stressing the dignity, rights, and achievements of the individual and the space and freedom of the individual. Americans in business own farms, factories, companies, and their biggest enterprises are privately owned, while in China, most enterprises are still state-owned. At work, Americans have private offices or they may have an individual cubicle. At home, even small children have their own room. In China, people can work together in the same room and share their homes with many family members. The work environment and the reward systems cannot ignore these differences but must accommodate them.
             People's willingness to express themselves and take risks is different. Americans are open-minded, straightforward, and easy-going. They have rich facial expressions, revealing to some extent whether they are happy or unhappy and whether they have done their business successfully or unsuccessfully. Americans can more easily say "no" and are more likely to show their frustrations and anger when things are not working out. In negotiations, Americans can be more than emphatic in their demands; some use drama as a ploy. The Chinese on the other hand, are rather introverted and conservative, and they don't reveal their feelings easily. They treasure something inside. It's hard for them to say "no" if others ask them to do a favor. The Chinese are more subtle and indirect in their behavior. As a result, it's not always easy to tell if they are happy (or agree) with a particular suggestion or part of a negotiation. The Chinese prefer to seem agreeable. Their inclination to avoid disagreements can be problematic. Americans should not assume that a Chinese counterpart has agreed with a negotiation simply because he or she has not "disagreed."
             In China, when people meet with each other socially, they just shake hands. They are not accustomed to hugging, especially between male and female. In business, greetings are accompanied by exchange of name...