Case 1

During a business contact the American businessman asks “How about $500 ?”  The Chinese partner will pause and look up to the ceiling and quietly ponder the offer, saying nothing. The American then panics thinking that he didn’t like the offer. So he lowers it “OK, how about $450?”  As the Chinese partner says nothing again the American again wonders if his price is too high.

      How is silence interpreted differently by the American and Chinese businessman?

Case 2

John an American manager travelled to Beijing to do business with a Chinese company. He was eager to begin negotiation as soon as possible. However, on Day One he was shown around tourist attractions in Beijing. He thought he would begin the negotiation with his Chinese counterparts on the second day. But he was invited to play golf on the second day. Though he felt confused and irritated he had no other choice.

Case 3

 Walther Habers worked for many years as commodities trader in Rotterdam. On a business trip to Milan, he waited almost two hours for his 10:00 a.m. appointment. When the Italian commodities buyer finally came out to meet him, it was time for lunch. Two hours later, after lunch, Habers walked back to the office for the meeting. 

By this time Habers was inwardly furious. He would miss his afternoon appointments. Being well traveled, he understood that time was treated differently in Mediterranean cultures, but this was his first experience “in the thick of it”. Although he eventually made the sale, Habers swore he would never again “allow such a waste of time”. The buyer from Milan, however, was never aware of any problem and thought the transaction had been a great success.