Strategic Memos

Negotiating in Tanzania: Mainland Pragmatism vs Zanzibar Courtesy and Consensus Tanzania is not one negotiation culture. The mainland and Zanzibar share a relationship-first logic, but the rhythm, communication style, and…

Note on confidentiality The case below is anonymised and slightly composited. The mechanism is real. No confidential data, names, or internal documents are disclosed. I recall a tender cycle in…

Negotiating in Israel: Speed, Directness, and the “Freier” Tripwire Israel is not “aggressive negotiation”. It is a fast, pragmatic deal culture where credibility is earned through directness and lost through…

Note on confidentialityThe case below is anonymised and slightly composited. The mechanism is real. No confidential data, names, or internal documents are disclosed. In a senior procurement leadership role at…

Note on confidentialityThe case below is anonymised and slightly composited. The mechanism is real. No confidential data, names, or internal documents are disclosed. I recall a competitive tender from my…

Negotiating in Central Asia: What Happens Between the Words Central Asia is not a single “post-Soviet” negotiation style. It’s a cluster of high-context, hierarchy-aware markets where relationship signals, status cues,…

Negotiating in Greece: Warm Rooms, Clear Hierarchy, and the Power of Flexibility When people speak about negotiating in Greece, they often label it as “Mediterranean”: emotional, relational, and improvisational. There…

Negotiating in South Africa: Power, Dignity, Survival Negotiation in South Africa rarely behaves like a clean “business-only” transaction. It is shaped by economic hierarchy, institutional history, and a daily operating…

Negotiating in Türkiye: On the Art of the “Kayseri Bargain” When people speak about negotiating in Türkiye, they often refer to it as tough, emotional, or highly relational. While there…