International Negotiations

International Negotiations Trainer’s Notes © Cambridge University Press 2012

www.cambridge.org/elt/internationalnegotiations

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1A Preparing to negotiate

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6 

Make sure trainees understand the word stereotype. Trainees then discuss the questions in 

pairs and then share their ideas with the class, including their experiences of false stereotypes. 

Finally, tell them to compare their ideas and experiences with those in the commentary on 

page 60.

Background note

A stereotype is based on the incorrect assumption that every person from a particular 

culture will behave in a particular way. In fact, although we are of course influenced by 

our cultures, there is wide variety within each culture. Also, we each belong to many 

cultures, related to, for example, the type of organisation we work for, our jobs within 

that organisation, our age, our gender, our family situation, etc., as well as our national 

cultures. For example, a Japanese sales representative may have more in common 

culturally with an Italian sales representative than with, say, a Japanese computer 

programmer.