A Multi-Method Examination of Buyer-Seller Interactions among Japanese and American Businesspeople

Abstract

Edward T. Hall (1976) and others have told us that status and role are more important considerations in Japan than in the United States. Specifically addressed in this study is the moderating effect of culture on the relationships between negotiators’ roles (buyer or seller) and their behaviors and outcomes. A laboratory negotiation simulation was conducted with more than 200 Japanese and American businesspeople as participants, and several of the simulated negotiations were videotaped for subsequent content and sociolinguistic analyses. The integration of findings supports Hall's notion that in Japan hierarchy is more important, and indeed, Japanese buyers receive greater deference from sellers.