The aim of this study was to identify which media is chosen for
Computed-mediated Communication (CMC) in multicultural business
interactions when the main language of communication is English as a
lingua franca. The second aim was to determine how the results of this
study should be taken into consideration at Higher Educational
Institutions (HEIs) in curriculum development. The analyses employed in
this survey followed Media synchronicity theory (MST),
originally proposed by Dennis/Valacich (1997) and later refined by
Dennis et al. (2008). This study was conducted using a mixed method
approach with data from a quantitative survey regarding media usage of
274 respondents and qualitative theme interviews of five working life
representatives. The findings indicate that the choice of media varies
between different countries and is dependent on the different
capabilities and synchronicity of the media. The team structure,
communication processes, choice of language, cultural diversity and
ethical rules of the company play an important role in communication and
are meaningful when choosing the media for communication. The main
conclusion is that the ability to choose the media that is suitable for
varying communicative situations in working life has become essential
and therefore needs to be developed as part of curriculum development
work at HEIs.