中美文化差异对商务礼仪的影响摘要:作为世界上两大重要的国家和主要的贸易合作伙伴，如今中美两国的商务活动越来越频繁。然而，当两国进行贸易时，受文化差异的影响所产生的商务礼仪的不同是一个不可忽视的问题。如果不了解对方国家的文化礼仪，两国的商务进程很可能会失败。因此，掌握各国的商务礼仪知识是十分必要的，而且在进行贸易活动之前对这些差异进行研究也是十分值得的。在本文中，作者首先对礼仪做出了定义和概念,介绍其基本的观点，然后再进行深入了解。但是本文的重心则从五个方面分析中美两国商务礼仪的差异，包括首次见面时的礼仪，餐桌礼仪，由于时间、价值观念不同看法，和思维方式的差异带来的礼仪。本文的写作目的是帮助两国的商人了解彼此礼仪的差异，使他们能够在商务进程中做出得体的举止，并尽可能地取得成功。关键词：文化差异，商务礼仪，影响1.IntroductionTherapiddevelopmentofscienceandtechnologyaremakingtheworldsmaller.Therefore,therelationshipamongcountriesisbecomingcloserandcloser,especiallybetweenChinaandAmerica.Duringtheeconomicdevelopmentoftheglobalization,themostobviousphenomenonisthatthebusinessactivitiesbetweenthetwocountriesarebecomingmoreandmorefrequent.However,becauseofthedifferenteconomicbackgrounds,values,andreligiousbeliefsduetoculturaldifferences,thebusinessetiquettediffersfromeachother,whichleadstoconflictsandfrictionsindoingbusiness.Inordertoreducetheconflicts,peopleshouldknowthedifferenceswellinculturesandbusinessetiquettebetweenChinaandAmerica.Inthefollowingstudies,culturaldifferencesandtheirinfluenceoneachcountry’setiquetteondifferentoccasionsaresystematicallypresented.Besides,theauthorgivesseveralcasestoillustratethedifferencesofetiquetteandshowshowimportantforthebusinessmeninbothChinaandAmericatounderstandthosedifferences.2.LiteratureReviewPresently,moreandmorepeoplehaverealizedtheimportanceofbusinessetiquette,thusmanyscholarsengageinstudyinginthisfield.SincethisthesisstudiestheimpactofSino-Americanculturaldifferencesonbusinessetiquette,areviewonthetheoriesofpredecessorsfromtwoaspectsincludingcultureandbusinessetiquetteisindispensable.2.1Theoriesrelatedtoculture2.1.1DefinitionofcultureTherearemanydefinitionsofculture.Theearliestandclassicdefinitionwasputforwardover100yearsagobyTaylor,awell-knownBritishanthropologist,whodefinedcultureas“thatcomplexwholewhichincludesknowledge,belief,art,morals,law,custom,andanyothercapabilitiesandhabitsacquiredbymanasamemberofsociety.”(Taylor,1874:1)Therearemanyotherdefinitionsfromdifferentperspectives,butnevertheless,weareconcernedwiththosewhichareconductivetoourunderstandingoftherelationshipbetweencultureandbusinessetiquette.GeertHofstede,anexpertonmanagementandcross-culturaldifferences,definedcultureas“thecollectiveprogrammingofthemindwhichdistinguishesthemembersofonehumangroupfromanother…Culture,inthissense,includessystemsofvalues，andvaluesareamongthebuildingblocksofculture.”(GeertHofstede,1984)Fromthispointofview,wecanseethatcultureisasystemofvaluesandnormswhicharesharedbyagroupofpeople.Bythosevaluesandnorms,peopleinonegroupcanjudgewhatisgood,right,anddesirable.2.1.2CulturaldifferencesandtheirrootsItisknownthatpeopleacrossnationsandcultureshavedifferentbehaviorsandbeliefs.“Membersofdifferentcultureslookdifferentlyattheworldaroundthem.Somebelievethatthephysicalworldisreal.Othersbelievethatitisjustanillusion.Somebelieveeverythingaroundthemispermanentwhileotherssayitistransient.Realityisnotthesameforallpeople.”(Samovar,Porter&Stefani,2003:33)...
