Part IGeneral IntroductionChapter OneIntroduction to International Business Communication Lesson 1Introduction to Business Communication Lesson 2Principles of Business Written Communication Chapter TwoThe Structure and Layout of Business Letter Lesson 3The Structure and Layout of Business Letter
Part IIExternal CommunicationChapter ThreeEnquiry and Request Lesson 4Letters about Routine Inquiries Lesson 5Letters about Routine Orders Chapter FourClaims and Complaints Lesson 6Letters about Routine Claims and Complaints Chapter FiveLetters with Positive Information Lesson 7Neutral Replies to Routine Requests Lesson 8Letters Saying Yes to Inquiries Lesson 9Letters Saying Yes to Orders Lesson 10Letters Saying Yes to Claims Chapter SixLetters with Negative Information Lesson 11Letters Saying No to Requests for Favors Lesson 12Letters Saying No to Orders Lesson 13Letters Saying No to Adjustment Requests
Part IIIInternal CommunicationChapter SevenMemorandums and Minutes Lesson 14Business Memorandum Writing Lesson 15Minutes Writing Chapter EightReports Lesson 16Report Writing
Part IVModern WritingChapter NineModern Business English Writing Lesson 17Telegraph and Telex Lesson 18Ecommerce & Email
Appendix 1商务英语常用缩略语 Appendix 2公司单证 Appendix 3官方证明 Bibliography Part I General Introduction
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Introduction to Business Communication
IntroductionWhat is communication？ This question can be answered by a simple definition: communication is the transmission of a message. For our human behavior, communication is the sending and receiving of information, ideas, attitudes, and emotions either verbal or nonverbal that produce a response between people.Through communication, relationships are established. The quality of the relationship is determined by the quality of the communication exchanged. Since the world we are living in today is becoming more and more exciting, complex, and challenging, communication has become one of the central factors in building up the better relationships that people expect.Compared with communications in other areas, communications in business are more demanding, that is why management in the field of business has constantly been seeking ways to improve communication.Communication ObjectivesEverybody communicates for a purpose, and our basic objectives in business communication are generally as follows:1. To be understood as we intend;2. To secure a desired response to what we communicate;3. To build up and develop goodwill between the sender and the receiver of the message.Whenever we communicate with others, either on a personal or organizational level, some understanding or misunderstanding can take place. What we wish to achieve, however, is understanding of and agreement to our message. That is why the last three words in Objective 1 seem to be very important. As for Objective 2, any response, positive, negative, or neutral, tells how our message influences the receiver. Finally, as we work and live in a world of associates, we have a strong commitment to secure Objective 3.Our goal in all types of communication should be the attainment of all these objectives. In the real world, whether we succeed or fail depends very much on our skills of communication.Business Communication TodayModern technology has driven the world into a new commercial reality requiring even more effective and efficient communication.It is an environment geared to the needs of enormous economic activities. Many multinational and global corporations can only continue to survive through better performance in production, distribution, marketing, and management. In order to help products, services, and technology compete effectively, many enterprises and firms invest heavily in training their skilled personnel for business communication.Although increasingly information technologies (telegram, telex, fax, videotext, electronic mail, etc.) are used, written letters are still highly necessary in business communication. Only when we are able to write a good message, can we achieve what we expect. Thats why this textbook is intended to focus on how to write effective letters in business communication.Within an individual organization, communication may flow downward, upward, or horizontally. Some clarification of these terms will help us obtain a better understanding of the process and environment of business communication:1. Downward Communicationthe form of communication from superior to subordinate, from boss to employees, and from decisionmaker to operating personnel. Messages from the top move down through successive levels within the business. As the messages move down, they tend to change in meaning as well as in size. In this flow of communication, good written messages are more likely to prevent distortion than oral messages.2. Upward Communicationthe opposite flow of the downward communication in which messages from the bottom level move up through many stages until they reach the top. As they flow, they become more critical and concise. In some cases written messages with criticisms and suggestions in upward trend may not always be encouraged. Therefore, a climate that is conducive to upward communication should be created.3. Horizontal Communicationthe exchanging flows between or among organizational units on the same hierarchical level. This kind of communication can be divided into two groups: internal and external horizontal communication. In the daytoday flow of internal horizontal communication, units and departments at the same level exchange their ideas and problems for achieving coordination within a business. As to external horizontal communication, people on behalf of the organization communicate with people from other organizations.In the following chapters we will focus on the discussion of external horizontal communication, particularly on communication among international trading companies, and then internal horizontal communications. Strategies and skills will be described to show how international businesspersons communicate with their related business units, banks, insurance firms, transport services, government authorities, research institutions, and other commercial units and people concerned.Barriers to CommunicationAn analysis of barriers to communication will help people communicate in more effective and efficient ways.Difference in perception is one of the barriers that may cause ineffective communication. Individuals of different ages, cultural backgrounds, and national origins often have different perception of what is being discussed. They usually use their learning, culture, and experiences to interpret what they are told.Lack of interest in the subject matter, on the part of a speaker or a listener, a writer or a reader, can be a serious deterrent to the reception of ideas. A reader or a listener who does not see the benefit from what he is expected to do usually ignores or even goes against the idea he receives. Being not interested in the topic concerned, he is often found difficult to motivate or to cooperate with the initiator.Difference in language is probably a more common barrier to communication. People speak hundreds of languages in the world. They use their own language (different words, sentences, idioms and sounds) to convey ideas, facts, and feelings. Even when communicating in a common language, people sometimes find it difficult to interpret a statement in the same way because some semantic problems may arise in the understanding of the same message.Cultural differences strike people most obviously in another culture. Culture is what people grow up in. Beginning in childhood, he or she learns the behaviors, habits, and attitudes that are acceptable to those around. (Under the surface all human beings are alikemembers of the family of humans.) This belief causes people to expect that their own cultures are natural, appropriate, and acceptable to others. However, this is not true in practice. Views on the following factors may differ from culture to culture:Language: spoken, written, verbal, nonverbal, native, or foreign;Attitudes and Values: toward man, nature, time, change, materialism, and others;Religion: rituals, sacred objects, and beliefs;Law:civil, or business;Associations:family, class, group, institution, nation, or society.As culture is so complex, and international business activities are sometimes so intricate, it is sometimes rather difficult to communicate successfully across cultures. However, people can succeed if they learn about the culture before beginning to communicate.The above examples of barriers to communication are only a few of those that can be cited. Differences in political systems, economic development, export and import policies, and business practices have always created problems.As a student of international business or a foreign trade worker, one should be aware that international business communication involves more variables than he might initially expect. The success or failure will very much depend on skills in communicating in a crosscultural environment. In order to achieve these skills, we can begin by making a serious study of languages, basic theories and practices in international business. Beyond all these, we have to train ourselves for successful intercultural communication.
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