Business English What Skills, Functions Essay

Wishing they were more or less in use is not an option; they simply are here to stay and are becoming even more insidious. For example, most memos are now sent via email -- and many of the protocols of business English are often not followed when utilizing email -- which changes the standard of usage within the workplace. Similarly, with so much diversity, working from home, globalization, out-sourcing, and innovative managerial techniques in place, the use of email is almost a requirement; the use of text and smartphone email equally so; with video conferencing as a tool to save money and increase productivity important as well. The challenge, though, is twofold: how to keep a standard of appropriate mechanics (grammar, punctuation, spelling, format) with so many quick communication alternatives in business that do not engender formal writing? Second, many business users report feeling quite overwhelmed with texts, IMs, and emails and do not seem to be able to produce the high-quality work necessary without taking a retreat or turning off communication -- hardly the best solution for modern business. Important to note, though, is that English has evolved -- just think of the manner it was spoken during the Elizabethan Age, or even when the Constitution was written -- far more formal, far more rule oriented, far more precise on some ends, and certainly more the tool of the government and upper class than the great equalizer it has become. Indeed, the use of these electronic tools has likely done more to democratize and allow for transparency in the business world that at any other time in history. Certainly, interdepartmental policy can mitigate the manner in which these tools are allowed in the office; but who really has time to monitor email and IM in the course of the day, particularly when management is also receiving the same amount? We cannot change the evolution (and possible truncation) of language, but we can hold to standards of proper spelling and clear, concise writing that is appropriate for the message and audience intended (Jones & Alexander, 2000).Finally, it is important to note that electronic channels allow business people to exchange information quickly and efficiently. However, each piece of electronic communication still displays one's writing skills and needs to be approached as such. Whether it is email, instant messaging, text messaging, podcasts, blocks, wikis, or even something as innocuous as Twitter, the written product for business is still the written product, and should be treated as such. Professional, proper grammar and syntax, clear, concise statements that follow a logical progression. If anything, it is more of a challenge for the user to refrain from colloquialisms and revert to slang in electronic communication than the printed word, yet even more important in order to retain a standard that is professional (Guffey and Loewry, 2010).

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