从文化价值观看中美商务谈判中的非言语交际_英语论文                

Non-verbal Communication in Sino-American Business Negotiations from the Perspective of Cultural Values

摘要

随着经济全球化的深入发展，中美间的商务活动日趋频繁。因此，增强双方之间对文化的理解、避免文化冲突、加强文化合作显得尤为重要。跨文化商务谈判在中美开展经贸合作的过程中发挥了重要的纽带作用，同时也有利于实现中美双方利益的最大化，因此必须要了解各自的文化背景、尊重彼此的文化差异。研究表明，非言语交际和言语交际一样，是跨文化交际的重要成分，也在人类交流过程中发挥着不可替代的作用。非言语交际包括言语行为之外一切由人类和环境所产生的刺激，这些刺激对于信息发出者和接受者都具有潜在的信息价值和意义。研究中美商务谈判中因文化价值观不同而导致的非言语交际差异，有利于增进双方的经济贸易关系，促进彼此经济的繁荣，进而推进经济全球化的发展。

本文在霍夫斯泰德的文化维度理论的基础上展开了深入研究，综合分析了非言语交际的定义、功用及分类；深入探讨了商务谈判的定义及其重要性；并结合中美商务谈判的具体案例，从个人/集体主义、权利距离、不确定性规避及长/短期取向四个方面，分析了中美商务谈判中的非言语交际；在此基础上，为谈判者提出建设性意见，以期能改善中美商务谈判中由于文化价值观差异导致的非言语交际误解或冲突，密切中美贸易伙伴关系，促进两国经贸关系的长期、可持续发展。

关键词：文化价值观；商务谈判；非言语交际

Abstract

With the development of economic globalization, the economic cooperation between China and US become more frequent. Reinforcing the understanding of each other’s culture, overcoming the cultural conflicts and strengthening cultural communication and cooperation is particularly important; Cross-cultural business negotiation has played an important role in the process of trade cooperation between China and US as well as in realizing the maximized interests for both parties. So it must be necessary for negotiators to understand their counterparts’ cultural backgrounds and respect the differences. Non-verbal communications just like verbal communications which play an important role in cross-cultural communication. Moreover they are irreplaceable in human society. Studying the differences of non-verbal communication due to different cultural values in the Sino-US business negotiations process is very helpful. Understanding the differences is useful to improve the trade relations, promote the prosperity of economic and accelerate the development between two sides.

The paper introduces the definitions, functions and classifications of non-verbal communication as well as Hofstede’s theory of cultural dimension, then explores the definition and importance of business negotiation. By using specific examples, this paper analyzes the non-verbal communication in Sino-US business negotiation from four aspects: individualism and collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance and long and short-term orientation. On this basis, the author provides some constructive suggestions in order to resolve misunderstanding and conflicts caused by the different cultural values in Sino-US business negotiation, and promote the long-term and sustainable development of trade relations between the two countries.

Key Words: cultural value; business negotiation; non-verbal communication

Contents

Acknowledgements i

Abstract & key words in English. ii

Abstract & key words in Chinese. iii

Introduction 1

1. Cultural values and related theory 1

1.1 Definitions of cultural values 2

1.2 Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory 2

2. Business negotiations and non-verbal communication 4

2.1 Business negotiation 4

2.1.1 Definition of business negotiation 4

2.1.2 Importance of business negotiation 5

2.2 Non-verbal communication 5

2.2.1 Definitions of non-verbal communication 6

2.2.2 Functions of non-verbal communication 6

2.2.3 Classifications of non-verbal communication 7

3. Analysis of non-verbal communication in Sino-American business negotiations 9

3.1 Individualism and collectivism 9

3.1.1 American: individualism 9

3.1.2 Chinese: collectivism 10

3.2 Power distance 11

3.2.1 American: low power distance 11

3.2.2 Chinese: high power distance 11

3.3 Uncertainty avoidance 12

3.3.1 American: low uncertainty avoidance 12

3.3.2 Chinese: high uncertainty avoidance 13

3.4 Long-term orientation and short-term orientation 14

3.4.1 American: short-term orientation 14

3.4.2 Chinese: long-term orientation 14

4. Suggestions 15

4.1 Understanding the diversity of cultural values 15

4.2 Grasping necessary methods of non-verbal communication 16

Conclusion 17

References 18