Details a social constructionist reconfiguration of metaphor analysis (SCMA) that is advanced as a powerful, reflexive analytic tool for discourse-centered social constructionist investigations. Applies SCMA to a body of organizational socialization discourse and illuminates a set of prevailing assumptions that both enable and disable…

Examines organizational symbolism that is reflected in corporate discourse. Describes types of symbols and the functions symbols serve over time. Demonstrates how symbolic analysis can provide a better understanding of, and make contributions to, existing research on organizational concepts such as organizational change, leadership, and…

Explores the links between social identity, language use, and retention in organizational mergers and acquisitions. Finds that (1) change in culture does not happen gradually across the whole organization, but either quickly or not at all; (2) change happens by subgroups; and (3) conflict in mergers and acquisitions was between individuals rather…

Describes how technical language can be manipulated and how technical words become politicized. Discusses technical language as a vehicle of change in corporate culture. Offers examples of judgment and controversy in technical writing. (SR)

Considers the trials and tribulations of academics as they go about the daily "performances" that constitute their professional lives. Describes the various ways academics are required to perform for different audiences, spectators, and critics. (HB)

Adopts symbolic convergence theory to analyze the stories and rituals that form the shared consciousness of bargaining teams and of labor-management relationships. Uses a case comparison approach to highlight similarities and differences in the fantasy themes and bargaining rights of two teachers' negotiation units in two school districts. (KEH)

Analyzes the document review process in organizations as described in the literature and describes 1 real-life case at the General Accounting Office in which 20 drafts are written and 9 people review them a total of 31 times. Discusses additional research needed to prepare students for this process. (SR)

Develops an instrument to study organizational conflict management as a disputing process involving the social escalation from grievance to conflict and dispute stages. Finds differences in dispute process according to different strengths of informal relations. (SR)

Describes a case study of an organization that recently began implementing W. E. Deming's Total Quality (TQ). Finds and discusses five framing devices used in routine work conversations between leaders and members to implement the TQ vision: communicated predicaments, possible futures, jargon and vision themes, positive spin, and agenda setting.…

Examines gender differences in how 800 organizationally experienced and work-oriented women and men rated the importance of 8 characteristics of effective work teams. Finds that women rated the importance of (1) team members' job knowledge; (2) competent, respected, and fair leadership; and (3) team members' liking, trusting and helping each other…

Educators and administrators generate forms of "insignificant" writing such as memos, internal reports, and staff communications. The significance of this insignificant writing is its ability to create trust and to mirror the principles of adult learning as a creative process of dialogue and reflection. (SK)

Identifies upward maintenance tactics reportedly used by subordinates in maintaining an acceptable relational state with their supervisor. Concludes that in high quality supervisory relationships, upward maintenance tactics may be multifunctional, simultaneously preserving relational stability and the capacity for negotiation and change. (SR)

Considers the proper relationship between the profession of public relations and the long national commitment to freedom of expression in the United States. Describes how that relationship and its ethical commitment should inform public relations activities. (HB)

Demonstrates how story evaluations (various ways of highlighting the point of a story) can reveal a story's significance within an organizational setting by examining two narratives from research interviews that form part of the data in a study of readers' responses to writing in a marketing organization. (SR)

Considers the long-term effects and outcomes of teacher communications within a school system through informal communication networks, or what are sometimes called "grapevines." Describes the characteristics of grapevines. Suggests ways to use the grapevine in a positive manner. (HB)