Equally important, the survey suggests that professional and occupational
culture may be as important as national culture in shaping a person’s
negotiating style and attitudes toward the negotiation process. If true, this
finding has at least two important implications. First, both scholars and practitioners
need to take into account professional culture, as well as national
culture, in their studies and analysis of the impact of culture on negotiating
behavior. Second, when faced with a cultural difference at the negotiating
table, negotiators from different cultures but similar occupational or professional
backgrounds might seek to rely on the elements of their professional
culture in trying to bridge the cultural gap between them.