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

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

进入21世纪，随着世界经济全球化的迅速发展，不同国家间的商务往来日益频繁。涉外商务要面对的对象来自不同国家，有着不同的文化、历史和风俗习惯。而企业间的文化背景、价值观念和思维方式也存在着明显的差异。如果不了解这些，就可能产生误解而失去许多合作成功的契机。

中国近年来在经济上高速增长。低廉的劳动力、大量的技术人员、税制的激励政策和激增的消费市场等，吸引了越来越多的外国企业来中国投资或开展贸易。充足的资源使中国成为全球重要的加工场、出口国和消费国。随着中国履行加入WTO的承诺，涉外商务活动也因此在中国变得日益重要。美国是中国的最大贸易伙伴，越来越多的美国跨国企业进驻中国，与他们进行商务来往变得家常便饭。

中美商务往来经常出现不和谐的情况。美方人员认为中方人员办事低效、婉转甚至不诚实；而在中方人员眼中，美方伙伴具有攻击性、不受个人感情影响且易激动。本文主要探讨文化差异对中美商务往来的影响及应如何发展商务上互惠互利、令双方满意的共赢策略。

关键词： 中美文化差异、商务往来、共赢策略

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