Indicates that positive feedback messages are characterized by two underlying dimensions (no instruction/praise versus instruction/guidance; process versus product focus), and that negative messages reflect a four-dimensional structure (explicit versus ambiguous; destructive versus constructive criticism; high versus low knowledge of performance…

Seeks to draw a clear distinction between electronic democratization and electronic democracy. Examines demographic statistics and the advent of White House e-mail to investigate the viability of current claims that computer-mediated communication has ushered in an era of greater democracy. (RS)

Examines variables affecting reader understanding of business writing. Notes that 57 business students and 82 non-business students read either a coherent or a non-coherent version of the same text and then took a test measuring their comprehension. Finds that background knowledge (schema theory) affected a reader's ability to understand business…

Analyzes faxes sent and received during one week by a Finnish company involved in international operations. Suggests that the business fax is a distinct, dynamic genre constituted by and constitutive of the social practices within which it is situated, with five specific subgenres: specific information, specific requests, "for your…

Surveys 277 Muslim immigrants. Finds that (1) most were more inclined to retain their original national culture for their private and/or social lives than to adopt the U.S. national culture; but (2) most accepted U.S. organizational culture. Relates acculturation to years lived in the United States, collectivism, religious practices, gender, and…

Investigates how opposing parties advanced arguments to the scientific community about the validity of DRD2 A1 allele as a gene causing alcoholism. Demonstrates to what extent scientists debate each other in journals by advancing opposing viewpoints with rigor and insight. Reveals what it means when scientists label a discovery in terms of finding…

Describes the implementation of a training program for seventh graders based on a modification of Infante's Inventional System (a system used to generate arguments). Finds that the training program significantly increased both the students' general tendency to argue, as well as their ability to generate arguments. (SR)

Examines 620 metaphorical conflict expressions generated by 169 participants, employed or with work experience. Indicates that participants predominately used "conflict is impotence" schemas. Finds no sex differences in either schemas or linguistic analyses of metaphorical expressions. Reports greater frequency and intensity of conflicts in family…

Analyzes a large-scale professional communication project, exemplifying the type of projects that graduating students will be expected to collaborate on or to manage successfully. Discusses implications for teaching managerial communication to Masters of Business Administration students and recommends ways to integrate real world tasks into the…

Presents a colloquium in which five scholars examine issues facing researchers in the history of business communication: how to identify topics and research questions; where to find archival and published sources; how to interpret texts and set them in context; special problems to overcome in historical research; and what work needs to be done.…

Argues that statistical data can be misleading. Explores two types of indicators of growth and transformation of communication studies: statistics on degrees granted and trends in the classification of books and serials. Shows that, for each type of indicator, the emergence of communication as a category involved qualitative transformation of the…

Uses the 1913 murder trial of Leo Frank to examine the ways in which "characters" are developed in legal discourse. Focuses attention on the ways in which race, class, and gender are constructed in discussions of Leo Frank's guilt or innocence. Highlights the rhetorical dimensions of direct and cross-examination, closing statements, and…

Investigates whether a member with information critical for making the best group decision positively influences the group's final choice. Examines impact of status differences among members and of communication media (face-to-face versus computer-mediated communication). Finds that mixed-status groups made poorer decisions and fewer references to…

Examines use of behavior alteration techniques (BATs) to gain student compliance in the Chinese context. Finds that Chinese college teachers use most the BATs that United States college teachers use; use many BATs even more frequently; but communicate behavior alteration messages that differ from those used by United States teachers. Notes that…

Assesses effects of grade level, teacher liking, influence strategy type, and cultural orientation. Notes that students reported more resistance with increasing age, and ratings of refusal and comparison strategies increased with grade level. Rates reported resistance, refusals, and comparison resistance strategies as less likely in response to a…