An analysis of the persuasion strategies used by Japanese and American business persons

The central concern of this study was to examine and to describe persuasion strategies used by Japanese and American business persons. Data were collected by the technique of role-playing in the three fictional cases. First, as a preliminary study, data collected were analyzed by the framework of speech act categories, most of which were taken from Edmondson’s categories (1981). Second, detailed persuasion strategies in performing various acts were selected and categorized on the basis of two objectives to be accomplished. These two objectives were Instrumental and interpersonal Objectives. Third, typical act sequences of the three role-playing cases were analyzed according to types of persuasion strategies and their narrative structures. In addition to the persuasion strategies in the speech act level, conscious and unconscious execution of linguistic and paralinguistic elements, such as uses of honorifics, address forms, and hedges were introduced. While the American and Japanese business people demonstrated similar persuasion strategies, careful analysis of data suggested that an American value of respecting individuality was reflected in strategies used by the American business people, and that one’s rank or status, or power relative to others, affected the choice of strategies used by the Japanese business people.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Teaching English as a Second Language

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

1985

Author dc:creator

• Matsuura, Hiroko

Contributors dc:contributor

• Bachman, Lyle F.

• Teaching English as Second Language
• Persuasion Strategies Japanese Business Communication
• American Business Communication
• Interpersonal Communication

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright owned by the author.

Language dc:language

eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/125906

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/125906