Women and Negotiations

There has been significant research conducted on the negotiating styles and differences between women and men and the effectiveness and success of each style. These studies have revealed that there may be both advantages and disadvantages to the stereotypical negotiation styles commonly associated with each gender. Most businesswomen I have studied(Wilen, 1997) report that negotiating effectiveness in the international environment is not based on an individual’s negotiating style as much as on how the foreign culture initially perceives each gender should behave in negotiations.

When you enter into business negotiations with your international counterparts, it is important, therefore, that you understand how they view the negotiations from their own cultural perspective. A successful Western businesswoman not only needs to understand how her international associates conduct business in general, but also what cultural characteristics are part of the negotiations – such as stereotypical gender expectations due to the individuals’ cultural upbringing. For example, women may be expected to acquiesce rather than to be assertive, and this may impact the way a woman is received in a business negotiation.

Most women report that these initial, traditional expectations are easily overcome if the negotiation is run effectively. Women who are successful report that it is wise to understand what the expectations may be, in addition to understanding the process of negotiation and the negotiating style of the culture. In addition, businesswomen suggest that outside of the U.S. most cultures are relationship-oriented and that having awareness of this in advance is key to developing your own personal style. Attributes and skills such as active listening, taking the perspective of the other, distinguishing between needs and positions, using collaborative verbiage, controlling anger and reframing issues to find a common ground positively impact international negotiations.

In general most businesswomen advise that some of the best practices for women negotiating internationally include:

• Establish a working relationship with your international partners; this includes creating a trusting environment and fostering open communication.
  
• Have orderly processes for the negotiation and keeping the negotiation on course.
  
• Create a cooperative, problem-solving attitude so that conflict issues can be easily discussed and resolved.
  
• Be well versed in the negotiation topic and issues.
  
• Have a formalized plan that includes goals and alternatives.

The Negotiation Process

Have you ever negotiated with an Italian? The experience I had was very much like attending an opera. Of course there is always a tragic story that you need to know before the negotiation starts. And the person you are negotiating with is the victim… unless you help. The overture starts and the scene is set. He rises before you, the room is dark, the people somber. The first act will begin. The negotiator expresses his heartfelt sorrow over the situation, his despair; he shows you pictures of his children, and tells you how they will suffer if things do not work out for him in his work. Only you can help. He then goes into the second act with a higher-pitched voice, and his arms start swinging as he shows you their agony through his voice and face and intonations. Then the negotiation story reaches a climax with his needs or plea to you, however outrageous it may be. He stops, checks to see if he has totally lost you, and then slowly lets you down to rest. The story is over. He sits down. He pulls out a cigarette and takes a long draw from it. He wipes his brow. And you are left to ponder his tragic case. (Berkeley, California)

Most researchers differentiate five separate steps in the negotiating process: preparation, relationship building, information exchange, persuasion and, finally, agreement. In an international negotiation, the steps are the same, but they are influenced by the nature of the culture with which you are negotiating. Therefore, the first step to a successful international negotiation is to understand the culture that you will be dealing with. Be especially aware of how that culture’s style differs from your own and be prepared to deal with it.

More specifically, the negotiation stages are as follows:

1. The preparation stage usually takes place before you leave on your trip or before you meet your counterparts. During this phase, it is important that you meet with your team, clarify your aims and the positions that you will take, and define each participant’s role. Read as much material as you can about the business and the culture and their techniques. The location of the negotiations, room setting, translation needs, agenda, number of coffee breaks, etc. is planned in this stage. It is very helpful to role-play the various scenarios that might occur and the team’s responses to them.
   
2. The relationship stage will start when the two teams or parties meet each other at some neutral or agreed-upon location and begin to get to know each other. Lunches, dinners, and informal conversations on a personal level may occur. Both teams or parties at this stage seek to identify common areas of interest and establish rapport.
   
3. Negotiating: information stage. Information exchange occurs at the meeting table. Company exchanges of information on services, products, and proposals are presented formally. Question and answer periods are common.
   
4. Negotiating: persuasion stage Persuasion begins after the proposals are delivered, and the differences between the parties become clear. At this stage, each party strives to encourage the other party to mutually agreed-upon solutions.
   
5. Negotiating: final stage. The final agreement stage occurs when the parties do indeed come to a mutually acceptable solution. Some cultures view the signing of the contract as the final step; with others it is the commencement of business; and with others, it is the final payment.

This is part 1 of an excerpt from International Business: A Basic Guide for Women, copyright Tracey Wilen, 2001. Part 2 will discuss cultural differences in negotiating styles.

About the Author
Dr. Tracey Wilen is the author of International Business: A Basic Guide for Women (2001), Europe for Women in Business, and co-author of Asia for Woman in Business, Doing Business with Japanese Men, and Doing Business with Western Women (Tokyo Only). She has published numerous articles, chapters, and essays on international business. She holds a Doctorate and MBA in International Business. Tracey is in Business management at Cisco Systems Inc. She is an adjunct professor for MBA programs for San Francisco Bay Area universities and teaches corporate seminars (Apple Computer, IBM, Hewlett Packard) on International business topics. She is a frequent guest on national and television shows radio (CNN, FNN, ABC, NBC, CBS) and a speaker at universities (Stanford, UCLA, UCSF) and business groups (WITI, NAWBO,AMA).