Negotiating Strategies in Germany
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Nowadays, with increasingly globalizing tendency, the international business environment has been changing rapidly. It is recommended that the challenges in today’s geopolitical and economic environment are to learn and practice international management effectively. When dealing with the international trade with other countries, the first thing we need to recognize is to master the different negotiating strategies in different areas throughout the world.
I would take German’s negotiating strategy as an example to illustrate specifically their cultural background and the most efficient techniques negotiating with them.
General view of German trade
Germany is located in the western Europe, and the national form of its government is a parliamentary republic. Meantime, Germany is the world’s largest trading partner, with more than 230 countries and regions to maintain trade relations. The country’s export industry known for high quality, good rvice, delivery on time and world-renowned. The main export products are automotive, mechanical products,
chemicals, communications technology, supply and distribution equipment, and medical and chemicals equipment. The main import products are chemicals, automotive, oil and gas, machinery, communications technology and steel products. The main trade partners of Western industrial countries, which import and export half from or sold to EU countries.
Cultures & Manners
我爱春季Before negotiating with Germans, it is esntial for us to realize their
辩论赛宣传文案culture background among the aspects of how they wear, what they like to eat, by which means of they having a meeting, how they communicate with each other, etc. Anyway, Germany attaches importance to historical culture and etiquette in different aspects, and
I will share the as follows:
(1) Dressing style盐袋热敷的作用
Overall, the Germans like to dress themlves grave, simple and clean. Most of the men wear suits and jackets, while women love to wear a mostly lapel long gown and color, design of quietly elegant dress.
In a business tting, males should wear dark colored, conrvative business suits, a tie and a white shirt or navy blue blazer and gray flannels and females should wear either business dark suits and a white shirt or conrvative dress. This form of dress is obrved even in comparatively warm weather. However, do not remove your jacket or tie before your German colleague does so, and women are recommended to refrain from wearing perfumes, lipstick or ostentatious jewelry.
(2) Table manners
Table manners are continental, however, there are some similarities between Chine and German table manners. For example, it is polite to finish everything on the plate,to let the host gives the first toast, and not to rest one elbows on the table.
Meantime, there are some special manners as well. Europeans prefer to u the fork and knife when having meals and to put the fork in the left and the knife in the right. In addition, we have to finished eating with laying the knife and fork parallel across the right side of the plate and the fork over the knife. Besides, at a large dinner party, wait for the hostess to place her napkin in her lap before doing so yourlf. And it is not allowed to begin eating until the hostess starts or someone says ‘good appetite’ in German. Since the compliments cooked by indicating the food is tender, we should cut as much of our food with fork as possible.
(3) Business meeting etiquette
Meeting etiquette is of great importance for businessmen to know. Weather or not to behave appropriate could influence the negotiation results very often. Here are some key points of German meeting manners to follow especially for the foreigners who want to do business with them.
a. The Germans are very particular about punctuality and are
always on time for meetings. Punctuality is taken extremely
riously. If you expect to be delayed, telephone immediately
and offer an explanation. It is extremely rude to cancel a
party复数meeting at the last minute and it could jeopardize your
business relationship.
b. A brief handshake on first meeting is an accepted custom at the马齿徒增
start and end of a meeting. If you have to leave a meeting in the
middle, leave with a handshake. the eldest or highest ranking
person enters the room first.
c. It is mot customary to u first names. Instead u the family
name preceded by the word Herr (Mr.) for a man and Frau for
woman married or single. Meantime, letters should be
addresd to the top person in the functional area, including
the person's name as well as their proper business title.
d. Appointments are mandatory and should be made 1 to 2 weeks
in advance.If you write to schedule an appointment, the letter
should be written in German.
e. Punctuality is taken extremely riously. If you expect to be
delayed, telephone immediately and offer an explanation. It is
壁虎简笔画树懒为什么那么慢extremely rude to cancel a meeting at the last minute and it
could jeopardize your business relationship.
f. The eldest or highest ranking person enters the room first. Men
标枪冠军enter before women, if their age and status are roughly
equivalent.
g. Try to avoid business meetings in the months of July and
August or around the times of national holidays.
(4) Relationship and Communications
Germans do not need a personal relationship in order to do business. They will be interested in your academic credentials and the amount of time your company has been in business. German communication is formal. They usually display great deference to people in authority, so it is imperati
ve that they understand your level relative to their own. Similarly, Germans do not have an open-door policy. People often work with their office door clod. Knock and wait to be invited in before entering.
German negotiation style & Techniques
Germany is a dominant nation in the worldwide business arena, and many Chine firms aspire to do business with German firms. However, before going into Germany to conduct any kind of business, the business professional would do well to prepare for a business and work culture that is different from business in Chine culture. Germany at the negotiating table to show decisive, not clear-cut style, their motto is immediately resolved. Before negotiation, they always prepare full and detailed, well-organized, and the development of negotiations planned to pay attention to logical and systematic. When the negotiation is going on, Germans prefer to get down to business and only engage in the briefest of small talk. They will be interested in your credentials, so you must be patient and not appear ruffled by the strict adherence to protocol. Germans are detail- oriented and want to understand every innuendo before coming to an agreement. Finally, when final decisions are translated into rigorous, comprehensive action steps that you can expect will be carried out to the letter. However, avoid confrontational behavior or high- pressure tactics. It can be counterproductive.
One remarkable symbol with German, obviously, is always be punctual. Yes, German are very punctual, business negotiations and exchanges should never be late. Latecomers, the German made no cret of their distrust and disgust. In addition, German night reunited with their families, sharing their children’s time, which is similar with Chine, so negotiation time should not be given in the evening, unless it is particularly important negotiations.
Generally, the style of German business is that once a decision is made, it will not be changed and be late cannot be forgiven.
How to negotiate efficiently with German?
As for the traits of German as I illustrated, here I summarize some points that is importance for us to negotiate with Germans.
First, always be punctual. This is on the top of the list and the first step to have a chance to do business with German. And weather it is a big business for you or not, it is a principal character for all of us wherever we are.
Second, be respect to their business rights, which, in turn, can exchange for their respect to us as w
ell and this is the basic principle. On the basis of respect is also a way to make the negotiation much more smoothly.
Third, get a full prepare before tting out to obtain an opportunity master their bottom-line, alter agreements, and their specifically techniques. To make a win-win agreement, it is a must to realize the of the other party in German.
Fourth, be patient with your partners. As I said before, they are ud to coming across each word on the contract to make a cautious agreement, and treat the process with the formality that it derves, so give them enough room to think about then maybe an agreement can be ttled.
In conclusion, doing business with German needs not only the preci analysis of the other side’s business strategies, but the mutual understand of different cultures. Mutual profits are bad on the mutual understand and reliable communication. Only in this way can we make every negotiation successful and develop long-term corporation.
