9 Business Manners China

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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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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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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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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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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.

9 Business Manners China

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