Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Content
Introduction
Chinese culture Chinese culture Hofstede Business culture in China Conflict resolution Conflict resolution in China Conclusion: dos and donts
Introduction
To do business in China or with Chinese people, it is first important to understand the Chinese culture. (R.Z.)
Globalisation
Think out of the box Emerging economy of China
Culture
Guanxi Linking assumptions: language, time & space High context culture
Language is often an obstacle in that sense that most Chinese people speak only Chinese and there are a lot of regionalisms, so not everyone in China can understand each other. (D.W.)
Masculinity Femininity
Uncertainty avoidance Long term orientation
Collectivism
= dependence of a group, organisation or other collectivity
In China, the team is more important than the individual. For a Chinese person, the most important thing is the company or the institute he or she works for. They will always do the best for the company, not the best for themselves. (G.V.)
Power distance
= social equality or inequality in a society and the degree of acceptance of this inequality
There is a very big power distance between the boss and its employees. In Belgium you have a small boss who is almost equal to its employees but in china you have a big boss. Someone who stands clearly above you and can decide about your future in a whim. China has a dense culture compared to a coarse culture in the west. For example when a student meets a professor on the street the student will always walk closed to the traffic this is showing respect to the professor. (G.V.)
Masculinity - Femininity
= degree a society adopts the traditional model of male dominance in terms of achievement, control and power
I did business with male and female equally, but high positions are generally occupied by men. (D.W.)
Uncertainty avoidance
= a society prefers predictability and stability over uncertainty
In China, there are also unwritten rules. (R.Z.)
Business culture
Social business relationships where management is hierarchical and seniority has utmost importance Importance of Guanxi Face concept and avoiding Mianzi Hotel case
Lunch&Dinner
Eating a little of each dish
is deemed polite It is customary to leave some food It is taken as rude not to drink with the Chinese in a formal dinner
Business cards
hands when exchanging and then examined in detail The card should be treated with respect, as the card reflects its owner
Dress code
Smart business attire composed of good quality
Conclusion: dos
Be aware of the importance of Guanxi: Build strong
relationships. Giving and receiving gifts helps to foster relationships. Take gifts with you when visiting. Show respect to age, seniority and educational background. It can take several, very long meetings before any tangible progress is made. Patience is essential.
Conclusion: donts
Do not talk about taboes or delicate political topics. Do not embarrass a counterpart. Stay calm, dont lose
your temper. Do not make people 'lose face' in front of their group. Do not be too direct. Strive for diplomacy, consensus and harmony.