International Negotiation Journal
This issue: International Business Negotiation
Guest Editors: Stephen Weiss and Catherine Tinsley
Abstracts, Vol. 4 No. 1, 1999.
Adopting a Dual Lens Approach for Examining the Dilemma of
Differences in International Business Negotiations
Stephen E. Weiss
Catherine Tinsley
School of Business
York University
4700 Keele Street
North York, Ontario
Canada M3J
School of Business
Georgetown University
Washington, DC 20057 USA
Jenifer J. Curhan
Ro Sung Kwak
7013 Beechwood Drive School of Economics and International Trade
Chevy Chase
Dongguk University
MD 20815 USA
263 GA Pil-dong Jung-Ku
Seoul, South Korea
International business negotiations are characterized by two levels of differences
beyond those found in domestic business negotiations: individual level differences
(in negotiator priorities, preferences, perspectives, and scripts) and societal level
differences (in national endowments, preferences (tastes), legal, economic and
political systems, and government involvement). These differences, which may be
viewed by adopting a dual lens approach, include both micro/individual and
macro/environment level differences. Moreover, these differences are both
beneficial and costly to international negotiations, hence resulting in a dilemma of
differences. This article examines both sides of the dilemma and concludes by
offering negotiators advice on how to manage the differences inherent to
international business exchange.
Success and Failure Factors in Saudi-American Negotiations:
American Views
Salem M. Al-Ghamdi
Management and Marketing Department
King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
P.O. Box 667
Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia
This article draws on prior research studies and comparable measures to empirically
investigate American views on what constitutes critical success and failure factors
in negotiating with the Saudis. The findings from this new venue of research
indicate that the Americans consider non-personal factors, such as technical
expertise and financing terms, as more important than personal factors in successful
negotiations with the Saudis. Moreover, among the failure factors studied, none
were rated high in importance. Yet, from a Saudi viewpoint, Americans should not
necessarily ignore these factors in their negotiations with the Saudis. Personal
relationships may be important in generating pre-negotiation contacts, and cultural
factors, linked to patience, language, and social customs, may help to prevent
breakdowns in the negotiation process. Based on these conclusions, the study
provides implications and draws some parallels with previous research on American
perceptions.
A Comparison of American and Russian Patterns of Behavior in
Buyer-Seller Negotiations Using Observational Measures
Christina Roemer
Paula Garb
School of Business
Global Peace and Conflict Studies
University of Southern California University of California-Irvine
Los Angeles, CA 90089 USA
Irvine, CA 92697 USA
Joyce Neu
John L. Graham
The Carter Center
Emory University
Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
Graduate School of Management
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA 92697 USA
The study compares American and Russian patterns of conversational behaviors in
the context of a simulated buyer-seller negotiation involving 60 American and 52
Russian businesspeople participating in intracultural, face-to-face bargaining
sessions. Each session was tape-recorded, and the tapes were subsequently
transcribed, translated, and coded for 20 content analysis categories. The behaviors
of the Russians differed in some respects from the Americans, but overall we
discovered surprising similarity in the patterns of bargaining behaviors. However,
most importantly, the effects of those behaviors on negotiation outcomes (i.e.,
profits and satisfaction) were found to vary substantially across cultures.
Communicative Conflict in Intercultural Negotiations: The Case of
American and Japanese Business Negotiations
Rajesh Kumar
The Aarhus School of Business
Fuglesangs Alle 4
DK-8210 Aarhus V, Denmark
This article explores the origins and implications of differences in communicative
goals in an intercultural negotiation setting. The basic thesis is that while American
and Japanese business people may be united in their ultimate goal of arriving at an
agreement, the processes by which they do so are different, and this difference
makes it hard to conclude an agreement. Differences in the process of negotiation
are reflected in the differences in communication goals that are pursued by both
parties. This article attempts to analyze the implications of these differences in the
crucial first interactions that take place between American and Japanese business
people. A social cognitive model is developed to explore the dynamics of crosscultural negotiations.
Chinese Thought, Game Theory, and Strategic International
Negotiations
Karen Jehn & Keith Weigelt
Management Department, The Wharton School
University of Pennsylvania
2000 Steinberg Hall-Dietrich Hall, Philadelphia
PA 19104-6370 USA
In this article, the insights of Chinese philosophy and economic game theory are
examined with a focus on international negotiations. While Chinese philosophy
texts have existed for over 2,000 years, game theory is a more recent tool of
strategic analysis. We illustrate four strategic negotiation principles based on these
two theories with stylized examples specifically designed to help negotiators
involved in international contexts.
Examining International Business Negotiations and Directions for the
Future
Catherine H. Tinsley
Stephen E. Weiss
School of Business, Georgetown University School of Business, York University
Washington DC 20057 USA
4700 Keele Street
North York, Ontario
Canada M3J