“Specific examples” – Final Graded Quiz :International and Cross-Cultural Negotiation (Negotiation, Mediation and Conflict Resolution Specialization) Answers 2026

Question 1

When negotiating with EU officials, what can you least expect?

• ❌ Treachery, dishonesty and below-the-table tactics

• ❌ Intractable decision-making processes

• ✅ Bribery and corruption

Explanation

EU institutions are built on procedural fairness, transparency, and legality. Corruption and bribery are least expected and strongly sanctioned.

Question 2

How would you best describe the negotiation style of European Commission civil servants?

• ❌ Consensus-driven

• ❌ Cooperative usually

• ✅ Check assumptions and prejudice; pay close attention to the person, unit interests, and political salience.

Explanation

There is no single EU negotiation style. Effectiveness requires contextual analysis, not stereotypes.

Question 3

What trait of Chinese negotiators can be destabilizing for Europeans?

• ❌ High-context communication style alone

• ❌ Importance of gift-giving and entertainment

• ✅ Reliance on non-committal tactics that create uncertainty

Explanation

Non-committal language and delayed clarity make reporting and mandate management difficult for European negotiators.

Question 4

Building strong ‘guanxi’ is best achieved by:

• ✅ Showing care for your counterpart’s comfort and well-being

• ❌ Insisting on frequent handshakes

• ❌ Sharing detailed family histories

Explanation

Guanxi is built through consideration, respect, and long-term signals, not physical gestures or intrusive personal questions.

Question 5

How are US diplomats usually perceived by other countries?

• ❌ “Tough but fair”

• ✅ “American interests first, the rest second”

• ❌ “A benevolent hegemony”

Explanation

The US is often seen as interest-driven and assertive, prioritizing national objectives.

Question 6

Which profession most influenced the US negotiation style?

• ❌ Blacksmith

• ❌ Grape-pickers

• ✅ Lawyers

Explanation

US negotiations emphasize contracts, precision, written commitments, and enforceability.

Question 7

What skill best advances negotiations in Middle Eastern cultures?

• ❌ Time management

• ❌ Quality time

• ✅ Patience

Explanation

Time is relational, not transactional; patience signals respect and seriousness.

Question 8

What should you expect when building strong personal relationships?

• ✅ Invest personal time beyond formal meetings

• ✅ Allow personal questions and openness

• ❌ Accept invitations to a hammam

Explanation

Trust grows through time and openness, but cultural myths (like hammam rituals) should be avoided.

Question 9

Main lessons from COP21 (Paris Climate Conference, 2015):

• ❌ Use others’ concerns to push your agenda

• ✅ Prepare thoroughly, build trust early, listen actively, clarify mandate, pace yourself

• ❌ Exploit adversary weaknesses

Explanation

COP21 succeeded through preparation, trust-building, inclusiveness, and endurance, not confrontation.

Question 10

Multilateral negotiations are best characterized by:

• ✅ Organizational complexity

• ✅ Chair-led consensus management

• ✅ Stakeholder scrutiny and transparency

Explanation

Multilateral negotiations are complex because of scale, coordination needs, and public visibility.

🧾 Summary Table