Kazakhstani and English sales promotional letters: strategies for effective cross-cultural communication

In recent years, the economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan has undergone significant development and, as a consequence, many business transactions are carried out between speakers of radically different languages and cultures. Therefore, the growing number of international companies and joint ventures in the Republic of Kazakhstan indicates the increasing use of English, along with Kazakh and Russian, as one of the main mediums of communication. Nowadays, in the context of modern Kazakhstani business discourse business correspondence written in Kazakh, Russian and English is extensively used in the Kazakhstani business context. However, little research has been done in this area so far. This cross-cultural study examines the communication strategies employed by Kazakhstani and English business professionals in their sales promotional letters. In addition, the language, format, organization, and tone of business correspondence reflected the values of the writers and their environment. The study makes an attempt to raise an awareness of Kazakhstani business professionals of differences in persuasive writing across languages and cultures, worth noting for developing cross-cultural understanding and communication strategies for effective intercultural business interactions in the dynamic business environment of the 21st century. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd.