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Effective Communication with Chinese
Businessmen- business etiquettes and cultural differences
BSEM- LECTURE 10 BBBA2K9S
Delivered by: Lecturer Maria Qadri
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1.Direct approach or indirect approachThe Chinese and Japanese dislike doing business
with strangers; its helpful to be introduced properly by
an intermediary known to both sides. But Americans
like to adopt a direct approach.
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1. Direct approach or Indirect approach
Alternatively, in any culture, if you make an
independent initial approach, you should provide as
much information as possible about your company or
institution and what you hope to accomplish. For
example, your web site and all your contact information.
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2. Greetings and phone conversations
Chinese: Where are you going?
Have you had a meal? Shake hands.
Americans: Hi, whats up? How are you?
Do not hang up the receiver until your customer/
superior has hung up.
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Institution (full name), department, rank or position andname
By someone else:
The young to the oldMan to woman
Low position to high position;
Unmarried to married;
Close relation to distant relation
3. Introduction and name cards
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3. Introduction and name cardsName cards:
Both simplified/traditional Chinese characters and
English, with not more than two ranks or positions,
different name cards on different occasions, no
scratching; home phone number and mobile phonenumber if you are very close.
Chinese address: country, province, city, street,
complex, building, section, room number, name, rank
or title
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3. Introduction and name cardsHow to get name cards?
By offering your name card and saying; can Iexchange my name card with you or how can I
get in touch with you?Examine others name cards carefully to show respect.
Offer your name cards with two hands to others.
Any privacy in China?
ones income, age, marital status, health/constitution,personal experience, religious belief and votingintention, etc.
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4. Addressing people: hierarchy /equality
WANG Guo An (Andrew):family name first
Surname followed by administrative/ academic/
professional title:
Wang Jiaoshou (Professor)
Chen Jingli (Manager)
Zhang Laoban (boss)
Li Zhuren (Director)
Wang, Chen, Zhang and Li are the most popular
surnames in China.
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4. Addressing people: hierarchy /equality
Affectionate and courteous address:
Xiao Mei or to younger girls
Dage/Dajie to males/females older than you
Omit deputy or vice or associate before administrativeor professional title
Chinese seldom use given/first name, likeAndrew/Andy, James/Jim, Robert/Rob in the West
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5. Guanxi/Personal connection
Guanxi means personal connection or network. It
is important in any culture, but it is more important in
East Asia, especially in China in getting things
accomplished. As China is changing from the rule byman into the rule by law and decision-making is getting
more and more democratic and transparent, guanxi will play
a less and less important role in dealing with Chinese and in
getting things accomplished as the Chinese legalsystem is improving and the market economic system is
developing.
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5. Guanxi/Personal connection
However, it is always important in any culture
to meet the right people on the right occasion in
the right manner in order to achieve your objectives.
Chinese naturally turn to their relationship networks forhelp, so they work hard to cultivate friends in high or
strategic places. If a Chinese finds him or herself
without guanxi, the first order of business is to establishone.
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5. Guanxi/Personal connection
One reason for the pervasiveness of theguanxi
system on the Mainland China is the relative lack of
a reliable legal system. But it is also important in
areas outside China, where the legal system is more
developed.
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5. Guanxi/Personal connection
Guanxi/personal networks is reciprocal, contextual,
personal and, intangible, utilitarian and long-term.
Individually-embedded guanxi can be extended to the
organizations connections. The Chinese dislike doingbusiness with strangers and its helpful to be introduced
properly by an intermediary through guanxi. It is
through continuous, long-term associations and
interactions that the guanxi relationship is beingdeveloped and strengthened. For example.
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5. Guanxi/Personal connection
How to cultivate guanxi?
Invite him/her to drink tea, coffee or beer, have
dinner after your meeting, give gifts, send greetings and
best wishes on some occasions, such as celebration of
his or his parents birthdays, weddings, traditional
holidays, his children going to top universities,
and funerals.
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5. Guanxi: gifts
Gift exchange is an important cultural tradition toshow esteem or gratitude , as souvenirs, promotion of
ones culture, enterprises image and national features,
marking occasions.
Friendship or bribe? A gift should not be too
expensive. Wrap the gift. Give or receive gifts with
both hands. Red color means the symbol of celebration,
congratulations, happiness, prosperity, good luck andsuccess.
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4. Guanxi: gifts
Foreigners must learn how to differentiate
guanxiand bribery as: Sadly, many foreign investors
mistook bribery asguanxi where the truth is bribery
corruptsguanxi (Luo 2000, 199-202). Therefore, onemust be mindful of the appropriate approach when
handlingguanxi relations.
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6. Table manners
For East Asians, business decisions are sometimes
made by eating, drinking at the table or singing
karaoke rather than at the desk in the office.
Five Ms: money, menu, medium, music and manners
Money: Who pays the bill? Go Dutch or your treat?
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6. Table manners
Menu: What do you dislike to eat?
Do you have any food restrictions?
Religious taboos should be respected. Dog meat,
paws of chickens and pigs, and internal organs of
animals are unpopular food for Westerners. But we
Chinese eat them. Pork is one of the popular meat for
Chinese. If you do not eat it, please let your host know
in advance.
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6. Table manners
Medium: environment
Music: guests national music, no rock or disco music
Manners: Smoking or no smoking; We use chopsticks
when we eat and like to offer food to your plate orurge you to drink more and more to show hospitality,kindness or consideration.
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6. Table manners
Japanese do not pour wine for themselves. Chinese
pour wine for themselves and guests. Westerners help
themselves to food. Westerners eat with spoons, forks
and knives. Some Islamic/Muslim people eat withhands. It is OK for Chinese and Japanese to make noise
when eating noodles and drinking soup. Usually there
are no tips for waiters or waitress in China.
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7. Working with interpreters
Communicate with the interpreter before your
meeting. A good interpreter can help you immeasurably
in a foreign culture. When talking through an
interpreter, pause frequently and avoid slang andcolloquialisms. Always talk to the host, never directly
to the interpreter. Nodding his head or en is not
always equal to yes or I agree.
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7. Working with interpreters
Chinese may not say No frankly to guests if
he can not meet your request. Restate what was
accomplished at the close of a meeting to guard against
Any misunderstanding. The person with the highest
rank or position makes decisions and commitments for
the whole delegation. Ask for a contact person for
further dealings before the meeting is concluded.
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8. Appointment and Schedule
Westerners make appointments and schedules or
agendas WELL in advance while Chinese like to do
something with foreigners within a short notice,
which Westerners are not used to.
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10. Online Communication
Conspicuous/specific/personal title when sending an
e-mail message
Acknowledge the receipt of emails and reply
promptly Clear, courteous, concise and personal
Leaving all your contact information
Check and proofread before sending Use your e-mail account at your institution or
company or university
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11. Collectivism/Individualism
The Chinese often view themselves as
interdependent orcollectivism-oriented, ie, emphasis
on society rather than on individual. (Tian, 2007,56)
Chinese addresses begin from bigger places to small
places while western addresses are just the opposite.
Family names come first.
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12. Face
The Asian concept of face is similar to the Western
concept of face, but it is far more important in most
Asian countries. Face is associated with honour,
dignity, and a deep sense of pride. Causing someone to
lose face, even if the offence is unintentional, could
cause serious damage to a relationship(Fox,2008)
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12. Face
Give face: Praise staff before their bosses or above
authorities.
Save face: Talk diplomatically and tactfully, such as
Have I said it clearly? instead of Do youunderstand?
Lose face: Do not push someone into the corner and
find an excuse for his mistakes if you value the
business relations.