Business negotiation and Taiwanese relationship building: mediated experiences in karaoke singing

Abstract

This paper analyses how the social practice of singing in karaoke bars/KTV boxes has become a communicative ritual for Taiwanese in relationship building, which in turn redefines their business negotiation and practices. Enacted and performed through singing, eating and toasting, this social ritual involves specific occasions, participants and act sequences. It has become a major site for relationship building, one in which content-oriented face-to-face interaction must be reconfigured for the karaoke experience. Talk that allows parties to share their thoughts or negotiate business deals directly are no longer keys to business negotiation, but assume different meaning after people have 'sung together'. Performing such social rituals redefines Taiwanese relationships and business negotiation practices.