Vietnams Developing Markets: How Do Perceptions And Strategies In The Negotiation Process Differ From The U.S.?

Abstract

Growth in international trade has had a profound effect on executives and managers in their need to better understand differences in effective cross-cultural negotiation skills. The recent opening up of trade with Vietnam points to a need to better understand how the Vietnamese negotiating style differs from the U.S. style as managers are called upon to recruit the best and brightest in an increasingly competitive labor market. In this paper, survey data, taken separately from university students in the U.S. and Vietnam, are used to examine differences in the negotiation process. The results confirmed that cultural differences lead to differences in perceptions and strategies employed in the negotiation process. Theoretical and practical implications for managers involved in negotiations with the Vietnamese as well as directions for future research are discussed.