We all come from different backgrounds and each culture has different values and we must understand that things we practice may be offensive to individuals from a different culture and vice versa. Wise intercultural managers will try take into consideration the differences in verbal and nonverbal communication across different cultures. If one cannot establish a good relationship with an individual from a different background, any negotiation or conversation would most likely not end in a positive fashion. They also have different decision-making processes and one must be conscious of this.
The amount of control a person feels he or she has over future outcomes whether is in a personal or business related situation is likely based on the culture value system that they were brought up in; Education is a big part of my culture, we are taught that education is extremely important and that through it we could move higher in the social scale, as were in other countries such as India were if you are born within a social scale, if you are born either poor or wealthy, you are taught that you would always stay within that social scale.
In the business world decision making is an important part of the negotiation process, culture affects the decision making process both through a society’s institutions and through individuals’ risk tolerance, their objective versus subjective perspectives, their perceptions of the locus of control, and their past versus future orientations. It is extremely important to be aware of other cultures values systems, in order to have succesful outcomes during the decision making and negotiation.
For example, in the U. S. , someone wishing to show off their wealth and important status would show guests their penthouse office or expensive cars. In Japan, a businessman presents his business card to a new contact and expects the receiver to study it and appreciate his position, as to where in Mexico, a visiting international executive is advised to take some time out to show appreciation for the surrounding architecture.