口译作业商务.docVIP

Socialising Socialising, plays an important part in negotiating across cultures. Due regard to seniority is essential with strict attention to seating at formal dinners, the order of speeches, with the appropriate toasts and the giving and receiving of gifts. The last point requires knowledge of the relevant customs, the type of acceptable gifts and such detail as the correct colour of the wrapping paper. Gift giving has a high importance in certain cultures and it would be considered a show of disrespect not to give and receive gifts. In many Western cultures gifts usually have to be declared and must not be accepted or indeed misconstrued as bribes. Gifts that symbolize the status of your company and the importance of the impending deal, preferably an item characteristic of your local area, or one that displays the company logo, are usually permissible. “Face’’ The importance of ‘‘face’’ in cross-cultural negotiations is often not appreciated. In many Eastern cultures, e.g. the Chinese, the Thais and the Japanese, ‘‘face’’, the regard in which one is held by others, is of vital importance. For example, in the case of the Chinese, ‘‘face’’(mianzi) relates to a person’s image and status within a social structure. However, this social status is complex and other definitions associate ‘‘face’’ with loyalty, trust, reputation,competence, indebtedness and obligation issues. the Chinese are sensitive to the preservation of ‘‘face’’ because of the importance theyattach to the establishment and maintenance of long-term relationships. Chinese business. people use various communication strategies in order to save ‘‘face’’ and give ‘‘face’’,including indirectness and the use of intermediaries. Westerners need to remember that‘‘Negotiating across borders differs markedly from negotiating within the domestic market. A number of new factors have to be considered, including different languages, cultural sensitivities, legal systems, tax regimes, labour laws and different business