Q & A Table of Contents
How Should One Negotiate With Vietnamese People?
From: Helen, New Jersey
Question: I need some advice on negotiation with the Vietnamese. What kind of mistakes should we avoid ?
Response: When you negotiate with people whose culture is different from yours, you should do several kinds of homework. Talk with people who have experience negotiating with people from that culture. Find books that focus on cultural taboos or customs. And be careful not to assume that everyone from Vietnam -- or any other different cultural milieu -- is totally predictable.
Using Vietnam as an example, there are Vietnamese people who have been educated in the West, who are familiar with foreign corporate cultures, etc. People raised in major cities may be different from those with a rural background. Men and women may be sensitive to different issues. In other words, it is risky and possibly even insulting to assume "They all think alike."
The most important thing is to keep an open mind, to ask questions, to invite the folks with whom you are dealing to let you know if you do or say something they find offensive. And you should do the same with them, being open about your 'hot buttons'.
I don't have a list of books to suggest that focuses on negotiating with people from Vietnam; a little library research might make the most sense.
Good luck,
Steve
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