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Case study: who shall be sent to Japan?
A European multinational company is about to select a manager to lead 
the negotiations for a new joint venture in Japan. The nominee will have 
to be acceptable to the Japanese partners.
The obvious choice for the position is Deborah Ransome, an able 
colleague with many years’ experience and a proven track record as a 
project manager. There are two other male possibilities for the post, but 
neither is ideally suited. One of the men is considered too young and 
the other does not have sufficient experience with the product intended 
for the Japanese market. As the senior management European selection 
committee meets to discuss and then confirm who will represent the 
company in Japan, one member of the committee points out that, given 
certain cultural features of the Japanese business scene, sending a woman 
to Tokyo might present some difficulties. The selection committee now 
has to decide what to do.
The following points should be considered:
(1)
What are the known features of the Japanese business scene with 
respect to women as a member of a negotiating team?
(2)
Should the chairman advise the committee to take account of the 
cultural concerns of the Japanese or just do what is best for the 
company?
(3) Should the company send Deborah Ransome?
The Chinese negotiating style
Chinese culture is essentially collectivist, with cultural attitudes and values 
greatly influenced by Confucianism. Confucius was a moral philosopher 

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184 Cross-Cultural Communication
whose aim was to establish a practical philosophy based on criteria for the 
right way to live. He was concerned with conformity to the values and 
behaviour which underpinned the stability of the established order and 
moral behaviour. In the ideal world, everyone knows his or her place. The 
duty of humans in Confucian ethics may be summed up as reciprocity. This 
is closely associated with loyalty to others and this principle is exemplified 
in the five relationships of the family and the state in society.
Ruler – Subject
Father – Son
Husband – Wife
Elder Brother – Younger Brother
Elder Friend – Younger Friend
Figure 9.4 Confucian loyalties
These five basic relationships (‘wu lun’) are based on mutual and comple-
mentary obligations – for example, the senior owes the junior protection, 
guidance and consideration, and the junior owes the senior respect and 
obedience. Confucianism symbolizes social stability, national decorum and 
retention of the ‘status quo’ (Stockman, 2000: 71).
These characteristics have survived for centuries and have withstood the 
actions of the communist government since 1948. Despite greatly increased 
contact with other cultures in recent years and the spread of globalization, 
they still have a considerable effect on Chinese business. For the Chinese, 
Hofstede’s power distance is large because of many years of centralized 
control, which has promoted a tradition of obedience in which inequalities 
are more readily expected and accepted.
Hofstede (1994: 165–8) refers to a fifth dimension, which he calls 
‘Confucian dynamism’, in his subsequent study of Chinese culture, identified 
in the CVS. He suggests that there is a correlation between certain Confucian 
values and the economic growth of Asia in recent years. In particular, 
the CVS results indicate the value of a long- term perspective in business, 
supported by hard work and perseverance. This was discussed in more detail 
in Chapter 2.
The other influence on Chinese behaviour is Taoism, created by Lao 
Tzu (born in 604 BC). Its main philosophy is described in the book Tao Te 
Ching, meaning ‘The Way and the Power’. Taoism has three main teach-
ings, which overlap each other. The first can only be understood through 
mystical insight, while the second refers to the principle of order behind 
the universe and represents the rhythm and driving force of nature. The 
third advocates that people should live their lives in order to be in balance 
and harmony with the universe. For many Chinese, Taoism, Confucianism 
and Buddhism are seen as being complementary and are considered to be 
‘the three faiths in one’. As a result, many Chinese accept Confucianism as 

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