Face Construction and Politeness Strategies in Cross-Cultural E-Commerce Customer Service: An Analysis of Conflict Resolution Through Communicative Competence

Abstract

Using the framework of communicative competence theory, this study explores cross-cultural conflict resolution in e-commerce customer service interactions. This study examines the elements of face construction, politeness principles, and conversational maxims in English-language customer service call transcripts that are publicly available. The aim is to see how cultural differences may play out in intercultural problem-solving and how service representatives approached those difficulties. The theoretical framework includes Brown and Levinson's politeness theory, Grice's conversational maxims, Stella Ting-Toomey's face-negotiation theory, and David Myers's social psychology principles to better understand collaborative face construction in intercultural communication. The results reveal that the success in resolving conflict is highly contingent upon the use of culturally sensitive face-saving strategies, modified adherence to politeness principles, and the purposeful violation of Gricean maxims employed to maintain the relationship. This study contributes to an understanding of how theoretically grounded communication principles can be observed from intercultural business contexts for real-world outcomes and underscores the importance of cultural awareness to competency in a customer service environment.