Business meetings in China often begin with formal rituals and exchanges, such as giving business cards with both hands or displaying symbols of prosperity on the table. These rituals are not empty routine but serve to establish respect and harmony among participants. The process signals good intentions and creates an atmosphere of relational trust prior to addressing business agendas.
comfort level
reciprocal, intangible, transferable
Guanxi is a cultural phenomenon, based on Confucius teaching, and it is defined as personal relationships that are reciprocal, intangible, and transferable (Luo, 1997). Guanxi really means “connections” and is built on an informal structure that facilitates implicit exchanges of immediate or future favors. These informal structural ties are interwoven within the entire society via families, friends, and acquaintances in China.
Unnecessary disruption
In post-World War II Germany, the Wirtschaftswunder (economic miracle) established a sense of economic stability and order. The retail sector embraced fixed pricing as a symbol of reliability and transparency, contrasting with the more volatile economic environments in other countries. This cultural backdrop reinforced the idea that fair pricing was predetermined and not open to negotiation. Germans came to view price bargaining as an unnecessary disruption to the established order.
Walk-Away Point
The American term Walk-Away Point conveys the concept of the moment one leaves the negotiation. It is culturally significant because decisiveness and clear boundaries are seen as signs of self-confidence.
Wheeling and dealing
Expressions like ‘It’s not personal, it’s just business’ and ‘Everything is negotiable’ illustrate the American view that negotiation is a standard, unemotional aspect of doing business. The term ‘wheeling and dealing’ further reinforces the notion that successful individuals are those who can negotiate skillfully and assertively.
Willy Loman
In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, the character Willy Loman exemplifies the American salesman archetype who negotiates constantly, whether it is selling products or negotiating his own worth.