Cross-cultural negotiation styles in Shandong province, China: the role of cultural and emotional intelligence

Abstract Background In today’s multicultural workplace, the capacity for negotiation is essential for productive interactions. Negotiation is one of the most popular collaborative decision-making techniques across a range of organisational levels and roles. Aims/objectives The aim of this study is to explore the cross-cultural negotiation styles in Shandong Province, China. Methodology This study utilised a quantitative research methodology. The convenient sampling technique was employed. Data was collected from 380 employees in Shandong Province, China. The hypothesised relationships were tested using structural equation modelling. Result The results indicate that cultural values significantly influence negotiation styles and cultural intelligence. Cultural intelligence directly affects negotiation styles and serves as a significant mediator. Emotional intelligence was found to have an insignificant effect on competitive negotiation but significantly impacts cooperative negotiation styles. The mediating effect of emotional intelligence between cultural values and competitive negotiation was insignificant; however, it significantly mediates the relationship between cultural values and cooperative negotiation styles. The moderating effect of emotional intelligence on the relationship between cultural intelligence and competitive negotiation was also insignificant. Conversely, a significant moderating effect of emotional intelligence was observed between cultural intelligence and cooperative negotiation styles. Originality/value The study offers a novel contribution to the field of marketing research by investigating the cross-cultural negotiation styles in Shandong Province, China. Originality lies in the operationalisation of cultural values as a higher-order construct; cultural and emotional intelligence were conceptualised as mediators within the same framework. In addition, emotional intelligence served as a moderator. Managers can foster a learning and development culture by allowing employees to reflect and participate in debriefings following negotiation sessions.