Hong Kong - Working and dealing with the Hong Kong Chinese
Objectives
The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Hong Kong Chinese, enabling them to be operational right from the start.
At the end of this training, participants will have acquired insights and techniques to:
- Be aware of their own cultural baggage
- Fully understand the context and the culture of Hong Kong
- Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating
- Reduce stress and misunderstandings
- Decipher and understand decision-making and negotiation processes of the Hong Kong Chinese
Programme Outline
Module 1 : Understanding cultural differences
1. Intercultural awareness : the key to success in international business
- Taking stock of one's own cultural baggage
- The basics of effective intercultural management
- Identifying and going beyond cultural stereotypes
2. Key aspects of Hong Kong Chinese culture
- A westernised micro-society within communist China
- An island province with an extremely high population density
- The challenges of Hong Kong’s transfer to China
- The impact of British domination
- An economy based on trade and technology
3. The impact of values and behaviour patterns on professional dealings and relationships
- A combination of Asian values and Anglo-Saxon traditions
- Hong Kong’s Confucian, Taoist and Buddhist heritage
- A cyclical view of time. Collective space
- The importance of the family and private life
- Chinese thought: harmony is the key
4. The corporate world in Hong Kong
- Rigour, discipline and performance
- Differences in working methods. The notion of quality
- When frenzied liberalism meets extensive state control
- The prevalence of mafia organisations
Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Hong Kong Chinese
1. Effective communication with the Hong Kong Chinese
- Forging relationships: the specific characteristics of guangxi
- The hidden meanings of Yes or No. Correctly interpreting smiles
- Controlling emotions and avoiding confrontations
- Cantonese, Hong Kong English and business
2. Adapting your working methods
- Deference and respect for superiors
- Establishing trust in order to build loyalty
- Creating and passing on skills and know-how
- Saving face and dealing with touchy or sensitive people
3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Hong Kong Chinese
- The art of negotiation
- Understanding the Chinese long-term view
- Perseverance, discipline and precision
- The contract has been signed, but is this the start or the end of negotiations?
4. Final handy tips
- Caution, patience and humility
- Protocol and etiquette
- Social standards, gifts, business cards, dress code, banquet
- Sensitive subjects: politics, history, territory
- The notion of "face": superstition in the business environment
