The contributions to this volume together confirm that though context and culture are complex and difficult notions they are crucial to understanding the professional genres of modern business communication. In todays globalised business environment professionals of all backgrounds are under pressure to employ new and different discourse standards to allow for smoother production and reception of business documents and dialogues. In this changing environment the success of any commercial activity will depend on how competently business professionals respond to the cultural sensitivities and preferences of their partners. Taking a variety of approaches to professional genres including customer complaints mission statements international contracts and decisionmaking meetings the authors explore complex aspects of both crosscultural and interpersonal issues in business discourse and suggest practical applications of their analytical findings.