Business communication is a broad term used to describe the transfer of information with business contexts. Business communication is used to transfer information to both internal (those working within the same business) and external audiences (those receiving a product or service from a business or those affected by a business’ activities); thus business communication is goal-oriented.
Channels of business communication
Information is communicated via
- Email or mail
- In-person – includes meetings and presentations
- Virtual platforms – includes meetings, presentations, webinars, and social media
- Telephone
- Text-messaging
Communication Flow
In business contexts, information can flow in various directions.
| Upward | Downward | Lateral |
|---|---|---|
| employees initiate the correspondence with supervisors, managers, or executives. | supervisors, managers, or executives initiate correspondence with employees who are answerable to them | people of the same rank in office hierarchy communicate with one another |
Language Style of Business Communication
Business communication style is concise, precise, and usually conversational when used for internal email exchanges.
The degree of formality is adjusted to meet the audience and purpose needs of a particular correspondence. For example, the language and content in a formal report differs from that of a routine internal email.
Business writing style is different from academic or journalistic writing style.
| Style | Examples | |
|---|---|---|
| Business Writing |
is direct and to the point. uses clear, precise language so the communication is easy to understand. develops ideas with examples and details as needed. uses shorter and simpler sentences; sentences have fewer than 25 words, as a general rule. uses the active voice with action verbs and phrases. employs a professional and courteous tone, but is not overly formal. |
emails – used for internal and external audiences; use depends on purpose memos – used for internal audiences* letters – used for external audiences * reports – used for internal and external audiences; use depends on purpose radio, television, print media, blogs – used for marketing * Paper letters and memos have largely been replaced by emails |
| Academic Writing |
uses a formal style and typically uses the third person perspective. often includes advanced vocabulary and lengthy sentences and paragraphs. adheres strictly to rules of grammar. is intended for an academic audience. |
Academic writing is for a scholarly purpose and audience. academic papers – written by professors and other academic professionals to advance a field of knowledge or to teach students. academic assignments – written by students for certain courses. Courses in literature, psychology, and history require students to write academic papers. |
| Journalistic Writing |
can be flexible and casual; the degree of formality is dependent on audience and purpose. can be flexible with rules of grammar and sentence structure (articles may include run-on sentences or “incorrect” transitions). employs short sentences and paragraphs and quickly gets to the point. uses bold headlines to grab readers’ attention. |
articles or essays found in daily newspapers such as The Globe and Mail or The Toronto Star, or in magazines such as The Economist, Macleans, or The New Yorker |