Cell Phone Negotiation In this cell phone negotiation there is an all-male negotiation team from the United States seeking a cell phone price of $6 per unit and an all-female negotiating team from China offering cell phones with a $9 per unit price tag. Each party has different cultural dimensions from Hofstede, which will play a role in the negotiation process. Influences of gender difference, personality, culture, perception, cognition, and emotion all will affect the negotiation. One will learn the full evaluation of potential influence on cell phone price negotiations between the Chinese and American negotiation teams starting with the gender differences.
Gender Differences Many differences have been shown between male and female negotiators. Females look for interaction goals where men pursue task- specific goals (Lewicki, 2010). Females tend to find the good and help everyone involved, where men tend to use power to reach their goals and sway their point of view on everyone. Even though both genders have differences, it is good to understand that not all negotiations are one gender verse the other (Lewicki, 2010). The Chinese all- female negotiation team are collectivistic, so they will create a cohesive group, and often look to a supervisor for approval which may slow the negotiation process down (Lewicki, 2010, p451). The all-male American team are individualistic and are probable to swap negotiators using short-term criteria that they believe will attain the best outcome (p.451). The male gender is goal-oriented, task-driven and less relationship-oriented, which is opposite of the all-female party (p.406). The Americans will concentration on the goal of the negotiation with a result in mind, keeping their relationship separate from the negotiation. The Chinese focus more on the relationships, which will slow down the negotiation process as the American party wants to keep it separate.
Another gender difference in this negotiation plan is that the American party is low-power distance. “Cultures with low power distance are more likely to spread the decision making throughout the organization, and while leaders are respected, it is also possible to question their decisions” (Lewicki, 2010, p. 451). The low-power party communicates directly and clearly (Lewicki, 2010). The Chinese all-female party has their negotiations approved through the high power which is the leader of the group. "Person at the top works for the good of the group" (Hall, n.d.).
Personality
Each party has their own style of personality. The American team is show confidence as they are assertive in communication and agreeable as they are corporative in the negotiation process. The Chinese have a high regard to relationships, values, and trust. If they believe the American’s are not interested in a long-term commitment, negotiations could cause an impasse. The teams have different personalities especially when it comes to the level of trust, and communication. Since the Chinese are willing to provide more information than the Americans and take their time in the negotiation process, it may frustrate the American party and cause conflict. If the parties reach an impasse, they will have to bring in a third-party negotiator. The differences between the two parties is their culture.
Culture
Both the men from America and the women from China should research and get a complete understanding of the opposing party’s culture to help them in the negotiation process. Understanding the opposing party's culture will help with the other cultures customs, mannerism, expectations, etc. By doing so, it can help you negotiate as you do not want to offend or disrespect the other culture. Knowing ahead of time, the expectations of the other team can help the team prepare negation points to make sure they receive the deal the team wants. The American team is used to change frequently happening in the American Culture; the team would be open