A Study On Nonverbal Communication In International Business Negotiation

With the rapid development of the modern society and the growing commercial trades between countries in the world, international business negotiation becomes an indispensable part in the global economic activity. Essentially speaking, international business negotiation is intercultural business communication. Nonverbal communication, as the necessary supplement of verbal communication, plays an immensely significant role in international business negotiation:even it functions more than verbal communication under some circumstance. Therefore, in order to ensure that international business negotiation goes on wheels, it is necessary to have an understanding of cultural environments and nonverbal communications of different countries in addition to mastering foreign languages.This thesis analyzes the cultural causes for various nonverbal communications in eastern, western and Arab countries from the perspective of history, religion and concept. What’s more, on the basis of intercultural communication theories put forward by Edward Hall and Greet Hofstede, this thesis makes a study on nonverbal communication under the circumstance of international business negotiation, including body language, paralanguage, object language and environmental language. As well, it analyzes how these nonverbal communications influence international business negotiations by cases. Through literature review, case study and comparison, this thesis aims at eliminating cultural conflicts to the greatest extent by learning nonverbal communication differences of eastern, western and Arab countries, and putting forward some feasible suggestions for negotiators on nonverbal communication in each phase of international business negotiation in order to promote the success of negotiations. It is hoped that this thesis will provide international business negotiators with the required basis for understanding nonverbal communication differences in eastern, western and Arab cultures and making an effective beginning in negotiations.