International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Impact Factor (2012): 3.358 Volume 3 Issue 6, June 2014 www.ijsr.net Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY Influence of Culture on Negotiation Style Rukevwe Juliet Olughor Ajayi Crowther University Department of Business Administration P.M.B. 1066 Oyo, Nigeria Abstract: This study empirically examines the influence of organizational culture on negotiation style. The focus was on university students with experience in Business and Business managers in Lagos and Ibadan metropolitan using the Organizational Culture Inventory (OCI) designed to measure three cultural dimensions: constructive, passive defensive, and aggressive defensive. The study adopted a survey research design to explore the impact. Primary data was collected through questionnaire administration from230 respondents. Results indicate that the value of constructive for negotiation style 0.446 significant at r= 0.01% which shows the high significance of the relations. The value for passive defensive is 0.437 (r= 0.01%). While value for aggressive defensive 0.373 with r=0.01%. As all the values of organizational culture have significant positive impact on Negotiation styles. Keywords: Organizational culture, constructive, passive defensive, aggressive defensive, Negotiation style. 1. Introduction Negotiation is a very sensitive issue. Managers as well as individuals in whatever field are face with the role of planning, leading and drawing on negotiation process for successful achievement of organization goals. The complexity of negotiation stem from the fact that people are not similar and thus behave differently due to regulations, practices, standards and particularly the culture which they belong. Negotiation is a daily occurrence among two or more persons which may result into a conflict. In the present world, the extent of negotiation in business, education, administration, and politics is steadily on the increase and parties involved are trying to reach an agreement which will bring them a mutual benefit (Acuff, 2008). To actualize this goal, interlocutors bring together the different individual attitudes and try to create a situation which will enable creation, maintenance and further development of the relationship (Krasulja, et al., 2012) by taken into account cultural factors of negotiators. Managerial practices and human existence in whatever settings is found to relay to culture which is viewed as values, ideas, attitudes and symbols that shape human behavior and are passed on from one generation to the next. Thus culture is what people and organizations build and nurture. It relates to the totality of knowledge and practice, intellectual, material and immaterial environment, of a particular society or specific group. Consequently, culture is pertinent as a part of the external environment, as well as the internal environment of the organization. As culture is a major element of cross national boundaries, it is therefore necessary to be acquainted with its effects on business negotiation. The purpose of this study is to investigate students of higher learning and business practitioner’s concepts of negotiation in intercultural settings, and to see to what extent their cultural values affects their styles of negotiation. In the world where almost everybody is connected owing to developments in technology and communications, international business, much of which involves negotiation, have led to situation where citizens, organizations and governments engage in cross-national interactions. Is it starting a joint partnership, exportation and importation of goods and services, getting entertainment band to play locally or on tour abroad? Consequently, there arises the need to develop machinery and skills to manage the interchange which is as a result of the dependent of one nation on the other. At the national level, policies must address, and if possible, resolve tensions between the often divergent interests of an array of stakeholders (Alfredson and Cungu, 2008). For instance, business practitioners, trade union members and environmental interest groups as well as both local and national governments. A country’s government concern for balancing completing objectives related to matters of economic interest, resource allocation as well as upholding national commitments related to international law and commerce (Alfredson and Cungu, 2008) almost often times results in miscommunication and misunderstandings, it becomes increasingly important that we study cultural influences on negotiation. 2. Statement of Problem Culture is not genetically inherited, and cannot exist on its own, but is always shared by members of a society (Hall 1976, p. 16). Most countries including Nigeria have multiple ethnic groups which have different cultural value systems that are presumed to influence directly on the individual’s behavior. When communication arises between people they hardly discuss specifically about the same subject, because effective meaning is flavored by each person’s own cognitive world and cultural conditioning (Jalal Ali). Thus, communication is deeply rooted in culture. So far, most of negotiation research was done within Western cultures, which makes the generalizability of findings across cultures problematic as emotional processes and negotiation behaviors are not universal but rather predicated on specific cultural norms. Consequently, to stimulate negotiation among conflicting parties, negotiators have failed to recognize that cultural values may affect the styles and strategy of communication. Hollensen (2001) opined that business lacking awareness of cultural difference can have a negative impact on the success of such business. Negotiation research can benefit greatly from cross-cultural perspectives. Culture gives influences such as the ways in Paper ID: 13051405 653