothinkaboutwhatisnecessarytostartanynegotiation:youhavetogettheotherside’sattention.Therearemanywaysforanegotiatortogettheotherside’sattention.Someofthesearenotrecommended,buttheyarecertainlymoreeffectiveinrestartingthediscussionofyourproblemthanimpatientrequests.Thegoalofgettingsomeone’sattentionisn’ttoforcethemtogiveyouwhatyouwant.Otherwise,you’renotbeingcoercive.You’rejustsettingyourselfupforboredom,becausenoonelikestobeledaround.2.2.2ObtainingtheRequiredInformationDuringthenegotiation,bothsidesneedtounderstandthestrengthrequirementsoftheothersideandmasterallkindsofrelevantinformationandbackgroundmaterials.Whenthenegotiatordoesnotfullyunderstandthesituationoftheothersideandneedstoconfirmtheinformationhehasmastered,hecandirectlyaskquestionstoobtaintheinformationhewants,thatis,expresshisrequirementsbyaskingquestionswiththenatureofinquiry.Inthisway,bothsidescancommunicatefully.Questioningisthemotivationthatcausesthetopic,determinesandguidesthedirectionoftheconversation.Therearemanyquestionsthatappeartobeanattempttogettheinformationoransweryouwant,butinfactconveytotheotherpersonwhatyoufeelorknow.AsscholarRuddJE,HughesDT.said,“Itisalsoprudenttogainasmuchknowledgeasyoucanaboutanother’sperspectiveinordertoselectappropriatenegotiationstrategyforyourdesiredoutcome[1]14.”2.2.3ExpressingtheIntentionbyAskingQuestionsNegotiationintentionreferstothatthenegotiatingpartyismoreclearlyawareoftheneedsoftheobjectivesandmethodstobeachievedduringthenegotiation.Therearevariouswaystoexpresstheintentionofnegotiation,allofwhichaimtogainafavorablepositionintheopeningofnegotiationandcontroltheopeningofnegotiation.Thenegotiatorcaneitherspeakfirsttoexpresshisintention,orwaitfortheothersidetoexpresshisintentionfirstandthenexpresshisintention.Tospeakfirst,emphasisisthefirsttoseizepeople,ancestors,toexertsubstantialpsychologicalimpactontheotherside,buteasytocauseloopholes,loseinitiative;afterthespeech,itemphasizedthatthelatterwasstruckbyus,waitingforanopportunity,aimingatthetarget,butlosingtheearlyopportunity.Nomatterspeakingfirstorlater,youneedtohaveaclearstrategicpurpose,sothatyouwillnotfallintopassivityandgettheeffectofspeaking.2.2.4InfluencingOthers’ThinkingActivitiesThepurposeofnegotiationistopersuadetheotherside,andpersuasionistomaketheothersideaccept,whichrepresentsaffirmationandrecognition,ratherthanrejectionanddenial.Therefore,topersuadeothers,weshouldtryourbesttomaketheothersidesayyesafterhearingtheviewswesupport,andsaynolikeusafterhearingtheviewsweoppose,emphasizingthatweareworkingforthesamegoal.Thisrequiresmasterfullymanagingthetopic,allowingtheotherpersontofollowourthoughtsandmakethechoicewewant.Ofcourse,manipulatingthedominanceofwordsdoesn’tmeanthatyouspeakoftenenoughtomaketheotherpersoncompletelyobeyyou,butsubtlyguidetheotherpersontobeunconsciouslyinfluencedbytheirownthoughts.2.3ListeningSkillsListeningisanimportantcommunicationskillthatcanhelppeopleunderstandeachotherbetterandbuildagoodrelationship.Listeningisn’tjustaboutgettingtheotherpersontotalk,it’saboutreallyunderstandingtheotherperson’spointofviewandgivingeffectivefeedback.Theimportanceoflisteningisthatithelpspeoplegettoknoweachotherbetterandbuildtrustandunderstanding.Whenpeoplelisten,theycanbetterunderstandeachother’sideasandthuscommunicatebetter.Inaddition,listeningcanalsohelppeoplebuildbetterfriendshipsandrelationships.Whenpeoplelisten,theycangettoknoweachotherbetter,thusbuildingdeeperfriendshipsandrelationships.Listeningcanalsohelppeopletobettersolvetheshield,becauseitcanhelppeoplebetterunderstandeachother’sideas,andthusbetterresolvetheconflict.Listeningmeanswantingthespeakertoshowthatheislisteningtohim.Italsorequiresthecreationofacommoncognitivesystembetweenthespeakerandthelistener.Listeninghelpsnegotiatorstounderstandmoreinformationandenlightentheirthinking.Thereisnomoredirectandeasywaytogetinformationthanbylistening.2.3.1ObservingOthers’AppearanceDuringthenegotiation,wecanseetheotherside.Youcanjudgewhethertheotherpersonisinterestedinwhatyouaretalkingaboutbytheirexpressionsandactions.Atthismoment,wemustnotmissagoodopportunity.Asthesayinggoes,timeisneverlost.Youcanjudgetheotherpeople’spersonalityandemotionbytheirbehavior:1.Whentheotherpartyholdshischestwithbothhandsandthebuttonsofhiscoatareallbuckled,thisindicatesthattheothersideisnotonlyskepticalofyou,butalsodoesnotfullyagreewithyourpointofview,andevenisakindofpsychologicaldefenseagainstyou.Ontheotherhand,ifyourpartner’scoatbuttonsareallopen,theyareunguarded.2.Whentheotherpersontoucheshisnose,hewilldothisunlesshehasacoldorhisnoseisuncomfortable.Wecanrulethatout,andtouchhisnoseisactuallynotconfident,orhaveanegativemeaningtoyournegotiationcontent.ItisalsosaidthatitisbecauseofthemodestyafterlyingthatItouchnose.3.Theotherpersonspeaksveryfastandalwaysinterrupts.Infact,thisisthecharacteristicofpeoplewhoarerelativelystraightforward.Peoplewhoofteninterruptpayattentiontotheconceptoftime.4.Whentheotherpartyisnervous,inadditiontofidgeting,theywillunconsciouslyrepeatactions,suchasopeningandclosingthepen,orholdingsomethingintheirhands.5.Whentheotherpartyputshishandsinhispocket,heisalsoskepticalaboutthecontentofthecurrentnegotiation.Whentheotherpartyisinterestedinthecontentofthenegotiation:1.Theotherparty’scheekslightlyrises,whichisasignthattheotherpartyisjustbeginningtobeinterestedinyourtopic.2.Theotherside’smouthturnsup,indicatingthatyouhavestirreduptheotherside’sinterest.3.Theotherpartyblinksless,indicatingthatheareattractedbyyourtopic.4.Theotherpartysuddenlyopenshiseyes,indicatingthatheunderstandsyourmeaning.5.Whentheotherpersonmoveshiseyesaccordingtoyourinstructions,heisdeeplyattracted.6.Theothersideleansforwardslightly,indicatingthatheislisteningtoyouattentively.7.Whentheotherpartyinteractswithyoufrequently,indicatingthatheisactivelyparticipatinginthetopic.Maybeweshouldchangethetopicorstopthecontinuingsignalofthetopic:1.Whentheothersideissitting,hisunevenshouldersareasignofhisphysicalandmentalexhaustion.2.Theotherside'smouthisdownward,whichisalookofcontemptordisdain.Andhismouthshutsmeansnotwillingtoparticipateinyourtopic.3.Theotherperson’seyesarelax,whichisthetimewhenhisattentionisnotfocused.Frequentblinkingindicatestheotherparty’simpatience.4.Theotherpartykeepschangingtheirsittingposture.Theyaretiredofthecurrentconversationbylookingatthetimefrequently.5.Theotherparty’slanguageisonlyperfunctorywhentheydealwithit.2.3.2EffectiveFeedbackInthenegotiation,onlybyattachingimportancetotimelyfeedbackcanthenegotiationbeconductedeffectivelyandmoresmoothly.Listeningisveryimportantinanegotiation,andlisteningtofeedbackcanalsofacilitatecommunicationbetweentwopartiestoachievethedesiredresults.Effectivefeedbackreferstotheprocessofeffectivelyrespondingtotheotherside'spointofviewbymeansofwords,language,bodylanguageandsoon,sothattheothersidecanclearlyknowtheirpointofview.Weneedtoreceivefeedbackonourbehaviorandworkresultsfromothers,whichismoreconducivetoimprovingourbehaviorandworkstyle,providingworkefficiencyandpromotingthesmoothprogressofnegotiations.Weshouldhaveappropriatefeedbacktime,andthetimetoprovidefeedbackshouldnotbetoolate,anditisnotappropriatetogivefeedbackimmediately.Ifyou’reangryorthepersonisblamingthemselves,it’sobviouslynotthebesttimetogivefeedback.Whenyougivefeedback,makesurethatyourfeedbackinformationisnotaffectedbypersonalmotivation.Ifyouhideyourprivatepurposeinsomething,itisnotappropriate.Afterreasonablyexpressingyourfeedbackinformation,youshouldalsogivetimeandopportunitytolistentotheresponseoftheotherpartyandestablishatwo-waycommunicationbridge,ratherthanleavingtheotherpartyaftersayingyouropinionsorideas.Ifapersonwantstoexpresshisorherinformationinthemosteffectiveway,heorshemustbereadytoacceptfeedbackfromothers.Statethefeedbackinformationinaplannedandcontrolledmannersothattheotherpartycanabsorbitmoreeasily.Ifyouexpresstoomuchfeedbackatonetime,theotherpartymayfeeloppressedanditisdifficulttoacceptalltheinformationatonce,whichisnotappropriate.ChapterThreeDifferencesAffectingNegotiationsBusinessnegotiation,thecooperationandexchangeinvolveeconomicinterestsonthesurface,butthecoreofbusinessnegotiationisthecollisionfrictionandintegrationofdifferentculturalconnotationsofthepartiestothenegotiation.Therefore,wecandrawaconclusionthatinternationalbusinessnegotiationisnotonlyatransnationalnegotiation,itscoreiscross-culturalconflictcommunication.Tosumup,inordertominimizetheobstaclesandadverseeffectsbroughtbyculturaldifferences,wemustcorrectlyunderstandandactivelycopewithculturaldifferencesininternationalbusinessnegotiations,fullydemonstratethethousandsofyearsofChineseculturalbackgroundandcollectivewisdom,adapttolocalconditions,beflexibleandresourceful,andworkouttheoptimalnegotiationstrategiesandalternativeplansaccordingtodifferentnegotiatingsubjectsandtimechanges.Onlyinthisway,onlyininternationalbusinessnegotiationscanweseizetheopportunitytowinasecurevictory.3.1LinguisticandNon-linguisticFactorsLanguageisthemediumofinformationtransmissionandthetoolofhumancommunication.Theprocessofbusinessnegotiationisessentiallyaprocessinwhichnegotiatorsuselanguagetocoordinateandnegotiateandseekagreement.Mostpeoplehaveerrorsinunderstandingspeechcontentunderthesameculturalbackground,sodifferentculturalbackgroundsmayleadtoalargeerrorinunderstanding.Becauselanguageisthecarrierofculture,differentlanguageshavetheirownuniquewaysofconstructinginformation.Inadditiontoverbalcommunication,bothpartiescanalsocommunicateinnon-verbalways.Non-verbalformsofexpressioncanbedividedintobodylanguage;peoplecanalsoconveyinformationandexpressemotionsthroughbodylanguage.Scholarshavesuggestedthatwecanperform700,000distinctbodymovements,andanyattempttodocumentthemallwouldbefutile.Anthropologistsalsobelievethatnosinglegestureintheworldorinthesameregioncanconveythesamemeaningindifferentsituations.Forexample,weallknowtheEnglishword“OK”,whichAmericansthinkmeans“good”;TheFrenchthinkitmeans“zero”or“nothing”;insomepartsofsouthernItalyitmeans“stupid”.Thesecondistheattitudetowardstime.Althoughtimecan'tbeseenortouched,itseemstocontrolourlives.Differentcultureshaveformeddifferentviewsontime.Thedifferencesinphilosophy,historyandsocietybetweenChinaandthewestmakethemhavedifferentconceptsandattitudestowardstime,thusformingdifferentviewsontime.Toalargeextent,thewayofhandlingandusingtimeaffectstheresultofcross-culturalcommunicationbetweentwoparties.Differentculturalbackgroundshavedifferentattitudestowa