In 2006, Business Culture 17 included Japanese business culture.

The following is American business culture.

1. On Cultural Differences from the Breakup between Lin Yutang and Pearl Buck

Lin Yutang and Pearl Buck have cooperated for many years, and Pearl Buck is Lin Yutang's publisher. Lin Yutang therefore felt that he had a deep friendship with Pearl Buck, so when Lin Yutang wanted to invent a Chinese typewriter but was short of funds, he borrowed money from Pearl Buck. Unexpectedly, he was rejected. He was puzzled and broke up with Pearl Buck. This incident illustrates the cultural differences between China and the United States.

People in China think that friendship can be found if they get along with each other for a long time, while Americans lack the concept of friendship, and Americans stress interests.

It is a mutually beneficial act for Pearl Buck to help Lin Yutang publish a book. Lin Yutang earned the manuscript fee, won the reputation, and Pearl Buck made a fortune. Later, after falling out with Pearl Buck, Lin Yutang felt that he had suffered a loss, and the royalty was only 10%, not 50%. Lin Yutang may think that she and Pearl Buck should be equal partners, so she should take half. However, publishers have distribution channels and control the market, and they take most of the profits. Whether you like it or not, this has always been the status quo in America, which is why everyone wants to be their own boss. So far, the royalty standard in the United States is still 8% to 12%. So Lin Yutang doesn't have to feel cheated. If he feels cheated, according to the American idea, he should change publishers.

Lin Yutang is obviously not used to such thinking. Lin Yutang's idea may be that I will help you make money now and you will help me make money later.

Lin Yutang borrowed money from Pearl Buck to invent a Chinese typewriter, which is different from borrowing living expenses. The amount of living expenses is often small and the cycle is usually short. Borrowing money for invention is similar to borrowing money for business. The loan amount is often large and the repayment period is usually long.

Pearl S. Buck probably looks at this matter from a commercial point of view, thinking that the new invention is risky and unwilling to borrow it, which is normal. Later, the typewriter invented by Lin Yutang did not produce any profit.

Lin Yutang doesn't have to be angry with Pearl Buck, and he doesn't have to regret his association with Pearl Buck. If Pearl Buck hadn't helped him publish a book, she wouldn't have had a later position. There are many people in China who write very well. Lin Yutang is still remembered today mainly because Pearl Buck helped him write several English books, because there are only a handful of writers in China who can write English books.

It's not that Americans can't communicate, but they should know their thinking habits when they communicate. China is a superpower in history, so its values have influenced other countries in the world. But now that China is a developing country, other countries will not be influenced by China's values, but by American values. So China can't export friendship any more. When dealing with other countries and people from other countries, we should put interests first. * * * The same interests can make up for cultural differences.

Second, pay attention to "cheap" or "good quality"

I once chatted with a domestic friend online, and he asked me if I could get him a software project in America. He knows several students from Tianjin University who can make this software project at a very cheap price.

As we all know, there are many software projects outsourced by the United States, but most of them are outsourced to India. There are many software talents in China, but it is difficult to get American business. Many people think that this is because the English level of China people is poor, which is really the main reason, but there is another reason, that is, China people don't understand the American way of thinking. For example, if you have a relative who is sick and needs a doctor to operate, an Indian hospital says, "Come and see us. The doctors in our hospital have many years of rich experience and have done at least ten similar operations, all of which are very successful, and the cost is 30% lower than that of American hospitals. " Another hospital in China will say, "Come to us, it's the cheapest to have surgery here, and the cost is 70% lower than that in American hospitals, because we all let medical students do it."

Which hospital would you choose?

For an American, there is no doubt that he will choose an Indian hospital. Although China Hospital is cheaper, medical students are allowed to operate. Do they have experience? Won't my relatives be their guinea pigs?

Choosing a software company is the same as choosing a hospital. Americans not only consider the cost, but also whether the other party has experience and can complete the task as required.

The friend at the beginning of the article doesn't understand American thinking, and of course he can't get American software projects.

If we understand the thinking of Americans, the China Hospital in the example can say, "The doctors in our hospital have rich experience in surgery. We have had more than ten operations like your relatives, and each operation was very successful. And I can give you the phone numbers of these patients, you can verify them yourself, and our cost is lower than that of Indian hospitals. "

Such a statement is not afraid of not receiving American business. If you don't understand American thinking, you will lose many opportunities.

Third, make big money with a dollar store.

A few years ago, a friend and I discussed opening a dollar store. We studied together for a long time, and finally decided to open a dollar store to earn 50 thousand a year. At that time, I felt that earning this figure would not make a fortune and it was not worth giving up my job.

But it was later discovered that some people made a fortune by opening a dollar store in the United States. When we calculate the income of a dollar store, we only calculate the annual profit, but ignore the value of the store itself.

According to American thinking, if the store can make money continuously, then the store itself is very valuable. If the current interest rate of ten-year bonds is 5%, how much principal does it take to get 50 thousand yuan interest? The answer is one million. If your store can also generate a profit of 50,000 yuan a year, then your store is worth/kloc-0.0 million yuan.

If you only have one store, others may not want to spend1100,000, because the business risk is very high, and you can earn 50,000 this year, but you may not be able to earn it next year. But if you can open more stores and turn them into chain stores, Americans will think that your business risks are greatly reduced. At this time, your shop must be valuable. Chain stores have produced the effect that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and the value of each store is higher than that when it is operated alone.

Dollar General, a listed company in the United States, has opened 6,865,438+07 chain stores, and each store earns about $50,000 a year on average. Its total market value is US$ 6.8 billion, which is equivalent to US$ 0.0-0.0 million per store. The man who runs this chain store has made a fortune.

In fact, China people have an advantage in opening a dollar store, because everything with a dollar is imported from China. But why don't China people open a dollar store to make a fortune? The reason is that China people are unwilling to cooperate. They feel that cooperation with others is easy to suffer indignities and be deceived, and they only trust their families. Therefore, the usual practice of China people is to open a dollar store, and then close it after earning some money in a few years. Unexpectedly, they will open a new store to replicate the successful business model, and as a result, they will pick up sesame seeds and lose watermelon.

Visible, according to the thinking of China people can't make a lot of money, in the hands of Americans, through the operation of the capital market, can still make a lot of money. China people should be as rich as Americans, and their ideas must be modernized.

Fourth, treat carelessness with "carelessness"

When I first joined the American company, the company required employees to wear suits and ties. At that time, I was not used to red tape, and my working hours were not long. One day, I drove to work and found that I forgot to tie my tie on the way. Going back to get it means being late. It is more important to go to class on time. I was very nervous at that time, afraid of being scolded by my boss. When I got to class, I greeted my boss several times that day, but he didn't mention my tie. I can't help feeling happy. It seems that the boss is also a careless person. The next day, after I tied my tie and went to class, the boss smiled and said, you didn't forget to bring it today. It turned out that the boss's "carelessness" the day before was intentional. He didn't point it out because he didn't want to affect my mood. I can't help but admire the careful consideration of Americans, because the atmosphere is relaxed and the parties will no longer have mental burdens.

Five, also do business at a loss.

Chinese living in America will notice such a phenomenon. If you pay by credit card when shopping in China, they will ask you to spend at least 15 yuan. It seems that they have a point. The credit card company will charge the merchant a handling fee. With less consumption, China Merchants Bank will feel that it can't make money after paying the fees of the credit card company.

You can go to American stores to buy things, even a few cents of salt, you can still buy it with a credit card. Why is this? Because American companies are willing to lose money on a few transactions, as long as most transactions make money. Some people say that some people do business with broken ends and no one does business at a loss. In fact, the loss-making business can also be done, as long as it can make up for the loss from the earned part.

American stores allow customers to return goods, which is a loss-making business, but it has won people's hearts, and customers spend more in these stores. Therefore, the China store is not as big as the American store, because China merchants can't do business at a loss.

Sixth, solve problems with process instead of moral preaching.

Why is this? Some publications or websites require the author to give a month. If there is no reply, the manuscript will be handled by itself. But the works also have adolescence, and many articles are very timely. Let the work wait for a month, just like let a girl wait for ten years to find her husband's family. Many authors are naturally unwilling.

After arriving in the United States, I found that no one had ever called for two articles, but I didn't find any articles appearing in two journals at the same time. How did Americans solve this problem?

Americans usually attribute social problems to process, not human morality. To solve the problem, it is necessary to re-examine the operation process and prevent the problem by changing the operation process.

To solve the problem of two contributions for one manuscript with American ideas, we can look at the solution to another problem first. When looking for a job, I can't afford to wait. You may send resumes to a hundred companies, but you won't work in two or more companies. Why? When you send your resume to the company, it only shows that you are interested in working in this company, but it does not mean that you have made a commitment. If this company wants you, you must go. When any company really wants to hire you, it needs to contact you again, and you can only promise one. In this way, there will be no situation in which one woman marries two.

Similarly, when a writer contributes to a publication, he should only show his interest in publishing it. If the publishing house really decides to use this manuscript, it will send a contract to the author and even notify the author by email. When you get a contract signed by the writer or an email reply, this is the writer's authorization. If a writer authorizes two publications, the publishing house can sue the writer according to the contract, and no writer will get into such a dilemma. Similarly, when a writer contributes to a publication, he should only show his interest in publishing it. If the publishing house really decides to use this manuscript, it will send a contract to the author and even notify the author by email. When you get a contract signed by the writer or an email reply, this is the writer's authorization. If a writer authorizes two publications, the publishing house can sue the writer according to the contract, and no writer will get into such a dilemma.

If the process changes, the problem will be solved. China people should learn this way of thinking and improve their ability to solve problems.