Business communication basics

Engelsk B (HHX) · HHX · B-niveau · Business English

🇬🇧 Business communication basics

Business communication basics = formal communication in professional contexts.

Channels:

1.

Email — most common professional communication.

Structure: subject line (specific + concise), greeting (Dear Mr./Ms./Mx. for formal, Hi for informal), body (1-3 short paragraphs), closing (Best regards / Kind regards / Sincerely), signature (name + title + company).

2.

Memos (memorandums) — internal company communication. Header: TO/FROM/DATE/SUBJECT. Brief + direct.

3.

Reports — formal documents. Structure: executive summary (1 page max), introduction, findings, discussion, recommendations, appendices.

4.

Presentations — PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides. 6×6-rule (max 6 bullet points × 6 words).

5.

Phone + video calls — Zoom, Teams, Slack.

Formal vs. informal register: Formal: "I would be grateful if you could..." / "Please find attached..." / "I am writing to inquire about...".

Informal: "Could you send me..." / "Here's the file" / "Just wondering if...".

CC vs. BCC: CC (Carbon Copy) — visible to all.

BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) — hidden from other recipients (use sparingly to avoid breaking trust).

Reply All — only if everyone needs the response.

Cross-cultural pitfalls:

• (a) High-context cultures (Japan, China, Arab world) — implicit, relationship-based.
• (b) Low-context (USA, Germany, Scandinavia) — explicit, direct.

Hofstede's dimensions: power distance, individualism vs. collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term vs. short-term orientation, indulgence vs. restraint.

Vidste du at...

📧 Average office worker receives 121 emails/day and spends 28% of work time on email. Effective communication isn't about writing more — it's about being clearer and shorter.

🌍 English is the official language of 70+ countries and the working language of NATO, EU institutions, ICAO (aviation), and most international companies. But Mandarin has more native speakers (~950 mio vs. ~370 mio for English).

🇩🇰 Danish communication style is among the most direct in the world (per Erin Meyer's Culture Map). Danes are often perceived as "rude" by Asian or Latin business partners — but reliably honest. Use this awareness in cross-cultural meetings.

Læringsmål

• Mestre grundlæggende business English-vokabular i møde-, forhandlings- og præsentationskontekster
• Forstå og producere formel og uformel business English-kommunikation
• Anvende korrekt register (formelt/uformelt) i skriftlig og mundtlig business English
• Analysere interkulturelle misforståelser i international business English

Sådan kan du arbejde med emnet

• Lær 30 grundlæggende erhvervsudtryk på engelsk og brug dem i korte sætninger om en fiktiv virksomheds dagligdag
• Øv dig i at skrive en kort, klar og venlig erhvervsmail på engelsk, der følger standardformatet med emnelinje, hilsen og afslutning
• Diskuter, hvad der adskiller formel og informel kommunikation på engelsk, og giv eksempler på, hvornår man bruger hver stil

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