Oooooo O O

Arrangement 1 Arrangement 2

X.The Negotiating Table.

Nonverbal communication is not limited to gestures, touching, and silence. We also communicate by how we arrange furniture and seat people. Seating arrangements in meetings vary greatly from country to country, company to company, and situation to situation. Generally, some countries, such as Japan, prefer seating arrangements that communicate cooperation. Western countries often prefer seating arrangements that communicate competition.

The following diagrams represent four negotiating table arrangements from around the world. Look at each arrangement and answer the questions in terms of each arrangement. Discuss your answers.

X = Person from country X

O = Person from country O