Developing Intercultural Negotiations Skills to Meet Current Challenges of Diverse Eu Business Environment as Part of University Social Responsibility

Abstract

Rapid internationalization of the European business environment requires development of international project and team management, intercultural internal and external communications, conflict management skills, etc. These skills, in their turn, involve negotiation process (strategical, tactical and ethical aspects) and cross-cultural proficiency. Development of such skills could be regarded as responsibility of the university. The purpose of the present study is to research MBA students' attitude to different negotiation tactics depending on their cultural background. The tasks of the study are: (1) to establish the theoretical framework (theories, concepts, research paradigms); (2) to work out the research design and conduct the research; (3) to interpret empirical results and work out proposal-a free standing mini-module "Intercultural negotiation skills" for the university. The main research method applied is a survey using 5-point Likert scale. Using a questionnaire derived based on SINS scale ("Self-reported Inappropriate Negotiation Strategy Scale" created by R. J. Robinson, R. J. Lewicki and E. M. Donahue) 88 MBA students of the Latvian universities rated 16 negotiation tactics on a 5-point appropriate-inappropriate scale. Analyses of scale ratings yielded results that students' evaluation of negotiation tactics did not depend on cultural background (the research was conducted among international students) in statistically significant way, though there were differences in responses within evaluation of certain statements. The article works out suggestions how to incorporate issues of intercultural negotiation strategies within courses.

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