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Dialogues@RU is published
annually
by the
Writing Program at
Rutgers, The State
University of New Jersey
Volume 4
Fall 2005
Business Negotiation Served On A Sushi Platter
By Annat T. Katz
One of the most dominant reoccurring complaints of American businessmen in working with Japanese counterparts is the latter's bewildering use of silence ¾ a prominent ambiguous form of body language. When confronted with silent moments, Americans have a tendency to fill this void with one-sided conversations. To the Japanese, however, silence is a multi-layered communication method mastered by all members of Japanese society. This virtue goes hand in hand with the desire to maintain harmony and avoid insulting someone by accident. Such a complex usage of silence as a communicative element is bound to make an appearance during business negotiation, where often the Japanese utilize silence as a calculated move. "In Japan , as long as you remain silent, you project a favorable impression and are assumed to be thinking deeply about the problem" (March 16). This desirable quality in Japan is contradictory to the western perception of silence as indicating a lack of knowledge or understanding, as well as signifying a lack of confidence and professionalism. In Japanese culture, silence is also a way of assessing the situation, to see whether the negotiation process with the counterpart will encounter future problems in communication and fluidity.
Another aspect of intentional silence during business circumstances is provided by Eldar, who refers to this non-verbal communication tactic back to the Samurai ideology: "the Samurai maintains an effort in developing the skills of observing the enemy in order to find and expose his weaknesses" and therefore "Japanese businessmen use silence as a method of inducing the opponent to expose his soul and limitations" (47). This Japanese tactic of measuring up the American counterpart proves to be a direct connection between ancient Japanese ideals and the cultural difficulties which take place during the negotiation process. Japanese silence is also "The art of taking a physical stance and reading the opponent, [to be] refined and eloquent and is used chiefly for communication among Japanese" (Blaker 10). Thus, in Japan , silence is a well-known form of communication while among Americans it merely demonstrates the lack of it.
Another form of non-verbal communication among the Japanese is the use of a "blank face," which demonstrates a lack of the facial expressions that come to us naturally, such as smiling, frowning, or direct eye contact. This feature is the result of social conditioning processes that are introduced during a person's childhood in Japanese culture. It was created to act as a method of eliminating the possibility of insulting or displeasing others. For example, if a Japanese businessman laughs or becomes angry, he may feel as if he unintentionally insulted someone by laughing at the wrong thing or becoming angry unnecessarily. Therefore, it becomes vital to the Japanese businessman to conduct himself in an emotionless manner in order to prevent the occurrence of insult or "disorderly conduct." Education in Japanese customs provided to American negotiation teams will prevail over challenges posed by Japanese-American cross-cultural gaps, and "understanding can facilitate communication and avoid misunderstanding. It can also make the Japanese feel comfortable" (Kumayama 1). Such expertise - easily obtained by affordable advanced education - will overcome complications stemming from cultural differences, especially expectations whose importance is underestimated as trivial gestures of politeness and courtesy.
Exceptional as it may seem, westerners' perception of behavioral and verbal gestures exchanged by American and Japanese businessmen can lead to influential effects that often determine the outcome of their joint business relations. Although minor mistakes are permissible, misunderstanding and failure to recognize important cultural subtleties may lead to stagnation or dismissal of the negotiations (Kumayama 1). The main reason for such consequences lies in the basic notion that in Japan there is no such thing as a right or wrong way of doing business, but simply the Japanese way of doing so in order to be balanced and equal. One example is through the Japanese significance of the first impression. Although this may be perceived as superficial by American standards, the Japanese see it is an essential source of relevant information when examining the business party at the other end of the negotiating room.