Business english writing - Masterclass International School 2020

Intercultural communication negotiation

Pre-reading activity

Before reading the article below try to answer the following question:

What is culture? __________________________________________________________________________________

Let’s see three definitions of culture given by anthropologists and sociologists. They regard culture as:

…everything that people have, think and do as members of their society (Gary P. Ferraro, 2006)

…a system of inherited conceptions expressed in symbolic forms by means of which people communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge about and attitudes towards life (Clifford Geertz, 1973)

…the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another (Geert Hofstede, 1997)

Culture seems to be the element characterising societies, groups and communities for their specific values, behaviours and beliefs and as such is different from country to country. Can you explain with your own words the definitions above? Which one seems to be the most suitable description of what culture is?

What is intercultural communication? ____________________________________________________________________

Intercultural communication is

…the interpersonal interaction between members of different groups, which differ from each other in respect of the knowledge shared by their members and in respect of their linguistic forms of symbolic behaviour (Karlfried Knapp, 1978)

Reading activity

Read the article below:

Intercultural Communication

An Internet search on the topic of intercultural communication or cross-cultural communication yields over 100 000 results. In recent years practitioners in a wide variety of fields—scientific cooperation, academic research, business, management, education, health, culture, politics, diplomacy, development, and others—have realised just how important intercultural communication is for their everyday work. Fast travel, international media, and the Internet have made it easy for us to communicate with people all over the world. The process of economic globalisation means that we cannot function in isolation but must interact with the rest of the world for survival. The global nature of many widely diverse modern problems and issues such as the environment, governance of the Internet, poverty and international terrorism call for cooperation between nations. Intercultural communication is no longer an option, but a necessity.

Because important decisions in business, politics, education, health, and culture these days usually effect citizens of more than one nation, the question of whether communication between people of different nations is effective and whether all parties emerge with the same understanding is of crucial importance. Individuals who deal with people from other cultures want to learn how to improve their performance through improving their communication skills. Numerous resources have sprung up to meet this emerging market in the business, academic and international relations communities: leading authors have written books and articles on the topic; business services provide consultation for improving the conduct of international business; universities and other educational institutions offer programs or degrees in Intercultural Communication; and researchers have established international journals and academic societies specialising in research on intercultural communication. In fact, intercultural communication has become a business in itself.

...

Why is it important to improve intercultural communication?

Lack of knowledge of another culture can lead, at the best, to embarrassing or amusing mistakes in communication. At the worst, such mistakes may confuse or even offend the people we wish to communicate with, making the conclusion of business deals or international agreements difficult or impossible.

Notes to the text

✵By general rule the plural of nouns is formed by adding an —s to nouns ending in consonant such as bond/bonds and —es for those ending in ch/sh/x/s/o: box/boxes, witch/witches, bus/buses, hero/heroes. There are some exceptions to the rule. For ex. many nouns of foreign origin just add —s to the singular form: canto/cantos, piano/pianos, kimono/kimonos. Some words ending in y- require —es and others only -s. If y is preceded by a consonant we have y>ies as in society/societies, otherwise just —s: boy/boys. Some words ending in —f, -fe change to v+es like thief/thieves, knife/knives.

✵Irregular plurals may be divided as follows: nouns with no plural form: aircraft, bison, buffalo, fish, salmon, trout, etc. —en plurals: ox/oxen, child/children, etc. — mutated plurals: foot/feet, goose/geese, tooth/teeth, man/men, mouse/mice, etc. —miscellaneous plurals: person/people, penny/pence, etc.

✵Another group of irregular plural nouns are those derived from Latin and Greek such as criterion/criteria, formula/formulae (formulas), index/indices, crisis/crises, analysis/analyses, medium/media, alumnus/alumni, phenomenon/phenomena, etc.

Post-reading activity 1 (Speaking)

Interpersonal communication is the process of conveying information from at least one person to another. The information/message is sent by a sender to a receiver by means of verbal elements (words), non-verbal elements (gesture and body language) and paralanguage (voice tonality). Paralanguage can be considered a part on non-verbal language as it consists of sound levels, tone variations, inflections and pauses.

Some research indicates that communication is mainly based on non-verbal elements rather than on language:

✵55% of the message is conveyed by body language

✵38% by the tone of voice

✵7% by the words used

Read the non-verbal elements below and say what they suggest to you (openness, closeness, intimacy, shyness, etc.). Discuss with your mates:

You stand 1 metre away from someone (Proxemics)

You communicate face-to-face (Orientation)

You sit side by side (Orientation)

You keep your legs crossed (Posture)

Your arms are folded (Posture)

You slouch (Posture)

You stand up straight (Posture)

You shaking hands (Gesture)

You embrace someone (Gesture)

You give someone a pat on the back (Gesture)

You point at someone (Gesture)

You smile at someone (Facial expression)

You frown at someone (Facial expression)

You yawn when someone is speaking (Facial expression)

You sneer at someone (Facial expression)

You stare at someone (Eye contact)

After discussing the above aspects of non-verbal communication think of the differences they may have in other cultures. For example, if you show your thumb held upwards it means “everything is ok” in most American and European countries, while it is rude and offensive in some Islamic and Asian countries.

Post-reading activity 2 (Writing)

Choose the proverb/quote that would best fit the article about intercultural communication:

“I imagine hell like this: Italian punctuality, German humour and English wine.” - Peter Ustinov

“All lasting business is built on friendship.” — Alfred A. Montapert, American author

Post-reading activity 3 (Language and culture)

Politeness behaviours

Visitors to Britain, especially people who do business there, often complain that the British are somewhat fanatical about politeness and good manners. Their communication is filled with politeness markers and behavioural rules that cannot be neglected. In the UK if you avoid saying ’please’ or ’thank you’ or if you use the wrong word order in a sentence it can be considered rude and disrespectful. Also answering a question too directly can make people think you are impolite and bad-mannered.

“I agree with you entirely” or “Well, you had some good points, but you may want to consider...”

The sentences above are an example of what linguists call mitigated linguistic constructions. They are very important to mediate hostility and to establish cooperation and empathy. International negotiators know this very well and they use them effectively in business negotiations.

Agreeing with an opinion

We use these words and phrases to agree with someone else's point of view:

✵Of course.

✵You're absolutely right.

✵Yes, I agree.

✵I think so too.

✵That's a good point.

✵Exactly.

✵I don't think so either.

✵So do I

✵That's true.

✵Neither do I.

✵I agree with you entirely.

✵That's just what I was thinking.

✵I couldn't agree more

Disagreeing politely with an opinion

We use these words and phrases to disagree with someone else's point of view:

✵However…

✵That's not entirely true.

✵I take your point, but that’s not the way I see it.

✵I see what you mean but I’m not at all convinced that…

✵I'm sorry to disagree with you, but…

✵Yes, but don't you think that…

✵There may be some truth in what you say but don’t you think

✵I'm afraid I have to disagree.

✵I'm not so sure about that.

Best avoided (Don’t use the following forms to express disagreement)

✵I don't think so.

✵No way.

✵I totally disagree.

✵I'd say the exact opposite.

✵Not necessarily.

✵That's not true.

Post-reading activity 4 (Speaking)

Intercultural misunderstanding is a very easy trap to fall into, in both language and behaviour. Read the following examples and comment on them:

A Japanese manager in an American company was told to give critical feedback to a subordinate during a performance evaluation. Japanese use high context language and are uncomfortable giving direct and confrontive feedback. It took the manager five tries before he could be direct enough to discuss the poor performance so that the American understood.

… when a Briton says "I hear what you say", the foreign listener may understand: "He accepts my point of view." In fact, the British speaker means: "I disagree and I do not wish to discuss it any further."

General Motors couldn't understand why the Chevy Nova was not selling well in Latin America, until they were told that in Spanish, “no va” means “it doesn't go”.

Post-reading activity 5 (Writing)

HOW SHOULD I STRUCTURE MY ESSAY?

Most essays consist of three parts: the introduction, the body and the conclusion. If you follow this structure the content of your essay will be easily written and organised.

The beginning of the essay is the first paragraph, which is called the introduction. It consists of few sentences (three or four) that set up the topic of discussion. First you will explain what the essay will be about by trying to draw the readers’ attention. Then, you will include a short summary of what readers should expect to see. After that, you will summarise what your essay will tell them and what they will learn by reading it.

The second part of the essay is called the body. It is made up of at least three paragraphs with three to five sentences. Each of the paragraphs should contain a sort of numbered sequence for the reader to follow. So, in your first paragraph you should use expressions such as first, beginning, to begin with, the first, firstly and so on. Obviously, the second paragraph will contain the next number in sequence such as secondly, next, second and so on.

Of course you must support what you wrote in the introductory paragraph and the information provided in the introduction will be developed and justified. In the last paragraph of the body you should support the last reason you provided in the introduction so that you could help the reader to reach the same conclusion as in the final part of the essay. Always support the facts with examples and, to finish provide a conclusion based on the facts and examples.

We are now moving on to the final paragraph of the essay: the conclusion. This part consists of three or four sentences and sums up the whole essay. You will use expressions such as in conclusion, in summary, finally, lastly and so on to point out that the essay is going to finish. In the last sentence you will state your conclusion and include thus, I conclude, therefore, based on the above facts it can be concluded, I will, you will, they will and so on.

Of course there may be different types of essays. There are “agree/disagree” essays where you are supposed to give your opinion related to a given statement or a “pros and cons” essay in which you should list advantages and disadvantages of something and justify them. In addition there are expository essays where you are supposed to give explanation about an issue or an idea to an audience. Analytical essays, which examine an event, a book or a poem. There are other types of essays and each of them is connected with a different purpose.

Let us look together this essay model based on an IELTS writing test. After reading the title and the model essay, work on the chart given below and fill in the empty column on the right in order to determine whether the essay given conforms to the general rules for a good essay:

“Some of the methods used in advertising are unethical and unacceptable in today’s society. To what extent do you agree with this view?”

The world that we live in today is dominated by advertising. Adverts are on television, on the World Wide Web, in the street and even on our mobile phones. However, many of the strategies used to sell a product or service can be considered immoral or unacceptable.

To begin with, the fact that we cannot escape from advertising is a significant cause for complaint. Constant images and signs wherever we look can be very intrusive and irritating at times. Take for example advertising on the mobile phone. With the latest technology mobile companies are now able to send advertising messages via SMS to consumer’s phones whenever they choose. Although we expect adverts in numerous situations, it now seems that there are very few places we can actually avoid them.

A further aspect of advertising that I would consider unethical is the way that it encourages people to buy products they may not need or cannot afford. Children and young people in particular are influenced by adverts showing the latest toys, clothing or music and this can put enormous pressure on the parents to buy these products.

In addition, the advertising of tobacco products and alcohol has long been a controversial issue, but cigarette adverts have only recently been banned in many countries. It is quite possible that alcohol adverts encourage excessive consumption and underage drinking, yet restrictions have not been placed on this type of advertising in the same way as smoking.

It is certainly true to say that advertising is an everyday feature of our lives. Therefore, people are constantly being encouraged to buy products or services that might be too expensive, unnecessary or even unhealthy. In conclusion, many aspects of advertising do appear to be morally wrong and are not acceptable in today's society. (296 words)

Post-reading activity 6 (Writing)

Essay writing:

During the last decades technology has changed our lives in many ways, and more people are using it in their daily life. The Internet, the mobile phone, home banking and other technological devices have become a part of everybody’s life. In most cases they have made our lives easier but some people may get addicted to it. Discuss the pros and cons of technology and give reasons for your opinion.

Grammar revision

PASSIVE FORM

ACTIVE SENTENCE: Advertising dominates the world we live in

PASSIVE SENTENCE: The world we live in is dominated by advertising

In the active form the object receives the action of the subject. This is the most used type of sentence in the language. In the passive form the object of the active verb becomes the subject of the sentence.

The passive form is normally used when it is not necessary or deliberately decided to say who did the action or the doer is unknown:

Cigarette adverts have only recently been banned

In this sentence we do not know or we think it is unimportant to say who has banned cigarette adverts . Or simply it is taken for granted, it is obvious that we are referring to a specific context which is familiar to the interlocutor (the government, regulators).

Of course we could also say:

Cigarette adverts have only recently been banned (by our government)

By is used in the passive voice to introduce the agent:

Our government has only recently banned cigarette adverts

Subject + to be + past participle

To be + subject + past participle (+ by…)

Subject + to be + past particple

Restrictions have not been placed on this type of advertising

People are constantly being encouraged to buy products or services…

Many of the strategies used to sell a product or service can be considered immoral or unacceptable

Grammar exercises

1. Fill in the gaps with the right passive form of the verb given in brackets:

1.The brand needs (improve)___________and (consolidate)___________

2.A lot of money will (spend)________________ marketing campaigns as well

3.The game of telephone won’t (play)________________ in our company.

4.The rules need (to spell out)____________.

5.Agree on a follow-up date to check which next steps have (take)_____________.

6.The 10-month union was (hurt)___________by regular cultural clashes.

7.The idea came after my old start-up was (sell off)_______________.

8.The name of the company might even (change)_______________.

9.In March the first store will (open)___________________.

10.We haven’t (intimidate)_____________________ by veteran entrepreneurs.

2. Fill in the gaps with the right passive form of the verb given in brackets:

Our business plan (1. Suggest) _____________________ in late 2009 by our consultants during regular meetings. It (2. Develop)____________________ in January-May 2009 in a consultative process involving all stakeholders and (3. Approve)_______________ by the Executive Board at its second meeting in June 2009. Then, it (4. Update)__________ in July 2010 and (5. review) will ______ further ___________ at future Board meetings.

Oranges (1. Grow)________________ in warm climates throughout the world. The taste of oranges may vary from sweet to sour. The fruit (2. Peel)_______ generally ___________and (3. Eat)__________ fresh, or (4. Squeeze)___________ for its juice. The skin of an orange is thick and bitter so it (5. Discard)_____________ usually ___________, but it can (6. Process)__________ into animal feed by removing water using pressure and heat.