Chapter 13
Using English as the Global Language of Business
In This Chapter
Communicating with other cultures
Writing emails and letters to non-native English speakers
Adjusting your online presence for international audiences
English is the language of international business and shows every sign of remaining so for the predictable future. But that is very far from meaning that other countries have adopted British or American culture, values, and ways of doing business.
People of other nationalities don’t think like you, even if they speak and write in your language – and even if they love American movies or British pop stars.
Business protocols and expectations differ. If you reach out to someone in another country in hope of doing business, you’re more likely to succeed if you act knowledgably and with respect for their conventions and values. Heedless writing produces messages that they may misunderstand or even find insulting.
While the body of advice on communicating across cultures face-to-face is growing, relatively little of a practical or country-specific nature has ...
