Debate is both a skill and a cultural propensity. The skill is learned many ways.
I was a judge in a Japanese debate contest, where the subject was 'Pepsi is better than Coke', and the Japanese participants failed since they were culturally unable to say anything negative or make negative comparisons to the opposition.
The two winnng entrepreneurial societies on the planet, the U.S. and Israel are the two where open debate and confrontation are common in business.
Picture any serious business discussion, if you have ever been in one, and you’ll find multiple parties arguing strongly for their own position.
‘My approach has these three benefits and bonuses.... yours could even have adverse fallout...’
Open, aggressive debate is our commercial in-house style. It is still cordial and made in a system where workers remain capable of working toward a compromise. Those are very American and Israeli qualities.
Probably an important part of the openness and meritocracy that help commerce thrive. The debate mode may not be essential but it is clearly positive for commerce.