Intercultural Communication Studies XV: 2 2006 Du-Babcock

This paper builds on and contrasts with the earlier published framework of Du-Babcock (1999) by analyzing the topic management patterns and turn-taking behaviors of ten additional groups of Hong Kong bilingual Chinese in their first- and second-language decision-making meetings. While eight of the ten additional groups matched Du-Babcock’s earlier findings, two groups did not follow the original findings and offered new reasons for such a result. This paper discusses why the topic management patterns and turn-taking behaviors emerged as they did across these ten groups. The paper also suggests implications for international business communication practices and future research. It has become increasingly common in international business contexts for bilinguals at varying second-language competency levels to exchange messages and make group decisions in their first and second languages. Since these bilinguals have actual or potential prominence in international business communication situations, ascertaining (a) whether and how they communicate in their topic management strategy and turn-taking behavior, and (b) whether and how they make decisions in the same or different ways in their first and second languages is of significant and practical importance. A large and rapidly growing segment of these bilinguals speak English as a second or foreign language. This is because English has emerged as the world’s prominent linkin