Call for Papers: Business Practices Theme for December 2012 issue of Business Communication Quarterly
The ABC Business Practices Committee is inviting submissions for the topic:
Interpersonal Skills: A Central Theme of Business Communication
One of the first business communication textbooks, Handbook of Business English, was published in 1914 by Hotchkiss and Kilduff, professors in New York University’s School of Commerce, Accounts and Finance. The textbook placed considerable emphasis upon the correctness of language used in business correspondence; chapters were devoted to acceptable grammar, usage of appropriate punctuation, and constructing complete sentences and paragraphs.
Nearly 100 years later, textbooks, instructors of business communication, and workplace practitioners tend to focus upon the effectiveness of communications, rather than upon the mechanics of written language. Classrooms and workplaces recognize that the field of business communication encompasses a broad range of competencies, including the delivery of oral presentations, conflict resolution, satisfying the requirements of managers and customers, collaborative work within teams, listening to and analyzing the opinions of others, and additional types of interpersonal skills. Written work products are not ignored, but they are recognized as one of the many forms of communication intended to achieve business objectives by promoting productive relationships between employees, managers, and customers.
Reinsch and Gardner, in their provocative contribution to the 2011 ABC Conference Proceedings, conclude their survey research by emphasizing that interpersonal skills are frequently a factor when promoting employees to positions within senior management:
Do persons who have strong communication skills get promoted? The data suggest that the answer depends on what one means by “communication skills” and, to a lesser degree, what abilities the decision maker values. The results of a national survey of senior business executives suggests that individuals recognized as having “strong interpersonal skills” are likely to be considered favorably for additional promotions.
Papers submitted for this theme column will deal with the manner by which interpersonal communication skills are manifest, developed, and encouraged (or discouraged) in for- and not-for-profit organizations. In addition, papers will discuss the implications of their findings for instructors of business communication.
Case studies, historical analyses, ethnographic treatments, rhetorical analyses, quantitative studies, or other appropriate research methodologies are acceptable.
Please note the following deadlines and procedures:
Length: 6,250 words maximum (approximately 25 double-spaced pages)
Deadline for manuscript submission: March 15, 2012
Please submit your articles via Manuscript Central using the procedures described at the following link:
http://www.sagepub.com/journalsProdDesc.nav?ct_p=manuscriptSubmission&prodId=Journal201670
Questions? Please contact Sam DeKay: shdekay@earthlink.net
