The course is dedicated to everyone who works and does business within an international environment, or for somebody who would like to broaden business horizons and opportunities.

The main aim of this course is to become more familiar with the main aspects of international business. Moreover, approach to do business amongst different cultures and representatives of nationalities will also be discussed. Thanks to this course you will embrace the cultural and business differences. What is more, you will also become familiar with tools and techniques of successful and undisturbed communication.

MODULE I – Introduction to communication

Communication and its elements

1. What is communication?

2. The main elements of communication

3. The role of sender

4. The role of receiver

5. The importance of feedback

6. Potential disturbance

7. The importance of echoing and clarification

8. Language and cultural aspects

Communication and language functions

1. Forming a message

2. Sending a message

3. Processing and responding to message

4. Echoing

5. Clarification and paraphrasing

MODULE II – International communication and business communication

International and business communication

1. Do’s and don’ts in international communication (chosen examples of cultures)

2. Greetings and introducing

3. Small talk

4. Concept of time

5. Small gifts: when a small gift becomes a huge misunderstanding

6. Cut to the chase: how to smoothly start doing business

7. Reaching agreement

8. Business and pleasure

9. Maintaining an appropriate business relationship

Communication and language functions

1. Polite English

2. Summarizing and moving on

3. Avoiding awkward situations

4. Apologizing and asking for clarification

5. Keeping up good relations

MODULE III – When business doesn’t translate

Intercultural communication vs. International culture

1. Characteristics of chosen cultures

2. Unwritten rules of international business

3. Soaring points in business and cultures

4. Does win win situation exist in every culture?

5. Negotiating internationally

6. Avoiding faux pas in business

7. Once the milk is spilt: faux pas first aid kit

8. The importance of common understanding

9. Case study

Communication and language functions

1. Diplomatic and polite language

2. Reaching agreement

3. Negotiating

4. Clarificiation

5. Expressing doubts and disagreement

MODULE IV – Effective oral communication in business

Features of an effective oral communication

1. Do’s and don’ts in communication (common mistakes and awkward situations)

2. Setting the goals – what exactly do you want?

3. FORD method.in Small talk.

4. 7 Cs method in communication.

5. Communication vs Nationalities (traps and things to remember while having a conversation with specific nations)

6. Cut to the chase: doing business, reaching agreement and making sure that we have expressed and been understood correctly (tools and techniques, e.g.: echoing, etc)

7. Disagreeing and refusing…politely!

8. Communication failure and how to fix it?

9. Case study.

Communication and language functions

1. Segmenting and navigating communication.

. Paraphrazing

3. Summarizing and moving on

4. Echoing

5. Clarification

6. Methods and tools

MODULE V – Efective written communication in business

Business communication vs. (business) culture

1. Setting the goals – what exactly do you want?

2. Choosing the right style and tone.

3. Making a draft!

4. The choice of words and stylistic “devices” (rhetorical questions, paraphrasing, etc.)

5. Calling to the action (asking questions, asking for favour, arrangements, giving a deadline)

6. Making sure that you have achieved your goal and plan.

7. Remind yourself!

8. Common mistakes while business correspondence.

9. Case study

Communication and language functions

1. Diplomatic and polite langugae

2. Paraphrazing

3. Echoing

4. Clarificiation

5. Expressing doubts and disagreement

MODULE VI – Practical exercises and basing on participants’ own examples