On Business Etiquette173;— From a Cross-cultural Perspective.doc

畢業論文（設計）On Business Etiquette From a Cross-cultural Perspective1. Introduction12.Connection of business etiquettes and culture22.1 Definition of business etiquette22.2 Cultural influence on business etiquette33. Cultural differences and business etiquettes43.1 Different cultural factors affecting business etiquettes43.1.1 Pattern of thinking43.1.2 Time63.1.3 Space93.1.4 Values103.2 Cross-cultural business etiquettes113.2.1 Dressing123.2.2 Appointment133.2.3 Greeting behavior143.2.4 Gift-giving164. Principles of cross-cultural business etiquettes184.1 Respect184.2 Equality194.3 Trust205. Conclusion21References221. IntroductionNowadays, with worlds economy globalization and the opening and reform policy, the cooperation and relationship between China and other countries in the world have become closer and closer. Therefore, various transnational business activities also become more and more frequent. In business activities, some people can get an easy victory while others discomfit at abroad. Sometimes, major cause of failure is not great factor but the neglect of details. Business etiquette is the detail neglected frequently. According to some statistics, Japan spends about seventy million dollars on training staffs business etiquettes every year (Dou Weilin, 1999:65). Therefore, businessmen should pay special attention to the difference of transnational business etiquettes. There are many aspects that affect business etiquette. However, the main factor affecting the etiquette is the culture difference. Nida once said that “mens action is affected by passion from culture” (Nida, 2002: 85). As a result, if businessmen do not know each culture, they cannot handle the business etiquettes masterfully during the business activities. This thesis is aimed at making a brief study on the different business etiquettes from a cross-cultural perspective and tries to conclude some principles of dealing with the differences.2.Connection of business etiquettes and culture2.1 Definition of business etiquetteBusiness etiquette is the common behavior standards that people form in the business activities, and its purpose is to maintain enterprise image or personal image (Jin Zhengkun, 2005:16). Business etiquette is made up of significantly more important things than knowing which fork to use at lunch with a client. Etiquette is about being comfortable around people and making them comfortable around you. Etiquette is also about presenting yourself with the kind of polish that shows you can be taken seriously. It is the specific usage of common etiquette in business activities. Besides, its content is more plentiful than common etiquette. Business etiquette is based on not only paying respect for customers, but also providing good-quality goods and hospitable services to reflect respect. Comparing to common etiquette, business etiquette have strong normalization and maneuverability (Elizabeth L. Post, 1997:10).2.2 Cultural influence on business etiquetteCulture may be defined as what a society does and thinks (Sapir, 1921:40). Every culture has its way of doing things in daily life. Being the reflection and manifestation of one countrys culture, business etiquettes are quite different from country to country, especially between China and the Western ones. They have been influenced deeply by different patterns of thinking, values and social customs and it concludes the principal and moral that businessmen should obey in business activities.The Chinese had experienced thousands of years of feudalism. Hierarchy, bureaucratism and concept of relationship still influence the Chinese pattern of thinking, values and social customs. For instance, the Chinese like putting stress on human feelings when doing business, so the Chinese would like to negotiate on dining table. The Western countries pay more attention to law and ability. As a result, businessmen in the west refuse to tangle with human feelings. Besides, there are religious differences between Chinese and Western. Chinese Buddhism belief results in various taboos which are different from Westerners Christianity and Islamism one. For example, the Islamite never eat pork and even avoid pig as a taboo, while the Buddihist refuse to eat meat or fish (Yangjin, 2002:124). Because of those cultural differences, when doing cross-cultural business, businessmen often makes a lot of mistakes on business etiquettes.Consequently, in order to communicate successfully during the business activities, it is necessary for businessmen to comprehend the influences of cross-cultural business etiquettes from various perspectives.3. Cultural differences and business etiquettes3.1 Different cultural factors affecting business etiquettesAs mentioned above, different cultures result in different business etiquettes. Obviously, culture plays an important role in business etiquettes. The main cultural factors affecting these etiquettes can be summed up in the following aspects: pattern of thinking, time, space and values.3.1.1 Pattern of thinkingA culture is a collection of beliefs, habits, pattern of thinking, and behavior which are held more or less in common by people who occupy particular geographic areas (D. Brown, 1978: 40). As a long-term cultural precipitation, pattern of thinking exerts a subtle influence on peoples social lives. So far as Chinese-western culture is concerned, both of them express respective features on the pattern of thinking. On one hand, Chinese pattern of thinking is affected by the particular Chinese history, geography, religious belief, deposition of humanities factors and so on. It is universally accepted that modesty is the most striking Chinese etiquettes. However, westerners pattern of thinking is characterized by frankness and coming straight to the point (Dou Weilin, 1999:66). For example, in commercial activities, when being praised, Chinese are accustomed to using formulae to deny the praise by saying “you overprized me” or “you do me too much honor”. However, westerners answers are quite different. They are used to expressing affirmation on others evaluation by saying “thank you for your encouragement”. Besides, it is quite natural for Chinese people to decline others first offer and accept it as the second time or third time even if they have intention of accepting it. The following is a typical Chinese dialogue.A: “Drink some wine, please.”B: “No, I do not want to drink wine.”C: “All right. Thank you.”Generally, in Chinese business activities, Chinese will prefer B to C to respond to the offering of wine, for they think it is a polite way to respond to such offerings. However, if the Chinese respond to the Americans offering of wine as B does to A in cross-cultural business activities, they will lose the chance of drinking the wine, for westerners usually express themselves directly in the situation and will not insist on offering wine by convention. The Chinese are much more modest in quantity than westerners (Hu Xiaojuan, 2003:85).Because of this difference, Chinese reserved answers often make westerner feel confused, while westerners direct way is also hard for Chinese to understand and accept. On the other hand, what the westerners hold is independent ego so that they take privacy and independence seriously and always action from individual position (Dou Weilin, 1999:68). Yet, what Chinese hold is dependent ego. They are of the opinion that only putting ones ego in an adequate social relation can a man be meaningful and complete. Chinese always take collective as starting point and emphasize on cottoning to others. For instance, Chinese are either fond of inquiring about others privacy or revealing their private affairs without any reservation. It is because, according to the tradition of Chinese politeness, chatting private affairs is also a kind of intercourse for the purpose of shortening the distance from the other party. In other words, it is a way of showing love. For westerners, they lay great stress on privacy. Therefore, when communicating with westerners, it is necessary to choose a proper topic and avoid asking about the topic of marriage, age, religious belief, financial condition etc.3.1.2 TimeDifferent cultures lead to different concepts of time. As to some culture, time is of no importance. While to another culture, time is supreme. Richard Lewis, an well-known consultant of cross-cultural management, has divided the concept of time in the world into three types. The first one is linear-actives, which means arranging schedules or drafting plans by using the way of straight line (Samovar, 2000:120). A person only can handle a case in a period time. The German and Switzer belong to this type. The second one is multi-actives, which include people like the Italian, Latin American and Arab, who are so lively and talkable that they can do a lot of things in a period time (Samovar, 2000:132). In the process of working, they arrange the sequence not according to the timetable but according to the importance of each case. The last type is reactive. It means a person pays attention to the manner and etiquette when communicating. They can listen to others statement quietly and then reaction towards different suggestions carefully. Chinese, Japanese and Finn are part of this type (Richard Lewis, 2000: 78).Just as different cultures have different concepts of time; agenda arrangement is also different among various countries. In Western Europe, business activities should be arranged 3-4 weeks in advance (Jia Yuxin, 1997:101). In the countries like U.S.A, Germany, the meeting should be planned at least two weeks in advance, or even longer. In U.S.A, to meet a general manager, people have to make an appointment at least a month in advance in general. If the meeting is special, maybe two months is needed. Provided that a businessman makes a phone call for a meeting till the last minute, he will be considered to intend to make troubles or insult others. Agenda arrangement is sacred for the American, German and North European. For the American, English, Germany, Switzer and Finn, they hold the opinion that written agreement could be considered as decisive and cannot be changed(Hu Xiaojuan， 2003:96). However, the French and the South European who have disparate concepts of time often change the appointed time. In France, it is no need to make an appointment in advance and notify so long as the case is not important. The French values a social interaction and puts human feeling in the first place. Supposing a significant person should be received he will cancel the original appointment and this is hard for American to accept. Moreover, the French will not make a long-term agenda arrangement. Even he made the agenda; he will confirm it a few days before that time to see whether he changed the plan or not (Yangjin, 2002:150).Time is money, when negotiating with American businessmen. Coming straight to the point is the oral promise that they would like to obtain at sight. In the course of negotiation, they dislike having a pause or being reticent but are used to concentrating on the job and fighting battles of quick decision. For the people from U.S.A, Germany, the Netherlands and Canada, they think yesterday will not be called again (Jia Yuxin, 1997:198). The businessmen under the influence of this culture put such a high premiun on today that they choose to get into negotiation topic early for the sake of fighting for time. However, although there is no disagreement during the negotiation, the Englishmen will not make a quick decision since they dont like to work in a hurry (Zhuang Enping, 1998:96).When going into business, the Chinese take pleasure in affection investment such as dancing attendance on the party, sending a gift or entertain to dinner. As a result, the business activity makes slow progress. The negotiation is to promote the relation growth of the two parties and works as well as an important social intercourse that makes sure whether the other party is suitable for a long-term cooperation. When the meeting starts, the Chinese prefers to exchange viewpoint on common topic first. In this situation, the American attitude of driving for quick success is rejected, while farsighted mutual trust is paid attention to (Zhuang Enping, 1998:100).3.1.3 SpaceWestern scholars research shows that space bears relations to thinking, motion, economy and social behaviors (Elizabeth L. Post, 1997:69). Different communities have different ideas on space of open degree, usage and reservation. The American is working with the door opening. It means that they would like to communicate with the external world. While the door are closed, the host dislikes to be subjected to outside interference at this time; and rushing in will lead to the hosts dissatisfaction. On the contrary, German businessmen feel like closing the door while working with the idea that the work space should be peaceful and private. Consequently, when negotiating or having a meeting, the Germen are used to closing the door, but a visitor is not refused as long as he knocks on the door (Li Yajing, 2002:39).What is the best spatial distance between different cultural cooperative partners? Edward T. Hall, an American anthropologist, has divided the space into four kinds, each of which coordinates with mutual relations. The first one is intimate distance which is limited among intimacy; the second one is personal distance which belongs to acquaintance; the third one is social distance which outruns the social interaction between intimacy and acquaintance, but the formal relation that appears a kind of social intercourse or etiquette (Edward T. Hall, 1995:185). The last one is public distance. It is a distance for lecturer and audience in public speech. In business intercourse the spatial distance is not fixed but flexible. According to the cultural tradition, the Arab considers close distance as friendly, while the Chinese and the American think it is difficult to talk (Dou Weilin, 1999:67). Here is an interesting situation that happened between an American and a South Ameican, the former walks back step by step and yet the latter walks forward step by step. Beyond doubt, in order to keep suitable distance, the American will make use of a desk or a chair as an obstacle to carry on negotiation (Jia Yuxin, 1997:203). In Oriental countries, personal spatial distance is involved with the persons social stratum or status, including the seating arrangements which are also settled in order from high to low.3.1.4 ValuesValues have penetrated every area of the peoples lives. Peoples ways of thinking, experience and behavior are all based on values. In terms of values, the westerners are also distinct from the Oriental people.The westerners equal consciousness, selfishness consciousness and independent consciousness is so strong that everyone respect himself and disallow others to infringe upon his right. Personal benefits are always put first, and people are responsible for themselves. For this reason, in western business activities, the westerner will not help others and refuse to accept others help in the meantime. Because in his eye, accepting others help is equal to incapability. Helping others actively will be mistaken for disregarding others even interfering with others private affairs (F.R.Kluckhohn, 1961:86).The Oriental people lay stress on contribution, especially in China; peoples collectivism is extremely strong. The leader will not put the power to his subordinate. When negotiating with Chinese, lots of Euro-American will complain about the frequently changeable negotiators (Li Yajing, 2002:40). The reason for the change is only the substitute has the right to make decisions. With the progress of negotiation, substitutes status will be higher and higher. When the general manager negotiates personally, the negotiation may be drawn to an end. This way of negotiation often puzzles the Euro-American-doesnt it waste both of parties precious time that you send a person having no right to making decision? With regard to the viewpoint on age, the Westerners regard youth as standing for future and hope, so the elderly relatively become the community free from attention. When seeing an old man climb the mountain in difficulty, the Chinese will help him without hesitation. Yet, if the old man is from Western, he will misunderstand that the helper considers him as a useless person. As a result, he will refuse others help and finish the climbing independently in order to show his youth and vigorous. In comparison to westerners, the Chinese culture attaches importance to the elderly who are the symbol of intelligence and authority. 3.2 Cross-cultural business etiquettesAs mentioned above, the culture differences have influences on cross-cultural business etiquettes. In business activities, proper etiquettes are essential. The elements that help initiate business relationship include appointment, dress etiquette, greeding behavior as well as gift-giving. 3.2.1 Dressing When taking part in business activities, what kind of dress shall be used? For the businessmen, conservative business suits and ties are best. If entertained formally, a tuxedo should be packed as well. For after-hours or informal entertainments, sport jackets, slacks and lightweight seeaters are generally appropriate (Elizabeth L. Post, 1997:106). The appearance and grooming should show respect to the host and host country and reflect the status as a business person. When traveling to the Middle East during summer on business, lightweight suits are essential. Because of English and Italian conservative culture, when having business with them, mens professional business clothing should be very formal (Porter, 20