Introduction
Zoos today focus on scientific study and species protection in addition to entertaining and educating the general audience. There are around 4,000 animals at the San Diego Zoo, constituting over 800 species (“Negotiating about pandas,” 2019). The nonprofit Zoological Society, with Douglas Myers as the executive director, ran the zoo. The grounds contain more than 6,500 varieties of exotic plants that are kept alive to add ambiance and often supply a component of the natural food for other animal species (Edwards, 2019). Additionally, the San Diego Zoo is well known worldwide for its innovative commitment to animal welfare and species preservation. Myers is eager to discuss pandas with Chinese representatives for the San Diego Zoo.
Framework For the Transaction
It will be easier for people to make decisions and manage expectations if there is a framework or structure. According to Huang & Wang (2019), the great panda is considered China’s regional treasure and has frequently traveled as a goodwill ambassador, contributing significantly to the growth of cordial diplomacy. Since the Chinese government proposed the panda loan program (Yan, 2020), Myers could employ a long-term showcase loan to structure the deal. This would include the pandas borrowed by the San Diego Zoo from the Chinese administration for several years, after which they would be sent back to China. Such a structure would benefit the San Diego Zoo in numerous ways.
It is a wise diplomatic move on Myers’ part to undertake the negotiations in China and on their parameters, as it is a kind gesture. The Chinese might not be ready to give up the pandas completely; therefore, this framework would be required given that the number of pandas is declining (Huang & Wang, 2019). The San Diego Zoo will benefit from this paradigm since it would enable them to retain the pandas for long periods, resulting in a powerful magnet for tourists. The Chinese government would benefit since it could continue supervising the animals and their reproduction.
Agenda Items for Negotiating
An agenda aids attendees in meeting preparation and serves as a roadmap for the topics covered during negotiations. The agenda items would include the duration of the loan, the number of pandas, breeding privileges, and housing and treatment of the animals. The loan duration is vital since it will dictate the period the pandas would stay at the San Diego Zoo. Furthermore, it is critical to know the number of pandas that will be lent since this will help the zoo officials plan and organize having the pandas on display. Getting information on the pandas’ breeding privileges will help in effective treatment. The way the pandas are cared for and housed will affect how they are handled while they are in the park. It is pivotal for Myers to know the timing and method of the pandas’ return to China, which may depend on their departure from China.
Communication Strategy to Persuade the Chinese
Persuasion techniques are crucial because they enable marketers to overcome the doubts held by potential customers and win their trust. The first and most vital advice for persuading a prospective client is to appear confident and have sufficient product knowledge. The popularity of the San Diego Zoo as one of the top zoos in the country and the idea that the borrowing of pandas will be a significant tourist attraction could be highlighted by Myers. The San Diego Zoo’s dedication to animal welfare and protection must be emphasized to grab the Chinese audience’s attention (Burnside, 2019). Moreover, Myers can showcase the zoo’s expertise in sheltering and managing rare and threatened species of animals. Understanding the Chinese demands and expectations while also providing answers to their questions will greatly benefit Myers in the persuasion. Even though pandas are a threatened species, Myers can mention a previous transaction in the United States that went well.
Myers should emphasize the significance of the partnership between the Zoo of San Diego and the Chinese administration and the advantages that both sides have reaped from prior cooperation. Previous engagement includes China renting a pair of giant pandas from the Beijing Wildlife Park to the U.S. for a three-month touring display to express solidarity on the night of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics (Hao & Hunt, 2019). To win over the hearts of the Chinese colleagues, Myers should explain how the pandas’ arrival will increase the zoo’s earnings and how they would be delighted to offer a portion of that money to the Chinese people out of appreciation. Stressing that the pandas would receive excellent care while there and that the San Diego Zoo had the tools and knowledge needed. In terms of a bundle agreement with the negotiating for the pandas, Myers ought to consider offering a unique species to the Chinese.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the long-term loan exhibition of the giant panda will significantly benefit the San Diego Zoo. More tourists will visit the park to see the rare animal only found in China. As numerous citizens are attracted to the zoo, the revenue will increase, enabling the San Diego Animal Park to meet its objectives. The agenda items Myers will require are the loan’s duration, how many pandas will be lent out, the pandas’ reproduction rights, the habitat and treatment of the pandas, and the pandas’ relocation back to China. In trying to persuade the Chinese to allow Myers to loan the pandas, the executive director would underline the importance of the collaboration, donate a portion of the funds to China, and present a rare species as a gift.
References
Burnside, W. (2019). Relocating species. Nature Sustainability, 2(7), 539-542.
Edwards, M. (2019). San Diego: The San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park (1st ed.). Routledge.
Hao, Y. A., & Hunt, T. M. (2019). Sporting exchanges between China and the United States, 1980-1984: Inevitable politics and excessive political strings. The International Journal of the History of Sports, 36(10), 854-875.
Huang, Z. A., & Wang, R. (2019). Panda engagement in China’s digital public diplomacy. Asian Journal of Communication, 30(2), 118-140.
Negotiating about pandas for San Diego Zoo. (n.d.).
Yan, Q., Hu, Y., & Ye, H. B. (2020). Time to update China’s panda loan terms. Science, 367(6476), 373.