42: Thomas Zhuang - Courtesy - Talking Business vs. Socializing
China, Shanghai
Regarding this question, there is a big difference between the ways that China and America do things. In China it is extremely common to go to dinner (for business discussions), to invite the other side out for dinner, or lunch. I feel that this is something quite important. It’s a kind of prelude to negotiation and mutual understanding. This is a very good opportunity where everyone is able to meet and make introduction…become familiar with the other side and establish a sense of trust. When discussing issues you can include aspects of individuals. You can come to understand their personalities, hobbies, family situations and their educational background. Of course you can also indirectly chat about questions involving the negotiations or business. For example, you could talk a bit about their clients or some of their past experiences, etc. However, for the most formal parts (of a deal), such as the contract itself or the official signing, that cannot be completed while having dinner. For that you have to be deliberate in setting up an ideal time. And most of the time that would be during the actual working hours. You don’t want to be in a restaurant, or drinking alcohol when you make these final and most important decisions.关于这个问题,中国的做法跟美国有很大的区别。中国呢,会非常经常的有,晚饭,请吃饭,中饭,啊。我感到这个是非常重要的,是谈判和互相了解的一个前奏。这是一个很好的机会,让大家能够达到一个互相介绍,熟悉对方,建立这个信任感。在谈问、在谈的问题方面呢,可以包括各个方面了。哦,可以了解对方的性格,他的爱好,他的家庭情况,他的文化程度。那也可以间接地聊些跟谈判和商业有关的问题。比如说,他的客户啊,或者他以前的一些经历啊,等等。所以,但是呢,把这个最正规的,这个合同的分项讨论,或者签字仪式呢,那是不能在吃饭的时间来完成的,需要专门地设立一个理想的时间。那一般呢、来说呢,是正式的工作时间,也不要在餐馆,或者酒后来做这个最终的、重要的决策。
關於這個問題,中國的做法跟美國有很大的區別。中國呢,會非常經常的有,晚飯,請吃飯,中飯,啊。我感到這個是非常重要的,是談判和互相瞭解的一個前奏。這是一個很好的機會,讓大家能夠達到一個互相介紹,熟悉對方,建立這個信任感。在談問、在談的問題方面呢,可以包括各個方面了。哦,可以瞭解對方的性格,他的愛好,他的家庭情況,他的文化程度。那也可以間接地聊些跟談判和商業有關的問題。比如說,他的客戶啊,或者他以前的一些經歷啊,等等。所以,但是呢,把這個最正規的,這個合同的分項討論,或者簽字儀式呢,那是不能在吃飯的時間來完成的。需要專門地設立一個理想的時間。那一般呢、來說呢,是正式的工作時間,也不要在餐館,或者酒後來做這個最終的、重要的決策。Guānyú zhègè wèntí, Zhōngguó de zuòfǎ gēn Měiguó yǒu hěn dà de qūbié. Zhōngguó ne, huì fēicháng jīngcháng de yǒu, wǎnfàn, qǐng chīfàn, zhōngfàn, a. Wǒ gǎndào zhège shì fēicháng zhòngyào de, shì tánpàn hé hùxiāng liǎojiě de yíge qiánzòu. Zhèshi yíge hěn hǎo de jīhuì, ràng dàjiā nénggòu dádào yíge hùxiāng jièshào, shúxi duìfāng, jiànlì zhège xìnrèngǎn. Zài tánwèn, zài tán de wèntí fāngmiàn ne, kěyǐ bāokuò gègè fāngmiàn le. E, kěyǐ liǎojiě duìfāng de xìnggé, tāde àihào, tāde jiātíng qíngkuàng, tāde wénhuà chéngdù. Nà yě kěyǐ jiànjiē de liáo xiē gēn tánpàn hé shāngyè yǒuguān de wèntí. Bǐrúshuō, tāde kèhù a, huòzhě tā yǐqián de yìxiē jīnglì a, děngděng. Suǒyǐ, dànshì ne, bǎ zhègè zuì zhèngguī de, zhège hétong de fēnxiàng tǎolùn, huòzhě qiānzì yíshì ne, nàshi bùnéng zài chīfàn de shíjiān lái wánchéng de, xūyào zhuānmén de shèlì yíge lǐxiǎng de shíjiān. Nà yìbān ne, láishuōne, shì zhèngshì de gōngzuò shíjiān, yě bú yào zài cānguǎn, huòzhě jiǔhòu lái zuò zhège zuìzhōng de, zhòngyào de juécè.

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View original Cultural Interviews with Chinese-Speaking Professionals from University of Texas at Austin.