[CLOSED] Online Assessment 8 - Manners and Etiquette

Dear Cross-Cultural Business Communication Students,

Task 8

This Thursday we look at Manners and Etiquette.  Manners refer to a polite way of behaving, whilst etiquette to the rules and conventions of a specific culture.  

Examples of manners include saying "please" and "thank you", not taking food from another's bowl, holding the door for someone behind you, etc.  These things are considered polite EVERYWHERE in the world.

Etiquette examples include addressing the leader first in China or the lowest ranked person first in Thailand, tipping in a restaurant, using only the soup spoon for soup, offering food or drink to a house guest etc.  These things are considered appropriate in SPECIFIC cultures.

I would like students to think about the following situations and how the etiquette differs between Mainland Chinese and an external culture's style.  Please one of these:

Waiting for a bus
Tipping a taxi driver
Going to the bathroom
Smoking in public areas
Dating
Dining and Eating
Wedding etiquette

Please reply in this thread

Deadline: Wednesday, 24th September 2014  
After that day the task will be locked.  If you reply after that date, then you will get half marks.  Better than nothing!

Although people from different cultures can communicate with each other available more and more, there still have etiquette differences that we couldn't ignore. Like waiting for a bus, people in China will rush into the bus even push people before them away aside. But people from external culture, especially Europe or America, people will stand at the right side and form in a line, go into the bus one by one when the bus stop.

there was an experience when i was doing business with a foreigner, but i forgot he was a foreigner. I quoted him the price in the way of RMB. And then, he said that price was too high and went away. That was a mistake. Cause i am a Chinese , i am custom to the way of using RMB rather than US dollar. And that foreigner thought the price in a US dollar way.

waiting for a bus
for the mainland Chinese, most of them will cut in the line and want to get on the bus as quickly as possibly. However, for people from other cultures like American, they will line up to wait the bus.
Tipping a taxi driver
For most of mainland Chinese, they are not accustomed to giving tip to the driver while foreigners especially people in the west usually do
smoking in the public
Chinese people are tend to smoke in the public. Because that was not banned by the law. But American people would not smoke publicly.
wedding etiquette
Influenced by the long history of Chinese tradition. Chinese people would like to hold a rather traditional wedding, for example, holding a grand banquet by inviting all their relatives and friends. The wedding for foreigners is comparably simple.

I would like to talk about something about smoking in public. In the mainland China, people smoke everywhere: restaurants, trains, KTV,hospitals...They never think of other people's feeling. God, it smells bad! And it is really harmful for people who can smell it. But on the contrary, in a foreign country like Singapore, smoking in public is not allowed. If you do so, you will be fined. In my opinion, it is really necessary for the Chinese government to make it a regulation to prohibit smoking in public.

As we know, queue up in order is necessary, specially, when we wait for a bus, because not only it can save more time but also it is a kind of ethics. However, compare to other cultures, too much mainland Chinese prefer to jump a queue in order to get on the bus, particularly, when they are in urgency. In my mind, it is foolish to waste time to queue up. Instead, if they can succeed in jumping a queue and getting on their bus, they believe that they are pretty right.

I’d like to talk about the difference of going to the bathrooms in mainland China and in foreign countries, say, America.
I can still well remember when I was in the US, I was always willing to go to the bathroom when I was outside even though I was not really reaching the point that have to. Because the bathrooms in America are so clean and without “funny” smell! And I even enjoyed doing my makeup there! There are even couches in the restroom. In contrast, after holding it to the point that it can no longer be held, waiting in a long queue to go to the disgusting, messy, horrible toilet every time makes me feel so SICK. BTW, there is no toilet paper in the bathrooms, hello?!
Well, the difference between developed country and developing country is received. There is still a long way for China to improve itself.

In the most mainland China, people don't have the hobby to give tips. When they call for a taxi, they will pay the money depend on the taximeter. In some areas, they may bargain with the driver first in order to get a reasonable price, because some of drivers will raise the price on purpose. However, in some external countries, people would like to tip a taxi driver to show their respect. But it doesn't mean that Chinese people are not polite in this way, just because of different cultures and they show they respect in heart.

I would like to talk about the etiquette of tipping a taxi driver between Mainland Chinese and Americans.
In China, for tipping is not a must in Chinese culture, people barely tipe the taxi drivers. Instead, they just pay what they gotta pay as the taximeter shows. Whereas in Amercian, for tipping is a culture, or I should say, it's a must, people should pay the taxi drivers tip about 10%-20% of what they should pay according to the taximeter. What's more, if you get some lunggages in the trunk, you should pay extra more fare. Because tips take up the large part of the taxi driver's income. So we better tip them to show our respect.

The train to Guangzhou is ALWAYS overwhelmingly full of smoke:((((((((((((((((( my nose is allergic to smells and suffers a lot when taking trains. Train has since been a painstaking place for me. There is a so-called smoking areas where come in between the carriages, which never works! As the trains moves, the smoke "wanders around " in the air from the opened door of the smoking area ... hopefully that could be improved. Inhaling smoke is more harmful than you smoke it. American has a law forbidden smoking in the public area and a high tax for tabacco that only those rich could afford them. Most importantly, americans know that smoking would no other than be detrimental to their health, which is what really keeps american from smoking.

well, I would like to talk about the etiquette of waiting for a bus between china and America,though I haven't been there before.I'm really tired of waiting for a bus in china, no matter in a big city or small place since the people are equally in a large quantity.Sometimes when you are rush for doing something you have to squeeze onto the bus in a rude manner, that's the most unwilling things I don't wanna do.But sometimes you just have no way but to do it.However, In America or many other foreign countries,no matter in what place, people always wait in a queue.Everything in America seems in a good order.As for the people outside this country, they will treat it as a reflection of their culture and a matter of artistic appreciation.So generally speaking, we do need do something to solve this problem and try to improve the individual educational quality of ourselves.

I wanna talk about tipping a taxi driver. In China, we don't need to give tips to a taxi driver or even a waiter. There isn't such a kind of culture that you should pay for their services. This doesn't mean that we Chinese are very mean or impolite, and it doesn't mean that we are not satisfied about their services. This is just because of our culture. While in western country such as America, tipping others who serves you is not only a good manner that show you are appreciated about their services, but also a kind of culture. In my opinion, this kind of manner in America shows that America is a country that care more about people's work and respect every individual from any life of society.

Well, in mainland China, people can smoke everywhere if there is no smoking forbidden sign in a place. So you can see everythere people are smoking, like restaurants, parks, parking areas and so on. But there is some special place people can't smoke, like bus, library. Actually, the Chinese people will not smoke in such places. But in contrary, the foreigner can smoke only in the smoking allow area, and they will not smoke in the public place. And they will not let other people to smoke the second-hand somking. But Chinese people never think of the other people. This is a pity and I hope more and more public place will not allow people smoke.

I'm going to talk about waiting for a bus in mainland China . Many Chinese people always try to jump the queue . They are not accustomed to line up . When bus is coming , many people will push others in order to get a seat . In addition , the buses are very crowded just like a honeycomb in rushing hours . Sometimes ,you will wait more than 10 minutes to take a bus .

I would like to talk about smoking in public areas. You know, in china, people smoke everywhere they want, but now there are some restaurants forbid people smoking. Therefor , they have to smoke outside or in the toilet. While in western country or even Hongkong, Macau, they don't smoke in the public area. That's really nice. I hope young people should not smoke.

The geographic division causes differences in dining and eating between Mainland China and Western Countries. Firstly, in China, we mainly eat rice while western countries prefer to the meet and fried food. As for the tools, we Chinese people is fond of using chopsticks and spoons while western countries likes folks and knives. Because China stresses the spirit of collectivism, when having dinner with our friends or family members, we will share the food in the same plates. However, western people just eat the food on their own plate because of the idea of individualism. In China, men are suppose to pay the bills while the western people pay their own bills. There's an another difference about the tipping. Chinese has no custom of tipping others while western people is accustomed to tip others.

I hate people smoking in public. In Mainland Chinese, people smoke everywhere, like parks, buses, restuarants even toliets. My father is a smoker. I have ever written a letter to him about stopping smoking for our family. He did but only two weeks and he still smoke at home. mom and me feel so uncomfortable when my dad smoke. we just silent because here is China. fathers are at a higer class in a family in China.
But just in Macau, if people there smoke in public or do something bad to the public, they will be fined. That is good, I think. I have been there for 3 times. I have never seen anyone smoke there. I like their policy. I always dream of if I were in Macau because I hate people smoke.

I choose this topic because I have many opinions in it. Ignoring the other areas,we only focus on the No.7 bus. I feel so sorry about it. Why? As a university student, we are educated to improve our personal quality from middle school to university.But no one would be willing to line up to wait for the bus. Every time the bus comes, a crowed of people try their best to get on the bus. That's very rude to do that. And we also create an opportunity for the thief to stlole our money. But in the western countries, lining up is necessary and polite.What we should do is trying to learn the good behaviors from other countries' culture.

dating etiquette in china is more simple, if you are dating with a girl you like, you'd better arrive early and be sure you have enough money to pay for the bill(hah, Chinese men are afraid losing their face). while dating, it's disrespectful for a lady ask about the salary and family information. but in china men pay little attention to their dress no matter when their dating. “date” in china has a different meaning than in america, in china, "date" happens between the lover, they have already defined the relationship. while in america, "date" means you wanna have a further understand of each other. also question others"are you dating someone" quite normal, an american dating a boy or a girl doesn't mean they have already define the relationship, it takes time for them to define it. dating in america is more open and free, while in china, there still some rules you must abide by.

I would like to talk something about smoking in public areas. In mainland China, people smokes everywhere no matter when they want. You can see they smoke at the bus, the train and restaurant and so on. The smokers don’t care about people around them, just enjoy their cigarette. But in other cultures, people smoke in the public area may get fined. Honestly speaking, I sincerely hope that Chinese can learn from other cultures and then improve our sense of responsibility.

Different country has different culture, for instance, smoking in public areas. Each country has its rules or laws. In China, people smoke everywhere, but nobody says against it, even there's no law to rule it. however, in Britain, there's bans to standard people's behavior. If you want to smoke, you can go to smoking sections. Now, there're many smoking sections in some large public areas, but it need every one to rule themselves.

I would like to talk about the smoking issue in public.In mainland China,it's not a shame for some people to smoke in the public,even there is a no-smoking area with the "no smoking" sign,and they litter cigarette ends around at liberty.for mon-smoker,it's smelly and secondhand smoke is a known risk factor for diseases.however, in New Zealand,people will get fined if they smoke in the no-smoking area.
"heal the world, make it a better place,for you and for me and the entire human race"--just do something..

About waiting for a bus, in China, people wait for bus standing everywhere, just around the station, no fixed line and specific position. When the bus which they want to take is coming, most of them usually crowd into the bus without in order of arrival, especially in rush hour.
However, people get used to line up in Europe, whenever the number of people and the time. If there are the old or with child, they will give the way firstly.
In the future, I hope the bad situation can be changed to better and better.

etiquette is different from each country.I will take waiting for a bus for example. In China, when people wait for a bus, they hardly will queue up ,but stand messily along the streets.and then they compete against each other for seats. however, in some foreign countries,it is difficult for you to see this situation. the foreigner will line up for waiting for a bus. these are the different etiquettes from waiting for a bus perspective.

Waiting for a bus
Mainland people usually stand in front of the bus station and usually randomly. And when the bus comes, people rush into the bus.
In America, people usually stand in line. People will get on the bus one by one.
I know it may be embarrassed seeing people rushing into the bus. But I think the design of the bus station is not so good and people do not form a habit to line up. And some of the people from some far away village and they don't know queue up.