Cross-cultural Communication in Business Negotiations
Business Weekly
by Dr. Rod Steiner
November 2006
The importance of effective cross-cultural communication during business conferences or negotiations is often unappreciated. And yet it is not just the immediate outcome of the negotiation which is at stake but also the possibility of a positive, ongoing business relationship.
Here's a simple example: "don't mix business and pleasure," we say, thinking ourselves to be efficient and "virtuous." But trying to negotiate with that attitude in some other cultures may well cause consternation in your host. This in turn will result in cross-cultural irritation and may well put future relationships under a cloud. So, the first rule should be to study the culture of the people with whom you are going to negotiate.
Dr. Rod Steiner; assistant lecturer; Department of Business Studies, South Australian Institute of Technology.


South Australian Institute of Technology
Department of Business Studies
44 Berwick St.
Adelaide, Australia 5066
November 24, 2006
Dear Dr. Steiner,
I read your article "Cross-cultural Communication in Business Negotiations" with a great deal of interest. I am a postgraduate language/business student at the University of Adelaide, and I have also had some experience living and studying in Japan.
You are absolutely right when you highlight possible "cross-cultural irritation". In our culture, we would never associate business transactions of any type with drinking alcohol and going to nightclubs. However, that's more or less the normal way of doing things in Japan. I hope to specialize in this area of study - I mean, in cross-cultural communication - and that's why I have chosen also to study some foreign languages. If you have any suggestions for further reading, could you please let me know?
Thanks for your attention.
Julie Luddon