ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an analysis of rhetorical differences in communication between Asian and North American writers. It examines the cultural basis for the communication differences based on Edward T. Hall’s descriptions of high-context and low-context culturesand Geert Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions. The growing use of e-mail worldwide has changed the way business is typically conducted, with e-mail largely replacing the letter as the standard mode of business communication. Electronic wizardry can provide the opportunities for communication, but only a thorough understanding of the rhetorical contrasts among cultures will allow that communication to be productive. The chapter concludes with recommendations for teachers of business and technical communication courses on ways to learn more about the cultural bases for the communication differences between Asia and North America, so as to prepare our students to effectively interpret messages from these cultures and create culturally appropriate messages.
