Business English writing problems of business English majors: A triangulated approach

Abstract

In universities or colleges that offer Business English undergraduate programs, Business English writing is taught as a compulsory course designed to equip Business English majors with workplace-ready writing skills. However, their Business English writing competence still fails to meet the workplace-specific requirements. While prior research has identified several problems in students' writing, very few have adopted a mixed-methods approach or systematically applied theoretical models to identify and analyze Business English writing problems. Addressing this gap, this study employed a triangulated approach, using multiple instruments including questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and students' business letters, to examine Business English majors' Business English writing problems. The findings showed that students' problems are mainly in business knowledge, intercultural competence, sociolinguistic competence, grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics. This study contributes to the Business English writing pedagogy by highlighting Business English majors’ writing problems to promote autonomous learning, urging teachers to transcend conventional language pedagogy, and advocating for syllabus adaptation such as expanding teaching hours and offering prerequisite courses in business fundamentals and intercultural communication.