99: Reddy Zhang - Negotiation - Logistical and Emotional Needs

China, Shanghai

Well, with concern to logistical needs, my thoughts are as follows. Sometimes during negotiations, the Chinese have a saying; “talk about the ugly things first”. It’s a way of saying you should first think about and the worst case scenario and consider it closely. So in negotiations, it’s very likely that things will come down to the smallest detail. So then this is a kind of “on the field” skill. As for “off the field” skill, when the Chinese are trying to tend to the Americans emotional needs, they will often prepare some sort of public relations type behavior. They might prepare some very Eastern or Chinese style gifts to give them. They will bring them some sort of nice surprise. Or perhaps they will assign some employees to accompany them on a day trip to go sightseeing at special and particularly Chinese places as a kind of emotional exchange. But then, concerning the favor that Americans might show to the Chinese, I think that right now because of the American understanding of China, they are not overly concerned about such things. Outside of sensitive issues in the negotiation, such as price or the timetable, they know that Chinese people like the numbers “8” and “6” and they will tell them that. They know when to say “888” or “666”. Other times, when they are not too busy or stressed, they will avoid saying “4” or “10” since these numbers are bad luck to the Chinese. The whole situation is just like this. After all, it’s just discussion. These are also some of the brighter points of negotiations. They are little things that both sides can enjoy. Basically, this is how it is。

嗯，关于在眷顾到，就是说，逻辑上的需要呢，我想是这样子。有时候在谈判的时候呢，中国有句俗话叫做“丑话说在前面”。也就是说，你尽可能把想到的最坏的情况呢，事先考虑到。所以在谈判的时候尽可能涉及到每一个细节。那么，哦，这是在场上的功夫。场外的功夫，就说，如果说是，中国人照顾美国人的情绪的话，往往会就说，准备一些像公关一样的行动。那么可能给他准备一些具有东方特色的礼物。那么，是会给他们带来一些惊喜。或者说是呢，安排一定的工作人员，会在工作之余，或者谈判之余，陪他们去游玩具有中国特色的地方，作为一种感情上的交流。那么，对于美国人对中国人的眷顾，我想现在因为，就是说，随着，这个美国对中国的了解的话，他会在，嗯，不是很要紧的，就说，谈判所谓的，就说价钱，或者是说工期，这种敏感的数据以外呢，他会，就说，嗯，知道中国人比较喜欢“八”或者“六”，是代表好运的意思，那么他会，会，会告诉中国人，啊。什么时候是“八八八”，什么时候是“六六六”。然后，他们在不太要紧的时候呢，会避开说“四”或者“十”这样对中国人来说是不是太幸运的数字。嗯，整个情况就是这样子。总归，就说谈，这也是谈判当中的一些亮点。或者双方比较享受的地方。基本就是这样。

嗯，關於在眷顧到，就是說，邏輯上的需要呢，我想是這樣子。有時候在談判的時候呢，中國有句俗話叫做“醜話說在前面”。也就是說，你盡可能把想到的最壞的情况呢，事先考慮到。所以在談判的時候盡可能涉及到每一個細節。那麽，哦，這是在場上的功夫。場外的功夫，就說，如果說是，中國人照顧美國人的情緒的話，往往會就說，準備一些像公關一樣的行動。那麽可能給他準備一些具有東方特色的禮物。那麽，是會給他們帶來一些驚喜。或者說是呢，安排一定的工作人員，會在工作之餘，或者談判之餘，陪他們去逰玩具有中國特色的地方，作爲一種感情上的交流。那麽，對于美國人對中國人的眷顧，我想現在因爲，就是說，隨著，這個美國對中國的瞭解的話，他會在，嗯，不是很要緊的，就說，談判所謂的，就說價錢，或者是說工期，這種敏感的數據以外呢，他會，就說，嗯，知道中國人比較喜歡“八”或者“六”，是代表好運的意思，那麽他會，會，會告訴中國人，啊。什麽時候是“八八八”，什麽時候是“六六六”。然後，他們在不太要緊的時候呢，會避開說“四”或者“十”這樣對中國人來說是不是太幸運的數字。嗯，整個情况就是這樣子。總歸，就說談，這也是談判當中的一些亮點。或者雙方比較享受的地方。基本就是這樣。

N, guānyú zài juàngù dào, jiùshì shuō, luójishang de xūyào ne, wǒ xiǎng shì zhè yàngzi. Yǒushíhòu zài tánpàn de shíhou ne, Zhōngguó yǒu jù súhuà jiàozuò “chǒuhuà shuō zài qiánmian”. Yě jiùshì shuō, nǐ jìnkěnéng bǎ xiǎngdào de zuìhuài de qíngkuàng ne, shìxiān kǎolǜ dào. Suǒyǐ zài tánpàn de shíhou jìnkěnéng shèjí dào měi yígè xìjié. Nàme, e, zhè shì zài chǎngshàng de gōngfu. Chǎngwài de gōngfu, jiù shuō, rúguǒ shuō shì, Zhōngguórén zhàogù měiguórén de qíngxù de huà, wǎngwǎng huì jiù shuō, zhǔnbèi yìxiē xiàng gōngguān yíyàng de xíngdòng. Nàme kěnéng gěi tā zhǔnbèi yìxiē jùyǒu dōngfāng tèsè de lǐwù. Nàme, shì huì gěi tāmen dài lái yìxiē jīngxǐ. Huòzhě shuōshì ne, ānpái yídìng de gōngzuòrényuán, huì zài gōngzuò zhīyú, huòzhě tánpàn zhīyú, péi tāmen qù yóuwán jùyǒu Zhōngguó tèsè de dìfāng, zuòwéi yì zhǒng gǎnqíngshang de jiāoliú. Nàme, duìyú Měiguórén duì Zhōngguórén de juàngù, wǒ xiǎng xiànzài yīnwèi, jiùshì shuō, suízhe, zhège Měiguó duì Zhōngguó de liǎojiě de huà, tā huì zài, n, bú shì hěn yàojǐn de, jiù shuō, tánpàn suǒwèi de, jiù shuō jiàqian, huòzhě shì shuō gōngqī, zhèzhǒng mǐngǎn de shùjù yǐwài ne, tā huì, jiùshuō, n, zhīdao Zhōngguórén bǐjiào xǐhuan “bā” huòzhě “liù”, shì dàibiǎo hǎoyùn de yìsi, nàme tā huì, huì, huì gàosu Zhōngguórén, a, shénme shíhou shì “bā bā bā”, shénme shíhou shì “liù, liù, liù”, ránhòu, tāmen zài bú tài yàojǐn de shíhou ne, huì bìkāi shuō “sì” huòzhě “shí” zhèyàng duì Zhōngguórén lái shuō shì búshì tài xìngyùn de shùzì. N, zhěngge qíngkuàng jiùshì zhèyàngzi. Zǒngguī, jiùshuō tán, zhè yěshì tánpàn dāngzhōng de yìxiē liàngdiǎn. Huòzhě shuāngfāng bǐjiào xiǎngshòu de dìfāng. Jīběn jiùshì zhèyàng.

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