The Culture in China: Business Etiquettes and Cross-Communication

This report examines the intricacies of conducting business in China, emphasizing the importance of understanding Chinese culture for international business success. It delves into essential business etiquettes, including business mentality, greetings, conversation styles, body language, and meeting protocols. The report also analyzes the Hofstede cultural dimensions, particularly power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation, to provide a comprehensive understanding of Chinese societal values. Furthermore, it identifies potential areas of cross-communication challenges, such as praise, addressing styles, emotional expression, and eye contact. The report concludes with practical recommendations for effective business interactions, including the importance of appropriate attire, thorough preparation, and the use of translators. By adhering to these guidelines, businesses can foster strong relationships and achieve their objectives in the Chinese market.

Running head: THE CULTURE IN CHINA
THE CULTURE IN CHINA
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
With the advent of Globalization, conducting business in various countries has become
an essential aspect of ay organization. Hence, if they are to do so, they are required to understand
the basic requirements of the other country in which they are operating. In such a scenario, if
they are unable to understand the basic etiquettes of the other country in which they will be
operating in, the business might not be able to achieve success and attain the competitive
position which they are required to (Moran, Abramson and Moran 2014). The given report will
be looking into China as a country and will look after the different aspects of conducting
business in the given country.
Business etiquettes in China
The business etiquettes can be described as the do`s and don’ts which a business needs to
abide by in order to conduct business in China. The given section will be discussing the various
aspects and throw light on the right things to be done.
Business mentality
The business mentality of the individuals in China is very simple. The Chinese expect the
different members to be prepare for any business which they will be conducting. They also
ensure that the presenter has various copies of the presentation and proposal. The print needs to
be only in black, all other colors need to be avoided. The negotiation in China with respect to
decision making can go far beyond the deadline and thus this is done to attain competitive
advantage. It is important for a business to abide by these to achieve competitive advantage. The
business hours are 8:00 am to 5pm on weekdays (Ferraro and Briody 2013). The Chinese tend to
take break from 12:00 to 2 pm during which all businesses and shops remain closed.
Hence, a business should be conducted during April to June and the period of September
to October.
Greetings
Handshakes are the most common form of gesture.
Conversation
Although English is a commonly known language, it is important for a business partner
belonging from other countries to speak some words in Chinese. This is often known as a sign of
respect for the business partners.
Body language
The body language to be adopted need to be conscious and the person needs to stay calm
and controlled during the business dealings (Lee, Trimi and Kim 2013).
Business meetings and deals
The dress code for the Chinese is quite conservative. The bright colors are to be avoided
as they are considered to be inadequate. It is crucial for a business personnel to be punctual to
work as late comers are considered to be rude (Beugelsdijk, Maseland and Hoorn 2015). Brining

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about gifts is not considered to be normal and hence, the business needs to abide by all the rules
in order to ensure that it is being liked by others.
Hofstede cultural framework
The Hofstede cultural dimensions divided the different aspects of the culture into
dimensions. The five dimensions in the given scenario are as follows;
Power Distance
The given dimension deals with the fact that the different members in a given society are
not equal to one another and that it is a fact that the different members in a society are not equal.
The given dimension measures the extent to which to which the less powerful members in a
society accept this disparity (Chaney and Martin 2013). The score of China in the given aspect is
80 which means that the inequalities amongst the different members are quite acceptable.
Individualism
Society and amongst the different members. The score of China in this regard is 20 and
thus for this reason, it can be stated that the culture of China is highly collectivist culture and the
different people do not act in their own interests but act in the interest of their groups (Lee and
Lee 2014).
Masculinity
The degree of masculinity in a country determines the degree of competition,
achievement and success in the society (Mora 2013). It determines the rate of competition in the
industry. In the same manner a Feministic society tends to have an image of a lifestyle whereby
the quality of life is more important and the success which is individualistic is not very admirable
The score of China is 66 which means that China is a Masculine society which is success
oriented and driven.
Uncertainty Avoidance
This portrays to which extent are the different members in a given society are willing to
take risks. This determines the extent to which the members feel threatened by certain beliefs and
institutions (Chhokar, Brodbeck and House 2013). China has a score of 30 in this dimension and
this means they are comfortable with ambiguity.
Long term orientation
This determines how societies maintain links with their past and face future challenges.
China scores 87 in the given dimension (Tseng and Wu 2013).
Potential areas of cross communication
Given below are certain areas where the business owners might face problems relating to
cross communication:

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Praise- Although foreigners believe that it is better to praise others, they are happy to receive
praise as well. However, the Chinese do not believe that they should not praise one another.
They have to keep up with their modesty and thus avoid the praise aspect. Hence, this can be an
aspect of miscommunication in the given society (Weller 2018).
Addressing one another- The Chinese have a different manner of addressing one another. The
Chinese follow a strict code of conduct which does not allow them to address the business
partners in a very friendly manner. This can lead to problems with respect to the interaction of
different members in the business dealings.
Reflection of emotions- The Chinese are generally much restructured when the emptions are
concerned. They believe that it is wrong to portray the emptions and for this reason they often
appear to be cold hearted (Cheng et al. 2014). However if an outside cultured person interacts
with them they should keep these aspects in mind to ensure successful interaction.
Eye contact- The Chinese generally avoid making an eye contact with their colleagues and they
believe that it is a rude gesture. Hence, this can lead to confusion as these members may believe
that the foreigner is being rude by maintaining an eye contact with them.
Eating- The Chinese are generous and they do not like It if the different guests, tend to avoid the
food which is being offered to them. They also believe that they have to offer their guests
continuously and may come out as putting pressure on them.
Conclusion
Therefore from the given analysis it can be stated that the culture of Australia where
Mary resides is quite different from that of China. The analysis reflected the ways in which Mary
needs to be extremely careful about the different interactions that are made by her in order to
ensure that she does not engage in any mistakes with the Chinese businessman. Hence, it is
suggested that, she abides by all rules and follows the given recommendations.
Recommendations
The first impression in the Chinese culture is quite crucial and thus for this reason, the
Chinese should dress in a manner such that their class and culture is reflected. They should be
wearing high quality clothing to reflect modesty and their status. Hence, it should be ensured that
Mary dresses conservatively and for this reason, she will be able to establish long term
relationships with the owner.
Secondly, Mary should ensure that she is well prepared for the given meeting. The
Chinese do not conduct in normal business atmosphere or a casual one (Burtch, Ghose and
Wattal 2013). Thus it should be ensured that they are well prepared and have proposals and the
business cards in handy.
Lastly, Mary should take a translator who will advise her on the basic Chinese etiquettes
and mannerism for future reference.

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