Analysis Question Number 2

When negotiating with Iran, there are many factors to consider involving nonverbal communication. One is the idea of cultural space. While it may not seem like an important issue, different cultures have different ideas about boundaries and challenging these ideas can only be detrimental for the United States. There is a humorous example of this in "Seinfeld", where due to a colassal misunderstanding, an entire business transaction fails because an American refused to shake a Japanese man's hand. Understanding how the Iranians use space will prove very valauble in negotiations.

The use of silence is also a key aspect to consider. Stereotypically, Americans are very loud and boisterous, some would call us obnoxious. Some cultures who view Americans' behavior sum it up as "Americans just never stop talking". On the contrary, Iran, which is more of a low-context culture, might value ponderance and reflection, which usually requires a silence not found in the American way of business. There was a story in the textbook about an American and European student, who both claimed that they did not learn anything after being in the other culture because of a difference in the way the other culture utilized silence. Similarly, if both the Americans and Iranians are baffled at why the other culture is talking too much/too little, this could severely slow down the negotiation process.