Cross Cultural Negotiations for Greater MNC Competitiveness

Abstract

Good negotiation is not a compelling interaction to unilaterally achieve one’s goals even at the expense of fairness to the other party. It is a careful and conscientious and methodical approach for true understanding and empathy, responding and appealing to the other party’s sensitive and important needs, expectations and anxieties. It is particularly appealing to the negotiator’s good sense of what is balanced, equitable and meaningful such that it is simultaneously to advantageous and relevant in the circumstances to both parties. There can be the adversarial atmosphere among the two (or more) parties that are involved in negotiation so that it requires a systematic approach of blending the following issues: appropriate and viable negotiation strategy, making culturally correct approaches and appeals to the other parties, projecting culturally correct personal values and organizational goals and images, gently generating, in the correct sequence, the proper issues and questions, and effectively offering meaningful and helpful suggestions, modifications and the needed adjustments for the other party. Good negotiation is done by keeping in his (or her) mind the context of the situation and the other party’s overall personal expectations and organizational needs, particularly his organization’s economic, social, cultural, infrastructural, and emotional needs and conditions.