Who should attend & benefits

All staff who negotiate in China, or with Chinese organisations. This includes Purchasing; Sales; Technical Specialists (such as Engineers) concerned with discussing technical information with Chinese; Accounts and Cost Estimators; Logistics shipping to or from China; Import and Export departments, Plant Managers, Quality Control etc.

Ancillary departments involved in meeting or hosting Chinese visitors, where goodwill, or inadvertent damage, to a relationship can often occur.

Fundamental differences between Western and Chinese thinking, are the causes of many problems. History and Religion shapes the Chinese approach to dealing with Foreigners, as do State organisations and government bureaucracy. To obtain a meeting, and the right result from it, requires an in-depth understanding of Etiquette and Guanxi. Westerners and Chinese perceive the significance of a contract differently. An understanding of these issues will be achieved.

Common Chinese negotiating strategies and tactics will be explored and explained.

Chinese usually negotiate in teams, even if they meet one-to-one they are working as a team, whereas Westerners generally work individually. We'll explore how to negotiate as a team. Chinese are very slow and patient negotiators; we'll explore the advantages of using time, and taking frequent breaks in a negotiation.

Planning is the most important activity in any negotiation but Westerners rarely plan properly, we'll explore what planning involves and how to do it better.

The workshop will cover:

• How China's history, religion, language, and economy impact on negotiation.
• Understanding the Chinese mindset - different approaches to logic, censure, insiders and superstition.
• Importance of Etiquette and Harmony - saving Face.
• Relationships, Social Status, and Using Introductions - Guanxi.
• Planning Your Negotiations - time issues, organisation issues.
• Meetings, Socialising and Entertaining - getting acquainted is part of business.
• Chinese Negotiation Techniques - reacting to silence, demands for detail, persistent-direct questions.
• How to approach Concession Making.
• Team Negotiations - how the Chinese use teams to great effect.
• The Chinese Squeeze & Nibbling.
• Contracts & Law.
• Three practice negotiations that simulate the environment as well as the process.

At the end of the session, delegates will be able to......

• plan and prepare more effectively for discussions and negotiations.
• demonstrate an understanding of the complex world of China; how to meet and greet correctly, exchanging business cards and gifts.
• know what to do, and not do, at initial meetings.
• understand the importance, protocol and benefits of Banquets.
• recognise the differences in the way that Chinese and Westerners interpret the significance of a "contract".
• practice effective negotiating strategies and tactics, including various tools and techniques for negotiating in teams.
• work better with Chinese customers, suppliers and colleagues.
• craft better Both Win deals.