Impact of Palestinian Culture on Negotiation - Term Paper Example

Impact of Palestinian culture on Negotiation Culture is an intervening variable at the negotiation table because of the impact it has n the manner of communication, the strategies taken at the negotiation table, and the ability to make compromises and choices available to both parties involved in a negotiation (Wittes, iX). Culture shapes the negotiation process and is one of the main determinants of the finding of an amicable solution to a common problem (Wittes, 4). The understanding the impact of culture on negotiations aid in polishing and using different negotiations skills as demanded by cultural and social needs of the population. There are different negotiation believes in United States, Arab world, Asians, and Africans as depicted in the different stands they take in negotiating showing the strong impact of culture on negotiations. This study aims at investigating the impact of Palestine culture on their negotiation through an in-depth analysis of the importance of face and loss of face to Palestinians in Negotiations and the type of negotiation styles to which they employ when negotiating. Language is the means through which a person’s culture is communicated from one generation to another is the best way to gauge the influence of culture on communication. The first negotiation technique used by the Palestinians is an admiration and frequent use of ambiguity in discourse showing that culture has a high impact on Palestinian negotiation. This is well in line with Palestinian culture where an ability to manipulate communication and relation to others is admired and respected. This is due to the mistrust and inability to take the face value of offers in negotiations. Proper etiquette and mannerisms is the other behavior common among Palestinians in negotiations due to the high ranking of hospitality, etiquette, and correctness in Palestinian culture. Palestinians will try their very best in being polite despite tensions in negotiations as they are required in their culture to both a foreigner and a member of the Palestinian community showing an impact of culture on negotiation. Palestinian culture requires them to maintain honor at all times in their communication, thereby affecting their communication in negotiations. This requires Palestinians to behave modestly and hospitably to the other negotiators. Palestinians use the Musayra as a communication code in their negotiation where they try to ensure the negotiator goes along with the communication. Palestinians aim at maintaining an engaged relationship during negotiations as their code of communication requires them to be elaborate where an encompassing and expressive style is required of their communication. The Palestinians also want to have a deeper relationship with the negotiators through affirming relations and forming deep connections if the negotiations are to be successful. Where the negotiators do not have time to be together, talk, and communicate effectively, and make lasting relations with Palestinians, they are treated as if they are not interested in peace and the negotiations will break down. Through this king of communication, the Palestinians ensure they maintain face or honor for the other speaker. They will not want to offend or talk straight in their negotiations and will always use emotional appeals and personal niceties in their negotiation. The use of grand gestures by Palestinian negotiators is the other cultural influence on their negotiation and affects substance of the negotiation. Being courteous and indirect in their communication is aimed at ensuring there is no offence to the other party as required in their Palestine culture may be misinterpreted as being weak or manipulative creative communication problems. The negotiators with Palestinians have to be extremely keen in understanding and differentiating political theatrics and grand gestures from negotiation substance. In the Palestinian culture, arguing is disrespectful and they are required to talk in a respectful and respectful manner even when negotiating. Arguments are avoided as a measure of being polite and saving face in Palestinian culture and behavior has to be evidenced in their negotiation. Bluffing and disinformation are also used in the Palestinian negotiation but with a lot of caution to avoid breaking long-term relationship after the negotiations are done. However, Palestinian culture has no problem with punctuality, therefore when a party is late for the negotiations it is not a sign of disrespect and does not affect the negotiations. Palestinian negotiation is more of relationship oriented than result oriented as they have a great emphasis on development of long-term relationships than in reaching a deal while compromising relations (Havard Business School, 153). It is in relation to relationship style of negotiation and the aim to ensure they follow their culture guidelines that Palestinians talk more and aim at making elaborate statements in their assertions. Their negotiation also involves following each statement with elaborate explanations and evidence to make themselves clear and avoid dishonoring the other part and make close relations. There is a high preoccupation by the Palestinians to deal with non issues and avoid the main particulars of the matter as a measure of avoiding communicating with the negotiators their inability to change positions and tackle the real issues at play. Palestinians also aim at ensuring the negotiations last over a long period to ensure they wear down the negotiators and allow them time to make concession and get the best deals. This also helps in avoiding the implementation of suggestions considered problematic and gains advantage over the foreigners (Havard Business School, 159). This is well with their cultural acceptance and admiration of patience as a virtue and that patience will in the end pay in terms of extra benefits from long-term bargaining. This is well mastered through the conduct of in-depth prior preparations and the collection of all the facts for the negotiation. Palestinians place a great emphasis on the priority of the group when they aim at reaching conclusions in negotiations. Negotiation decisions involve many people and aim at ensuring the needs of a large number of people are met in the negotiation process. Leaders in the Palestinian have total authority but they always consider the views and needs of the people in total when making decisions. However, when there is a change in the circumstances that led to the deal as negotiated, Palestinians are readily willing to change their stand and reopen negotiations on agreed upon issues or bring new ones into the negotiation table (Swierxzek, 12). When Palestine negotiate with people from the Western world or people from individualistic society, their behavior changes owing to the differences in the beliefs and strategies used in negotiations. Westerners have certain negotiation strategies including result oriented, forceful, legalistic, explicit, and urgent negotiation styles that does not auger well with Palestinians. Individualistic societies require fast agreements as demonstrated in negotiations that have been entered to by the United States in the past. The behavior of Palestinians with individualistic societies includes taking a hard stand before the negotiation starts and aim at getting the best offer by wearing down the other side through taking time in negotiations. Palestinians other behavior prevalent in Palestinian negotiation behavior is the distrust in legal obligations through the belief that manipulation of legal system is possible by countries including US hence aim for justice situation. The other change of behavior in Palestinian negotiation is high distrust and sensitivity on American attitudes and is easily susceptible to reacting especially when they feel they are being treated in an irrational and unreasonable manner (Binnendijk, 24). Palestinians also try to understand unconscious nonverbal communication by the western negotiators in the course of the negotiations in an attempt to decipher the true meaning of the communication as they negotiate. In conclusion, culture has a very big impact on negotiation strategies employed by different communities and regional blocks. Palestinian negotiation skills and strategies have a strong background from Palestinian culture for example politeness and hospitality, respect, maintenance of honor and face, and taking time in negotiations. Other strategies include ambiguity in language of the Palestinian negotiators, use of grand gestures, studying body language, and the maintenance of long-term relations. Dealing with individualistic negotiators requires a change in belief and negotiation behavior for the Palestinians including taking high stand during pre-negotiation stage, low trust, sensitivity to irrational treatment and disrespect, and the need to understand the meaning of unconscious body language. Work Cited Wittes, Tamara C. How Israelis and Palestinians Negotiate: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of the Oslo Peace Process. Washington, D.C: United States Institute of Peace Press, 2005. Print. http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=kSrWfRY9DqcC&pg=PR9&lpg=PR9&dq=cultural+effect+on+palestinians+negotiations&source=bl&ots=phBSuya3If&sig=XlrGQ8tGr6AiZ8U0BQR2A_cRwfo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tzhFVNzOLYSzadfbgbAK&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=cultural%20effect%20on%20palestinians%20negotiations&f=false Gilboa, Eytan. The US and Iran: Pre-Negotiation Maneuvering. BESA Center Perspectives Paper, 198, February 19, 2013. Print. Swierxzek, Fredric. Dimensions of Success in International Business Negotiations: A Comparative Study of Thai and International Business Negotiators. Journal of Intercultural Communication, Vol. 11, 2006. Print. http://www.immi.se/intercultural/nr11/numprasertchai.htm Binnendijk, Hans. National Negotiating Styles. Washington, D.C.: Foreign Service Institute, U.S. Dept. of State, 1987. Print. http://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/the-us-and-iran-pre-negotiation-maneuveri Havard Business School. The Essentials of Negotiation. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2005. Print. http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=OSPzgi8mRy8C&pg=PR6&lpg=PR6&dq=The+Essentials+of+Negotiation.+Boston:+Harvard+Business+School+Press,+2005.+Print.&source=bl&ots=HkjN6W1y37&sig=HuZ3097L0B4OX4OJiDNt1E1cZ8M&hl=en&sa=X&ei=dodFVNP5F8_XavfXgvAE&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=The%20Essentials%20of%20Negotiation.%20Boston%3A%20Harvard%20Business%20School%20Press%2C%202005.%20Print.&f=false Read More