This book examines the major business communication theories, delving into their relationships and practical applications. Many business communication studies lack a strong theoretical grounding—a deficit that creates difficulties for researching business communication phenomena and building upon previous studies. The book addresses this issue by cataloging and briefly describing the major business communication theories, as well as giving a typology of these theories to better integrate them. This book provides value to business communication researchers (who can use it to build upon and develop their work), experts in practice (who can apply it to improve business communications), and academics (who can use it to enhance their instructional designs). It also offers insights into new developments on the business communication theory horizon.
Author(s): Milton Mayfield, Jacqueline Mayfield, Robyn Walker
Series: New Perspectives in Organizational Communication
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Year: 2021
Language: English
Pages: 266
City: Cham
Acknowledgments
Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
1 Introduction
What Is Business Communication
What Is Theory
Why We Wrote This Book
References
2 How We Selected the Theories
Initial Theory Search
Refining the Theory List
Survey Stage
Conclusion
References
3 A Typology of Business Communication Theories
Typologies in Theory Development
Creating the Typology
Typology Categories
Conclusion
References
4 Theory Classification
Classifying the Theories
Area Reinforcement and Incongruence
Core Theories
Conclusion
References
5 Channels and Barriers
Chapter Theories
Theory Descriptions: Channels and Barriers
References
6 Cultural Characteristics and Influences
Chapter Theories
Overview
Theory Descriptions: Cultural Characteristics and Influences
References
7 Flows and Patterns
Chapter Theories
Theory Descriptions: Flows and Patterns
References
8 Meaning-Making and Discovery
Chapter Theories
Theory Descriptions: Meaning-Making and Discovery
References
9 Motivation and Persuasion
Chapter Theories
Theory Descriptions: Motivation and Persuasion
References
10 Organizational Structures
Chapter Theories
Theory Descriptions: Organizational Structures
References
11 Reasons and Representations
Chapter Theories
Theory Descriptions: Reasons and Representations
References
12 Emerging and Noteworthy Theories
Evolution of Core Theories
Evolution of Major Theory
Evolution of Focused Theory
Innovative and Noteworthy Theoretical Contributions
Communication Studies in Responsible Management: CSR and Crisis Communication
References
13 Theory Traditions and Influences
Early Modern Traditions
Discursive and Psychological Perspectives
Business Disciplines
Communication/Composition/Linguistics/Rhetoric
Information Systems
Psychology/Sociology/Anthropology
Public Relations and Mass Communication
Conclusion
References
14 Why We Need Business Communication Theories
Theory and Observation—Companions in Understanding
How Theory Advances Scientific Progress
How Theory Can Create a Stronger Business Communication Community
How Theory Advances Practice
How Theory Advances Teaching in the Field
How Theory Can Advance the Field
Conclusion
References
15 Conclusion and Future Development
Aspirations
Concluding Thoughts
References
16 Recommended Readings
References
Index
