Showing papers in "Business Communication Quarterly in 2003"

Chinese Business Face: Communication Behaviors and Teaching Approaches

Abstract: Chinese businesspersons are extremely sensitive to protecting and enhancing face. The Chinese sensitivity to face is a result of their emphasis on enduring relation ships and social networks. The hundreds of phrases in the Chinese language describing face demonstrate the sophistication of the Chinese conceptualization of face and related behaviors. For the businessperson, saving face and giving face are the most important face-related skills. Chinese businesspersons use various com munication strategies in order to save face and give face, including indirectness, intermediaries, praising, requests, and shaming. Western businesspersons can pre pare to operate effectively in the Chinese business environment by learning about the Chinese conceptualization of face and related communication strategies.

Companies Can Apologize: Corporate Apologies and Legal Liability.

Abstract: Discussions of corporate apologies frequently state or imply that apologies create legal liabilities for the apologist and, therefore, that corporate attomeys routinely recommend against apologies. A review of formal ("black letter") and common law indicates that apologies generally do not constitute evidence of guilt and that, in fact, they sometimes have positive consequences for the apologist. Persons who practice (or teach) crisis communication should avoid the mistake of relying on an over-simplified and inaccurate understanding of the legal issues surrounding corpo rate apologies.

Business E-mail: Guidelines for Users:

Abstract: medium in business today, many businesspeople and business students take it casually and fail to realize its full potential. It’s easy to assume that since e-mail can be produced quickly and easily, readers can comprehend e-mail messages quickly and easily too. Yet overly speedy e-mail writing can result in much slower e-mail reading and even miscommunication. Moreover, e-mail merits considerable attention because it comprises much of management work today-e.g., &dquo;I no longer meet with my team, I e-mail them.&dquo; Overall, e-mail is work, important work, which requires time and know-how to use effectively. The purpose of these guidelines is to help you become more effective and efficient in the use of e-mail. Since e-mail practices

Applying Distributed Learning Theory in Online Business Communication Courses.

Abstract: Distributed learning theory is valuable for teachers of online business communica tion courses because it 1) highlights complexities of software tools, not only the online course interface, but also tools used to produce Websites, brochures, CDs, and other multi-media elements; 2) provides a way to address online communica tion dynamics, such as online chats and discussions, that students will practice in the workplace; and 3) allows teachers to examine how their previous experiences teaching business communication in more "traditional" classrooms affect teaching online. Highlighting these areas allows business communication teachers to focus on the critical use of technology in online formats that entail relatively new teach ing media. The critical application of technology use can be seen in areas like tool evaluation and use, power and divisions of labor, and community participation.

Creating new views on learning: ePortfolios

Abstract: approach to such a task. She brought along her DARS (Degree Audit Reporting System) report. As I listened to her situation and read her DARS, I noticed that she had taken a variety of interesting courses to fulfill her core curriculum requirements. When I asked her why she had taken these courses and how she saw them fitting together, she looked puzzled. Then she said, &dquo;They don’t fit together exactly; I just took them to meet the requirements.&dquo; I nodded, but continued with my line of questioning, asking her specifically about courses in Introduction to Women’s Studies, Minority Group Relations, and Business Writing. She paused for about 30 seconds; then she said that perhaps there were connections. After another pause, she started talking about problems women faced in the workplace, differences in cultural perceptions, and strategies for getting people from a variety of backgrounds to work together. I wouldn’t say that she had an epiphany exactly, but she did walk away with a richer picture of her education, and the draft of her statement for graduate school was, I hope, better as a result. One of the most difficult tasks those of us in higher education face is helping students to become architects of their own learning process. Many of our students see the four or five years of undergraduate education as a series of discrete moments, as a list of requirements they need to take in order to graduate. Even within

Helping Interviewees Tell Their Stories.

Abstract: Employers' use of behavioral description interviews has increased dramatically within the past decade. Yet the pedagogical literature geared toward helping appli cants respond to these unique inter...

Resume Writing and the Minority Student

Abstract: writing is a difficult task for most job applicants, but minority students face unique challenges as they decide what information to present to a potential employer. A minority applicant's name, ad...

Self-Imposed Silence and Perceived Listening Effectiveness

Abstract: Thus far, listening training has been limited to lectures on the process of listening and experiential exercises designed to provide for practice in listening and for assisting in a person's ability to recognize his or her own beneficial and detrimental listening behaviors. Using a new process—silence—for developing listening skills, this study compared the effects on perceived listening effectiveness of a self- imposed period of silence versus attending a lecture on listening skills versus a combination of a self-imposed period of silence and attending a lecture. While no significant differences were found for either lecture or silence or the combination of the two on measures of perceived listening effectiveness, qualitative data from journals kept by the participants suggest that the act of self-imposed silence greatly improves awareness of one's listening effectiveness and the value of developing beneficial listening skills.

From Swoosh to Swoon: Linguistic Analysis of Nike's Changing Image

Abstract: Our research models one way in which linguistic theory can be applied to the study of business communication. Specifically, we use linguistic theory to analyze how Nike's image is created through internal and external forms of communication. We find a parallel use of positive images in communication created by both Nike and the media from the early 1980s to the late 1990s and a divergence of images when Nike is accused of labor violations. Introducing language analysis challenges busi ness students to assess carefully the structure of business communication in order to evaluate the reality behind the image.

Shared Teaching Models for Business Communication in a Research Environment

Abstract: Shared teaching, also known as team teaching, is an innovative way to balance teaching and research. Shared teaching benefits students by providing the perspec tive of two or more professors in one...

Will Professional Communication Be the Death of Business Communication

Abstract: IN THE LAST 15 YEARS, business and technical communication, once separate courses and areas of study in US universities, have increasingly, though incompletely, merged into a field called &dquo;professional communication.&dquo; The reasons for this merger are largely political but are facilitated by a common base in theory and research. I believe that business communication is in danger of being buried by professional communication and needs to preserve its own identity as a field. In this paper, I will first review the growth of business and technical communication courses as college courses in US universities, then document the move to &dquo;professional&dquo; communication in English departments and explain why technical communication dominates &dquo;professional&dquo; communication. Finally, I argue that faculty who teach business communication in business schools should

From "Acing the Test" to "Touching Base": The Sports Metaphor in the Classroom

Abstract: The use of sports metaphors to convey business lessons both within and outside the classroom is a common phenomenon. The sports metaphor, however, is prone to misuse and can often inadvertently exclude large segments of the student popula tion. To address these issues, we put forth an innovative and novel pedagogical approach that attempts to capitalize better on the shared meanings between athlet ics and certain business practices. Using the sports of tennis and basketball, we demonstrate how sports metaphors can he responsibly used to aid in the under standing of business lessons, such as managerial decision making.

Ten Pointers for Enhancing Learners' Motivation

Abstract: Dubinsky, Virginia Tech, offers a snapshot of an in-progress class project involving ePortfolios, which allow students to become architects for life-long leaming. Catherine Wallace and David Mundell, Massey University, take a nuts-and-bolts approach, describing an assignment for distance learners that requires extensive use of electronic communication and record-keeping through virtual pairings. In all three articles, the message is clear: students, whether in-

Teaching First-Year Business Students to Summarize: Abstract Writing Assignment:

Abstract: Writing Assignment

Remarkable or modest? The role played by culture in advertising

Abstract: ONE OF THE PROBLEMS we have to solve in teaching our students is how to make their classroom activities relevant to the world around them and, wherever possible, to provide them with assignments in their final year of studies that both prepare them for their Masters dissertation and at the same time allow them to carry out research relevant to real people and the real world. In this article we describe an interdisciplinary and intercultural advertising project consisting of several interconnected assignments that meet uhese goals.

It's Not Easy Being Green: Evaluating Student Performance in Online Business Communication Courses

Abstract: respectively. As the article explains, this system not only reduces the time commitment of instructors, but also encourages students to take ownership of their written work. Although her approach differs somewhat, Nancy Schullery also adopts the holistic approach to grading, using seven foundation concepts that are essential to every business communication, regardless of genre. Such assessment, she argues, more clearly simulates the response of supervisors, clients, customers, and other readers in the business world.

Human Subjects Research by Business Students: Beyond the Red Tape

Abstract: Business communication faculty often assign projects that require students to interview, survey, or observe human subjects. Depending on the nature of the project and the policies at the faculty me...

Technology-Supported Pedagogy in Business, Technical, and Professional Communication.

Abstract: COMMON INCLUSIONS OF TECHNOLOGY in the classroom are familiar to most of us: using online discussion boards to facilitate discussion outside of class, exchanging drafts via e-mail among students and with the instructor, using the comment func, tions within word processors to respond to texts. These are useful, but many schools are exploring other innovative methods of incorporating technology to benefit pedagogy. This article first provides three examples of such innovations at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and then suggests some major trends for the future of technology-supported pedagogy.

Redesigning the Work in Business Communication

Abstract: MOTIVATING STUDENTS to see the value in our assignments is a continuing problem for business communication instructors. In spite of our best efforts, many students simply go through the motions of completing the assignments for a grade, with no real enthusiasm for the work they are asked to carry out. When student commitment differs from what we expect, we often attribute it to factors beyond our control. For example, we reason that college students take a number of other courses and have personal concerns that often influence their behavior. Many of today’s students work and have families; therefore, college is only one of the many aspects of their lives. Despite these factors, students must still combine aptitude and motivation to be successful in their college work. After briefly reviewing some literature

Analysis Report Project: Audience, E-writing, and Information Design.

Abstract: writing skills for electronic media, often referred to as e-wridng (Wilhelm, 1999; National Association of Colleges and Employers, 2000; US Department of Labor, 1993). The analysis report project described in this article aims to meet both these goals. It presents students with the opportunity to evaluate e-writing techniques and information design components of two financial and investment Websites. In doing so, students develop criteria for judging excellence by defining and justifying best practices. Students identify with the audience by learning the sometimes unfamiliar material on the site as they become readers, users, and evaluators of the sites. This article describes the assignment and discusses some strategies for teaching e-writing and assessing the project.

The Bargain Exercise.

Abstract: contract negotiations, wage bargaining, customer complaints, or negotiating with staff to do overtime, to name just a few. Negotiation is not limited to the business arena, as everyday in our private lives we are called on to bargain or negotiate with others, whether it is buying a second hand car, buying a house, or simply bargaining with our partner and children about where to take our next vacation or what television show to watch. How we negotiate or bargain with others will have an impact on the working, financial aspects of our lives as well as on our relationships with others. Yet when people come to negotiate, especially for those larger financial items like the house or car, &dquo;people often find themselves in a dilemma. They see two ways to negotiate: soft or hard&dquo; (Fisher & Ury, 1991, p. xiv). These choices are very often unconscious with the &dquo;soft&dquo; negotiator wanting to avoid interpersonal conflict and, therefore, readily making concessions and the hard negotiator wanting to win at all costs and, therefore, risking the ongoing relationships with the other parties (Fisher & Ury, 1991). A third way, called &dquo;principled negotiation,&dquo; was developed at the Harvard Negotiation Project. Principled negotiation attempts

Preserving Sanity by Simplifying Grading.

Abstract: yet to determine how to take full advantage of the technology. The natural inclination is to try to imitate the classroom environment. The extraordinary family therapist Virginia Satir referred to this inclination as &dquo;the lure of the familiar.&dquo; Even when we experiment, we tend to do what we have always done. Because we are most familiar with the traditional classroom setting, we tend to assume that it is the &dquo;gold standard&dquo; for educational delivery and seek to replicate what we see as the advantages of that setting even as we use new technology. Those of us who teach so-called &dquo;upper division&dquo; classes, however, might pause to consider how much our students actually learned in their previous traditional classes. It may be time to reinvent the wheel. As changing cultural needs continue to push us in the direction of &dquo;any time, anywhere&dquo; delivery of education, what we are learning now about how to evaluate student performance in an online environment may well provide the foundation for new strategies of teaching and learning.