商务谈判153页.docVIP

Ireland has been absorbing invaders for centuries and treats commercial arrivals much the same. Smiling hosts will charm even the most hardened negotiator into making concessions thought unthinkable days before. If you are charmed easily, watch out. This a land of highly educated people; masters degrees abound at the managerial level. Highly technical presentations will be readily understood and appreciated. Any attempt to treat Irish counterparts as second rate will be met with much resistance. The error judgment will be made evident quickly and pointedly. The Irish language, Gaelic, is alive and well, especially in western Ireland, but English is used for most business. Government documents will be presented in both language. The Irish are accomplished linguists, and translators for most European languages are easily obtained. These are a very social people, and there is no such thing as a short conversation in Ireland. Politics, religion, and many other topics are wide open for discussion. Bear in mind that the Irish are extremely well read and will know more about your counter than you will. Confrontation is not something the Irish fear, so don’t enter into one lightly, whether business-related or not. The Irish have always been a clever people but have only recently had access to the capital necessary to maximize their skills. Centuries of poverty have made them very pragmatic, thought not adverse to risk. Always willing to bet on a sure thing, they’ll give equal consideration to a “long shot” if the odds are right. When making presentations, offer the upside first, but don’t worry about presenting the downside. The Irish will have no compunction about calling your bluff if they think you are hiding something. They are masters of secrecy themselves and can spot it in counterparts immediately. Business and pleasure are regularly mixed, and your tongue may be loosened at the pub as part of a divisive strategy. Both guest and host are expected to “