Chinese businesspersons are extremely sensitive to protecting and enhancing face.
The Chinese sensitivity to face is a result of their emphasis on enduring relation
ships and social networks. The hundreds of phrases in the Chinese language
describing face demonstrate the sophistication of the Chinese conceptualization of
face and related behaviors. For the businessperson, saving face and giving face are
the most important face-related skills. Chinese businesspersons use various com
munication strategies in order to save face and give face, including indirectness,
intermediaries, praising, requests, and shaming. Western businesspersons can pre
pare to operate effectively in the Chinese business environment by learning about
the Chinese conceptualization of face and related communication strategies.
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