International Business Negotiation: Bridging the Cultural Gap

EM-Strasbourg Business School

Lecturer: Dr Kevin Mac Gabhann
Semester 1 Fall, 2022 MIEB Group 2
Organisation of course

The course combines in-class lectures, discussion, video cases, group work, presentations, and
emphasises a dynamic interactive approach encouraging student interaction.
There are 5 sessions to attend each lasting 4 hours. The course examines the intercultural
aspects involved in international negotiations.

Class 1: Thursday 29/09/2022 1-5pm (Room D214)

 Welcome, outline and course requirements

Lecture: Introduction, a global perspective and the human factor (Culture notes)

Slides 1-14 (Negotiation Theory notes)

Importance of negotiations
Role of Culture on IB, workplace
Impact of culture on Negotiations

 Cog exercise “let’s focus on negotiations” replaced by a Self-assessment of your

Intercultural Negotiating Capabilities

Team selection for case assignments.

 Team Building exercises (critical incidents related to cultures impact on negotiations)

Assignments & Readings distribution (project cases and reports) & key dates. You will find
out who your team is and your team assignments.
Expectations of presentations, papers, grading and attendance (NB: I will meet with the
teams that are selected to present in Class 2)

 How this course will serve you going forward Part 1

Presentation of Intercultural Skills for the workplace
Culture AT WORK: The value of intercultural skills in the workplace

Class 2: Thursady, 13/10/2022 1pm-5pm (Room B210)

Lecture: Pages 1 – 14 (Negotiation Theory notes) Intercultural Negotiations, rationale,
culture & negotiation, skills required, cultures impact on negotiations, definition,
misunderstandings, mistakes to avoid.

Culture: The programming of the mind Part 1 (Culture notes). Problems, cultural theory,
communication styles, bridging the cultural gap and diversity management.
Video case “Cultural Differences” Wider than the River

Case 1: An American executive in Paris & analysis

Case 2: ICI Using Culture Competitively & analysis

H/W Everyone to read all readings assigned for each/next class. Pay particular attention to
the Belize case as we will work on it in class.

Readings
 Case 1 An American Executive in Paris
 Case 2 ICI Using Culture competitively

 Life and Work in the United States: Challenges for Europeans by Gary M
Wederspahn & Michael F tucker PhD
 Managing cultural Differences: Challenges for Americans doing Business in Europe
Gary M Wederspahn & Michael F tucker PhD
 Language Inter-Cultural detonator by Lee Gardenswartz, PhD and Anita Rowe PhD
 The business of gift giving (Globesmart newsletter)
 It’s Trickier to Give than Receive by Gary Wederspahn

Class 3, Tuesday 08/11/2022, 1-5pm (Room D9)

Lecture: Culture continued Part 3: Solutions, bridging the cultural gap (Culture notes)

Begin Context & Process in Negotiations (Theory notes)

Video Case in class: Multicultural project & team meetings

Case 3: Cultures impact on negotiations presentation

 Introduction to Culture and Negotiations: The context of Global and
Multicultural Negotiations. Moore and Woodrow, The Handbook of Global and
Multicultural Negotiation 2010)
 Intercultural Negotiation in International Business article by Jeswald W. Salacuse

Case 4: How to negotiate across cultures presentation

 Getting to Si, Ja, oui, Hai, and Da. How to negotiate across cultures by Erin
Meyer HBR 2015
 Case N: The Hidden Challenge of Cross-Border Negotiations by James
K.Sebenius HBR 2002

Case 5: International negotiations through the Belize case: Team presentation &
analysis

Individual project assigned today in class

Readings
 Case 3 Introduction to Culture and Negotiations; The context of Global and
Multicultural Negotiations : Moore and Woodrow, The Handbook of Global and
Multicultural Negotiation 2010
Intercultural Negotiation in International Business article by Jeswald W. Salacuse
Case 4
 Getting to Si, Ja, oui, Hai, and Da. How to negotiate across cultures by Erin
Meyer HBR 2015
 Case N: The Hidden Challenge of Cross-Border Negotiations by James
K.Sebenius HBR 2002
 Case 5 Belize case
 At Cross Purposes: Developing Cross-cultural Competence in the Global Economy by
Gary M. Wederspahan
 Cross-Cultural Communication for Managers by Mary Munter
 Culture, Intercultural Communication Competence and Sales Negotiation: a
qualitative research approach

Class 4, Wednesday, 16/11/2022 1pm-5pm (Room B214)

Lecture: Context & Process in negotiations continued.

Case 6, Culture and Negotiation, Chapter 2, (Negotiating Globally Jeanne M.Brett 2014)

Case 7, The Wheel of Culture, Chapter 2, (Moore and Woodrow, The Handbook of
Global and Multicultural Negotiation 2010)

Case 8 Doing Business in China

 Negotiations (Chinese/USA context) chapter 8 Gundling, Ernest. (2003) “Working
GlobeSmart” Davies-Black Publishing, Mountain View, California, p 177-p 216
 Negotiating with the Chinese/USA: Lessons from thr Field, Michael Miles,
Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 2003

In class video case. Negotiating in China

Readings
 Case 6 Culture and Negotiation, Chapter 2, (Negotiating Globally Jeanne
M.Brett 2014)
 Case 7, The Wheel of Culture, Chapter 2, (Moore and Woodrow, The Handbook
of Global and Multicultural Negotiation 2010)
 Case 8 Doing Business in China
Negotiations (Chinese context) Gundling, Ernest. (2003) “Working GlobeSmart”
Davies-Black Publishing, Mountain View, California, p 177-p 216
 Corporate executives and their families in China: The Need for Cross-Cultural
Understanding in Business by Rosalie Tung
 Expats in China: Views from the Chinese Workplace. Aperian global newsletter
 Negotiating in China (Meridian resources website)
  Negotiating in China II Meridan resources website

 Text chapter 6 Negotiating Across Cultures (The Cultural Dimensions of

International business 3rd edition Gary Ferraro
 Handshakes Across the Sea: Cross-Cultural Negotiating for business Success by
Rosalie Tung

Class 5, Friday, 18/11/2022, 9am-1pm (Room D10)

Lecture: Process and context in negotiations, conclusion

 Negotiation Styles Self-Assessment Exercise

 Case 10: Nora-Sakari: A proposed JV in Malaysia (Revised) Richard Ivey, Ivey

Publishing revised 2019

 Case 11: Topical Case: QATAR. World Cup

 How this course will serve you going forward Part 2

Presentation of Intercultural Skills for the workplace
Culture AT WORK, www.britishcouncil.org
Selling your intercultural skills going forward

Write your personal statement

Wrap up & conclusion of class

 Guest speaker: (To be confirmed) Christophe Burkel, Director of Sales, Kuhn

Corporation will present his experiences in international negotiations in industry
over the past two decades

In the event of a cancelation of this guest lecture, a video case will be presented.

Readings
 Case 10: Nora-Sakari: A proposed JV in Malaysia (Revised) Richard Ivey, Ivey
Publishing revised 2019

 Global Positioning: Negotiating in the Post-global World by Dean Foster

 Culture AT WORK, www.britishcouncil.org

Grading & Course assessment method

Continuous Assessment
Attendance & participation. All students will be required to attend class and participate in
presentations, role-plays, team work, case studies, etc. Students will be expected to have read
the assigned class readings for each class and be prepared to participate in related discussions

Assignments: There are 4 assignments in total (1 individual and 3 team assignments)

A) Individual assignment.
There is one individual written assignment to complete and is 20% of your grade.
The individual written assignment will be based on one of the class presentations and will be
announced and details will be given in class 3. This written assignment must be presented and
structured in a professional business way, with uniformity of grammar and English language.
The assignment must be typed and spell-checked using 1.5 spacing, text justified, (2.5
margin) and using Arial or Times New Roman font 12. Assignments must use Harvard
Referencing System. Minimum 3 pages A-4, maximum 4 pages including bibliography.

Due date is the 19th November by 12 noon. Students will send an electronic copy on a word
document directly to Kelly at (kelly.wonnacott-elie@em-strasbourg.eu)

B) Group assignment
There are three team/group assignments.
During the programme of lectures, expectations for the group assignments will be discussed
and marking guidelines will be reviewed. While the assigned readings and lectures of the
course will provide some guidance, students will need to do independent reading, thinking
and developing of ideas in order to complete each part of the group assignment.
The purpose of the group assignment is to enhance students’ critical skills, evaluating and
understanding of international negotiations and intercultural management e.g. awareness and
development of intercultural negotiation skills, managing multi-cultural teams, cross-cultural
differences, international leadership, cultural competencies, global leadership, cross-cultural
training, intercultural sensitivity, diversity management etc.

The group assignments are 80 % of your grade.

The 80 % is subdivided as follows.

There are 3 parts to your group assignment.

Part 1: 30% oral presentation to class based on a case or report. (your team and the date of
your team presentation will be given in class 1)
Part 2: 20% Follow up written research paper document (10-15 pages)
Part 3: 30% Cross-cultural team building scale document (6-10 pages)

The written assignment documents part 2 & 3 must be submitted together. (One document
with a part 2 & part 3 indicated) on the 3rd of December by 5pm French time. Attention
each team needs to send an electronic copy of paper consisting of part 2 & 3, pre-
checked, by email (attachment word document by to my course assistant Kelly at
(kelly.wonnacott-elie@em-strasbourg.eu.

Make sure to include a cover page with the names and nationalities of each team member and
name/number of team on each document.
Your assignments must be presented and structured in a professional business way, with
uniformity of grammar and English language. The assignment must be typed and spell-
checked using 1.5 spacing, text justified, (2.5 margin) and using Arial or Times New Roman
font 12. Assignments must use Harvard Referencing System.

Please note: Indicated assignment page recommendations for each task represent a page
minimum and maximum.

Instructions for Team assignments

Part 1: Oral team presentation

30%Team presentation of a case or report 15 minutes minimum, 20 maximum.
Need to read case and accompanying articles, and other sources.
 Present contents of case/report in a business like manner. Be creative!!
 Present solutions (if required)
 Can choose to apply learning to a role-play scenario to be played out by team
members (if appropriate and possible)
 Very important to add a section at the end of the presentation entitled “what can an
international negotiations student learn concretely from this case/report, what’s his/her
walk away information” (Link to negotiations)
 Prepare and practice!!!
 Stay within time limit!!!
 Add the typical profile of a negotiator from the countries concerned in your case

Feedback will be given at the end of each class or by rdv. You can contact my
course assistant Kelly at (kelly.wonnacott-elie@em-strasbourg.eu) to arrange a
meeting.

Part 2: 20% Written team assignment based on your team presentation. A written
(professional standard) paper 10 page minimum, 15 page maximum including bibliography. A
separate instruction document will be given to you by the lecturer for your specific
case/report when you know your team and case. It will be emailed to you.
Please ensure uniformity of grammar and English language (presentation of document)
(1.5, 12 inch, 2.5 margin)

Part 3: 30% Working in International teams/meetings/negotiations

Cross-Cultural Team Building Scale
Directions: All human beings have values preferences which significantly impact work group
cohesion.

Step 1: Each team member constructs their individual values profile. To do so, each member
of the team chooses a letter (A, B, C, D, E) and marks that letter along each continuum. Then
connect each letter (i.e. connect all the A’s, B’s, C’s through each continuum etc.). This will
give a picture of each members value profile, and an overview/map of the collective team.
You will then be able to see where the similarities and differences are among your team
members. Please copy continuums (overview /map of the collective team, indicating your
team values profile) on your answer/document. This is not included in the
minimum/maximum page requirements.

Step 2 (15%) (3 min-5 max pages, including references and bibliography): Discuss and
explain by giving examples how your individual differences may be problematic in the
process of the team working together. Refer to 5 differences (continuums) and highlight
possible problems associated with these differences and explain why.

Step 3 (15%) (3 min-5 max pages including references and bibliography): Discuss and
explain by giving examples how you make your individual differences a collective advantage.
Refer to 5 continuums. What are the determining factors, (techniques, methods, interventions)
and skills required in order to manage and leverage the diversity of your group?

Value Change …………………………………………………………… Value Tradition

Specificity in Vagueness in
Communicating …………………………………………………………… communicating
Analytical, linear Intuitive, lateral
problem solving …………………………………………………………… problem solving
Emphasis on individual Emphasis on group
Performance ……………………………………………………………… performance

Communication Communication
primarily verbal …………………………………………………………… primarily non-verbal
Emphasis on task Emphasis on
and product ……………………………………………………………….... relationship and process
Surface different views …………………………………………………… Harmony
More horizontal More vertical
Organization ……………………………………………………………… organization

Informal tone ……………………………………………………………… Formal tone

Competition …………………………………………………………………Collaboration
Rigid adherence Flexible adherence
to time ……………………………………………………………………… to time

The managing Diversity Survival Guide Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe

Contact details:
Any questions or concerns please contact me by email. kevin.macgabhann@em-strasbourg.eu
or Kelly at (kelly.wonnacott-elie@em-strasbourg.eu
 Bibliography and reading list (more will be distributed in class)
 Adair & Brett J.M., Culture and Negotiation Processes in The Handbook of
Negotiation and Culture, eds M. Gelfand & J.M. Brett, Stanford Business Books, pp. 158-176.
2004
 Adler, Nancy J, (2008) International Dimensions of Organisational Behaviour, 5 th
edition, p224 -261O Connor, Philip, Pilbeam Adrian, Barrett–Scott Fiona, (1998) Negotiating,
Longman business English skills, Longman group UK limited
 Avny, A. Anderson, A.R Organisational Culture, National Culture and Performance in
International Joint Ventures based in Israel, Int. J. of Business and Globalisation, Vol. 2,
No.2, pp.133 – 145, 2008
 Blommaert T., Van Den S., Marinus de Pooter B., The Guardians of Trust. Internal
Auditor. 2014
 British Council (2013) “The value of intercultural skills in the workplace”
www.britishcouncil.org
 Casse Pierre, Deol Surinder, (1985) Managing Intercultural Negotiations, SIETAR
International,p1-p153
 Cohen R., Negotiating Across Cultures: International Communication in an
Interdependent World, (rev. edn), United States Institute of Peace, Washington D.C. 1997
 Danciu V., The impact of the Culture on the International Negotiations: An Analysis
Based on Contextual Comparisons, Theoretical and Applied Economics, 17(8), pp. 87-102.
2010
 Faure Oliver Guy, Rubin, Jeffery Z, (1993) Culture and Negotiation, The Resolution
of Water Disputes, Sage Publications, New Delhi.

 Fisher, Glenn, (1980) International Negotiations, A Cross-Cultural Perspective,
Intercultural Press Inc
 Foster Dean, Global Positioning: Negotiating in the post-Global World. Intercultural
Management Quarterly. 2003
 Gesteland R., Cross-cultural Business Behavior: A Guide for Global management,
2012
 Gundling Ernest, Zanchettin Anita, Global Diversity: winning Customers and
Engaging Employees within World Market, Boston, USA, 2006
 Gundling, Ernest. (2003) “Working GlobeSmart” Davies-Black Publishing, Mountain
View, California, p 177-p 216
 Hampden-Turner, Charles & Trompenaars, Fons, Building Cross-Cultural
Competence. How to Create Wealth from Conflicting Values, West Sussex: John Wiley &
Sons. 2000
 Harris Dan, China Joint Ventures: A Warning, 2014
 Hofstede G., Hofstede G. & Minkov, Cultures and Organizations: Software of the
mind, Revised and Expanded, 3rd Edn, McGraw-Hill, London, 2010
 Intercultural Press
  Jeswald W. Salacuse, Ten Ways that Culture Affects Negotiating Style: Some Survey
Results. Negotiation Journal, Volume 14, Issue 3, pp.221-240, 1998
 Jeswald W. Salacuse, Intercultural negotiation in international Business. The Fletcher
school of law and diplomacy. Tufts University. Group Decision and Negotiation 8:217-236,
1999
 Katz L., Negotiating International Business – The Negotiator’s References Guide to 50
Countries around the World, Booksurge, Charleston. 2006
 Katz L., Mexico in Negotiating Intercultural Business- The Negotiator’s Reference
Guide to 50 Countries around the World. 2nd Edition, Booksurge Publishing, Carolina, USA,
2008.
 Lewicki, R.J., Saunders, D.M. and Barry, B. (2006). Negotiation. McGraw Hill Higher
Education; International Edition. New York. (Chp 1 The Nature of Negotiation, Chp 9 Ethics
in Negotiation)
 Lewis R.D., When Cultures Collide: Leading across Cultures, Nicholas Brealey
International, London, UK, 2006
 Lothar Katz, Negotiating International Business- the Negotiator’s Reference Guide to
50 Countries around the World. United State: Booksurge Publishing, 2005
 Martin S Jeanette, Chaney H Lillian (2006) Global Business Etiquette, Praeger
Publishers
 Metcalf E. Lynn, Bird Allan, Shankarmahesh Mahesh, AycanZeynep, LarimoJorma,
Valdelamar Dewar Didimo, Cultural tendencies in negotiation: A comparison of Finland,
India, Mexico, Turkey and the United States. California Polytechnic State University, 2006
 Moll M., The Quintessence of Intercultural Business Communication, Quintessence
Series. Dordrecht: Springer. 2012
 Moran R.T., Harris P.R., Moran S.V. Managing Cultural Difference, 8th ed. Oxford:
Elsevier, 2011
 Neumann Jessica, Exploring Chinese cultural standards through the lens of German
managers: A case study approach. In: IIMB Management Review 23 (2), S. 102-209. 2011
 Nishimura, Nevgi, Tella, Communication Style and Culture Features in High/Low
Context Communication Cultures: A Case Study of Finland, Japan and India, pp. 784-785
 Perks P.S. & Oosthuizen, Exploring Supplier Negotiation Best Practices and Supplier
Relationships Strategies in South Africa. Society of Interdisciplinary Business Research. Rev.
Integr. Bus. Econ. Res. Vol 2. 2013
 Rodgers Drew, (2002) English for International Negotiations A Cross-Cultural Case
study approach, Cambridge University Press, p1-p20
 Salacuse, Jeswald W., Negotiation: The Top Ten Ways That Culture Can Affect Your
Negotiation. 2004
 Salacuse J.W., Intercultural Negotiation in International Business. Group Decision and
Negotiation 8. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 217-236. 1999
 Samovar L., Porter R., McDaniel E., Communication Between Cultures, 8th edition,
Wadsworth Cengage Learning, pp. 384-359, 2013
 Schroevers S., Where cultures meet: Across-cultural comparison of business meeting
styles. Hogeschool van Amsterdam. 2012
  Siebold K. & Busch H., (No) need for clarity – Facework in Spanish and German
refusals. Journal of Pragmatics, 75, 53-68. 2015
 Storti, Craig, (1994) Cross-Cultural Dialogues 74 Brief Encounters with Cultural
Difference
 Thomas C David, Inkson Kerr (2003) Cultural Intelligence, Berret-Koehler Publishers,
Inc p100- p122
 Tony Kong D., Intercultural Experience as an Impediment of Trust: Examining the
Impact of Intercultural Experience and Social Trust Culture on Institutional Trust in
Government. Social Indicators Research, 113:847-858, 2013
 Trompenaars F., Resolving international conflict: Culture and Business Strategy,
London Business School, Vol. 7, 1996
 Trompenaars F., Hampden-Turner C., Riding the waves of culture: Understanding
cultural diversity in business, Nicholas Brealey, 2005
 Wang Jianeng, A Cross-cultural Study of Daily Communication between Chinese and
American from the Perspective of High Context and Low Context, in: Asian Social Science,
Vol. 4, No. 10, pp.151-153. 2008
 Wiewiora A., Murphy G., Trigunarsyah B., Brown K., Interactions Between
Organizational Culture, Trustworthiness, and Mechanisms for Inter-Project Knowledge
Sharing. Project Management Journal Vol. 45, No. 2, 48-65, 2014
 Zhang T. and Zhou H., The Significance of Cross-cultural Communication in
international Business Negotiation. IJBM, 3. 2009
Further suggested readings provided in class.