Business Writing

In the Business Writing section, I combine creativity with clarity to produce content that is not only informative but also engaging. Here, you’ll find a collection of business-focused pieces that offer practical insights, strategies, and advice tailored to a professional audience. Whether addressing industry trends, workplace dynamics, or effective communication techniques, my writing aims to empower readers with the knowledge they need to navigate the business world.

My approach to business writing blends my background in creative storytelling with a deep understanding of business concepts. My work covers a range of topics, from marketing and management to productivity and leadership, with a focus on delivering value through well-researched content and actionable advice.

What You’ll Find Here:

  • Marketing and Communications: Pieces that explore strategies for effective marketing, brand messaging, and customer engagement. I offer tips on crafting compelling content, building brand identity, and utilizing various communication channels to maximize impact.
  • Leadership and Management: Insights on leadership principles, team dynamics, and management best practices. These articles are designed to help readers understand the nuances of leading a team and driving organizational success.
  • Productivity and Personal Development: Content focused on improving productivity, work-life balance, and professional growth. I provides practical advice and techniques for maximizing efficiency while maintaining a healthy approach to work.

The Approach to Business Writing:

My business writing is grounded in a commitment to clarity and relevance. I take complex business concepts and present them in a way that’s easy to understand without sacrificing depth. By combining factual information with engaging storytelling techniques, my pieces resonate with both industry experts and general readers who are looking to enhance their business acumen.

As globalization erases borders throughout the business landscape, it is increasingly important to understand other cultures without bias and judgment.

 

Intercultural Communication

     As globalization increases, so does the need for intercultural communication fluency. Businesses that operate on a global scale need better understanding of the organizations with which they are interacting for many reasons. That first contact between two cultures can be a determining factor in how the rest of the relationship proceeds, so it is important that the exchange go as smoothly as possible. Having some knowledge of the customs and expectations can prevent misunderstandings. For example, in an initial face to face meeting between an American team and a Middle Eastern team, it would be prudent to understand that in Arab culture, punctuality is not a great concern. Allow plenty of time for the meeting to begin, and do not show irritation or anxiety by looking at your watch. If there are women on either team, have a male team member introduce her before she begins taking part in the conversation. Successful intercultural dialogue is the goal and doing away with personal convictions and judgements will allow that goal to happen.

     We can use the Intercultural Praxis Model process to approach and understand differences and commonalities between cultures. According to Sorrells, K., Sekimoto, S., & Nakagawa, G. (2016), using this model can promote “innovation and growth” or cause “exploitation and destruction.” There are six dimensions in the model. These dimensions break down into components that help us learn and categorize the cultures that we interact with. The components are inquiry, framing, positioning, dialogue, reflection, and action. Inquiry allows us to ask questions and reserve judgement. Framing helps clarify the frame of reference the other culture uses. Positioning is gauging where we fit in the power hierarchy of our culture, and the culture we interact with. Dialogue is the open exchange of ideas. Reflection is the process of assessing our own thoughts and actions during the exchange. Action, the last part, is letting what we have learned make us better informed and make more ethical decisions (Sorrells, K 2016).

     The most important benefit of using this model is that we approach each different culture in the same way. This process gives us a neutral starting point (as much as we can, having shed any biases). These dimensions may fluctuate with each culture, but the sum of the dimensions can help us categorize cultures to give us general ideas of how the cultures function, creating a base line of expectations. For instance, Russian culture may share traits with Ukrainian culture, but be very different from Guatemalan culture, which shares similarities to Peruvian culture. What’s more, if other cultures use this same model when interacting with colleagues from around the globe, it makes for a common ground to begin building successful business relationships. As globalization increases, it is possible that understanding may reach full saturation as we learn to identify and respect other cultures. Preserving our culture while respecting another, but intersecting and overlapping to engage professionally, is the ideal balance.

 

Resources Sorrells, K., Sekimoto, S., & Nakagawa, G. (2016). Studying and practicing intercultural communication. In K. Sorrells, & S. Sekimoto (Eds.), Globalizing intercultural communication (pp. 1-22). SAGE Publications, Inc, https://www-doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.4135/9781483399164.n1

Here is a summary of what elements should be included in a project proposal. Although brief, it provides a sound overview of necessary points to include.

 

What to Include in a Project Proposal

     While a project proposal is not a legal contract, it may serve as the basis for a legal document (What, n.d.). Because of this, it is important to include all elements that will, or could, arise. A project proposal is generally written to explain a problem within operations and provide a viable solution. The target audience of this proposal is usually a person or persons that control spending within a business, so it is important also to include financial reasons for the need for a proposal and for the funding of a proposal. This includes looking into what effects the problems cause for the business and possible solutions. Another important point is to provide a realistic timeframe for completing the project. Finally, including a list of short-term objectives within the project can give a better picture of the final goal.

The Project Summary, although meant to introduce the project, can be done last for clarity and precision (What, n.d.).

The Project Background is your beginning remarks describing the reason there needs to be an improvement from the way things are done now. A description of what is currently happening and how it is costing the company money or causing inefficiency will be your most persuasive statement in the proposal. Careful explanation should be made based on real figures and facts. You may want to include some information on how the inefficient process began, because often, at the time of implementation, there may have been no other way. For instance, one section of a business office is crowded, holding two different departments in the same work area for several years. As the company has grown, the number of desks or cubicles have been doubled. The noise level has increased making phone conversations difficult to hear and creates a fire hazard. This information is critical to give a basic picture of the problems that office congestion has caused. This information is strictly for upper management.

Project Objectives should be laid out in systematic order. Objectives are the small milestones that require completion throughout the proposed project on the way to its final implementation. This is a more tangible list of short accomplishments that must occur during the project. This section of your proposal makes it clear that you are fully aware of the work involved and the steps it will take to get there (5, n.d.). For example, the first phase of a construction project is removing wood paneling and wallpaper. Once this phase is complete, remodeling the tiny, cramped bathrooms can take place. These are all small achievements that need to be completed to progress toward the final goal. This allows the company and the contractor to agree on progress points and accomplishments.

The Project Scope should be a complete list of what will happen, when, who is involved, and who will be affected, and for how long. For instance, if a wing is to be built for a new department within the company, there will be a temporary upheaval of several employees that currently work in that area. Temporary rules for construction traffic, alternative routes in the building, and different parking accommodations could occur. This section is where all those details should be addressed. Renting office equipment such as desks and chairs, adding an additional water cooler, using another department’s conference room for a time are all things that must be anticipated before implementation.

The project scope is also the section where you would address things that may cause a problem. For instance, during the construction phase, the office staff has expressed concern that they are not made to share restrooms with the construction crews. The women have also expressed a desire to park in a well-lit space other than where the construction crews will park. This section is also the place to set up a schedule of progress reports and measurable progression, and who will be appointed for that. The project scope should include any unexpected issues that may occur, and spell out who, if they happen, will be responsible for the solution.

This section should also include possible changes to the original objectives and a plan for working those issues out.

The timeline, and budget section should include a breakdown of cost for each phase of the project and the percentage of pay released to the contractor after completion of each phase (What, n.d.). A complete list of objectives with proposed timelines will sum up the project. This section should include terms of payment. This is also a place for addressing possible problems, like, for example, shortages of materials, or unanticipated construction issues like plumbing problems (5, n.d.), and allowances for more time for reworking mistakes or problems. These details mentioned in the proposal, and signed by both parties, can protect both in the event of a problem that leads to a dispute. This section should also give a description of what the finalized project will look like and who gets to make that call (deBara, 2023).

 

References

5 elements every project proposal should include. Kantata. (n.d.). https://www.kantata.com/blog/article/5-elements-every-project-proposal-should-include  

deBara, D. (2023b, May 27). 11 important legal documents for Small Business Success: Freshbooks Blog. FreshBooks Blog – Resources & Advice for Small Business Owners. https://www.freshbooks.com/blog/freelancing-101-the-7-legal-documents-all-freelancers-need

What is a project proposal?. How to Write a Simple Project Proposal | Kantata Software. (n.d.). https://www.kantata.com/resources/project-proposal