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Article
Business communication needs: A multicultural perspective
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  • Valerie Priscilla Goby, Zayed University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-1-2007
Abstract

How should we teach international business communication? What role can multiculturalism play in the business communication classroom? Can we identify a set of business communication requirements that are valid across different cultures? This article enters this discussion by presenting a small empirical study of the business communication needs expressed by postgraduate students in a North Cyprus university and comparing it to similar studies conducted in the United States and Singapore. The findings reveal some interesting correspondences between the needs expressed by students in these different countries. In addition, the multicultural environment of the North Cyprus university studied suggests that multicultural interaction increases students' sensitivity to the need for a nonethnocentric approach to international communication. The findings also indicate that respondents in multicultural settings may be more inclined to engage in groupthink because of their heightened awareness of cultural differences and their wish to avoid conflict. © 2007 Sage Publications.

Publisher
SAGE Publications
Disciplines
Keywords
  • Communication needs,
  • Cross-cultural interaction,
  • Groupthink,
  • International business communication,
  • Multiculturalism
Scopus ID
34548395952
Indexed in Scopus
Yes
Open Access
No
https://doi.org/10.1177/1050651907304029
Citation Information
Valerie Priscilla Goby. "Business communication needs: A multicultural perspective" Journal of Business and Technical Communication Vol. 21 Iss. 4 (2007) p. 425 - 437 ISSN: <a href="https://v2.sherpa.ac.uk/id/publication/issn/1050-6519" target="_blank">1050-6519</a>
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/valeriepriscilla-goby/1/