Abstract

With increasingly frequent economic and trade exchanges between China and the United States, the big cultural differences between the two countries on the impact of business negotiations become increasingly prominent. In business negotiations, the different negotiating styles between the negotiators lead to misunderstanding of each other, which hinders the smooth progress of the negotiations. This thesis, from the perspective of Hofstede’s  cultural dimension, compares and analyses cultural differences between the two countries from power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism vs collectivism, masculinity vs femininity, long term orientation vs short term orientation. In addition, it also puts forward some advice and strategies beneficial to the smooth implementation of business negotiations from the perspective of the intercultural communication.

Keywords: Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension；cultural differences; Sino-U.S business negotiation; intercultural communication

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1.Introduction1

2.Literature Review2

3.The Sino-American Cultural Differences under the Hofstede’s Theory of Cultural Dimensions.3

3.1 Power Distance.4

3.2 Uncertainty Avoidance...5

3.3Individulism versus Collectivism6

3.4 Masculinity versus Femininity7

3.5Long-term versus Short-term..8

4.Cultural Differences Influencing Sino-American Business Negotiations...9

4.1 Cultural differences affecting negotiation method10

4.2 Cultural differences affecting interpersonal relationship..11

4.3 Cultural difference affecting decision method..12

4.4 Cultural differences affecting the protocol form of negotiation...13

5.Suggestions for Sino-US Business Negotiations .14

5.1 Understanding and respecting other nations’ culture15

5.2 Expressing your ideas directly..16

5.3 Learning the advantages of other nations’ culture17

5.4 Changing the Stereotype...18

6 Conclusion.....19

Works Cited.20