Successful Intercultural Communication In Business Negotiation Between China And America

Intercultural communication is communication between people whose cultural perceptions and symbol systems are distinct enough to alter the communication event (Larry, Richard, and Lisa 48). The aim of understanding intercultural communication is to improve the gap and misunderstanding between diverse cultures of different countries.This thesis intends to use some related intercultural communication and pragmatics theories to deal with business negotiation between China and America. Firstly, some basic theories about culture and communication are given, and they are also the foundations of intercultural communication. Having stated some relevant concepts, the author points out theoretical bases: intercultural communication and pragmatics. Based on these previous theories, a business negotiation is chiefly divided into three stages: beginning stage, integrative bargaining stage, decision-making and action stage. Contrastive differences between China and America are reflected by indirectness & directness, generality & specifics in verbal aspect. Different attitudes towards time are limited into cyclical system & lineal system as well. In integrative bargaining stage, pragmatic habits are totally different. As for decision-making and action stage, personal relationship and collectivism are valued by Chinese negotiators, whereas the Americans emphasize the contract itself and individualism. Lastly, effective strategies provide a powerful tool from which the negotiators are able to gain lots of support.communication and pragmatics knowledge successfully in a business negotiation. It also reveals that an effective communication is closely related to the business context.This study is of a certain value in constructing how to be a successful business negotiator and how to be an effective communicator in English.