E-book Communicating in Business

 

This module looks at issues relating to working with professionals from other countries where cultural misunderstandings may cause embarrassment. It relates closely to the later module on Meetings. This unit focuses on developing personal relationships and mutual understanding between business partners. Unit 2 looks more directly at socializing within a business context, invitations, entertaining, and eating out. The unit begins with an ice-breaker as a chance to develop small talk, before looking specifically at working with American and British people, together with suggestions on preparing for contacts with other countries. Knowledge and understanding is essential in order to get along well with one’s partners from other countries. Socializing is instrumental in this: it is about building relationships. The second section deals with welcoming visitors and helping them to feel at ease. This theme is used as a lead-in to small talk, which is developed in the final section of the unit and again in Unit 2. Small talk is looked at in terms of various topics and how to keep conversation going. There is a lot of scope for discussion of students’ own ideas in the unit. The Transfer includes an option on a small research project. Think about the extent to which your students may travel to other countries or are likely to receive visitors. This is important. In the latter case, discuss which aspects of the students’ own country, town or culture might be interesting or unusual for a visitor