I NEEDS ANALYSIS FOR BUSINESS ENGLISH MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT IN THAI HIGHER EDUCATION

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Needs Analysis for Business English Materials Development in Thai Higher

Education

Sasikarn Howchatturat

School of Languages and Applied Linguistics University of Portsmouth

The thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of the University of Portsmouth

June 2023

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Declaration

This thesis is submitted to the University of Portsmouth for the degree of Doctor Philosophy.

Whilst registered as a candidate for the above degree, I have not been registered for any other research award. The results and conclusions embodied in this thesis are the work of the named candidate and have not been submitted for any other academic award. This thesis comprises 88,838words.

Sasikarn Howchatturat June 2023

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Acknowledgments

I am filled with deep gratitude towards my mother, Mrs. Thongsumrit Howchatturat, for her unwavering support in allowing me to pursue a PhD in the UK. My immense appreciation extends to Asst. Prof. Dr. Najiree Jaturapitakkul and Asst. Prof. Dr. Peerapat Yangklang for their invaluable insights while preparing my PhD proposal. I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Faculty of Management Science at Silpakorn University in Thailand for generously funding my studies at the University of Portsmouth. Without their support, this opportunity would not have been possible. Furthermore, I am indebted to my brother, Mr. Chattuphum Howchatturat, sister-in-law Ms. Chanidapa Buapuen, and cousin Ms. Natthamon Pinsuwan for their unwavering financial and emotional support.

I am immensely grateful to my primary supervisor, Dr. Marie McCullagh, and my secondary supervisor, Dr. Stephen Crabbe, for their unwavering support throughout my research journey. Despite facing numerous challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, personal health issues, and other pressures, they remained steadfast in their guidance and encouragement. The generous support I received from the UK Government's coronavirus furlough scheme also greatly eased my struggles during this time. I would also like to extend my thanks to my colleagues, friends, and study participants from the Thai workplace and higher education sector, who played a vital role in my research. Special appreciation goes to Mr. Samuel Brown for his invaluable proofreading assistance. On a deeper level, I am grateful to Lord Buddha and Lord Ganesh for their spiritual support. And to my fellow PhD friends, including Dr. Kullachet Korpattanachaijaroen, Dr. Thunyanun Theera-Nattapong, Dr.Dr. Nattapol Paisarnvirosrak, Dr. Phornprom Rungrueng, Dr. Sombat Somsak, Manita Srisawat, and friends in the UK, I am thankful for their invaluable emotional support. The Sport and Recreation Centre at the University of Portsmouth played a vital role in maintaining my well-being, and I am also thankful for their excellent services. Lastly, I appreciate the friendship and support of Mr. Parinya Sainark, who treated me like family during my time in the UK.

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Abstract

English has become a common means of written communication, particularly in emails, within Thai workplaces for business purposes. However, there exists a disparity between the English language skills taught in Thai higher education and those required for effective written communication in the workplace. To bridge this gap, a study was conducted to analyse the needs in two key areas: the Thai workplace and Thai higher education. The study utilized a Target Situation Analysis (TSA) to determine the specific needs of employees in different industries, by examining various English email and messaging genres and essential communicative competencies for success in the Thai workplace. Data was gathered from 40 individuals proficient in English at their respective jobs, and was then used to create a checklist for assessing the effectiveness of the Business English Writing course in Thai higher education. In the Thai higher education sector, a Present Situation Analysis (PSA) at Silpakorn University's Faculty of Management Science reveals gaps in course content and materials, employing the TSA's evaluative checklist. Learning preferences from six students, gathered through a Learning Situation Analysis (LSA), guide the development of tailored materials. The addition of Needs Negotiation ensures a strategic focus on essential content and activities, responding to insights from the PSA and LSA. In the second phase, a framework for enhancing existing Business English materials is established, using materials from the current teacher as a practical illustration. This methodology effectively uncovered crucial insights for both the Thai workplace and Thai higher education. The study significantly contributes by addressing the misalignment between English language education and workplace demands, while actively bridging gaps in communicative competencies needed in the Thai workplace and the instruction provided in Thai higher education, particularly in business management programs.

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1.1 Background and rationale ... 22

1.1.1 The impact of ASEAN on English usage in the Thai business setting ... 22

1.1.2 The importance of communicative competency in the Thai workplace ... 23

1.1.3 The lack of communicative competencies included in the materials of Business English Writing classes in Thai higher education ... 25

1.1.4 My English Business Writing teaching context in Thai higher education and reflection ... 26

1.1.5 Needs analysis proposal ... 27

1.2 Research objectives and research questions ... 29

1.3 Research significance ... 30

1.4 Structural outline of the research ... 31

Chapter 2 Business in Thailand and English for written communication in the Thai workplace ... 34

2.1 Introduction ... 34

2.2 Background to internationalisation of Thai business ... 34

2.3 Targeted industries in Thailand ... 35

2.4 Foreign employees in Thailand ... 37

2.5 Formal English language requirements for hiring employees in Thailand ... 39

2.6 Different factors affecting communication in the Thai workplace ... 40

2.6.1 Internal and external communication ... 41

2.6.2 Influence of organizational structure and management styles of business ... 41

2.6.3 Influence of Thai culture on workplace communication ... 44

2.6.3.1 Seniority ... 45

2.6.3.2 Conflict avoidance ... 46

2.6.3.3 Polite and humble personality ... 47

2.6.3.4 The culture of ‘Kreng Jai’... 47

Respect for elders ... 48

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Respect for/ Fear of the powerful ... 48

Respect for superiors ... 49

Consideration for foreigners (Distance: boundaries unknown) ... 50

Consideration for Thais (Distance: feelings unknown) ... 50

Self-Effacement ... 51

2.7 Different types of written communication in the Thai workplace ... 52

2.7.1 Email ... 52

2.7.1.1 Emails used for ‘internal’ communication ... 52

2.7.1.2 Emails used for ‘external’ communication ... 54

3.2 An overview of English education in Thai higher education ... 60

3.3 English language development policy in Thai higher education ... 62

3.3.1 The English language development plan of undergraduate students ... 63

3.4 The Provision of Business English subjects in the Business Administration Program ... 65

3.5 The characteristics of Business English subjects ... 66

3.6 Business English materials ... 69

3.7 Possible ways to develop Business English materials to be relevant to business communication in the Thai workplace ... 72

3.8 Conclusion ... 72

Chapter 4 Approaches for conducting needs analysis ... 74

4.1 Introduction ... 74

4.2 What is needs analysis? ... 74

4.3 Relevant needs analysis studies conducted in the Thai workplace sector ... 75

4.4 Relevant needs analysis studies conducted in Thai higher education sector ... 77

4.5 What is meant by ‘needs’? ... 80

4.6 Needs and stakeholders ... 82

4.7 What kinds needs are identified in the Thai workplace? ... 86

4.8 An overall process of Needs Analysis proposing in the Thai workplace sector ... 87

4.8.1 Target Situation Analysis (TSA) ... 87

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4.8.2 The concept of genre analysis ... 89

4.8.3 The relevance of discourse community to genre analysis ... 91

4.8.4 The importance of communicative purposes and genre analysis ... 93

4.8.5 Approaches for identifying move structure of emails and messages ... 94

4.8.6 Identifying the framework of communicative competence ... 96

4.8.6.1 The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) ... 97

4.8.6.2 The framework of communicative competence used in this study ... 98

4.9 The identification of needs in Thai higher education ... 101

4.9.1 Present Situation Analysis (PSA) ... 102

4.9.2 Learning Situation Analysis (LSA) ... 103

5.3.4 Ethical issues at the qualitative data collection ... 112

5.3.5 Qualitative data collection ... 113

5.3.6 The analytic framework for identifying email and chat genres in the Thai workplace ... 115

5.3.6.1 Identifying email and chat genres used for ‘internal communication’ in the Thai workplace ... 116

5.3.6.2 Identifying email and chat genres used for ‘external communication’ in the Thai workplace ... 117

5.3.7 Qualitative data analysis ... 118

5.3.7.1 Qualitative data analysis for identifying email and chat genres ... 119

5.3.7.2 Qualitative data analysis for identifying move structures of emails and messages ... 122

5.3.7.3 Qualitative data analysis for identifying communicative competencies necessary for written communication ... 123

5.3.8 The development of the online questionnaire for collecting quantitative data ... 126

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5.3.9 Ethical issues at the quantitative data analysis ... 130

5.3.10 Quantitative data collection ... 131

5.3.10.1 The process of approaching gatekeepers ... 131

5.3.10.2 The process of approaching and collecting data from participants ... 132

5.3.10.3 Quantitative data analysis ... 133

5.4 Conclusion ... 135

Chapter 6 Results and discussion of needs analysis in the Thai workplace sector ... 136

6.1 Introduction ... 136

6.2 Background information of research participants ... 136

6.2.1 Highest education awards... 138

6.2.2 Majors of degree ... 139

6.2.3

Industries... 140

6.2.4 Departments ... 141

6.2.5 Current job title ... 142

6.2.6 Work experience in the current position ... 144

6.3 Use of English written communication in overall ... 145

6.3.1 The importance of English language skills ... 146

6.3.2 Channels of written communication... 147

6.3.3 Reasons of using English written communication for business purposes ... 148

6.3.3.1 Reasons of using English emails for business communication ... 150

6.3.3.2 Reasons for using English messaging via messaging platforms for business communication ... 152

6.3.4 Hierarchical level of participants and their colleagues who participants usually contact by email for internal communication ... 153

6.3.5 The potential English language background of the colleagues who participants usually communicate with on the English written communication... 155

6.3.6 The potential English language background of foreign clients who participants usually communicate with using written English ... 157

6.4 Results of move analysis on emails in overall ... 159

6.5 Results of the analysis of email genres for ‘internal communication’ ... 162

6.5.1 Email genres for a communication with ‘an individual person’ ... 162

6.5.2 An email genre for a communication with ‘a group of colleagues within the same department or team’ ... 164

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6.5.3 An email genre for a communication with ‘all individuals within a company’ ... 166

6.6 Results of the analysis of email genres for ‘external communication’ ... 167

6.6.1 Types of participants and types of email recipients for external communication ... 168

6.6.2 Email genres for a communication with an external person ... 168

6.7 Communicative competencies needed for emails writing for business communication ... 173

6.7.1 Communicative competencies needed for emails sent to the ‘same hierarchical level’ staff to ‘write a follow-up email’ ... 173

6.7.1.1 Discourse competence: The use of ‘topic shading’ and tones... 173

6.7.1.2 Sociopragmatic competence: The use of Thai term, ‘Khun’ ... 176

6.7.1.3 Sociopragmatic competence: The use of a directive tone regarding the social (workplace) agreement ... 178

6.7.1.4 Pragmalinguistic competence: The use of speech acts ... 178

6.7.1.5 Strategic competence: The use of ‘interactional strategies’ ... 180

6.7.2 Communicative competencies needed on an email sent to the ‘higher hierarchical level’ staff ‘to ‘inform and update’ ... 182

6.7.2.1 Sociopragmatic competence: The use of Thai term ‘Khun’, a must or optional?... 182

6.7.2.2 Discourse competence: The ability to use an appropriate layout of email ... 183

6.7.2.3 Pragmatic competence: The use of functional phrases to express speech acts of refusal ... 184

6.7.2.4 Strategic competence: The use of avoidance or reduction strategies ... 185

6.7.3 Communicative competencies needed for an email genre for a communication with ‘a group of colleagues within the same department or team’ ... 186

6.7.3.1 Discourse competence: The use of correct layout and topic shading ... 187

6.7.3.2 Pragmalinguistic competence: The ability to use functional phrases to convey speech acts such as informing, offering, and requesting ... 188

6.7.3.3 Sociopragmatic competence: The use of an opening salutation of email based on social norm ... 189

6.7.3.4 Strategic competence: The use of compensatory strategies ... 190

6.7.4 Communicative competencies needed for an email responding to a client’s complaint ... 191

6.7.4.1 Linguistic competence: The use of certain English ... 191

6.7.4.2 Discourse competence: The use of correct length of email ... 193

6.7.4.3 Discourse competence: The use of email format to maintain a professional image ... 193

6.7.4.4 Pragmalinguistic competence: The use of speech acts to convey apologies ... 195

6.8 Messaging genres and communicative competencies needed for communication via messaging platforms for internal communication ... 198

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6.8.1 The use of English messaging for internal communication at the ‘individual level’ ... 199

6.8.1.1 Applications (Social media platform) ... 199

6.8.1.2 Characteristics of communication and the use of communicative competence ... 200

Sociopragmatic competence: The use of stickers to generate a casual interaction based on social convention ... 200

Pragmalinguistic competence: The use of speech acts to express emotion through stickers . 202 Pragmalinguistic competence: The use of speech acts to directly express a request ... 203

Strategic competence: The use of avoidance employing codes and abbreviations ... 203

6.8.2 The use of English messaging for internal communication at the ‘department level’ ... 204

6.7.2.1 Applications (Messaging platform) ... 204

6.7.2.2 Characteristics of communication and the use of communicative competence ... 205

Strategic competence: The use of avoidance or reduction strategies ... 206

Linguistic competence: The ability to use form accurate messages ... 206

6.9 The evaluative checklist for identifying ‘Lacks’ ... 213

6.9.1 Part I: Basic information of the subject ... 213

6.9.2 Part II: The evaluative checklist for identifying email and messaging genres and communicative competencies needed for English written communication in the Thai workplace on the English Business Writing subject’s course syllabus (TQF.3)... 213

6.9.3 Part III: The evaluative checklist for identifying email genres and communicative competencies needed for English written communication for internal and external communication in the Thai workplace in the current teaching materials of the English Business Writing subject ... 214

6.9.4 Part IV: The evaluative checklist for identifying chat genres and communicative competencies needed for internal written communication in the Thai workplace in the current teaching materials of the English Business Writing subject ... 214

6.10 Conclusion ... 215

Chapter 7 The Research methodology of needs analysis in Thai higher education sector ... 216

7.1 Introduction ... 216

7.2 Ethical issues of data collection in Thai higher education sector ... 217

7.3 Methodological approach for identifying ‘Lacks’ ... 218

7.3.1 Research methods of identifying ‘lacks’ ... 219

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7.4.1 Research methods of identifying ‘Wants’ ... 224

7.4.2 Participants ... 225

7.4.3 Data collection ... 226

7.4.4 Data Analysis of identifying ‘Wants’ ... 227

7.4.5 Methodological approach for identifying ‘learning needs’ or needs negotiation ... 228

7.4.6 Research methods of identifying ‘Learning Needs’ ... 229

7.3.6.1 The analytic framework for determining the suitable content ... 230

7.3.6.2 The analytic framework for determining the suitable learning activities... 231

7.5 Conclusion ... 233

Chapter 8 Results and discussion of needs analysis in Thai higher education sector ... 235

8.1 Introduction ... 235

8.2 Results and discussion of Present Situation Analysis (PSA) ... 235

8.2.1 The results and discussion of the semi-structured interviews ... 236

8.2.1.1 Teacher profile ... 236

8.2.2 Background of current Business English students provided by the current Business English teacher ... 239

8.2.3 Teaching establishment and classroom culture ... 239

8.2.3.1 An overview of classroom instruction ... 240

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8.3.1 The results of identifying ‘Lacks’ by evaluating the course syllabus evaluation ... 252

8.3.3 The results of identifying ‘Lacks’ by evaluating the provided teaching materials for teaching email writing ... 256

8.3.3.1 The results of evaluating the Oxford Handbook of Commercial by Ashley (2005)... 258

8.3.3.2 The results of evaluating the English for Sales & Purchasing (2017) ... 262

8.3.4 The summary of ‘Lacks’ ... 267

8.4 Results and discussion of Learning Situation Analysis (LSA) ... 270

8.4.1 Learners’ perceptions towards current learning activities ... 272

8.4.2.1 Number of Assignment ... 272

8.4.2.2 Error identification activity ... 273

8.4.2.3 Individual work, pair-work, and group work... 274

8.4.2.4 Including true stories or case studies to the lesson ... 275

8.4.2.5 Other preferences related to teaching materials ... 276

8.4.2.6 Other aspects students dislike about this subject ... 277

8.4.2.7 The summary of the learners’ learning preferences ... 278

8.5 Results and discussion of needs negotiation ... 280

8.5.1 The suitable contents suggesting to the English Business Writing subject ... 280

8.5.1.1 The email genre written for a communication with ‘an individual’ working at the same company ... 280

8.4.1.2 The email genre written for a communication with ‘a group of people working within the department or team’ ... 282

8.4.1.3 The email genre written for a communication with ‘external people’ ... 283

8.4.1.4 The messaging genres made on the Line messaging platform for internal communication 284 8.4.1.5 The summary of ‘learning needs’ concerning the suitable content ... 285

8.5.2 The suitable learning activities suggested for the English Business Writing subject... 288

8.6 Conclusion ... 289

Chapter 9 Business English materials development ... 291

9.1 Introduction ... 291

9.2 Possible ways of materials development ... 291

9.2.1 Approaches for evaluating materials ... 292

9.2.1.1 Universal and local criteria... 293

9.2.1.2 Pedagogical considerations for developing the principled framework of materials evaluation for developing Business English materials ... 294

9.2.1.3 Second language acquisition theories ... 296

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9.2.1.4 Second language acquisition theory and materials development... 298

9.2.1.5 The consideration of Inputs, Processes, and Outcomes ... 300

9.3 The principled framework of materials evaluation ... 307

9.3.1 Evaluating Inputs ... 307

9.3.2 Evaluating Processes ... 311

9.3.2.1 Text-Driven Task-Based approach (TDTB) ... 311

9.3.3 Evaluating Outcomes ... 314

9.3.4 The evaluative form for materials evaluation ... 315

9.4 Approaches for developing materials based on the results of the materials evaluation ... 318

9.4.1 Rejecting materials... 318

9.4.2 Adopting materials ... 318

9.4.3 Adapting materials ... 319

9.4.4 Supplementing materials ... 320

9.5 The results and discussion of material evaluation and material development ... 325

9.5.1 The basic information of the materials, content, learning objectives, and learners’ profile .. 325

9.5.1.1 The existing material ... 327

9.5.2 Overall findings and discussion of materials evaluation ... 334

9.5.3 The results and discussion of material’s inputs evaluation and development ... 336

9.5.3.1 The appropriateness of topic/content ... 336

9.5.3.2 The inclusion of communicative competencies needed for the topic/content ... 338

9.5.4 The results of material’s processes evaluation and development ... 343

Stage 1: Does the material firstly activate learners’ minds in relation to the inputs such as theme, topic or location of the text and task (e.g. a visualization activity, a connecting to previous experience activity, a prediction activity, a mini role play)? ... 343

Stage 2: Does the material secondly provide activities to engage learners to relate their minds on the meaning of a text or other types of inputs (e.g. a visualization activity, a continuation of a connection readiness activity, a checking of predictions activity, and inner speech questioning of the author/speaker)? ... 346

Stage 3: Does the material thirdly encourage learners to use their personal response to the text or other types of input (e.g. drawing what comes to mind when they think back to the text, saying what they like/dislike about the text, responding to a proactive statement about the text, summarizing the essence of the text for someone who has not experienced it)? ... 347

Stage 4: Does the material finally allow learners to work on tasks related to the text or other types of input (e.g. an oral presentation of views, a letter to the author/speaker of the text, a continuation of the text, a modified use of the text, the presentation of an invention inspired by the text, the presentation of a solution to a problem posed in the text)? ... 349

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performance? ... 350

Stage 6: Does the material provide a comparison with a proficient user of the L2’s performance of the task – preferably focusing on a particularly salient lexical, structural or pragmatic feature of the text? ... 351

Stage 7: Does the material provide task revision (or performance of a different but similar task)? ... 352

Stage 8: Does the material encourage learners to research relevant ‘text’ or information which provides further evidence of how language features investigated in stage 6 are typically used? ... 353

Stage 9: Does the material integrate different language skills (e.g. listening, reading, writing, speaking) to teach email writing? ... 354

9.5.5 The results of material’s outcomes evaluation and development ... 354

9.5.5.1 Are the outcomes related to the learning objectives? ... 354

9.5.5.2 Do the outcomes represent the indications of gains in fluency (e.g. the demonstration of applying communicative competencies needed for email writing to deal with complaints from clients)? ... 355

9.5.5.3 Do the outcomes represent the broader educational goals (e.g. increasing learners’ awareness of cultural difference, encouraging critical thinking, problem-solving, and learner independence)? ... 356

9.5.5.4 Do the outcomes represent the individual development (e.g. increased esteem, self-awareness, and confidence)? ... 357

9.6 Conclusion ... 365

Chapter 10 Conclusion and Recommendation... 366

10.1 Introduction ... 366

10.2 Contributions to the literature ... 366

10.2.1 Genre Analysis and Communicative Competence ... 367

10.2.2 Lacks identification ... 368

10.2.3 Learning preferences ... 369

10.2.4 Needs negotiation ... 370

10.3 Contributions to Business English teachers in Thai higher education ... 371

10.4 Contributions to employees in terms of professional development ... 373

10.5 Limitations of the thesis ... 375

10.6 Research recommendations ... 376

10.7 My reflections to the thesis ... 378

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References ... 380

Appendices ... 388

Appendix 1: Questions for a semi-structured interview with the HR manager of a company and the staff that the HR manager recommended at the qualitative data collection ... 389

Appendix 2: Host organization agreement form for the HR manager of a company at the qualitative data collection ... 392

Appendix 3: Participation invitation sheet for the recommended staff at the qualitative data collection ... 399

Appendix 4: Favourable ethical opinion (with conditions), reference number, 17/18:34 ... 404

Appendix 5: English communicative competencies needed in the Thai workplace questionnaire ... 406

Appendix 6: Favourable ethical opinion (with conditions), reference number, FHSS 2018-076 ... 440

Appendix 7: Documents for the HR manager of a company, at the quantitative data collection including a host organization agreement form, participant invitation sheet for the HR manager, participant information sheet, and a consent form ... 444

Appendix 8: The move structure and language features found on the emails individually sent to the ‘same hierarchical level’ staff to ‘write a follow-up email’ ... 453

Appendix 9: The move structure and language features found on the emails individually sent to the ‘higher hierarchical level’ staff to ‘inform and update’ ... 454

Appendix 10: The move structures and English language features found on emails sent to ‘a group of colleagues within the same department or team’ with two different ... 455

Appendix 11: Case Study: Dealing with complaints in the medical industry in Thailand via email ... 458

Appendix 12: Case Study: Dealing with complaints via email in the airline industry in Thailand ... 460

Appendix 13: The evaluative checklist for identifying ‘Lacks’... 464

Appendix 14: Participation information sheet and consent form presented to the Business English teacher ... 472

Appendix 15: Invitation, participation sheets, and consent form presented to Business English learners ... 476

Appendix 16: Questions used at the semi-structured interview with the Business English teacher ... 481

Appendix 17: Focus group rules and questions and topics used for a focus group discussion with Business English learners ... 482

Appendix 18: The evaluative checklists for “evaluating the existing materials” for teaching email writing for dealing with complaints from clients at the pre-use stage ... 483

Appendix 19: UPR16 Form (Research Ethics Review Checklist)...486

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List of Tables

Table 1 The possible types of interaction in the Thai workplace based on top-down and bottom-up

management styles (Juneja, 2015; Eby, 2018) ... 44

Table 2 An interpretation of the model of communicative competence derived from the work of Gilmore (2011) ... 99

Table 3The number of participants participating in qualitative and quantitative data collection ... 137

Table 4 The highest educational award of the participants ... 138

Table 5The participants’ degree major of their highest educational award ... 139

Table 6The industries where the participants worked while participating in this study... 140

Table 7The departments represented by the participants in the study ... 141

Table 8The current job titles of the participants in the TSA ... 143

Table 9 Work experience in the current job position of all participants in the TSA ... 144

Table 10 The importance of English language skills rated by participants at needs analysis in the Thai workplace sector ... 146

Table 11 Channels of written communication ... 147

Table 12 The communicative purposes’ descriptions of using English written communication within the Thai workplace. ... 149

Table 13 Reasons of using English emails for business purposes ... 151

Table 14 Reasons for using messaging applications for business purposes ... 152

Table 15 The hierarchical level of the participants themselves and the corresponding hierarchical level of their colleagues whom they typically contact via email for internal communication... 154

Table 16 The potential English language background of ‘the colleagues’ who participants usually communicate with in written English. ... 156

Table 17 The potential English language background of the ‘foreign clients’ who participants usually communicate with in written English. ... 158

Table 18 Email genres sent to ‘the same level staff’, ‘higher level staff’, and ‘lower level staff’ ... 163

Table 19 Emails sent to ‘a group of colleagues within the same department or team’ ... 165

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17 Table 20 Types of participants regarding their hierarchical levels of participants and types of external people whom participants mostly contact via email for business purposes ... 168 Table 21 Email genres individually sent to an individual person for external communication ... 170 Table 22 The comparison of closing salutation found in emails written to the ‘same level’ staff and the emails written to the ‘higher-level’ staff ... 183 Table 23 The comparison of messages sent via messaging applications to send a follow-up message to the same level and lower-level staff at the individual level for internal communication ... 201 Table 24 The frequent stickers used for ‘greeting’, ‘thanking’, expressing an ‘agreement’ and ‘sorrow’ via Line messaging application for department group chats in the Thai workplace (Line Store, N.D.) ... 208 Table 25 The profile of Business English teacher teaching Business English writing subject ... 237 Table 26 Table of contents providing in the English Business Writing subject (Faculty of Management Science, Silpakorn University, 2018) ... 245 Table 27 The results of the comparison between topics included in the Business English Writing syllabus and the email and messaging genres needed for the Thai workplace for both internal and external communication ... 253 Table 28 The summary of materials evaluation for identifying ‘lacks’ by using the evaluative checklist developed at Target Situation Analysis (TSA) ... 257 Table 29 The results of Learning Situation Analysis (LSA) ... 271 Table 30 The email genre sent to one particular colleague working at the ‘same hierarchical level’ as the email sender... 282 Table 31 The email genre written for a communication with ‘a group of people working within the department or team’ ... 283 Table 32 The email genre written for a communication with ‘external people’ ... 284 Table 33 Messaging genres made on the Line messaging platform for internal communication ... 285 Table 34 The comparison between the content provided in the current course syllabus for the Business English Writing subject and the suggested content based on the findings of needs analysis conducted in this study, which identified the "learning needs" of the students ... 286 Table 35 The descriptions of Inputs, Processes and Outcomes for Materials Development (Maley, 2003, p. 9) ... 302 Table 36 The flexible procedure for developing text-driven tasks (Tomlinson, 2018) ... 313

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18 Table 37 Part I: Basic information of the materials, content, learning objectives, and learners’ profile . 325 Table 38 Part II: Checklists for evaluating the existing materials ... 334

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List of Figures

Figure 1 The strategic location of Thailand in ASEAN (NESDB, Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, World

Bank, IMD cited in Asawachintachit, 2017) ... 35

Figure 2 Top 10 nationalities living and working in Thailand (Ministry of Labour, Thailand, 2018 cited in the Agent Urban Link Property Expert, 2018) ... 38

Figure 3 Levels of Management (Juneja, 2015) ... 42

Figure 4 The feature of LINE messaging application (LINE, n.d.) ... 56

Figure 5 Samples of emoticon (Kotlyarenko, 2022) ... 57

Figure 6 Samples of emoji (Kotlyarenko, 2022) ... 57

Figure 7 Samples of stickers provided on the LINE messaging application (LINE Store, N.D.) ... 58

Figure 8 The conceptual framework of needs and three different stakeholders focused on this research (Adapted from Hutchinson and Waters (1987) cited in Huhta et.al., 2013, p.11, Robinson, 1999 cited in Huhta et.al., 2013) ... 84

Figure 9 The process of needs analysis proposing in the Thai workplace section in overall ... 88

Figure 10 The analytic framework for analysing email and chat genres occurring in the Thai workplace ... 116

Figure 11 The use of NVivo software for analysing qualitative data to identify email and messaging genres based on the analytic framework of identifying email and messaging genres in the Thai workplace ... 121

Figure 12 A representative example of move structure analysis conducted using qualitative methods, guided by the framework and process for identifying move structure outlined in Chapter 4. ... 123

Figure 13 The sample of theme nodes created to identify communicative competencies needed for written communication in the Thai workplace ... 125

Figure 14 The sample of closed and open-ended question used in the online questionnaire for quantitative data collection in the Thai workplace sector ... 130

Figure 15 Samples of frequent stickers used on Line Messaging Application (Line Store, 2023) ... 153

Figure 16 The sample email wrote by a Thai travel designer to his colleague who is Vietnamese working at the same level and position in the office located in Vietnam. ... 180

Figure 17 The use of English messaging for internal communication at the ‘individual level’ in the Thai workplace ... 199

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20 Figure 18 Samples of stickers provided on the Line messaging application that could be used to generate a casual conversation, to save time, and to express the emotion of a text sender (ESF, N.D.) ... 202 Figure 19 The use of social media for internal communication at the ‘department level’ in the Thai workplace ... 204 Figure 20 The samples of stickers used “to give compliments or to praise’ within the department group chat of the Medical Correspondence Department at a hospital in Bangkok, Thailand (Sanmanee, N.D.) ... 210 Figure 21 The process of qualitative data analysis for identifying learning preferences ... 227 Figure 22 The research methods of identifying ‘Learning Needs’ ... 229 Figure 23 The analytic framework for determining the suitable content to the English Business Writing subject and materials development ... 230 Figure 24 The analytic framework for determining the suitable learning activities to the English Business Writing subject and materials development ... 232 Figure 25 The overview of classroom instruction of the Business English Writing subject ... 240 Figure 26 The first sample of identifying communicative competencies suggested for email writing for external communication provided in the Oxford Handbook of Commercial Correspondence (New

Edition, 2005) ... 260 Figure 27 The first sample of identifying communicative competencies suggested on email writing for external communication provided on the Oxford Handbook of Commercial Correspondence (New Edition, 2005) ... 261 Figure 28 The first sample communicative competence identification suggested for email writing for external communication provided on The English for Sales & Purchasing (2017) ... 263 Figure 29 The second sample of communicative competence identification suggested for email writing for external communication provided in The English for Sales & Purchasing (2017)... 264 Figure 30 The third sample of communicative competence identification suggested for email writing for external communication provided on The English for Sales & Purchasing (2017) ... 265 Figure 31 A holistic framework for developing topic-specific checklists for materials evaluation (Chan, 2009) ... 295 Figure 32 The principled framework of materials evaluation for evaluating the existing materials used for the Business English Writing subject in Thai higher education (Maley, 2003; Chan, 2009; Tomlinson and Masuhara, 2011, Tomlinson, 2018) ... 307

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21 Figure 33 The adapted version of Input 5 with the supplementary informed by the findings of Needs Analysis ... 339 Figure 34 The adapted version of Input 2 by conceptualizing the two phone calls and including question to encourage learners to visualize the situations including the supportive suggestion such as note taking ... 340 Figure 35 The development of supplementary for Input 10 to be more relevant to the Thai cultural awareness on English email writing in the Thai workplace ... 342 Figure 36 The adapted teaching process for the Input 1 (Starter Activity) in order to firstly activate learners’ minds in relation to the inputs of existing material ... 345 Figure 37 The additional instructions to encourage learners to use their personal response to the text or situation provided on the existing material ... 348 Figure 38 Dealing with complaints in the airline industry in Thailand via email ... 358 Figure 39 Dealing with complaints in the medical industry in Thailand via email... 361 Figure 40 The overall framework of conducting needs analysis research for Business English materials development in Thai higher education setting ... 372

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Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1 Background and rationale

The use of English in written and spoken communication has become an essential requirement for many professions in Thailand and Southeast Asia. This requirement has partly transpired due to the policies implemented by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional trading block established in 1967 to promote the economic growth, social progress, and cultural development of the Southeast Asian region. ASEAN is comprised of ten countries that include Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, and uses English as the common language for cross-regional communication due to the linguistic diversity of the member states. In addition, the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 has enhanced the usage of English in the region. The AEC was established to promote regional integration and the free movement of goods, services, capital and skilled labour in eight recognized professional fields that include accountancy, engineering, surveying, architecture, nursing, medical services, dental services, and tourism (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), n.d.). This means that professionals in these eight fields are now able to work in other ASEAN member states and since English is the common language of communication in the ASEAN region, the language has grown in importance as a tool for communication in the ASEAN workplace. As a result, the workplace in Thailand has become more international in nature since the formation of the AEC, with Thai employees increasingly working alongside ASEAN expatriates and using English as the medium of communication.

1.1.1 The impact of ASEAN on English usage in the Thai business setting

With the establishment of the AEC, English is now widely used as the lingua franca in the Thai workplace context. The term English as a Lingua Franca or ELF refers to the use of English by speakers with different first languages who have adopted it as their preferred mode of communication, often due to a lack of other options (Seidlhofer, 2013, p.7). In the business context, the use of ELF is sometimes referred to as Business English as a Lingua Franca (BELF),

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where English is used by employees from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds

(Kankaanranta et al., 2015). When English is used as ELF, the language can serve as a "shared language" or even a "corporate language" and effective communication requires accuracy, clarity, and the ability to create a positive impression on the recipient, regardless of whether they are a native (L1) or non-native (L2) English speaker. In this way, successful communication in business contexts where English is used as ELF relies on the participants accommodating each other's linguistic needs and excluding linguistic chauvinism. Moreover, communicative competencies are necessary to facilitate effective communication between L1 and L2 English speakers.

1.1.2 The importance of communicative competency in the Thai workplace

Communicative competencies a range of abilities to achieve effective communication such as flexibility and adaptability to accommodate different accents, dialects, and language variations, are essential for communication in ELF. The term ‘communicative competence’ also

encapsulates the ability to communicate interculturally or the ability to understand and respect diverse cultural norms and values of people with different cultures. House, (2014) emphasizes the importance of possessing "communicative competence" in responding to the diverse backgrounds and contexts of English speakers in international settings, which require ad hoc negotiation of the language. Similarly, Jenkins, (2012) stresses the need for communicative competence in contexts where English serves as an ELF, as relying solely on linguistic competence may not ensure successful communication. This is because L2 English speakers often have varying ways of using English, and may possess a limited linguistic competence. Therefore, strategies and tacit knowledge related to communicative competence are crucial for successful communication with ELF or in international settings.

Currently, written English is widely used in the workplaces of Thailand. Previous studies have revealed that over 50% of employers in Thailand require their employees to be proficient in various English-based tasks, such as ‘writing emails and letters’, ‘delivering presentations’,

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‘participating in meetings’, and ‘reading reports’ (Keirstead et al., 2016).Recent research

indicates that written English is growing in significance in the Thai workplace, particularly in the context of multinational businesses(Cheep-Aranai et al., 2017; Hiranburana, 2017; Kaewkunha, 2021). In addition, email is the preferred mode of communication for business purposes for the majority of Thai employees, in contrast to other modes such as telephone calls, faxes, letters, and teleconferences (Hiranburana, 2017,p.34). Considering the current preference for email writing in the Thai workplace alongside the increasing use of English, it is imperative to investigate the necessary communicative competencies needed for English writing at work, particularly for emails.

Despite the widespread use of email in the Thai workplace, recent studies have shown that Thai employees do not wholly possess certain communicative competencies such as “tone of

writing” and “cultural awareness” when writing emails in English. In a case study focusing on the email writing of Thai employees working in a Thai bank, Wannadilok, (2017) found that, when communicating with international customers, a lack of awareness of cultural differences resulted in the employees adopting an inappropriate tone of formality in their email writing. For this reason, Wannadilok, (2017) stressed that tone has become an important aspect of email writing and one that employees in the Thai workplace should carefully consider,

especially in terms of its relatedness to cultural awareness. Furthermore, Rajprasit et al., (2022) recently investigated the challenges faced by Thai human resources professionals in an

American multinational company when communicating in written and spoken business English. Their study revealed that a majority of employees wrote using an inappropriate tone,

particularly when writing emails in English. Thus, these studies highlight an area where Thai employees could develop their communicative competence when performing email writing tasks in English.

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1.1.3 The lack of communicative competencies included in the materials of Business English Writing classes in Thai higher education

The problems for Thai employees concerning the use of communicative competence needed for formal business email writing in English correlate to how they are taught English writing skills for business communication in Thai higher education. Although it is the responsibility of Thai universities to instruct their undergraduates on how to use English effectively for written communication in the Thai workplace, the aforementioned case studies reflect that recent Thai graduates might not be adequately trained in the communicative competencies typically used for email writing in English for business communication. This implies that Business English teaching in Thai higher education could also be problematic.

A number of researchers have identified deficiencies with the common teaching materials used in Business English classrooms and an argument could be made that the same deficiencies with teaching materials in Thai Business English classrooms are negatively impacting Thai students’ learning outcomes. While Richards, (2001:251, cited in Ahmed, 2017) emphasizes that teaching materials are a key component of a language programs, and are generally used as the basis for language input and practice in the classroom, Tomlinson, (2016 ) claims that, at present, Business English textbooks and coursebooks are designed for global contexts and marketed to users worldwide, resulting in their failure to serve the needs of learners who predominantly use English as a Lingua Franca. This finding is reinforced by a study conducted by Tomlinson and Masuhara (2013, cited in Tomlinson, 2016), who analysed six EFL courses published in the UK and found that most of the materials present a "correct" version of English spoken and written by L1 English speakers interacting with each other. Similarly, Burn and Hill (2013, p. 241, cited in Tomlinson, 2016) reviewed current global coursebooks and found that while some L2 English speakers are occasionally included, their inclusion is not to explore communication between different kinds of English speakers. Therefore, it is possible to infer that Thai students who are subjected to learning Business English through commercial textbooks are insufficiently exposed to the communicative competencies required for English written communication due to a lack

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of instruction within the textbooks on cultural awareness or the use of English among L2 English speakers.

Furthermore, this situation might be compounded by the fact that commercial textbooks and coursebooks are the second-most preferred mode of instruction for Business English teachers in Thai higher education after PowerPoint presentations (Amatayakul, 2019). This suggests a significant number of Thai students are taught Business English from a global perspective rather than a more specific Thai workplace perspective. Additionally, Thai Business English teachers seems to remain uninformed of the problematic nature of commercial textbooks since most have limited experience of using Business English in target situations in the Thai workplace. Therefore, students who are taught Business English using commercial textbooks and

coursebooks might not possess the necessary communicative competencies to perform email writing tasks in English to the standard expected by their future employers. Moreover, it is conceivable that without intervention, the use of inappropriate Business English textbooks will persist in Thai universities.

1.1.4 My English Business Writing teaching context in Thai higher education and reflection

Prior to beginning my PhD thesis, I taught undergraduate Business Management and English (BME) students at Silpakorn University's Faculty of Management Science for four years. During this time, I, like many of my colleagues, preferred using commercial textbooks and coursebooks as teaching materials for my classes because we had limited experience in using Business English in target situations. In addition, using the commercial textbooks and coursebooks helped me save time on my teaching preparation as commercial textbooks are well-designed. More importantly, I felt confident to use these coursebooks as my materials because most of them focus on linguistic competency which I believed is very important for my students. This means that the stated problems arising from the use of Business English materials were also occurring in my classes. However, I became aware of the importance of communicative

competence in written communication in the workplace and the fact that English is increasingly used as a Lingua Franca, when I visited my student internship programs in Bangkok, Thailand. These students were required to complete a 380-hour internship before entering their final

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year at the university. I was required by the university to visit them twice to assess their workplace performance and solicit feedback on their written communication skills in English because, prior to their internships, these students had taken my Business English Writing course. The trainers provided feedback that indicated that while the students could write accurately, they lacked fluency and used inappropriate vocabulary, resulting in impolite communication.

Following conversations with staff members from the placement companies and some of my students, it became clear that what they had learned in their Business English Writing class was not entirely applicable to the Thai workplace context. This statement is critically important as it revealed the disparity between the English taught in the classroom and the English used in their workplaces. These students also provided additional feedback that they lacked knowledge of both Thai organizational culture and how English is typically used in the Thai workplace. This lack of understanding made them less confident when using written English for business purposes during their internships. Moreover, they all noted that they had learned more from their colleagues during their internships than from their writing course because it is more specific to a workplace setting. Most importantly, they felt they could have been better prepared for their internships in terms of English communication in the Thai workplace. Therefore, their feedback reiterated their trainer’s comments and suggested my student’s English instruction in my class was only relevant to the wider international business context and did not fully align with the usage of English in the Thai workplace context where communicative competence is highly valued. Consequently, their use of English was considered problematic by some Thai employees, in line with previous research conducted by Wannadilok, (2017).

Therefore, the situation described above has provided the impetus for my PhD proposal, which explores potential methods to enhance the teaching of Business English in Thai higher

education institutions.

1.1.5 Needs analysis proposal

My PhD proposal is centred on the concept of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), which

employs needs analysis as its primary approach. Business English, a subset of ESP, aims to equip

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learners with specific language and communication skills necessary for their respective fields of study, profession, or workplace (Basturkmen, 2010, pp. 17-19). To create effective Business English materials, it is crucial for the materials developer to possess a comprehensive understanding of the required English language and communication skills for the learners in their future professions or workplaces. However, since most Business English teachers may not possess first-hand experience using English in a particular profession related to the subject they are teaching, needs analysis approach is often seen as crucial for the development of ESP courses and the preparation of materials (Brown, 2015; Dudley-Evans, 2001; Huhta et al., 2013; Hutchinson & Waters, 1987). The approach involves consulting with various stakeholders, such as teachers, students, administrators, and individuals working in the target workplace, to determine the specific language and communication skills required for success in a particular field (Brown, 2015, p.17). Thus, my PhD proposal employs needs analysis in order to involve the relevant stakeholders including employees in the Thai workplace, Business English teachers, and Business English students. In addition, previous research conducted in Thailand on Business English teaching must be further reviewed.

Previous studies of needs analysis conducted in Thailand have highlighted its importance in all areas of ESP curriculum design, including syllabus design, materials development, and

classroom activity development. For example, some scholars in Thailand have applied needs analysis to ESP course development, as seen in the works of Polsombat, (2015), Thepseenu, (2020), and Kongtham, (2020), who focused on Business English for the sales division at a Japanese trading company, civil engineering students, and hotel staff in Phuket, Thailand, respectively. However, no research has formally analysed the English language skills and communicative competencies required for written communication in the Thai workplace that could be used for the development of materials for the Business English Writing subject in Thai higher education. Therefore, I decided to use my PhD proposal to expand the application of needs analysis and develop Business English materials for Thai higher education. To achieve this, it is imperative to include the Needs Analysis approach in the development of Business English teaching materials and identify possible practical ways of meeting the needs of the

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relevant stakeholders that include the Thai workplace as well as Business English teachers and students.

Based on the aforementioned discussion, this PhD thesis consists of two main phases. The first phase involves the use of needs analysis to identify the communication competencies,

language, and skills required for effective written English communication in the Thai workplace. The findings from this phase will be utilized to identify the appropriate content, language focus, and learning activities for the second phase. The second phase aims to investigate how the results of needs analysis can be practically applied to the development of Business English materials suitable for the university setting. Moreover, the study will thoroughly examine possible ways in which needs analysis research can be integrated into the development of Business English teaching materials, and a sample of the developed materials will be provided to demonstrate the application of needs analysis approach. The results of this phase are expected to contribute significantly to Business English teaching in Thai higher education by providing a framework and process for needs analysis in the development of teaching

materials. This framework can be adapted for use in universities and other organizations, such as in-house Business English training at companies in Thailand.

1.2 Research objectives and research questions

Based on the background and rationale, this study has two main objectives:

- to investigate the English language and communicative competencies needed for effective written communication in the Thai workplace, and

- to explore the application of needs analysis in developing the Business English writing materials in the Thai higher education setting.

To address these research objectives, the following questions are proposed:

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- What is the specific English language and communicative competencies needed for effective written communication in the Thai workplace, and what is the rationale behind their importance?

- In what ways can needs analysis approach be implemented in the development of materials for the English Business Writing course in Thai higher education?

1.3 Research significance

This study employed the method of needs analysis to identify the necessary communicative competencies for effective written communication in the Thai workplace, and subsequently compared these findings with the existing Business English teaching materials and the preferred learning styles of Business English writing learners. This approach is advantageous in ensuring that the developed Business English courses and teaching materials are aligned with the authentic requirements of the target stakeholders, including individuals in the future target workplaces, Business English instructors in Thai higher education, and Business English students.

Through the identification of potential disparities between the required communicative competencies in the Thai workplace and the ones presently taught in Thai higher education, Business English instructors can devise courses and teaching materials that more accurately cater to the needs of their students and promote their professional success. Thus, the results of this study may serve as a valuable tool for Business English teachers in Thai higher education who aspire to enhance their courses and teaching materials and equip their students with the necessary skills to excel in the workplace.

The study has the potential to provide valuable guidance for Business English teachers in Thai higher education and beyond, as it offers a clear process and recommendations for applying needs analysis to develop effective teaching materials. As such, this study can serve as a useful

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resource for other Business English teachers seeking to improve their courses and materials. Furthermore, since the process and recommendations can be adapted for use in other

universities and contexts where Business English teaching materials are needed, this study can potentially make a broader impact on the field of Business English teaching. Therefore, this study could theoretically benefit not only Business English teachers in Thai higher education, but also those in other contexts where similar needs analysis approaches can be applied to meet the needs of their stakeholders such as a target workplace, a student, and an educational institute.

1.4 Structural outline of the research

This research project consists of nine chapters.

Chapter One provides the introduction of this research. The chapter provides the background,

the research problem, the research objectives, the research significance, the scope of the study, and the structural outline of the study.

Chapter Two discusses the Thai workplace context focusing on businesses who require the

necessary language skills and communicative competencies for business communication in English. Primarily this chapter provides the research context in more detail while also exploring the English language and communicative competencies that are required for the Thai workplace context regarding the relevant previous research.

Chapter Three provides the research context of the Thai higher education sector. The chapter

attempts to highlight the research gaps that this research project is trying to bridge. It provides further details of the research gap stated in Chapter 1 and outlines the English language proficiency requirement that Thai universities impose on undergraduate students in order to complete their bachelor degrees. Accordingly, Business English teaching in Thai higher education

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is reviewed. Moreover, the current situation of Business English teaching in Thai universities and, more specifically, the Faculty of Management Science, Silpakorn University, Thailand (where this research project was conducted) is evaluated to provide context for the study.

Chapter Four discusses theories of needs analysis for English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and

examines possible approaches for identifying English language and communicative competencies needed for written communication in the Thai workplace. The chapter also aims to identify approaches that could be used for conducting needs analysis in both the Thai workplace and Thai higher education sector of this current study. Thus, the conceptual framework for conducting needs analysis in this study, which indicates the relevant stakeholders and the approaches used for identifying their needs, is addressed within Chapter 4.

Chapter Five provides the research methodology of needs analysis in the Thai workplace. The

chapter includes a discussion of the research methodology, the participants, data collection, and data analysis. The analytic framework used for analysing data from the Thai workplace is also provided.

Chapter Six presents the results and discussion of needs analysis conducted in the Thai workplace

sector. The emphasis of this chapter is to highlight the English email and messaging genres and communicative competencies needed for written communication in the Thai workplace. It will then use the stated findings to develop an evaluative checklist used for evaluating the current course syllabus and materials provided for the English Business Writing subject. In order to provide insightful results for Chapter 6, the results are sequenced, starting with the quantitative findings and followed by the qualitative findings.

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Chapter Seven presents the research methodology of needs analysis in Thai higher education.

The chapter includes the discussion of the research methodology, participants, data collection, and data analysis. The analytic frameworks used for analysing the data at Thai higher education is also provided.

Chapter Eight presents the results and discussion of needs analysis conducted in the Thai higher

education sector. The chapter aims to provide needs of the Thai higher education sector concerning the Business English writing subject and the needs of students studying the subject. The findings include the teaching context of Business English writing subject, the missing content concerning the email and messaging genres and communicative competencies needed for written communication in the Thai workplace, and the needs of current students in terms of their preferred learning activities. At the end of Chapter 8, suitable content and learning activities for the subject are identified from needs negotiation. These findings were used as guidelines for Business English materials developed conducted for the second phase of this study.

Chapter Nine starts with the identification of possible ways and approaches for the Business

English Materials proposed for the second phase of this study. Then, the chapter addresses the framework of materials evaluation and materials development. The chapter also presents the Business English materials developed based on the framework in order to demonstrate the application of needs analysis to Business English materials development.

Chapter Ten provides the conclusion and recommendations of this thesis. The chapter discusses

the contribution this thesis makes to needs analysis for Business English materials development, as well as presenting the limitations of the thesis. It also highlights potential areas for future research and my own reflections on the research I conducted.

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Chapter 2 Business in Thailand and English for written communication in the Thai workplace

2.1 Introduction

This chapter provides the research of context focusing on the Thai workplace. This chapter reviewsthe internationalization of Thai business and identifies specific industries in Thailand that should be the focus of this study. Since the study centres on English communication in the workplace, it is important to identify the locations where foreign employees or expatriates mostly work in Thailand, as English is potentially used for business communication in those settings. In addition, the chapter also discusses the English language requirements for hiring employees, highlighting the English language skills that companies typically seek in Thai and foreign candidates. Then, the chapter examines various factors that influence how English is used in the Thai workplace, including internal and external communication, organizational structures, and Thai workplace culture. This chapter finally provides the relevant aspects of English written communication in the Thai workplace that should be addressed in the study.

2.2 Background to internationalisation of Thai business

The internationalization of businesses in Thailand is steadily increasing as an influx of foreign investment continues to enter the country. This is due to various reasons as reported by

different organisations (Camille, 2022; Reliance Consulting, 2020; Som, 2022; Thailand Board of Investment, 2022). One of the significant factors contributing to Thailand's attractiveness as a business destination is its geographical location. Asawachintachit (2017) illustrates this point with Figure 1, which highlights Thailand's central position in the Southeast Asian region. The country shares its borders with Myanmar and Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) to the North, Myanmar and the Andaman Sea to the West, Lao PDR and Cambodia to the East, and the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia to the South (Assavavipapan & Opasanon, 2016). This location helps facilitate the movement of goods, investment, and skilled labour within the region. Moreover, the website of The United States of America Embassy and Consulate in

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Thailand (N.D.) indicates that Thailand is an upper-middle-income country with an open economy, a GDP of $529 billion, and an annual growth rate in 2018 of 4.1%, all of which are attractive conditions for foreign investment (The United States of America Embassy and Consulate in Thailand, n.d.). Thus, Thailand’s favourable location and economic standing have sparked interest from foreign investors, and, as a result, many businesses in Thailand now operate within an international context.

Figure 1 The strategic location of Thailand in ASEAN (NESDB, Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, World Bank, IMD cited in Asawachintachit, 2017)

2.3 Targeted industries in Thailand

Regarding the internationalization of businesses in Thailand, the government of Thailand launched the National Strategy Thailand 4.0 in 2016 to work with the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) and promote 10 target industries to attract foreign investors and foreign employees to work in Thailand and further develop the economy of country. The ultimate aim of this strategy is to transform Thailand into a developed country, establishing technology clusters and future industries, and incubating entrepreneurs and developing networks of

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innovation-driven enterprises, while strengthening the internal economy through provincial clusters, and integrating with ASEAN to connect Thailand to the global community (Royal Thai Embassy Washington D.C., n.d.). In order to achieve this, the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) plays a crucial role in facilitating investment and business establishment in Thailand by offering a range of benefits that include tax exemption for up to 13 years, full foreign

ownership, and assistance with visas and work permits (Thailand Board of Investment, 2021, as cited in Lhawpongsawad, 2021).

The BOI is primarily focused on promoting investment in the 10 targeted industries to support the economic strategy of Thailand. The 10 targeted industries are:

(6) Advanced Robotics for Industrial and Domestic Use (7) Medical Hubs and Total Healthcare Services

(8) Biofuel and Biochemical industries (9) An integrated Aviation

(10) Digital Technology

(Thailand Board of Investment, 2020) With the internationalization of these industries, both their investors and workforce have become more diverse in terms of their nationalities and native languages, which points to a

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likelihood that English is growing in importance and is increasingly used for business communication.

The BOI’s policy of supporting companies to hire foreign workers in the 10 targeted industries suggests that the number of foreign workers in Thailand will continue to grow in the future and could lead to a more diverse range of English language communication in the workplace. Thus, it is important to provide an overview of the profile of foreign workers employed in Thailand.

2.4 Foreign employees in Thailand

The statistical information pertaining to the nationalities of expatriates employed in Thailand reveals that the majority of them originate from countries where English is not the primary or official language. The Ministry of Labour, Thailand (2018, cited in the AgentUrban Link Property Expert, 2018) reports that there has been an average increase of 25% on a per-country basis in the number of expatriates residing in Thailand, with the largest groups comprising Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, British, American, South Korean, French, Taiwanese, and Russian, as illustrated in Figure 2 below (The Agent Urban Link Property Expert, 2018). Given their nationalities, it is likely that English serves as a second rather than a first language.

However, it is important to note that this assumption is based solely on geographic and official language criteria and does not preclude the possibility that individuals from these countries may have learned English as a first language, given the globalized nature of the contemporary

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world. Nevertheless, it can be inferred that expatriates employed in Thailand are likely to use English as a second language, as illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 2 Top 10 nationalities living and working in Thailand (Ministry of Labour, Thailand, 2018 cited in the Agent Urban Link Property Expert, 2018)

In Thailand, expatriates working in the country are both white-collar and blue-collar employees. According to the Expat Insider 2022 survey by InterNations (2022), the world’s largest expat community. Their 4 million members worldwide ranked Thailand 8th among the best countries for expatriates. Furthermore, the number of foreign workers in Thailand has increased from approximately 2 million in 2017 to 2.3 million in 2021, as reported by the Foreign Workers Administration Office (2022). Of these, 41% are blue-collar workers in factories and 59% are white-collar workers (Foreign Workers Administration Office, 2018 cited in The Agent Urban Link Property Expert, 2018).

Translated nationalities: Japanese, Chinese, Pilipino, Indian, British, American, South Korean, French, Taiwanese, and Russian

Translated source: This source was reported by the Ministry of Labor, Thailand in January, 2018 (B.E. 2561)

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According to statistical information, it shows that most expatriates working as white-collar staff are living in Bangkok. However, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Phuket are other primary places of residence for the expatriates working in Thailand, mainly due to the higher availability of employment opportunities in these locations (InterNations, 2022). In this way, it would be logical to use Bangkok as the geographical focus of this study since it is where the highest number of expatriate white-collar workers reside in Thailand. Additionally, AREA, Thailand conducted a survey in 2017, revealing that most expatriates living in Bangkok reside in three areas: Sukhumvit (40%), Ratchada-Ladprao (16%), and Thonburi (9%), which are strategically located in close proximity to the expatriates’ workplaces, international schools, and hospitals (The Agent Urban Link Property Expert, 2018). These results suggest that the majority of companies in the aforementioned three areas, function within an international environment, thus rendering these areas appropriate for inclusion in the present study.

In summary, this section has furnished information on expatriates’ nationalities, job

classifications (e.g. white-collar, blue-collar), and the areas (e.g. Sukhumvit, Ratchada-Ladprao, Thonburi areas of Bangkok) where the study could potentially be carried out to examine English business communication in Thailand’s corporate sector.

2.5 Formal English language requirements for hiring employees in Thailand

As the internationalization of businesses in Thailand has been growing as discussed previously, it is necessary for companies to identify their candidate’s English language proficiency at the recruitment stage, especially when recruiting Thai and foreign candidates who do not use English as their first language. There is a growing trend of companies requiring a Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) score, particularly the Listening and Reading Module. Prior to this trend, employers favoured Thai candidates with degrees taught in English, good English interview skills, possession of international English certificates, or proficiency in internally or externally provided English tests (Keirstead et al., 2016). The TOEIC test is widely accepted in Thailand, having been designed by the Educational Testing Service over 40 years

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ago to assess English language skills required in the workplace. With over 14,400 organizations across more than 160 countries using it, it is the most widely-used English proficiency test worldwide (Educational Testing Service, 2020). The Educational Testing Service (ETS) reported in 2019 that 53% of Thai individuals used the TOEIC test (Listening and Reading Module) for job applications, making Thailand the second-highest country in the world to use it for this purpose, behind only Costa Rica (66%) (ETS, 2019). These statistics suggest that TOEIC (Listening and Reading Module) scores are considered important by many organizations in Thailand. At the same time, research indicates that English writing is the most commonly used form of English in the Thai workplace (as discussed in Chapter 1). In addition, previous studies (also discussed in Chapter 1) have shown that many Thai employees perceive their English writing skills as problematic. Thus, the required English language skills (listening and reading) may not align with the actual English language and communication skills necessary for the Thai workplace (writing).

2.6 Different factors affecting communication in the Thai workplace

Prior to examining communication in the Thai workplace, it is imperative to define the scope of the term "Thai workplace" in this study. Specifically, the term refers to business organizations owned by Thai or foreign owners operating in Bangkok within the aforementioned ten

designated industries, where the majority of employees are Thai and where English written communication is used extensively for both internal and external communication purposes. Considering the definition of the Thai workplace used in this thesis and the internationalization of Thai workplaces as discussed earlier, it suggests that there could be variations in who

employees communicate with, what message is needed to be communicated, and the medium by which they communicate with others. For this reason, it is necessary to identify potential common factors influencing the ways employees in 10 target industries communicate within the Thai workplace.

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I NEEDS ANALYSIS FOR BUSINESS ENGLISH MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT IN THAI HIGHER EDUCATION

<b>Needs Analysis for Business English Materials Development in Thai Higher </b>

<b>Education </b>

<b>Sasikarn Howchatturat </b>

School of Languages and Applied Linguistics University of Portsmouth

<b>June 2023</b>

<b>Declaration </b>

<b>Acknowledgments </b>

<b>Abstract </b>

<b>Chapter 2 Business in Thailand and English for written communication in the Thai workplace ... 34</b>

<b>Chapter 4 Approaches for conducting needs analysis ... 74</b>

<b>Chapter 6 Results and discussion of needs analysis in the Thai workplace sector ... 136</b>

6.2.3

<b>Chapter 7 The Research methodology of needs analysis in Thai higher education sector ... 216</b>

<b>Chapter 8 Results and discussion of needs analysis in Thai higher education sector ... 235</b>

<b>Chapter 9 Business English materials development ... 291</b>

<b>Chapter 10 Conclusion and Recommendation... 366</b>

<b>References ... 380</b>

<b>Appendices ... 388</b>

<b>List of Tables </b>

<b>List of Figures </b>

<b>Chapter 1 Introduction </b>

<b>Chapter 2 Business in Thailand and English for written communication in the Thai workplace </b>

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