Author(s): Muhammad Bilal Anwar, Muhammad Rafiq
A crucial negotiation between two corporate behemoths was about to take place in the sprawling metropolis of Tokyo, amidst the tall skyscrapers and busy streets: Packages, a prominent American conglomerate recognized for its cutting-edge technology, and Mitsubishi, he well-known Japanese powerhouse with a history steeped in precision engineering. Executives from both sides assembled in the slick boardroom, their expressions a careful fusion of resolve and strategic calculation, and the air crackled with anticipation. The goal was to create a global joint venture that promised success for both parties as well as the blending of cultures and specialties in an innovative technological project. With a negotiation that could completely change the nature of international cooperation, the stakes were high and the expectations were even higher. Early in May 1993, Mr. Javed Aslam, the Deputy General Manager of Packages Limited, Pakistan (Packages), was thinking back to the joint venture talks his company had been in with Mitsubishi Corporation (Mitsubishi) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in Japan. The talks were about establishing a plant in Hattar, Pakistan, to produce Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) film. The Packages team has not had an easy time negotiating with the Japanese squad over the past year. The parties had given up on reaching a mutually agreeable resolution because talks had repeatedly broken down. As said by Mr. Javed Aslam: “Prior to commencing negotiations with Mitsubishi, we assumed that both parties would be seeking a win-win agreement. I anticipated that some cultural differences, particularly those involving language, would make things challenging, but I never imagined that the entire process would end up being this laborious and lengthy, requiring countless hours to resolve seemingly straightforward problems’’.