The Culture Of Business In China
		CHIN 3330/BUSN 3390

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Instructor: Dr. Stephen Field

Classroom: Northrup Hall 217

Class hours: Monday-Wednesday (or Friday) 2:30-3:45 pm

Office: NH 216B

Hours: MW 1:30-2:30 and by appointment

Phone: (210) 999-7615; Email: sfield@trinity.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

A seminar on Sino-American cross-cultural communication in a business context. Students will read selected texts, including excerpts from Sunzi’s The Art of War, and conduct daily discussions and role playing on such subjects as how to conduct interpersonal relationships and the strategies of business negotiation.

TEXTS and VIDEO RESOURCES

Carolyn Blackman, Negotiating China: Case Studies and Strategies (St Leonards, NSW Australia: Allen & Unwin, 1997).

Chin-ning Chu, The Asian Mind Game: Unlocking the Hidden Agenda of the Asian Business Culture—A Westerner’s Survival Manual (New York: Rawson Associates, Macmillan Pub. Co., 1991).

Hu Wenzhong, and Cornelius L. Grove, Encountering the Chinese: A Guide for Americans (Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, 1991).

Working With China: a six-part video series (Boulder, CO: Big World, Inc., 1997)

Selected articles on reserve in Coates Library:

Chap. 12, "Business Culture," in Edward G. Hinkelman, ed., China Business: The Portable Encyclopedia for Doing Business with China (San Rafael, CA: World Trade Press, 1994), pp.155-70.

Chap. 7, "The Skill of Talking with the Chinese People," and chap. 8, "Opponents During Negotiation, Friends After It," in Huang Quanyu, A Guide to Successful Business Relations with the Chinese: Opening the Great Wall's Gate (New York: The Haworth Press, 1994), pp. 163-93.

Chap. 10, "Effective Negotiations—Understanding the Chinese Business Mentality," in Arne J. de Keljzer, China: Business Strategies for the ‘90s (Berkeley, CA: Pacific View Press, 1992).

Gregory E. Osland, "Doing Business in China: A Framework for Cross-Cultural Understanding," in Marketing Intelligence and Planning 8.4 (1990): 4-14.

Chap. 5, "The Emotional Basis for the Chinese Negotiating Style," in Lucian W. Pye, Chinese Negotiating Style: Commercial Approaches and Cultural Principles (New York: Quorum Books, 1992), pp. 93-104.

Rosalie L. Tung, "Strategic Management Thought in East Asia," Organizational Dynamics 22.4 (Spring 1994): 55-65.

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Since a large portion of the grade will depend on student participation in classroom discussions and individual presentations, it is imperative that students conduct close readings of the assigned texts. Class participation grades will be awarded according to the following scale:

For frequent, lively, and informed discussion, realistic and dramatic role playing, an A

For informed participation in discussion, average role playing skills, a B

For minimal participation in discussion, mediocre role playing skills, a C

For unwillingness to participate in discussion, unsatisfactory role playing skills, a D

Students will be divided into groups (normally composed of two students), which will each prepare a report on a book chosen from the bibliography at the end of the syllabus. Students in each group will work in conjunction; however, one student will prepare a written report, while the other student will prepare an oral report. Group composition will be determined by the professor as well as the books each group reviews. Students will use PowerPoint to organize their oral reports.

Book Report grades will be awarded according to this scale:

For lively, informed and well-organized reports, an A

For interesting and organized reports, a B

For boring reports, a C

For unorganized, poorly prepared reports, a D

There will be a final exam that tests knowledge of the readings.

Grading:

Class participation ------------------------------------------------------ 50%

Book reports -------------------------------------------------------------- 25%

Final exam ---------------------------------------------------------------- 25%

Since class periods are 1 ½  hours long, students will be allowed only two unexcused absences. Students are allowed to make up one additional absence by submitting a 5-page paper on the readings for that day. The fourth and subsequent absences will each result in a loss of one letter grade for each absence.

CLASS SCHEDULE

"East is east and west is west. And ever the twain shall meet?"

1. Introductions
2. Video: "Heart of the Dragon: Trading"
3. Reading Assignment for next week:

   Rosalie L. Tung, "Strategic Management Thought in East Asia," Organizational Dynamics 22.4 (Spring 1994): 55-65.

   The Asian Mind Game, chaps. 1-3

4. Writing Assignment for next week:

Prepare for classroom discussion accounts of situations (real or fictional) that illustrate use of 5 of the 10 "deceptions" (The Asian Mind Game, pp. 27-32), 3 of the "Five Essential Components of Victory" (pp. 33-4), and 5 of the remaining 9 principles (pp. 34-42).

"Sunzi and the art of business"

1. Video: "Sun-tzu: The Art of War"
2. Classroom discussion
3. Reading Assignment for next week: The Asian Mind Game, chap. 4
4. Writing Assignment for next week:

Prepare for classroom discussion accounts of situations (real or fictional, preferably business-related) that illustrate use of 15 of the "36 Strategies."

 "Thirty-six ways to deceive your enemy" 

1. Classroom discussion.
2. Reading Assignment for next week:

   Encountering the Chinese, chaps. 1-4

   Chap. 12, "Business Culture," in Edward G. Hinkelman, ed., China Business: The Portable Encyclopedia for Doing Business with China (San Rafael, CA: World Trade Press, 1994), pp.155-70.

3. Writing assignment for next week: Compose answers to the handout questions and be prepared to discuss them. 

    Brendan Kelly, Trinity '94

China Project Manager & Tax Attorney with Pitney Bowes, Inc.

 "Addressing your counterparts, attending banquets, and conversing" 

1. Classroom discussion. The class will be divided into small groups of two-three students each. Each group will be assigned a discussion question and will be given 15 minutes to prepare an answer for presentation. Students will then compose business cards and practice greeting their business counterparts.
2. Reading Assignment for next week:

   Encountering the Chinese, chaps. 5-7

   Gregory E. Osland, "Doing Business in China: A Framework for Cross-Cultural Understanding," in Marketing Intelligence and Planning 8.4 (1990): 4-14.

3. Writing assignment for next week: Compose answers to the handout questions and be prepared to discuss them. 

 "Time use, modesty, and friendships" 

1. Classroom discussion. The class will be divided into small groups of two-three students each. Each group will be assigned a discussion question and will be given 15 minutes to prepare an answer for presentation.
2. Reading Assignment for next week:

   Encountering the Chinese, chap. 10

   Chap. 5, "The Emotional Basis for the Chinese Negotiating Style," in Lucian W. Pye, Chinese Negotiating Style: Commercial Approaches and Cultural Principles (New York: Quorum Books, 1992), pp. 93-104.

   The Asian Mind Game, chaps. 5, 13

3. Writing assignment for next week: Compose answers to the handout questions and be prepared to discuss them. 

 "The concept of ‘face’ in Chinese-American interaction" 

1. Video: Working With China, Part 2, "Building the Relationship"
2. Classroom discussion. The class will be divided into small groups of two-three students each. Each group will be assigned a discussion question and will be given 15 minutes to prepare an answer for presentation.
3. Reading Assignment for next week:

   Encountering the Chinese, chap. 9

   Negotiating China, chaps. 1-2

   Chap. 7, "The Skill of Talking with the Chinese People," and chap. 8, "Opponents During Negotiation, Friends After It," in Huang Quanyu, A Guide to Successful Business Relations with the Chinese: Opening the Great Wall's Gate (New York: The Haworth Press, 1994), pp. 163-93.

4. Writing assignment for next week: Compose answers to the handout questions and be prepared to discuss them. 

1. Video: Working With China, Part 3, "Negotiating: Opening Moves"
2. Classroom discussion. The class will be divided into small groups of two-three students each. Each group will be assigned a discussion question and will be given 15 minutes to prepare an answer for presentation.
3. Reading Assignment for next week:

   Negotiating China, chaps. 3-5

   Chap. 10, "Effective Negotiations—Understanding the Chinese Business Mentality," in Arne J. de Keljzer, China: Business Strategies for the ‘90s (Berkeley, CA: Pacific View Press, 1992).

4. Writing assignment for next week: Compose answers to the handout questions and be prepared to discuss them. 

1. Video: Working With China, Part 4, "Negotiating: The Middle Game"
2. Classroom discussion. The class will be divided into small groups of two-three students each. Each group will be assigned a discussion question and will be given 15 minutes to prepare an answer for presentation.
3. Reading Assignment for March 26 and 28: Negotiating China, chaps. 6-11.
4. Writing assignment for March 26 and 28:

Create your own case of an American business dealing in China that resulted in success or failure. Be prepared to discuss why the venture succeeded or failed. Cite principles and strategies utilized by the Chinese in their negotiations, and show how the American side was able or unable to overcome difficulties. In class, students will assume the roles of both sides of selected scenarios and enact a negotiation.

Susan Javis, The University of Texas-Pan American

Yun Chu, Guangzhou Foreign Language University

1. Video: Working With China, Part 5,"Negotiating: Closing the Deal"
2. Role playing. The class will be separated into two groups. Each group will divide into an American and a Chinese negotiating team. Groups will choose a hypothetical scenario from the homework assignment and spend one hour preparing the case. Each group will enact its negotiation, followed immediately by a critique by the other group. Critiques will identify (1) the strategies utilized by the Chinese and (2) the reasons why the negotiation succeeded or failed.

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 Reading Assignment for next week:

(Final Exam: Wednesday, May 6, 6:30 pm)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Your book report should be chosen from the following list in consultation with your professor. Most books are on reserve in Coates Library. Others are available from the San Antonio Public Library.

Thomas Cleary. Trans. and ed. Mastering the Art of War: Zhuge Liang's and Liu Ji's Commentaries on the Classic by Sun Tzu. Boston: Shambhala, 1989.

Roger Fisher, et al. Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. New York: Penguin Books, 1983.

FOO Check Teck. Reminiscences of an Ancient Strategist: The Mind of Sun Tzu. Ashgate, 1997.

GAO Yuan. Lure the Tiger Out of the Mountains. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1991.

Huang Quanyu, A Guide to Successful Business Relations with the Chinese: Opening the Great Wall's Gate. New York: The Haworth Press, 1994.

Andrew B. Kipnis. Producing Guanxi: Sentiment, Self, and Subculture in a North China Village. Duke Univ. Press, 1997.

Lo Kuan-chung. Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Trans. C.H. Brewitt-Taylor. Rutland, VT: Tuttle Co., 1959.

Jim Mann. Beijing Jeep: The Short Unhappy Romance of American Business in China. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1989.

Mark McNeilly. Sun Tzu and the Art of Business: Six Strategic Principles for Managers. New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 1996.

Miyamoto MUSASHI. The Book of Five Rings. Bantam books, 1982.

Lucien W. Pye. Chinese Negotiating Style: Commercial Approaches and Cultural Principles. New York: Quorum Books, 1992 

Scott D. Seligman. Dealing with the Chinese: A Practical Guide to Business Etiquette in the People’s Republic Today. New York: Warner Books, 1989.

Randall E. Stross. Bulls in the China Shop. New York: Pantheon, 1990.

William Ury. Getting Past No. London: Random Century, 1991.

YANG Bo. The Ugly Chinaman and the Crisis of Chinese Culture. Trans. Don J. Cohn and Jing Qing. Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 1991.

Mayfair Mei-hui YANG. Gifts, Favors, and Banquets: The Art of social Relationships in China. Cornell Univ. Press, 1994. 

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