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ABSTRACT
Recent years have seen more and more research in the cultural dimensions of conflict resolution. This article focuses on metaphors concerning negotiations across cultures. The paper attempts to contribute knowledge in the field of cross-cultural studies on language and culture in negotiations. The article attempts to answer a question wheather the usage of metaphors for the process of negotiation differ across cultures.
Keywords: cross-cultural negotiation, negotiation metaphors, conflict metaphors
1.RESEARCH ON METAPHORS AND CULTURE
Research, such as the popular works of Lakoff and Johnson (1980) has tried to arouse interest in metaphor. Their results have prompted a more rigorous dissection of the subject matter, especially since their famous book; Metaphors We Live By was published. So many astute academics have continued to draw attention to the fact that not enough relevance has been attributed to the study of metaphors (Corradi Fiumara, 1995). They argue that there is a dire need to understand the relationship between metaphor and culture, as well as related subject matter. To give credence to earlier works by Schaff (1973), Borden (1982), and Galtung and Nishimura (1983), scholars such as Kuroda and Suzuki (1989) restated the underlying importance of advancing towards the subject matter of cross cultural studies by paying sole attention to language. Their argument emphasizes that, language offers a crucial glimpse into indigenous cultures, and since metaphor is an inseparable part of language, it therefore provides a great window of opportunity to understand the culture.
The effect that culture has on business and negotiations is tremendous. Cross border business relations often require effective communications despite the cultural and national differences. Most business managers tend to approach negotiations from the point of view of cultural competence so as to avoid failing. In the last few decades, most scholars have tried to understand how culture impacts values, communication patterns and business operations. Presently, most scholars and specialists recognize that cultural differences have a huge impact on all fronts of international business. In a dynamic environment like ours which holds so many divergent views, managers most definitely need to improve on their negotiation skills if they are to grow their business [Loewenstein, Thomson, 2000] especially as it relates to different cultures. Even those who most times have to stay indoors still...