To: Professor Crawford
CC: Professor Crawford
From: Irina D. Lesan
Date: 10/7/14
Re: Team B team mates overview
Analytical Report
As we will be entering into the business world in China in the upcoming months, we have prepared a report on common business etiquette to be used when dealing with Chinese businesses. There are many ways in which we can unintentionally ruin relationships with China, so it is important to choose your words wisely. The following ideals will help us to present the company in a favorable light, and to avoid jeopardizing any potential relationships with Chinese businesses.
According to Williams (n.d.), Before you approach a civilian of china, be prepared to do the proper greeting first. Proper greetings in china are generally a smile, good eye contact, politeness and a proper bow. The deeper the bow is, the more respect the Chinese believe you possess towards your acquaintance. These are considered a means of sincerity in their culture which will allow you to engage in further discussion with the business people you are making business with. Avoid informal greetings like “Hey, how are you?” instead use a formal greeting like “How do you do?” or “Glad to see you” as they seem like improper and disrespectful in their culture.
When referring to someone of importance in China, you usually use their professional title rather than a Mr. or Miss. For example, use Chairman Freeman, rather than Mr. Freeman. This is important because it addresses your target with respect and shows that you acknowledge his or her position in the company. (Executive Planet. China n.d.).
Typically, before any serious business discussion can happen, casual conversation is encouraged to relate to the person to whom you are writing. Good topics to include are those through which you can relate, such as the weather, climate, and the geography of China. (Leung, 2008, p.21). Educating yourself on these subjects beforehand is very effective, as it will reflect well to your recipient that you have a good initiative in learning more about Chinese culture. However, there are some subjects to avoid discussing such as the history of China and Taiwan territory. (Executive Planet. China n.d.).
Williams (n.d). has stated do not try to mention nor talk about religion in china. Even though China does have some basic religions like Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, they do not worship as much as other countries do such as the USA and Japan. It is important to respect their culture and not engage in a conversation which would include speaking about their religion in any way.
If you go out to eat at a restaurant with a possible customer or future employee whom is Chinese, there are some table manners that differ from that of westerners. For instance, a round table is more popular than the basic square table which is known in the western hemisphere. Make sure that the guest of honor is always seated to the right of the host (I.E. the employer or employee). Make sure you seat your guests and invite them to enjoy their meal and sitting the guests next the where the dishes are is disrespectful. Serving soda while on a business meeting is considered disrespectful to your guests. Ensure that you serve something more elegant like tea or distilled water, with the occasional beer and it’s important that you pour all your guests a cup of tea as it is not expected of the guest to pour their own tea.(Williams n.d).
When writing the sales letter you should stay away from using colors because they can send a negative message. (Cimasko, 2010). It is important to make sure you keep your sentences short and concise and avoid using slang. It’s important to bring a minimum of at least 20 copies of your sales letter as it shows that you are well prepared. (Executive Planet. China n.d.).
When it comes to composing your sales letter, it is more common to take the indirect approach. For example; in the Chinese culture, it’s more respectful to use the words try or maybe instead of directly saying no. (Cimasko, 2010). Since the Chinese typically do not trust outside information you really must convince them that making business with your company would be in their best interest. Keep in mind not to offend anyone in your letter because embarrassment of a potential business partner would mean loss of that business. (Executive Planet. China n.d.).
Recommendation
Focus on how the job would be useful in China and avoid using slang or big words that would confuse our potential partners. Don’t make the sales letter too flamboyant or colorful because that might seem disrespectful.
Resources
De'Edra Williams. China. Retrieved from: http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/china.htm
Executive Planet. China. Retrieved from: http://www.executiveplanet.com/index.php?title=China
Leung, C. (2008). Saving face time. Canadian Business, 81(21), 21-22. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Tony Cimasko. (2010, April 25). Writing for a Chinese Business Audience. Retrieved from: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/676/01/
Harmon, M. M. (2006). Business Research and Chinese Patriotic Poetry: How Competition for Status Distorts the Priority Between Research and Teaching in U.S. Business Schools. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 5(2), 234-243. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Wilkinson, T. J., Thomas, A. R., & Hawes, J. M. (2009). Managing Relationships With Chinese Joint Venture Partners. Journal of Global Marketing, 22(2), 109-120. doi:10.1080/08911760902765908
Dominic Matthews –
Cortez Briscoe –
Keith Beard –
Russell Turner –
After much work and editing, I believe that the paper ended up being a success with a great layout of how to properly interact with Chinese business people and maintain a good business relationship with the Chinese market.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Gender is another cultural difference between the US and China. Gender inequality in China has existed throughout history and just recently laws are being passed in order to ensure equality but discrimination is still experienced. Women are still expected to do all housework even if they have a job and they normally make less than their male counterparts. Although the situation is improving, males are more favored in business dealings. A US company would need to be hesitant in sending a female executive to China to do any new dealings as Chinese companies might not be as comfortable compared to if they were dealing with a male.…
- 1075 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
The company has brought to our attention that it desires to expand into the Eastern Asian market where it is believed that the opportunity will be best and certainly more than double its profits by this venture. The Country of choice will be China; location is the city of Macau, which is an established trading center in Southeast Asia. B. Major Cross-Cultural Issues and Impacts: There are some marketing aspects to consider. Our approach must be culture sensitive to be successful. Insulting anyone in our business relations for work in China could end the deal or cause unnecessary delays. It is vital for all personnel involved in this venture to train with care in the marketing and cultural behaviors of the Chinese. Culture is a major issue and the company must be meticulous with training in order to be accepted. The Asian cultures are very careful about not losing face and this is critical. Keeping face goes back to Confucianism, which focuses on ones duty and loyalty, honor, sincerity, and keeping harmony with all those related to them through family, business, and social ties. This is strictly followed with respect for age first in any of these relationships. One must never lose face with any of these ties for to lose face is to lose honor. The concept of face translates as honor, good reputation, and respect. There are four types of face. Face behavior is power-oriented behavior with the purpose of maintaining stability or control of one’s self. Diumianzi originates from the word mian and directly relates to one’s reputation or place in society. It is actions or deeds, which others have observed, and it is earned. Geimianzi is response to or giving of face to another through showing respect to the other person. Liumianzi is developed by avoiding mistakes and showing wisdom in making decisions. Jiangmianzi, when face is increased through others by another complementing one to a business partner or associate.…
- 2785 Words
- 80 Pages
Best Essays -
Language is a barrier that will greatly influence the ability of Company X to conduct business in China. Included in this category is spoken, written and body language. If not adequately addressed, spoken language barriers will result in miscommunication, the inability to collaborate, and inability to deliver appropriate customer service. Specific to China is that there are 1000's of dialects and it is common for residents of China from various parts of the country to even have difficulty understanding their fellow countryman’s local dialects. However, the spoken language barrier can be overcome by adopting the use of an interpreter to to assist in verbal communication and establishing appropriate relationships (Ball et al, 2009). By leveraging local experts who are fluent in Mandarin or Cantonese, depending on where business is to be conducted, will likely result in a competitive advantage for Company X. it's important to have a interpreter who also understands Company X's industry. Furthermore, it's important to avoid the use of idioms and jargon specific to the organization. When engaged in a conversation, it is important avoid using the word “no.” Instead, an acceptable response to a question might be, “we will take the idea into consideration and get back to you about the item.” In the U.S., its common to respond with and acceptable to respond…
- 1819 Words
- 8 Pages
Better Essays -
2. From Doc Sharing (APA Resources category), download the APA Paper Template. Rename that document as Your Last Name Professional Paper.docx. Save it to your own computer or flash drive in a location where you will be able to retrieve it later. Type your assignment directly on the saved document. Remember that only Microsoft Word 2010 or a later version is acceptable. The document must be saved as a .docx. Save your work frequently as you type to prevent loss of your work.…
- 1519 Words
- 7 Pages
Powerful Essays -
China is doing business more and more the American way, but non-Chinese executives still must work hard at building trust in relationships with their Chinese business partners. Chinese business strategy has changed a lot, and they adopt western practices (Chau, 2012).…
- 698 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
How would you set about building relationships with Chinese counterparts in order to establish a business operation there?…
- 516 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, took the world by storm when it was first published in 1925 and is still a popular piece of American literature almost a century later. His emphasis on sociopolitical themes makes his book a useful tool for discussing modern day issues. Because of its popularity and relevance to modern day life, The Great Gatsby has gone through many film adaptations, each unique in its own right. Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 remake of this timeless story remains true to Fitzgerald’s themes of class and the dangers of dwelling in the past, but completely changes the way Nick is portrayed and ends the film with Gatsby believing that Daisy still loves him. Although the film contains several variations from the original novel, it still expresses the most important aspects of the story, its themes of class and being stuck in the past.…
- 844 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Respect the business culture in China. Conduct business negotiations with a local person to help. A local business person can help strengthen future business relations in China.…
- 439 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Today, most Americans take for granted that China will be the next global superpower. But despite the nation's growing influence, the average Chinese person is still a mystery to most of us. Tom Doctoroff, explains his 20 years of experience navigating this fascinating intersection of commerce and culture to explain the mysteries of China. He explores the many cultural, political, and economic forces shaping the twenty-first-century Chinese and their implications for business people, marketers, and entrepreneurs.…
- 1104 Words
- 5 Pages
Powerful Essays -
The energy industry in its entirety involves the production and sale of energy, fuel extraction, manufacturing, refining and distribution. As our society consumes enormous amounts of fuel, the energy industry becomes more of a necessity to the infrastructure and maintenance of civilization worldwide. Indeed energy use is considered to be one of the most significant factors to the expansion of the human society in almost all countries as it is the aid to the control and adaptation to the environment. Managing the use of energy is definitely unavoidable as development of its resources is crucial to various industries such as agriculture, transportation, communication, and etc.…
- 3722 Words
- 15 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Enclosed is the informal report about the culture in China for the Sales Team with Kelly Services, which you requested on April 11, 2009. You will find a great deal information pertaining to the Chinese culture and their etiquette practices. China has a rich culture infused with rituals that it will be necessary for company to learn from a business aspect.…
- 376 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Due to the current import and export infrastructure we already have in place with China, I would like to make a recommendation that we look at this country for our new venture. Before making any decision toward this move there will be several cultural issues that must be addressed. Clearly there are differences between our two countries and I would like to mention ones that could affect our relationship with them.…
- 1560 Words
- 7 Pages
Powerful Essays -
As globalization coming, communicating are more and more widely, greeting custom is different from the Chinese and the American because of cultural exists. The cultural differences exist between the Chinese and the American in how to express thanks and responses thanks and responses. The word “Thank you” is widely used in English to show gratitude in such case as being invited, helped, given a gift,etc. Chinese may not say word like “thank you” very often but just smile and nod. This would leads to a misunderstanding if they are dealing business in United States. Chinese people have less skin contact than American during first greeting to show their respect. They we bow to a 15 degree angle to a stranger while dealing a business.…
- 124 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
In Chine give yourself a Chinese. It’s considered a sign of respect and commitment. Also, you should bring a small gift from your hometown or country to business meetings. Chinese businesspeople appreciate presents.…
- 1636 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
Apple's mobile operating system for its iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Apple TV and similar devices. iOS was originally called the iPhone OS but was renamed in 2010 to reflect the operating system’s evolving support for additional Apple devices.…
- 1016 Words
- 5 Pages
Powerful Essays