DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY
Examining Cultural Variables in a Business Letter
true
true
true
These two versions of the same business letter were written by a sales manager for an American computer company. The first letter was addressed to a potential customer in the United States; the second version was addressed to a potential customer in Japan. The questions that follow ask you to think about how cultural variables affect the nature of the evidence, the structure of the letters, and their tone.
1 of 5
How does the difference in the salutations (the “Dear…” part of the letter) reflect a cultural difference?
2 of 5
Does the first paragraph of the second letter have any function beyond delaying the discussion of business?
3 of 5
What is the point of telling Mr. Kirisawa about his own company? How does this paragraph help the writer introduce her own company’s products?
4 of 5
To a reader from the United States, the third paragraph of the second letter would probably seem thin. What aspect of Japanese culture makes it effective in the context of this letter?
5 of 5
Why doesn’t the writer make a more explicit sales pitch at the end of the second letter?