The Influence of Culture and

Gender on Negotiations

Presented by-
Alok Pandey
 Understanding Cultural Differences

CULTURE

• Includes the values and norms shared by members of a

group .
• Economic, social, political and religious institutions that
shape and mold group activities.
• Frame and guide the interpretation of experience,
processing of information and the ways people
communicate.
Characteristics of Cultures- The way an individual might
negotiate.
• Self-identity- See negotiations as a competition or an opportunity
to collaborate
• Relationships- Influence negotiation by dictating who the culture
recognizes as its leaders, who makes the decisions, who will be
governed by those decisions.
• Communications- Negotiations is whether the culture exchange
information in a direct or indirect manner.
• Time and time consciousness- Negotiation to begin on time and to
finish as soon as possible.
• Values and norms- Negotiation interact both sides are making
judgment based upon their culture’s value system.
• Mental process and learning- Detect how information given in a
negotiation is received.
 Hofstede’s cultural dimensions

• Greet Hofstede and Michael Harris bond

Five dimensions are:-

• Power distance
• Uncertainty avoidance
• Individualism collectivism
• Masculinity and femininity
• Long term orientation
 Uncertainty Avoidance
• Focuses on the level of tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity
within the society in its unstructured situation.

• High uncertainty avoidance ranking indicates low tolerance

for uncertainty and ambiguity.

• Low uncertainty avoidance ranking indicates less concern

about ambiguity and uncertainty and has more tolerance for a
variety of option.

• Negotiator established the level of trust appropriate to or

necessary for a negotiation to succeed.
 Individualism Collectivism
 Focuses on the degree that reinforces individual or collective
achievement and interpersonal relationships.

 High individualism ranking indicates that individuality and

individual rights are paramount within the culture.

 Low individualism ranking characterizes societies of more

collectivist nature with close ties among individuals.

 Negotiators respond to an argument on how a project will

benefit many people rather than selling it on a economic basis.
 Masculinity- Femininity
• Focuses on the degree that a culture reinforces, or does
not reinforce , the traditional masculine trait of
assertiveness.

• High masculinity ranking indicates the society values

achievement , control, and power and has a high degree
of gender differentiation.

• High feminine ranking indicates that a society has a

more nurturing orientation and a lower level of
differentiation and discrimination between gender.
 Long term orientation
• Focuses on the degree to which a culture is devoted
to traditional, forward-thinking values.

• High long term orientation ranking indicates long

term commitments and respect for traditions .

• Low long term orientation ranking indicates that a

society is inclined more towards immediate results .
 Negotiation issues sensitive to culture.
• Heuristics and biases in cross-cultural negotiations.

• Cognitive biases- Michael W .Morris and Michael J.

Gelfand distinguish between biases that are learned and
biases that arise from the human perceptual system.
Research support the theory that the party making the
higher first offer fares better in negotiations.

• Learned Biases- over confidence or self serving

evaluations are example of biases based on learned
behavior.
 Negotiation patterns in cross-cultural
negotiations.
• Strategic approach.
• Sequence of tactics.
• Flow of the process.

Emotions in cross-cultural negotiations

Communication in cross-cultural
negotiations
 Gender issues in negotiations

• Women negotiating on their own behalf

• Women negotiating for others.

Thank you