Understanding the Cultural Environment: U.S.-U.S.S.R Trade Negotiations.

Recent world events have lead to increased political tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. This fact, as well as significant cultural differences between the two nations, complicates U.S.-U.S.S.R. trade negotiations. This article explores the different attitudes of the two nations and considers some of the cultural variables which influence commercial negotiations. Within this context, the authors examine the Soviet licensing process and present a schema, developed by the Soviets, to illustrate the complexity of the negotiating process and show how it reflects the Soviet's cultural values and perspective. The authors contend that commercial negotiations can be improved if American business people overcome their own ethnocentrism and understand their Soviet counterparts within the context of the Soviet environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]