Published: July 11, 2012
Words: 49,085 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9781476474045

Short description

Negotiating successfully in China means handling conflict across cultural divides. Avoid conflict when you can, mitigate conflict when you can't, and manage conflict when you must.

Extended description

Conflict management in Chinese business. Negotiating in China means dealing with conflict.
China is a paradox when it comes to conflict and disagreement. Local Chinese talk about harmony, but seem quick to enter into disputes. They put a premium on “preserving face” but don’t seem to care about their reputation… or your opinion. Chinese say that relationships are key to their society, but are willing to betray a partner for pocket change. The number of conflicts is much lower than in the West, but a much higher percentage of them seem to spin out of control and undermine profitable partnerships. The Chinese culture values hospitality and graciousness, but it’s also fertile ground for blunders, faux pas, and accidental insensitivity.
This book is about managing conflict – not resolving conflict – for a very good reason. Because of the way Westerners and Chinese approach relationships, business, and conflict, disagreements in China have a very good chance of b.. (Read more) Conflict management in Chinese business. Negotiating in China means dealing with conflict.
China is a paradox when it comes to conflict and disagreement. Local Chinese talk about harmony, but seem quick to enter into disputes. They put a premium on “preserving face” but don’t seem to care about their reputation… or your opinion. Chinese say that relationships are key to their society, but are willing to betray a partner for pocket change. The number of conflicts is much lower than in the West, but a much higher percentage of them seem to spin out of control and undermine profitable partnerships. The Chinese culture values hospitality and graciousness, but it’s also fertile ground for blunders, faux pas, and accidental insensitivity.
This book is about managing conflict – not resolving conflict – for a very good reason. Because of the way Westerners and Chinese approach relationships, business, and conflict, disagreements in China have a very good chance of being unresolvable. This book aims to help you avoid conflict when you can and minimize the damage to your bottom line when you can’t.
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Tags

chinese, china, negotiation, cross cultural, doing business in china, chinese business, international negotiation, chinese negotiation

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Reviews

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Review by: G. E. Anderson on Sep. 06, 2012 :
Andrew Hupert provides the reader not just with practical advice on structuring agreements and contracts, but more importantly, he spells out the warning signs of future conflict. Many behaviors that come natural to the Western business person appear as red flags to their Chinese counterparts, and avoidance of these behaviors are a real key to setting up a partnership for success.

Even the word “conflict” in the title of this book should be an indicator of just how differently the Chinese and Western sides of a partnership approach business. Much of what counts for “conflict” in this book is indeed “conflict” from a Western perspective, but from the Chinese perspective, it is simply part of doing business. While Westerners are accustomed to a fair amount of conflict leading up to the signing of a contract, the general expectation is that this is the point at which conflict ends, and both parties do their best to adhere to the terms of the contract.

While it has now become practically cliché to say that Chinese and Westerners view contracts differently, Hupert opens a door on what the Chinese side is thinking both before and after contract signing, how they constantly assess the performance of both the business and their foreign partner, and how they will maneuver to improve the terms of the deal for themselves. Having this knowledge certainly will not prevent conflict, but understanding what motivates the Chinese side, and having Hupert's advice on how to address Chinese concerns (most of which they will never verbally express) will equip Western business people far better than an entire lifetime of experience in a Western-only business setting.

This 10-chapter book is structured to mirror the life of a Chinese-Western partnership from beginning to end – whether that end is a continuance of the partnership or a dissolution. In each chapter, Hupert provides clear theoretical explanations of how and why Chinese and Western expectations differ, and then he provides case studies that illustrate both successful and unsuccessful ways of dealing with conflict.

There is also a larger, fictional case study about an American partner, Stan, and a Chinese partner, Jimmy who meet in college in the US and establish a business together in Shanghai. Each chapter ends with a telling of the portion of the Stan & Jimmy story that applies to that chapter, and the story is so well-told, that the reader will find it hard to stop reading at the end of any given chapter.

If you're serious about succeeding in business (or any kind of negotiation) in China, you really cannot afford not to have both of Andrew Hupert's books in your e-reader.
(reviewed long after purchase)

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