Face Negotiation Script

Face-Negotiation Theory

According to our textbook, theorist Stella Ting-Toomey (1988) believes The Face-Negotiation Theory, "...asserts that members from different cultural backgrounds have various concerns for the 'face' of others. This concern leads them to handle conflict in different ways (West & Turner, 2004, p. 446)." Consequently, two individuals engaged in a debate may interpret each others responses differently due to their cultural background and what they believe to be normal.

"Face-Negotiation Theory assumes that people of every culture are concerned with the presentation of their face (West and Turner, 2004, p. 457)." Our autobiography would most likely be a far cry from a biography of our life. How we go about dealing with conflict may not correspond with how our biographer would deal with conflict. Consequently, the biographer's view is tweaked. "Ting-Toomey asserts that different cultural values exist in dealing with conflict, and these conflictual episodes, in turn, are influenced by the face concerns and face needs of communicators (West & Turner, 2004, p. 457)."

The following script attempts to portray the following: face concern, face-giving, face-restoration, and mutual face.

Cast of Characters

Customer: Caucasian American, 30-year-old male, 6 ft. 2 in., 250 lbs., scruffy beard, bandana, and lip-ring

Customer Service Representative (CSR): Chinese, 25-year-old male, 5 ft. 5 in., 140 lbs., suit and tie, clean-shaven

Setting

A retail electronics store customer service department is the setting for a very irate customer confronting a customer service representative regarding an unacceptable service issue. Our customer has attempted to have his computer fixed at the electronics store twice, and when he after hooking it back up at home, it would not work. He is at his wits end when he walks up to the customer service desk. His behavior is influenced by an individualistic culture while the customer service representative responds with the attitude of a collectivist culture.

Script

CSR: (Smiling) "Good morning, sir; how can I help you?"

Customer: "I'm VERY dissatisfied with the crappy service I've gotten from this company and I want my money back!" [1]

CSR: "I apologize for any inconvenience, sir. Please tell me your experience and I will do my best to come to a satisfactory resolution."

Customer: (Glaring at the CSR) "You need to satisfy me; I'M the customer and I am