Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Researchers Identify Useful Negotiation Strategies for 'Honor Cultures'

The following research study could be of interest to crisis negotiators as it involves the concept of different cultures- especially those in which "honor" has a significant role.



COLLEGE PARK, Md.June 15, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new study shows that Western diplomatic strategies based on rationality may backfire when applied to discussions with "honor cultures," such as in the Middle East, African and Latin America. The authors of the study recommend that diplomats better tailor their word choice to the values of the culture with whom they are negotiating. Another outcome of the study is a new "honor dictionary" based on hundreds of interviews in the Middle East that identifies "honor talk" in negotiations and contrasts it with other dictionaries developed in the United States to assess more "rational talk."
The study examines the role of honor in negotiations and was designed to complement the "rational" Western model of dialogue and to better serve honor cultures. The new proposed honor model—based on models found in many Arabic-speaking populations—illustrates the linguistic processes that facilitate creativity in negotiation agreements in the United States and Egypt.