Abstract:With the development of economic globalization, the business activities between America and China become more and more frequent. But, in Sino-US business negotiations, there exist communication failures due to their cultural differences. This paper studies communication barriers in Sino-US business negotiations and analyzes causes from the aspects of languages, negotiation styles, values and concepts of times. Further more, it provides negotiators with certain counter-measures, namely, they are the use of appropriate language and application of pragmatic strategies. Besides, it also put forward some counter-measures from the aspects of different time and values with the analysis of cases in Sino-US negotiations.

Key words: business negotiation; communication barriers; causes; counter-measures

CONTENTS

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction.1

2. Literature Review2

3. Causes of Cultural Communication Barriers in Sino-US Business Negotiation.3

  3.1 Misunderstandings of Languages 

  3.2 Differences in Negotiation Style

  3.3 Differences in Concept of Value

  3.4 Differences in Concept of Time

4. Counter Measures of Sino-US Cultural Communication Barriers7

  4.1 Using Appropriate Languages

  4.2 Application of Pragmatic Strategies

  4.3 Learning Different Concepts of Value

  4.4 Adjusting to Different Concepts of Time

5. Conclusion11

Bibliography.12

Acknowledgements14