Pham Tuan Anh - 21090002 - Assignment Week 1

Based on Richard D. Lewis's Dimensions of Behavior model, I'll present three solutions
addressing the perspectives of the French company (Lafarge), the Chinese company, and a
third-party negotiator.

1. French Company (Lafarge) Perspective:

French business culture, particularly in large corporations like Lafarge, tends to align with the
Linear-active approach for several reasons:

- French companies often emphasize planning, organization, and efficiency in their

operations.
- There's a tendency to separate personal and professional life, which is characteristic
of Linear-active cultures.
- French negotiators often aim for clear, well-defined outcomes and contracts.

These traits match the Linear-active description: introvert plans step by step, focuses on
facts, and values truth over diplomacy.

To improve negotiations, they should:

● Recognize their tendency for structured, fact-based approaches may clash with
Chinese relationship-oriented culture.
● Adapt communication style to be less direct and more patient.
● Balance focus on facts and logic with relationship-building efforts.
● Develop flexibility in planning, allowing for a less rigid negotiation process.
● Show respect for Chinese cultural norms and government priorities while maintaining
core business objectives.

2. Chinese Company Perspective:

The Chinese company likely demonstrates Reactive traits, because:

- Chinese culture places high value on harmony and avoiding direct confrontation,
which aligns with the Reactive tendency to be indirect.
- There's a strong emphasis on building and maintaining relationships (guanxi) in
Chinese business practices.
- The concept of "face" in Chinese culture leads to careful, diplomatic communication
to avoid causing embarrassment.
- Chinese businesses often take a long-term view, which aligns with the Reactive
patience and focus on gradual change.

These characteristics fit the Reactive description: introverted, good listener,

harmony-oriented, and indirect in communication.

Their approach should:

 ● Leverage their strengths in listening and patience to fully understand Lafarge's
positions.
● Clearly communicate government priorities and long-term goals, as these are central
to their decision-making.
● Use indirect communication to convey concerns or disagreements, avoiding direct
confrontation.
● Emphasize relationship-building activities to establish trust with Lafarge
representatives.
● Introduce changes or counterproposals gradually, respecting the reactive tendency
for incremental progress.

3. Third-Party Negotiator Perspective:

A third-party negotiator should adopt a Multi-active approach, becuase:

- Multi-active types are known for their flexibility and ability to adapt to different
situations, which is crucial when bridging two distinct cultural approaches.
- They are typically extroverted and people-oriented, making them well-suited to
facilitate communication and relationship-building between the parties.
- Multi-active negotiators can balance the Linear-active focus on tasks and schedules
with the Reactive emphasis on relationships and harmony.
- Multi-active cultures often value emotional expressiveness, which can help in reading
and managing the emotional undercurrents of cross-cultural negotiations.

These traits align with the Multi-active description: extroverted, people-oriented, flexible, and
comfortable with multitasking.

To bridge the gap, they should:

● Act as a cultural interpreter, explaining Linear-active and Reactive behaviors to both

parties.
● Use their people-oriented skills to facilitate relationship-building between Lafarge and
Chinese representatives.
● Employ flexible planning to accommodate both Lafarge's structured approach and
the Chinese preference for evolving negotiations.
● Encourage open dialogue about cultural differences in negotiation styles.
● Balance attention between Lafarge's focus on facts and swift progress with the
Chinese emphasis on relationships and gradual change.
● Help parties find a middle ground between truth-oriented and diplomacy-oriented
communication styles.

These solutions leverage an understanding of the Lewis Model to address the cultural gaps
between Lafarge and the Chinese company. The third-party negotiator's multi-active
approach can help bridge these differences, facilitating more effective communication and
progress in the negotiations.