Investigating Malaysian Business Negotiation Discourse: An Ethnographic Journey

Leong Yaw Kuen

Abstract


This paper reports on a study, which investigates the sales negotiation strategies of Malaysian sales professionals. The aim of this paper is to provide some insights into the methodology used to make sense of the strategies that are used. In particular, the discussion focuses on issues and challenges, which had emerged in the research process, and on my attempts at overcoming or resolving the methodological problems. A first-hand account of the ethnographic research process and experience is provided. The ethnographic journey is punctuated by constraints, blunders, unanticipated difficulties, problems and anxieties associated with participant observations of in-situ face-to-face sales negotiation and occasionally, serendipity. Through this sharing of the ‘ups-and downs’ in the research process, I hope that would-be ethnographers are alerted to some of the contingencies and problems that are prevalent in ethnographic-oriented research of this kind and thus, would be forewarned and better equipped to deal with such similar problems.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Arksey, H. & Knight, P. (1999). Interviewing for social scientists: An introductory resource with examples. London: Sage.

Atkinson, J.M. and Heritage, J. (Eds.) (1984). Structures of Social Action: Studies in Conversation Analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Bhatia, V.K. (1993). Analysing genre: language use in professional settings. London: Longman Group U.K. Limited.

Bhatia, V.K. (2002). “Professional discourse: Towards a multi-dimensional approach and shared practice”. In Candlin (Ed.) Research and practice in professional discourse ( pp. 39-56). Hong Kong: City University of Hong Kong Press.

Charles, M. (1996). "Business negotiations: Interdependence between discourse and the business relationship". English for Specific Purposes, vol.15, no.1, pp. 19-36

Cottle, S (2001). "Contingency, blunders and serendipity in news research: tales from the field". The European Journal of Communication Research, vol. 26, no.2, pp.149-167

Druckman, D. (1977). Negotiations: Social psychological perspectives. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

Ehlich, K & Wagner, J (Eds.) (1995). The discourse of business negotiation. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.

Fetterman, D.M. (1989). Ethnography step by step. Newbury Park: Sage.

Firth, A. (1995). The discourse of negotiation: studies of language in the workplace. Oxford: Pergamon.

Flick, U. (1998). An introduction to qualitative research. London: Sage.

Gulliver, P.H. (1979). Disputes and negotiations: a cross-cultural perspective. New York: Academic Press.

Gulliver, P.H. (1988). "Anthropological contributions to the study of negotiation". Negotiation Journal, vol. 4, no.3.

Hair, J.E., Jr., Notturno, F.L., & Russ, F.A. (1991). Effective selling. Cicinnati: South-western Publishing Co.

Ikle, F.C. (1964). How nations negotiate. New York: Harper and Row.

Jefferson, G. (1979). A technique for inviting laughter and its subsequent acceptance/declination, in G. Psathas (Ed.). Everyday language: studies in ethnomethodology . (pp. 79-96) New York : Irvington.

Maynard, D.W. (1984). Inside plea bargaining. The language of negotiation. New York : Plenum.

Pesce, V (1983). A complete manual of professional selling. Eaglewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc.

Silverman, D. (2001). Interpreting qualitative data. London: Sage.

Stein, J.G. (Ed.) (1989). Getting to the table. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press.

Zartman, I.W. (1975). "Negotiations: theory and reality". Journal of international affairs. vol.9, pp.69-77.

Zartman, I.W. (1989). In search of common elements in the analysis of the negotiation process. In Mautner- Markhof, F. (Ed.), Processes on international negotiations. pp. 241-255. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


 

 

 

eISSN : 2550-2131

ISSN : 1675-8021