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9 Business Manners China

Apr 03, 2018

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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.