Deck 19: Inventive Negotiations With International Customers, Partners, and Regulators

Question 1

The behavior of the businesspeople in Taiwan is quite different from that in China and Japan but similar to that in Korea.

Answer 1

True
Explanation: The behavior of the businesspeople in Taiwan is quite different from that in China and Japan but similar to that in Korea.

Question 2

In the context of international business negotiations, disagreements among foreign team members, in the form of side conversations, are often followed by concessions to the other negotiating party.

Answer 2

True
Explanation: The usual purpose of side conversations is to straighten out a translation problem or the side conversation can regard a disagreement among the foreign team members. Both circumstances should be seen as positive signs by Americans-that is, getting translations straight enhances the efficiency of the interactions, and concessions often follow internal disagreements.

Question 3

In the context of international business negotiations, age and experience are known to affect the negotiation behaviors of individuals.

Answer 3

True
Explanation: Age and experience can make important differences in terms of negotiation behaviors. For example, an older Chinese executive with no experience in dealing with foreigners is likely to behave quite differently from her young assistant with undergraduate and MBA degrees from American universities.

Question 4

International business negotiations are conducted keeping national stereotypes in mind.

Question 5

Four values-objectivity, competitiveness, equality, and punctuality-that are held strongly and deeply by most Americans seem to frequently cause misunderstandings and bad feelings in international business negotiations.

Question 6

Cultural differences in nonverbal behaviors are almost always hidden below our awareness.

Question 7

In the context of international business negotiations, individual personalities and backgrounds have no bearing at the negotiation table.

Question 8

In the context of international business negotiations, verbal tactics used during negotiations differ vastly across diverse cultures.

Question 9

In the context of international business negotiations, generalizations about the negotiation style of a region such as Asia are very often correct.

Question 10

In the context of international business negotiations, in most places in the world, collectivistic, high-context cultures do not consider personalities and substance as separate issues.

Question 11

Japan is an exceptional place because on almost every dimension of negotiation style considered the Japanese are on or near the end of the scale.

Question 12

The egalitarian values of American society dictate that American sellers give complete deference to the needs and wishes of buyers.

Question 13

In the context of international business negotiations, the variation across cultures is greater when comparing linguistic aspects of language than when the verbal content of negotiations is considered.

Question 14

In the context of international business negotiations, objectivity is key for negotiators working in China.

Question 15

In the context of international business negotiations, Americans are near the bottom of the languages skills list.

Question 16

Cultural differences cause four kinds of problems in international business negotiations, and these problems occur at the levels of language, nonverbal behaviors, values, and thinking and decision-making processes.

Question 17

In the context of international business negotiations, the style of Israeli negotiators is the most aggressive of all cultures.

Question 18

French business negotiators use the lowest percentage of self-disclosure, yet they also use, by far, the highest percentages of promises and recommendations.

Question 19

The British, German, and American businesspeople are found to fall in the middle of most scales for dimensions of negotiating behaviors.

Question 20

The Japanese business negotiation style comprises an infrequent use of no and you and facial gazing, as well as more frequent silent periods.

Question 21

In the context of international business negotiations, when faced with a complex negotiation task, most Asians divide the large task up into a series of smaller tasks.

Question 22

Which of the following is true of the four kinds of problems caused by cultural differences in international business negotiations?

A) Differences in language are more serious than cultural differences in values.
B) Cultural differences in values are more subtle than differences in language.
C) Differences in language are harder to cure than cultural differences in decision-making processes.
D) Cultural differences in verbal behaviors are hidden deeper than cultural differences in nonverbal behaviors.
E) Cultural differences in thinking and decision-making processes is less serious than differences in language.

Question 23

Which of the following is usually the reason for side conversations among foreign negotiators in their native languages?

A) Stalling the negotiations
B) Sorting out a translation problem
C) Diverting attention from an actual issue
D) Sharing secrets
E) Gesturing disapproval

Question 24

The single most important activity of international business negotiations is oration.

Question 25

Which of the following groups of negotiators is considered to be the most reticent about giving information about themselves?

A) Israelis
B) Canadians
C) Germans
D) Americans
E) Chinese

Question 26

In the context of the effect of values on international business negotiations, American buyers achieve better results than Japanese buyers.

Question 27

On a tour to Australia in 1992, George Bush Sr. flashed the victory sign at the Australian public, with the palm facing inwards, which was considered a rude gesture. This is an example of cultural differences causing problems at the level of:

A) thinking processes.
B) values.
C) language.
D) nonverbal behaviors.
E) decision-making processes.

Question 28

In the context of preparation for international negotiations, a thorough preliminary research eliminates the need for negotiators to make a list of key facts to reconfirm at the negotiation table.

Question 29

Which of the following statements regarding national stereotypes is true?

A) Americans are the best negotiators because they will spend days trying to get to know their opponents.
B) The image of a cowboy used as a cultural stereotype reflects the organizational loyalty of Americans.
C) Negotiations are conducted between people rather than national stereotypes.
D) The Japanese are the worst negotiators because they think everything works in foreign countries as it does in Japan.
E) Negotiations should be carried out based on the stereotypes of the parties involved in a transaction regardless of the cultural differences between them.

Question 30

In the context of the effect of values on international business negotiations, the Japanese tend to emphasize hierarchical relationships that leads to hampered internal communications.

Question 31

Which of the following is considered to be the most common complaint heard from American managers in terms of the negotiation behavior of foreign clients?

A) The insistence on exchanging business cards to establish the rank of the negotiators
B) The overt emphasis laid on punctuality and the tendency to waste time
C) The lack of feedback, positive as well as negative, regarding the negotiations
D) Foreign clients and partners breaking into side conversations in their native languages
E) Frequent instances of facial gazing and touching that distract their counterparts

Question 32

The first stage of the business negotiation process is nontask sounding, which includes all those activities that might be described as establishing rapport or getting to know one another.

Question 33

Due to the great differences in the roles played by women across cultures, gender should be used as a selection criterion for international negotiation teams.

Question 34

Formality being a way of life in the United States, even the smallest contracts between companies often involves a formal signing ceremony.

Question 35

In the context of international business negotiations, labeling Americans as "cowboys" and associating the Japanese with the image of a samurai warrior are examples of:

A) national icons.
B) linguistic identifiers.
C) social hierarchy.
D) class distinction.
E) cultural stereotypes.

Question 36

Which of the following images is a cultural stereotype that is most likely attributed to American negotiators by foreign business negotiators?

A) The cowboy
B) The suave, smooth-talker
C) The pretentious connoisseur
D) The "stiff upper lip"
E) The samurai

Question 37

In high-context cultures, where personal relationships are crucial, high-level business executives must stay in touch with their foreign counterparts.

Question 38

In international business, global marketing strategies are almost always implemented through _____ with business partners and customers from foreign countries.

A) telephonic conversations
B) face-to-face negotiations
C) direct mails
D) internet forums
E) e-mails

Question 39

Which of the following is an important lesson with respect to negotiation?

A) Regional generalizations very often are not correct.
B) The Japanese tend to be in the middle of the scale on almost every dimension of negotiation style.
C) The negotiation styles of the Koreans and Japanese are the same in every dimension.
D) On almost every dimension of negotiation style considered, the Americans are on or near the end of the scale.
E) Asian negotiation styles tend to be collectively similar across all dimensions.

Question 40

In the context of international business negotiations, bargaining skill is at the top of almost everyone's list of negotiator traits.

Question 41

The negotiation style of the Russians is found to be quite similar in many respects to that of the:

A) Germans.
B) Japanese.
C) British.
D) Koreans.
E) Israelis.

Question 42

Even though American sellers make lower profits than the Japanese, many American managers apparently prefer lower profits if those profits are yielded from a more equal split of the joint profits. This demonstrates that Americans and Japanese have different views about _____.

A) favoritism
B) collectivism
C) individualism
D) fairness
E) nepotism

Question 43

Which of the following behaviors of the Spaniards reinforces the view that Spanish negotiators use a high percentage of commands?

A) Extensive use of silent periods
B) Highest incidence of touching another negotiator
C) Greeting callers on the phone with "diga" (speak)
D) Shunning eye contact with others
E) Wishing others with a "hola" or "bueno"

Question 44

Which of the following statements reflects the decision-making style of the Americans in business negotiations?

A) A business negotiation is an opportunity to develop a business relationship with the goal of long-term mutual benefit.
B) The economic issues are the context, not the content, of the business negotiation talks.
C) A business negotiation is a problem-solving activity, the best deal for both parties being the solution.
D) Business issues are discussed at once, in no apparent order, and concessions are made on all issues at the end of the discussion.
E) Interpersonal and interorganizational bonds take precedence over the bottom line in business negotiations.

Question 45

Which of the following statements is true regarding the decision-making processes in international business negotiations?

A) Asian negotiators prefer to break up a complex, large task into a series of smaller tasks.
B) The American approach to a complex negotiation task is to discuss all issues at once, in no apparent order.
C) American negotiators tend to make larger concessions after agreements are announced.
D) Americans tackle issues such as prices, delivery, and warranty one at a time, with the final agreement being the sum of smaller agreements.
E) The Western sequential approach and the Eastern holistic approach to decision-making are found to complement each other.

Question 46

Which of the following is the first step toward initiating efficient and effective international business negotiations?

A) Management of preliminaries such as training and location of talks
B) Preparation and manipulation of negotiation settings
C) Selecting an appropriate negotiation team
D) Managing the process of negotiations
E) Following upon procedures and practices

Question 47

Which of the following countries is considered to be the least aggressive with respect to negotiation behavior?

A) France
B) Germany
C) China
D) Taiwan
E) Japan

Question 48

Which of the following approaches is adopted by Westerners when faced with a complex negotiation task?

A) Dividing the large task into a series of smaller tasks
B) Analyzing the task in a holistic manner with foreign and domestic experts
C) Discussing all issues at once, in no apparent order
D) Making larger than normal concessions in a bid to push the deal through
E) Buying time by tackling peripheral issues first, and then tackling the main task

Question 49

Which of the following is true of the differences in values that affect international negotiations?

A) Negotiators from countries such as Mexico or Spain remain personally unaffected by negotiation outcomes.
B) The concept of objectivity predominantly takes a front seat in Hispanic or Chinese cultures.
C) In most places in the world, particularly in collectivistic and high-context cultures, personalities and substance are separate issues.
D) The concept of family control does not apply to businesses in Spain, Mexico, and the Philippines.
E) Long-term reciprocity is usually the basis of commercial interactions in China.

Question 50

Which of the following can be considered by American negotiators as a signal of progress in a business relationship with foreigners?

A) Absence of questions on specific areas of a deal
B) A hardening of attitudes and positions on some issues
C) A lesser frequency of talk among themselves in their own language
D) Higher-level foreigners being included in the discussions
E) Decreased bargaining and use of the higher-level and formal channels of communication

Question 51

Which of the following statements reflects the American notions of the importance of objectivity?

A) American business is the hotbed of nepotism.
B) Americans place emphasis on economics and performance rather than people.
C) In business, favoritism matters and it is key to a successful negotiation.
D) Americans have little regard for decisions based upon the bottom line.
E) American business is heavily skewed against meritocracy.

Question 52

Which of the following is a factor responsible for global business successes?

A) Standardization rather than customization of negotiation procedures across all cultures
B) Emergence of the English language as the chief medium of negotiations
C) Increased homogenization of cultures across the world
D) Large numbers of skillful international negotiators
E) Avoidance of the use of technology in all areas related to business negotiations

Question 53

In Japanese business organizations, subordinates do not pass along bad news to their superiors. This lack of internal communications can be attributed to:

A) the Japanese emphasis on individualism.
B) the Japanese emphasis on hierarchical relationships.
C) the Japanese emphasis on competition and individualism.
D) the insistence on solving problems at the point of origin and not escalating them.
E) Guanxi, the Japanese practice of personal connections.

Question 54

Which of the following statements is true about the negotiation behavior of Korean negotiators?

A) They use more silent periods than any other group.
B) They ask the greatest number of questions.
C) They are the most reticent about disclosing information.
D) They use the word no and interrupt more frequently than the Japanese.
E) They use the lowest percentage of aggressive persuasive tactics.

Question 55

Which negotiation tactic, according to foreign negotiators, is the most useful when dealing with Americans?

A) Offering cutbacks on deals
B) Including higher-level executives in talks
C) Providing lots of self-disclosures
D) High first-offers, followed immediately with deeply discounted second-offers
E) Taking time over the negotiations

Question 56

Which of the following groups of negotiators was found to have the most aggressive negotiation style?

A) The Spaniards
B) The Israelis
C) The Americans
D) The Koreans
E) The French

Question 57

Which of the following is true of the decision-making process with respect to the American and Japanese negotiators?

A) The Western sequential approach and the Eastern holistic approach are found to mix well.
B) Americans often make unnecessary concessions right before agreements are announced by the Japanese.
C) All issues are discussed at once by the Americans, in no apparent order, and concessions are made on all issues at the end of the discussion.
D) American managers find it easy to measure the progress of negotiations with their Japanese counterparts.
E) When negotiating with the Japanese, Americans find that the progress of negotiations is closely linked to the number of issues resolved.

Question 58

Which of the following statements about American and Japanese buyer-seller relationships is true?

A) American sellers tend to treat American buyers as equals.
B) Japanese ideals dictate that buyers give complete deference to the wishes and needs of sellers.
C) American buyers will generally "take care of" American sellers or Japanese sellers more than any others do.
D) Most Americans will, by nature, treat Japanese buyers less frequently as equals.
E) Americans score the lowest among all the cultural groups on the individualism scale.

Question 59

Which nonverbal behavior of Israeli negotiators is most likely to be blamed for the "pushy" stereotype often used by Americans to describe their Israeli counterparts?

A) They interrupt one another more frequently than any other group.
B) They use the lowest percentage of self-disclosures.
C) They use the highest percentage of promises and recommendations.
D) They use the highest percentage of punishments than any other group.
E) They use a higher percentage of commands than any other group.

Question 60

Phil, a purchasing manager at a departmental store in the United States, is engaged in negotiations with a Brazilian supplier. Which of the following signals would indicate that Phil has been making progress in the negotiations with the Brazilians?

A) Lowered bargaining by the Brazilians
B) Involving Brazilian executives of lower ranks to continue the discussions
C) A noticeable decrease in instances of private conversations among the Brazilians
D) Questions by Brazilians that focus primarily on the more general areas of the deal
E) A softening of attitudes and positions of the Brazilians on some of the issues

Question 61

Which of the following aspects of the negotiation setting is an important consideration as it may eventually determine legal jurisdiction if disputes arise?

A) Preliminary research
B) Communications channels
C) Number of participants
D) Number of translators
E) Location

Question 62

An international business negotiator's primary job is collecting information with the goal of enhancing creativity. Which of the following steps may be taken during a meeting to ensure that the negotiator is able to do his job well?

A) Appointing different members of the team to provide self-disclosures and appropriate replies to queries
B) Bringing along junior executives for the purpose of training through observation and participation
C) Providing additional information to the other party when all the members fall silent during the meeting
D) Assigning one team member the sole responsibility of taking careful notes and not worrying about speaking
E) Including higher-rank executives and using informal channels of communication

Question 63

In the context of international business negotiations, the notion of _____ relates to how power in negotiations is best measured.

A) what you negotiate is what you get
B) a face-to-face communication
C) the best alternative to a negotiated agreement
D) the failure to listen during negotiations
E) a standard for business negotiations

Question 64

In the context of international business negotiations, which of the following methods is the most efficient way to communicate with clients and partners in places like Mexico, Malaysia, and China?

A) A conversation over a long dinner
B) A negotiation through video-conferencing
C) A conversation over a phone call
D) A negotiation through e-mail
E) A negotiation with lower- and mid-ranking executives

Question 65

In the context of international negotiations, which of the following is found to be lacking in the curricula of most schools of diplomacy?

A) Language skills
B) Diplomatic history and international relations
C) Foreign policies
D) Social and diplomatic skills
E) Cultural differences in communication styles

Question 66

Which of the following aspects of international business negotiations is considered to be the most difficult?

A) Agreeing on the number of participants in the negotiation
B) Finding the best alternative to a negotiated agreement
C) Actual conduct of the face-to-face meeting
D) Deciding on the location and physical arrangements
E) Selection of the appropriate negotiation team

Question 67

Americans often make the mistake of going it alone against a greater number of foreigners in business negotiations. Which of the following factors can be attributed to this behavior of the Americans?

A) Collectivism
B) Chivalry
C) Information-orientation
D) Pragmatism
E) Independence

Question 68

Which of the following factors often gets in the way of American team negotiations?

A) Cultural heritage of interdependence and collectivism
B) Emphasis on careful note taking and training via observation
C) Compensation schemes overly emphasizing individual performance
D) Preference for split commissions for negotiation teams
E) Hierarchical structures of American organizations

Question 69

Which of the following traits is primarily important for marketing executives involved in international negotiations?

A) Optimism
B) Altruism
C) Hypersensitivity
D) Cultural apathy
E) Excessive aggression

Question 70

In the context of international business negotiations, even small companies can possess great power in negotiations if they have:

A) no influence at headquarters.
B) a larger negotiating team.
C) more to lose and less to gain from a deal.
D) many good alternatives and their large-company counterparts do not.
E) the advantage of negotiating in a foreign land.

Question 71

Why is it important to bring along a senior executive to an international business negotiation?

A) Influence at headquarters is crucial to success.
B) The flexible position of the organization is indicated.
C) The specific technical details of the deal can be discussed.
D) Information can be collected through note taking with the goal of enhancing creativity.
E) A larger number of nodding heads can reduce influence.

Question 72

Which of the following statements on the roles of men and women in international business negotiations is true?

A) In general, women are more comfortable speaking up in a meeting than men to maintain intimacy with their foreign counterparts.
B) Men are more comfortable talking one-on-one than women, owing to the social stigma associated with such practices.
C) The negotiation style of American women is a lot closer to that of the Japanese than that of American men.
D) In countries where women do not participate in management, American female negotiators are first considered incompetent.
E) It is not particularly important for female executives to establish personal rapport at restaurants and other informal settings.

Question 73

In the context of international business negotiations, which of the following skills tops the list of negotiator traits?

A) Preparation and planning skill
B) Observational and oratory skill
C) Linguistic and social skill
D) Persuasion and intellectual skill
E) Informational and interpretation skill

Question 74

The single most important activity of international business negotiations is _____.

A) oration
B) listening
C) presentation
D) etiquette
E) self-disclosure

Question 75

Which of the following statements regarding the physical arrangements of an international negotiation setting is true?

A) Russians prefer to talk to everyone separately, and once everyone agrees, to schedule inclusive meetings.
B) Japanese tend toward a cumulative approach, meeting with one party and reaching an agreement, then both parties calling on a third party.
C) In high-context cultures, the physical arrangements of rooms are taken casually.
D) Americans tend to want to get everyone together to "hammer out an agreement" even if opinions and positions are divergent.
E) Japanese tend to shun the practice of higher-level executives being included in negotiation to indicate interest in a deal.

Question 76

In relationship-oriented cultures, _____ speaks quite loudly in both persuasion and the demonstration of interest in a business relationship.

A) the bottom line
B) profit
C) team strength
D) secrecy
E) rank

Question 77

In studies conducted at Ford Motor Company and AT&T, some traits were found to be important predictors of negotiator success with international clients and partners. Which of the following was one of these traits?

A) Ability to function without team assistance
B) Influence at headquarters
C) Appreciation of external factors in negotiations
D) Ability to command attention from an audience
E) Willingness to take copious notes during negotiations

Question 78

In the context of international business negotiations, even in countries where women do not participate in management, American female negotiators are first treated as _____.

A) distractions
B) ignorant people
C) incompetent people
D) foreigners
E) inexperienced people

Question 79

_____ should not be used as a selection criterion for international negotiation teams.

A) Stamina
B) Maturity
C) Flexibility
D) Breadth of knowledge
E) Gender

Question 80

Which of the following actions must be taken by a negotiator before international negotiations begin?

A) Asking questions on specific areas of the deal
B) Planning concession strategies
C) Making concessions before reaching an agreement
D) Rushing the foreign negotiator to come to a decision
E) Relying only on information obtained from external sources