Mastering Intercultural Communication in Business Writing

All writing is culturally influenced. This is true of literature as well as business writing, where the consequences are potentially expensive. Let’s take a look at the specifics of intercultural communication in business.

Business writing in the U.S.

Have you ever heard the saying, “Time is money?” That’s because the emphasis here is on saving time, and that extends to the readers’ time. As a result, the writing is direct and concise, so there isn’t a lot of pleasantries, fluff, or extraneous information. This is considered respectful of your reader’s time. But this is not appreciated by all cultures or countries. It can be interpreted as rude or dismissive by other cultures. 

View more key features of business writing in the U.S. here:

Intercultural business writing considerations 

It’s important to thoughtfully analyze your audience to understand them and approach them appropriately. Regardless of whether writing is intercultural or regional, all good business writing is reader-focused. 

One of the ways you can glean insights on regional writing is through reviewing their writing. Notice how different regions and cultures approach the following areas:

Openings

Match your opening to the culture.

In the U.S., Dear Mr. or Mrs. Last Name: is the most formal and professional opening salutation. Using “Hi” or no salutation is the least formal. More info in this video: 

When trying to match the right salutation for other cultures, look at a letter from a bank or other formal communications. What salutations do they use? Are there pleasantries in the opening or not? Is there an indirect opening, or does the communication get right to business? This will help you determine the most formal and professional way to start your communications. 

Note: Expressing bad news is particularly delicate in many cultures and can affect the opening. Despite the mostly direct approach to business communications in the U.S., an indirect approach is used to deliver bad news. For example, “Thank you for your interest in our company. Unfortunately, at this time, we do not have a position that fits your qualifications.” 

Closings

Like openings, these differ based on formality. Simply signing your name would be the least formal closing. More formal closings include Sincerely or Best regards, followed by a comma. In certain contexts and cultures, very respectfully is appropriate, but it is not common in most business writing in the U.S. 

To find out what is most appropriate for the culture of your audience, review a formal letter, just as you would an opening. 

Tone, formality, and the relationship between the reader and writer

In the U.S., you should match or exceed the level of formality of the most senior person in the communication. This is likely true in most cultures. However, this is codified (built into the actual grammar) more in other languages/cultures, such as Japanese, than it is in the U.S. and American English. 

In U.S. business writing, some features of formal writing include not using contractions and using slightly longer phrases (Thank you so much. We appreciate your help! vs. Thanks), and closing an opening salutation with a colon rather than a comma, as mentioned above. 

Customary expressions

Pay attention to the phrases most commonly used in the culture you are writing for, and make sure to use those appropriately. This video goes over how to do that in English (and by extension, which expressions to avoid when writing for an international audience): 

A thorough audience and document analysis will help you avoid any communication faux pas. However, there are some things you can keep in mind for all audiences regardless of where they are based. 

Intercultural communication examples

Write in a way that is simple and accessible for international readers, yet still sophisticated and professional. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Avoid slang

Slang is casual language initially used by younger generations (or often the music industry), but that can become mainstream. Saying that something is “cool” is an example of slang from jazz musicians that is now considered mainstream and understandable by many people in the U.S. However, it is ambiguous if English is not your first language or if you are from outside the United States.

It is best to be more specific. Instead of saying an idea is “cool,” comment on what about it is good. “That idea is a unique approach to the problem.”

Avoid idioms

Idioms are culturally based phrases that mean something different than what one might think. Examples include:

• Hit a home run (execute a great project)
• Cover all the bases (account for all parts of the project or situation)
• Bite the bullet (accept and do something that you don’t want to, and bear the pain)
• In the trenches (to be stuck in a long, drawn-out battle)

U.S. culture is heavily influenced by sports (the first two examples are from baseball) and the military (the second two examples are from the military). Idioms from other countries will reflect the culture of those countries. It is best to avoid idioms all together and be more specific and direct with your wording. Most of the time, the more specific phrase won’t be any longer than the idiom, as is the case with “hit a home run” and “execute a great project”, so it makes sense to use the phrase that will be more widely accessible. 

Avoid jargon

Jargon is a bit like a business idiom. It is industry-specific language that alienates those outside of the industry. Phrases like “bottom line” or “hit the ground running” are examples of business jargon that can be difficult for people to understand exactly. You can see more examples of jargon and how to avoid it here: 

Spell it out!

Don’t shorten your writing with acronyms, simplified date structures, or abbreviations. These can be confusing (especially dates!). See this video for more info:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax3KloP3kLw&t=43s

To avoid confusion and frustration, spell out your acronyms, use the complete date, and avoid all abbreviations. This is good practice for any audience, but it’s particularly important in intercultural communication. 

Good business writing in all cultures

Good business writing includes the following:

• Simple, direct language
• No slang, jargon, or idioms
• Simple verb structures (no phrasal verbs)
• A professional opening and closing
• A professional tone, appropriate for the formality of the communication
• Complete information spelled out (no acronyms, shortened dates, or incomplete content)
• Effective formatting

A good business writing course will help you write better for all audiences, and the feedback in our courses will address your specific intercultural communication requirements. 

If you are a non-native speaker, our Business Writing Techniques for Non-Native Writers course would be an excellent way to strengthen your skills across all areas while boosting your awareness of the conventions of business writing in the U.S.

If you are a native speaker of English in the U.S., our Technical Report Course, Executive Summary Writing Course, or Advanced Business Writing Course + Coaching all include written feedback and live instructor coaching on your actual work documents. We will address the specific intercultural considerations for your writing to ensure you connect and engage effectively and respectfully with your clients and colleagues.

Unsure which course is right for you or your team? Tell us about your goals and we’ll recommend the right course. 

Learn how to improve your English business writing skills today.

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