The Information Society is affecting organizations and the people who work in them. European projects resulted in a change model emphasizing the role of communication structures within organizations and the ways in which information and communications technologies interact with them. (JOW)

Argues that business communication scholarship has not attended to the natural environment. Notes that organizational scholarship has theorized business as it relates to the natural environment but has not thoroughly understood how communication functions in this relationship. Argues that business communication should adopt a Gaian perspective…

Reports results from managers working in four countries, reporting the richness of five media, equivocality of 11 situations, preferred media for each situation, and cultural values. Finds richness and equivocality measures reliable and unidimensional, and media preferences for face-to-face and telephone communication channels for each situation…

Investigates gender differences and similarities in the perceived social costs and importance of seeking emotional support regarding work-related problems. Finds women perceived such support to be more important than did men. Finds no gender differences regarding perceived social costs associated with seeking support from coworkers. Finds women…

Suggests that thinking about international communication within a framework that aligns an organization's global management strategies with international communication practices enhances not only consulting practice but teaching as well. Describes the framework, and argues it introduces ways of thinking about global management strategies and their…

Elaborates an imaginary conversation between a college professor and his psychotherapist in which the professor muses that his profession--university teaching and research--may soon become obsolete with the proliferation of new technologies. Responds to the "absence of something" in the four articles of this special issue. Calls for…

Uses United States and international students in a study exploring culture's effect on behaviors and outcomes in intercultural negotiation. Supports a "culture in context" perspective of negotiation that takes into account negotiator qualities, contextual and structural features of the negotiation, and mediating processes in addition to…

Illustrates how the cultural practice of discursive essentializing in a woman-owned and operated business accomplished simultaneous agendas of power and resistance. Shows how the performance of gendered stereotypes, rather than having expected negative consequences, allowed organizational members to suppress conflict and to reproduce the owners'…

Explores why researchers have been drawn to genre-based research. Notes that this approach to studying professional communication offers a way of understanding the role of texts in the social ordering of communication in organizations by drawing attention to patterns of repetition and variation in the habits of workplace professionals. (SC)

Defines "spiraling" as a reappearance later in discussion of proposals that had received positive evaluation when first discussed. Evaluates the generality of spiraling in a set of 87 group discussions among undergraduate students. Shows large variability among groups. Notes many groups spiraled little or not at all and a few groups…

Using the examples of libraries at Southeast Missouri State University and the University of North Texas, discusses the big-picture approach and extensive communication among all users necessary for library maintenance efforts. Addresses establishing a master plan, prioritizing projects, having the right staff, and communicating. (EV)

Discusses how communication audits serve well as educational tools for both student auditors and employees of organizations. Describes how teachers need to gain access to organizations, especially through internal audit departments; negotiate the exchange of essentially free audit findings for a learning experience and research data; and secure…

Proposes a reconceptualization of uncertainty reduction theory (URT) providing a theoretical framework for examining organizational communication at various levels of analysis and providing some integration of the field. Shows how a "Model of Motivation To Reduce Uncertainty" could be used to examine organizational communication…

Examines project teams and performance-centered design and electronic performance support systems. Topics include performance improvement; technology development; skills; subject expertise; organizational communication; the role-skill paradox; task analysis; and interpersonal communication. (LRW)

The 2004 recipient of NCA's Gerald M. Phillips Award for Distinguish Applied Scholarship, Brent Ruben's professional record spans more than three decades and has focused in four major areas: organizational development, communication/information systems, medical/health communication, and intercultural communication. In this commentary, Ruben…