The Impact of Culture on Business Negotiation Styles: A Comparative Study between Bangladesh and China
The People’s Republic of Bangladesh is an emerging and booming trade partner with different countries especially with the People’s Republic of China. China achieved a double-digit GDP which is a remarkable economic record or milestone. A long-term win-win business relationship between Bangladesh and China is being sustained and through this relationship a significant number of business dealings have been made each and every year. One of the greatest challenges that Bangladeshi and Chinese business executives are facing in international business is effective communication with their counterparts during the negotiations. This study aims at investigating the impact of culture in negotiation styles – accommodation, collaboration, competition, compromise and withdrawal. Business executives were the targeted population for this study. About 50 business executives from Bangladesh and 40 Chinese business executives working in Bangladesh were selected for the study. Data has been analyzed by SPSS software. The finding shows that both groups have international business experiences and have completed successful negotiations before. Accommodation, competition, and withdrawal negotiation styles are affected by culture and other two styles – compromise and collaboration – are not affected by culture. Hofstede’s cultural dimension index also supports these hypotheses. The findings of this study will help both Chinese and Bangladeshi business executives to achieve successful negotiations.