Keywords
Business English
Chinese higher education
Cross-cultural communication
Teaching strategies
English for Specific Purposes
Submitted : 2026-05-16
Accepted : 2026-05-31
Published : 2026-06-15
Abstract
As global business communication becomes increasingly important, the development of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) has become a central goal in Business English teaching in Chinese universities. However, many Chinese university students enter the workplace with limited ability to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries, despite years of formal English education. This paper reviews existing literature on the main challenges that prevent Chinese students from developing ICC in Business English contexts, and examines a range of teaching strategies that have been proposed to address these challenges. The challenges identified include: a limited awareness of cultural differences, the influence of Chinese communication styles on cross-cultural interaction, and the exam-oriented nature of the Chinese education system, which tends to reduce learning motivation and limit exposure to real-world business communication. In response to these challenges, this paper evaluates four key pedagogical strategies: the use of authentic materials and case studies, roleplay and simulation activities, intercultural comparison tasks, and project-based learning. The review finds that these strategies are most effective when they are used together and when they are designed to connect classroom learning to real communicative situations. This paper aims to offer practical guidance for Business English teachers in Chinese universities who wish to integrate ICC development more effectively into their teaching.
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