7 replies to this topic

[Mark]

So, I am currently on a 7 week trip in Japan - staying in a Capsule hotel, trecking around and enjoying the cherryblossoms.

anyway, I had an interesting conversation with a french fellow at a bar about cultures.

anyway there was also this link Someone posted on facebook, about negotiation styles:

 

http://www.businessi...3/#.UzleDFdpGp3

 

Was interested if anyone wanted to post reflections about different cultures and their facets.

 

 

my own personal thoughts (currently):

 

first and foremost: I am comming to a realisation that Australians (I am one) tend to be rather rude.

And I suspect that this comes by treating people from different cultures like they do other Australians.

- namely by treating other people with general frankness.

 

I was in a resteraunt (not a particularly high class one) and after my meal I was thirsty for some water.

I saw that my cup was empty, and that the waiter was going to be busy with another customer for some time,

the empty table over from me had a full jug of water on it, and I thought to myself - "I wont bother the waiter, I will just get the jug myself"

So I got up, walked over to the table, picked up the jug of water and sat back down with it at my table.

- and there were these japanese ladies who saw what I did - they just stared at me, like I had just committed a crime. - what had I done I thought!

well If the waiter had been looking - It might have offended him.

[deep]

I skimmed the article, and then spent about 5 minutes trying to decode the moon logic he used to make those charts. And failed.

[Hana-Nezumi]

I'm not from Japan but if I saw you do that I would stare at you like you committed a crime too. It's not really proper to grab a jug of water off another table in a restaurant in most countries, I'd think...

But um... yes... cultures are different. There are infinite ways that the many cultures around the world are different. That's obvious. As for the article, I can kind of see where its coming from but it over-generalizes things. Trying to fit the nuances and complexities of all types of human conversations across the world into neat little chart is kind of ridiculous.

[Twinrova]

I skimmed the article, and then spent about 5 minutes trying to decode the moon logic he used to make those charts. And failed.

 

Same. o_O

[J-Roc]

I'm pretty sure I can convince anyone of anything.

[Mark]

I'm not from Japan but if I saw you do that I would stare at you like you committed a crime too. It's not really proper to grab a jug of water off another table in a restaurant in most countries, I'd think...

 

fair enough.. I was somewhat surprised.

 

there was this other example where I was at a convenience store (Japanese conveniance stores are pretty cool) and both myself and this other lady were going to exit the store's main door.
she was approaching it from one angle and I from another, I was a bit ahead of her, when we met at the door, I said 'sumimasen' (excuse me) and ducked out the door in order to get out of her way.

suffice to say that she (and her friend behind her) gave me another one of thoes looks.

I suppose perhaps she expected me to do the - 'ladies first' - chivilrousy thingo.

or perhaps It just looked like I butted myself out the door - dont know.

[Delphi]

As a long time waitress I'd be wondering wtf you were doing. Mostly because you have no idea if someone's kid shoved their dirty little hands into the things. I generally do. Parents usually let you know these things. Plus it makes me feel like you don't think I'm doing my job. Granted it'd be under very extenuating circumstances for me to let a water glass go empty but it happens. I like to earn a high tip!

On the topic at hand though...

To say an entire country's dealing style can be summed up in one very simple chart (that I'm not convinced isn't a joke) is insulting to the variety of cultures that live there.

From the dealings my dad's been through as a Union representative at his work that's had to participate in to change policy, it's never that straight forward. They most definitely do not begin with all the cards on the table and overt aggression from either side is bound to get one side to leave altogether. From what I understand, this is not unique across the company.

My own negotiation style doesn't fit the American way either...

[Hana-Nezumi]

I'm not from Japan but if I saw you do that I would stare at you like you committed a crime too. It's not really proper to grab a jug of water off another table in a restaurant in most countries, I'd think...

 
fair enough.. I was somewhat surprised.
 
there was this other example where I was at a convenience store (Japanese conveniance stores are pretty cool) and both myself and this other lady were going to exit the store's main door.
she was approaching it from one angle and I from another, I was a bit ahead of her, when we met at the door, I said 'sumimasen' (excuse me) and ducked out the door in order to get out of her way.
suffice to say that she (and her friend behind her) gave me another one of thoes looks.
I suppose perhaps she expected me to do the - 'ladies first' - chivilrousy thingo.
or perhaps It just looked like I butted myself out the door - dont know.

Well I'd think it's probably not that she expected you to do the "chivalry" thing because that's one western concept that never caught on in Japan. It's too crowded for everybody to be holding doors open for each other all the time. She was probably suprised that you rushed out the door saying sumimasen instead of just walking out normally.