Sino-U.S. Culture Differences on Business Communication and Win-Win..

Abstract

The twenty-first century is upon us. As the global economy develops fast, business communication among countries becomes more frequent. The party who we’re doing business with is from other country with different culture, different history and different customs. And clearly, firms’ culture background, values and ways of thinking exist so different. Those who don’t know the culture differences well would misunderstand the real situation and fail to make it to the top of the corporate ladder. 

In recent years, China had great rapid growth in economy. Low-cost labor force, lots of technical personnel, tax incentives and exploding consumer market attract more and more investment and business. Sufficient resources support China as an efficient manufacturing center, exports and a heavy consumer in the world. As China implements its WTO commitment, Sino-foreign business appears more important. Since the United States is our biggest business partner, more U.S. companies would come to China, so that our business communication with U.S. companies is likely to increase. 

American and Chinese approaches often appear incompatible. Americans see Chinese counterparts as inefficient, indirect, and even dishonest, while the Chinese see American partners as aggressive, impersonal, and excitable. 

The thesis studies the Sino-U.S. culture differences and their influence on business communication. Meanwhile, it also tries to find out Win-Win business strategies that how to develop mutually profitable and satisfying business relationships. 

Key Words: Sino-U.S. culture difference, business communication, Win-Win business strategies

摘  要

進入21世紀，隨著世界經濟全球化的迅速發展，不同國家間的商務往來日益頻繁。涉外商務要面對的對象來自不同國家，有著不同的文化、歷史和風俗習慣。而企業間的文化背景、價值觀念和思維方式也存在著明顯的差異。如果不了解這些，就可能產生誤解而失去許多合作成功的契機。

中國近年來在經濟上高速增長。低廉的勞動力、大量的技術人員、稅制的激勵政策和激增的消費市場等，吸引了越來越多的外國企業來中國投資或開展貿易。充足的資源使中國成為全球重要的加工場、出口國和消費國。隨著中國履行加入WTO的承諾，涉外商務活動也因此在中國變得日益重要。美國是中國的最大貿易伙伴，越來越多的美國跨國企業進駐中國，與他們進行商務來往變得家常便飯。

中美商務往來經常出現不和諧的情況。美方人員認為中方人員辦事低效、婉轉甚至不誠實；而在中方人員眼中，美方伙伴具有攻擊性、不受個人感情影響且易激動。本文主要探討文化差異對中美商務往來的影響及應如何發展商務上互惠互利、令雙方滿意的共贏策略。

關鍵詞： 中美文化差異、商務往來、共贏策略

CONTENTS

摘要………………………………………………………………………… ……v

Abstract…………………………………………………………………………….. vi

Acknowledgement…………………………………………………………............. vii

I  Introduction………………………………………………………………………1

II. Culture and Sino-U.S. culture differences……………………..............................2

1. Definition of Culture.……………..………………………………………….2

2. Chinese Culture & U.S. Culture…….…….…………………… ……………3

3. Culture differences between China and the United States …………………..5

III. Intercultural Business Communication and the Challenges…………………….6

1. Understanding of Intercultural Business Communication…………………...6

2. The Challenges of Sino-US Business Communication………………………7

IV. Win-win Business Strategies……………………………………………………..9

V. Conclusion…..…………..………………………………………….…………....13

References…………………..………………………………………… ……….…..14