This paper analyses the case ‘East meets West in Shoe Manufacturing Negotiations’ in order to identify the main intercultural issues and communication problems between the U.S.A. and China in order to avoid and resolve these issues in the future. The main problems identified in the case study resulted from extreme cultural differences and little knowledge of the other culture. To relate these issues with theory, two models of national culture have been chosen. With the help of Hofstede’s model and Nardon/Steers’ model the issues have been analyzed and linked to intercultural differences. It was found that the problems in the case study can be explained by these models and are therefore resolvable. The U.S. team is recommended to take action, e.g. learning Chinese and studying Chinese culture, in order to develop a good relationship with their Chinese counterparts to reach their business goals.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Executive Summary
- Introduction
- Identification of problems and issues
- Cultural issues
- Verbal intercultural communication issues
- Nonverbal intercultural communication issues
- Literature review
- Geert Hofstede's Model of National Culture
- Nardon and Steer's Model of National Culture
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This research report aims to analyze a case study involving intercultural communication between the United States and China, identifying key issues and communication problems. The report connects these issues to established models of national culture, specifically Hofstede's and Nardon/Steers' models, aiming to understand the root causes of these problems and propose strategies for their resolution or avoidance in the future.
- Intercultural communication issues in business negotiations
- Cultural differences in communication styles and etiquette
- The impact of language barriers and translation on intercultural understanding
- The role of nonverbal communication in intercultural interactions
- Application of national culture models to explain and address intercultural challenges
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The report begins by presenting a case study involving negotiations between a US shoe manufacturing company and a Chinese counterpart. The Executive Summary outlines the key intercultural issues and communication problems identified in the case study, emphasizing the significant cultural differences and limited understanding between the two parties.
The Introduction provides an overview of the report's objectives, focusing on analyzing intercultural communication issues within the context of the case study and applying established models of national culture to understand and address these issues.
The chapter on "Identification of Problems and Issues" details the specific challenges encountered during the negotiations. This includes cultural differences in communication styles, etiquette, and nonverbal behaviors. The report also highlights the language barrier and the potential issues related to the use of a translator provided by the Chinese company.
The "Literature Review" section introduces and critiques two prominent models of national culture: Hofstede's Model of National Culture and Nardon and Steer's Model of National Culture. It discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each model, outlining their relevance to the case study.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key terms and concepts explored in this report include intercultural communication, cultural differences, national culture, Hofstede's model, Nardon and Steer's model, communication styles, nonverbal communication, language barriers, business negotiations, and China-US relations.
- Quote paper
- Dominique Wagner (Author), 2011, Intercultural Communication - East meets West in Shoe Manufacturing Negotiations, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/192227
