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Introduction

You read and practiced with concepts concerning cultural considerations in writing for a diverse audience prior to this assignment. The letter package assignment provides you with an opportunity to practice corresponding with an international audience.

The Letter Package Assignment Scenario

Your assignment involves a combination of research and writing. You are the marketing director for Chalmers Controls based in your hometown and your company is considering overseas markets for the company’s language translation software. Your boss, Roxana Wheaton, has asked you to research potential overseas markets, research effective communication strategies in your proposed country, summarize your research and results in a memo to her, and finally draft a letter to a potential distributor in the country you have identified as a viable market.

You will choose a country that you believe will be a good overseas market for your company’s language translation software (you may choose any country that is of interest to you). Your international research begins with learning about the country, how business writing is conducted, and what expectations are for correspondence with a potential distributor in that country. Your sources must be no older than three years; anything older than that would lack credibility.

Roxana Wheaton, President of Chalmers Controls, has asked you to research overseas markets for the language translation software program the company produces. She wants you to choose a viable country for distributing the product, explain why it is a viable country, and research and present the best ways to communicate with business professionals in the country you selected. Finally, she wants you to draft a letter to a prospective distributor in that country for her review.

Wheaton has asked you to present your research in an organized, focused memo to her. She has asked that you clearly outline the research you conducted, the sources you reviewed, the information you gathered, and the criteria needed to correspond effectively with the overseas market — what business writing etiquette is specific to the country you chose? How are those business writing expectations addressed in your draft letter?

Memo Scenario

The memo to Wheaton should be 350–500 words. The memo should include at least two viable references no older than three years using APA format and citation style. For help with APA go to the Academic Tools area of the course and access the Academic Writer resources. Put your references on their own page following your memo to Wheaton.

Checklist Part 1:

• Identify the country you selected for distribution of the software and why it is a viable market.
• Outline the research you conducted to identify the viable country and to learn how to communicate in writing to the potential distributor.
• Include the sources reviewed for your research in your memo to Wheaton, both using in-text citations and on a references page following the memo (sources must be no older than three years).
• Include information you gathered using a combination of summary, paraphrase, and limited direct quote from your sources.
• Explain the criteria and cultural considerations used to draft the letter

Letter Scenario

Prepare a draft letter of introduction to send to a fictitious distributor within the country you researched introducing yourself, your company, your product, your interest in working with them, and why they should be interested in distributing your product. You will make up the name of the distributor, the company, the mailing address, and the contact person. Make certain your letter meets the cultural expectations of the country you selected based on your research. Research letter writing format expectations in your country of choice – business practices vary, so do your research!

Checklist Part 2:

In your draft letter to the prospective distributor:

• Introduce yourself, your company, and your product to meet the cultural expectations of the country distributor (see useful resources provided below).
• Explain your interest in working with that distributor.
• Explain why the distributor will be interested in distributing your product.
• Demonstrate the cultural expectations relevant to the country you chose.

Your letter package submission (memo, references, and draft letter) will demonstrate your ability to research, summarize that research, document the research (remember your APA citations and referencing from the discussion), and prepare additional documents based on information gathered and cultural literacy.