NCJ Number
181170
Journal
Negotiation Journal Volume: 15 Issue: 4 Dated: October 1999 Pages: 373-380
Date Published
October 1999
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This essay describes the four broad themes that emerged from a discussion among scholars about the role of process in cross-cultural negotiations and considers their implications for future research.
Abstract
Drawing on existing classification schemes, the group considered how culture influences both the substantive and relational aspects of communications. The substantive aspects refer to the content of communication; relational aspects refer to form. Culture is known to shape the substance of communications by influencing the kinds of strategies that negotiators use. It is also important to consider whether culture influences how negotiators provide information. The group discussion began by posing two questions: (1) What are the processes that lead to shared frames in cross-cultural negotiations? and (2) Are shared frames essential to high joint gains? To provide a framework for discussing these questions, the group drew on existing theory to identify several issues for consideration. These included the point at which cultural dimensions affect the negotiation process; how culture shapes goals, expectations, and attributions about the other party; how it influences reactions to the violation of expectations; and whether culture influences the meaning derived from social interactions in the context of negotiations. The discussion that emerged can be classified into four broad themes: the nature of the dispute; the influence of cognition; the underlying relationship; and the definition of an optimal outcome. This essay integrates these four themes with current theory and highlights directions for future research. 24 references