Identifying and understanding cultural infulences in business communication: cross-cultural e-mail communication project

摘要

International communication can e difficult when you have the benefit of intonation and nonverbal communication. Difficulty is increased when those aids are removed as with e-mail communication. Composing e-mails for business and recognizing cultural influences in international communication are needed skills for today's graduates. A project was developed and implemented in a junior level dress and culture class at a alrge Midwestern university to facilitate development of such abilities. The purpose of the cross-cultural e-mail communication project was to introduce students to international communication and the influence culture plays when using e-mail. Student groups functioned like product development teams responsible for sourcing one of their firms' products.