The value characteristics of the administrative discourse

The presented study was conducted within the framework of axiological linguistics. It has revealed the relationship between the participants of the administrative discourse, namely, a senior official and subordinates, through language markers in order to identify the values of modern managerial communication that regulate these relations. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that the value and linguistic characteristics of the administrative discourse as a special dimension of status-based communication are of interest to any person involved in the employer-employee relationship. The authors dwell on the discourse’s qualitative change caused by globalization and digitalization and have come to the conclusion that such an impact is reflected in the evolution of values of the modern administrative discourse. The institutional feature of value attitudes towards subordinates has been proved to be expressed through texts of the “corporate website” hypergenre and lies in promotion of utilitarian and practical values. The authors pay special attention to the analysis of the hypergenre of administrative discourse — “corporate website”, which is considered as a multifunctional Internet hypergenre of administrative discourse, incorporating various genres and subgenres, performing an informing function and being virtual environment for institutional, administrative communication, which helps corporate values and traditions be broadcast and cultivated. The results of the discursive and linguistic analysis of corporate websites of organizations made it possible to decode the value dominants in the behavior of the leader in relation to the subordinate. An up-to-date list of administrative discourse values has been compiled and their hierarchy has been built, with the employee loyalty being highlighted as its key value. The identified values are in a binary opposition of “values for the organization” (employee loyalty) — “values for the employee” (person, care, health, education).

Values are the precursors of ethical behaviour. In this research study, Australia’s largest securities exchange-listed companies were explored for alignment of their corporate values as published on their public website to their whistleblower policies (WBP). The Corporations Act 2001 requires organisations’ WBPs to be externally available to facilitate reporting by former employees and others, yet five organisations (10.2%) had not posted their WBP on their corporate website. Most (n = 44, 89.8%) of Australia’s 49 largest companies profess corporate values on their public website, but only one also fully replicated their corporate values in their WBP. Two organisations made no mention of their corporate values in either location. Of the 44 organisations which posted their WBP on their corporate website, 29.6% (n = 13) make no mention of their corporate values in their WBP (either specifically or generically as “values”). Most organisations (70.5%; n = 31) evidenced weak or no alignment of values across their website and WBP. Notably, 22.7% (n = 10) have a partial listing of their values in their WBP, rather than the full set, and 11.4% (n = 5) have a different/unmatched set of values as compared to those listed on their website. Corporate values such as trust, integrity, safety, respect, and accountability are the ethical buttress of a whistleblowing management system, and when WBPs explicitly express corporate values as fundamental to purposing the policy, this potentially creates a shared values alliance between employees and the organisation voicing support for prosocial behaviours (including whistleblowing).

Considering the pressures of fluctuating external environments, organizations are constantly seeking ways to be responsive and able to improve their performance with lower costs. Employer–employee relationships have changed rapidly in recent years, and there is growing interest in considering human resources as a form of capital, and a strategic factor for business excellence. A focal point for HR professionals is employee loyalty, recognized as pivotal in realizing long-term organizational goals. This paper delves into the concept of Wasta social capital and its pivotal role in fostering employee loyalty and innovation within the unique cultural context of the Arab world. It is argued here that Wasta social capital is the fundamental dynamic that stimulates employee loyalty in the workplace. This conceptual paper provides new insights through understanding the significant role Wasta social capital plays in affecting employee loyalty in a collectivist culture, differing from the conventional business-context factors of loyalty. Obtaining a deeper understanding of employee loyalty and how it is developed in Arab-world business contexts can promote innovation.

Many factors influence the employee commitment in an organizational setting, where the employer-employee relationships play a significant role. There have been a considerable amount of research conducted to identify the impact of supervisor relationship on employee commitment. In this paper, the researchers specifically analyzes the impact of line manager relationship and trust with senior management on employee commitment with reference to Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) in Sri Lanka. The study is of deductive in nature. Primary data have been collected through a structured questionnaire using a random sample of CEB including 86 assistant level employees where data were obtained from 54 respondents. According to the results of the study, it shows a high positive impact of the line manager relationship and trust in senior management on employee commitment at CEB which directly relates with productivity. Hence, it is recommended to grow and uplift the employer-employee relationships through greater coordination and building a climate of trust.

Commitment is essential for employees to establish and maintain a long‐lasting employer–employee relationship, hence the call for more research to investigate its antecedents. The purpose of our study was to empirically investigate the relationship between performance appraisal and employee commitment. Analysis of survey data drawn from academics across the UK Higher Education Institutions found a positive relationship between performance appraisal and employee commitment, explained through the mediation of job satisfaction. The study is novel as it extends performance appraisal and employee commitment theorization by highlighting how job satisfaction mediates both constructs differently at intrinsic and extrinsic levels. Practically, our study provides insights that will support the development of performance appraisal systems that influence job satisfaction and commitment of academics.

Communication Climate as Predictor of Perceived Corporate Governance and Organizational Success

China’s plant-based protein beverage manufacturers are facing intensifying competition and workforce-retention pressure, making employee loyalty a strategic concern for operational continuity and quality assurance. This study examines how multidimensional corporate culture influences employee loyalty in Chengde Lulu Co., Ltd. Using a quantitative survey, questionnaires were randomly distributed to eligible full-time employees (≥6 months tenure); 400 valid responses were retained after quality screening. Measures used 5-point Likert scales capturing six culture dimensions (corporate values, leadership, team spirit, interpersonal relationships, employee development, and social responsibility) and employee loyalty. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, reliability (Cronbach’s alpha), KMO/Bartlett tests and exploratory factor analysis, correlation analysis, multiple regression, and one-way ANOVA for demographic differences. Results show that all six culture dimensions positively predict employee loyalty, with strong explanatory power (R² = 0.657); team spirit is the strongest predictor, while leadership remains significant but comparatively weaker. ANOVA indicates no significant loyalty differences across demographics (e.g., gender, age, salary). Practically, manufacturers should prioritize building cooperative team climates, clarifying shared values, strengthening development pathways, and embedding social responsibility to sustain loyalty beyond purely transactional incentives.

PurposeThe aim of this study was threefold: to examine companies' e-mail handling performance, to ascertain whether companies' view corporate websites and respond to e-mail requests as mutually exclusive or complementary, and finally to gauge the strategic importance of retail investors.Design/methodology/approachThe findings are based on an analysis of the corporate websites and e-mail handling performance of the 77 smallest companies listed on a South African stock exchange. A “mystery investor” approach was employed to measure companies' e-mail handling performance in terms of responsiveness, timeliness and relevance of responses. A disclosure score was calculated for each company based on a content analysis of corporate websites.FindingsThe opportunity for improvement exists, as evidenced in the fact that only 53% of companies responded to an e-mail request from a retail investor. The results suggest that corporate websites and the e-mail functionality are not used in isolation but as complementary. Although the results suggest that companies neglect retail investors, companies that provided a dedicated investor relations (IR) contact address prioritised both their corporate websites aimed to a wide range of stakeholders, as well as responding to an e-mail request received from a retail investor.Originality/valueThis study contributes to research on the association between one-way and two-way communication channels, aimed at retail investors. It is the first study to explore these relationships using data from the smallest companies listed on the stock exchange of an emerging economy.

Energy businesses' economic operations undoubtedly have a direct influence on society, the environment, and the local community. Providing stakeholders with access to corporate information may benefit the business in a number of ways, including financially. This study aims to evaluate the impact of leverage, green accounting, and sustainability reports on corporate value. The corporate value, the study's dependent variable, uses the price-to-book value (PBV) ratio to calculate. In contrast, the independent variables that are employed, including the sustainability report, are quantified using CSRIj, green accounting using a PROPER, and leverage, which are measured using the debt-equity ratio (DER). The corporate website and Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) provided the data utilized in the study. Population studies consisted of energy businesses that were listed between 2020 and 2023 on the IDX. Using purposive sampling, this study sample was selected; therefore, 74 corporate data samples satisfied the criterion. The study's findings suggest that green accounting and sustainability reports have little impact on corporate worth. Therefore, investors pay more attention to financial aspects than non-financial aspects such as environmental and social disclosure. The combination of independent variables in this study shows that the effect on the dependent variable is still weak or limited, so further researchers need to use more varied combinations

The present article claims that value communication literally goes without saying. Research in organizational value communication as in corporate image documents is therefore assumed to have nothing to do with the analysis of explicit value semantics. This system-theoretical claim is supported by an analysis of corporate value semantics, which is particularly focused on the copying of value semantics from one corporate website to another. As a result, we present a list of 52 companies that have copied value statements from corporate websites of RobecoSAM sector leaders listed in the DJSI. In referring to these examples, we demonstrate that the copying of value semantics makes the best case for exercising caution when it comes to the idea that value semantics promote organizational goals. Finally, we suggest that the value copying affects corporate value communication in a same vein as spam impairs the use of email and argue for an analytical turn from research in communication on values to research in value communication, which opens up new spaces for a management through allusion and, in doing so, could complement the more popular approaches to a management by value metaphors.

Informed by the dialogic perspective and Hofstede's power distance theory, this study examines mediated organization–public relationship building on corporate websites. The focus is on exploring how cultural differences influence American and Chinese businesses in addressing concerns and interests of a diverse set of publics. Findings show that corporate websites, whether American or Chinese, tend to converge on a global strategy. Business-oriented features tend to standardize, whereas business environment-oriented features are more likely to localize. Specifically, in relation to the former, we find that US and Chinese companies tend to target multiple audiences on their websites; the majority tailor their messages to customers, investors, employees, and the press simultaneously. Regarding the latter, we find that Chinese companies tend to target the government and US companies are more likely to address social corporate issues on their websites. These findings shed light on the longstanding issue in the literature of whether corporate websites should be culturally specific or universal. The managerial implications of the findings are discussed and recommendations for future research are given.

The article analyzes in detail the importance of the communicative component of the company's image as a tool for attracting, retaining and motivating qualified employees. It was emphasized that a positive image is formed thanks to the transparency of information campaigns, compliance with ethical standards, participation in socially significant projects and support of corporate culture. The main aspects of the impact of corporate reputation on the attractiveness of the organization for potential employees and retention of existing employees are considered. Attention is focused on the importance of transparent communications, internal branding and effective interaction with the public. Practical recommendations for using image strategies to create a competitive personnel environment are provided. Companies that actively demonstrate their achievements, corporate values and career opportunities gain a competitive advantage in the fight for talent. The role of social networks, corporate websites and public events is emphasized as important communication channels that provide wide access to information about the organization. It is noted that internal communications, such as mutual respect between management and staff and transparency in decision-making, contribute to the creation of a positive climate in the team. Examples of practices of successful companies are given, which through educational projects, social initiatives and transparent communications achieve superiority in the labor market. It was concluded that strategic communications are a key factor for building a long-term reputation, forming employee loyalty, creating a competitive workforce and strengthening the company's position on the labor market. The main aspects of the impact of corporate reputation on the attractiveness of the organization for potential employees and retention of existing employees are considered. Emphasis is placed on practical strategies such as developing corporate culture through supporting a positive work environment and professional growth.

The article explores the self-presentational discourse essence in the communicative and pragmatic aspects. The relevance of this study lies in self-presentation applicability and importance in the information age. The purpose of the study is to determine the linguistic and pragmatic features of self-presentational discourse. The research was carried out using methods of linguapragmatic, discursive, interpretive and contextual analysis. The research material is English-language text content of corporate website “Company Mission” and “Company History” subsections. Scientific novelty of the article lies in the analysis of self-presentational discourse through the prism of transdiscoursivity idea, proposed by Michel Foucault. Such approach is applicable thanks to the discovery of transdiscursive signs of self-presentation. These include adaptability, universality, significance for social interaction. Self-presentation process manifests itself in the form of self-presentation strategy. Its purpose, which is abstract and constant, is to create a positive image of a speaker. Only communicative and pragmatic conditions of a concrete discourse specify the purpose. The transdiscursive discourse-forming strategy and its purpose serve as the main differentiating criteria of self-presentational discourse. Its communicative space is heterogeneous due to consisting of all possible situations of self-presentation. Each fragment of the space is treated as a specific version of self-presentational discourse realization within one discourse. Such an example is PR discourse, which concretizes PR version of self-presentational communicative space. It acts like any other version and adopts all linguistic and pragmatic features of corresponding discourse. Backgrounder as a PR discourse and PR variant genre is analyzed through “Company History” and “Company Mission” corporate website subsections. The genre embodies several tactics of the strategy. This supports the conclusion that self-presentation discourse is a transdiscursive phenomenon.

This Study investigates the impact of leadership communication on employee commitment within the organization. The basic objective of this case study was (a) to grasp the impact of leadership communication and its long-term effects, (b) To identify the role of different communication channels,(c) To investigate the moderating effects of contextual factors (e.g., organizational culture, industry dynamics) and (d) To examine the relationship between various dimensions of leadership communication (e.g., clarity, transparency, empathy) and employee commitment. Being a case study of Kohat University of Science and Technology 300 employees have been chosen. Information was gathered through questionnaires using simple random sampling. Three hundred questionnaires were received. Different statistical methods were used, including mean, correlations, coefficients, and regression analysis. Tested the above construct and found that leadership communication has a positive impact on employee commitment. All other communication aspects, including face-to-face, email, and virtual communication, were also positively related to employee commitment.

If local companies in Europe target international visitors as well as national ones, they generally set up an English version of their corporate websites alongside the version in their native language. In their attempt to portray themselves in ways that are engaging to visitors, companies address topics such as corporate history, values and practices on their websites. However, the relevance given to the various topics and the style used may vary across cultures. The present study aims, first, to unveil whether discursive differences exist in website versions in English which were set up by European local companies. Second, it is investigated whether the differences may be explained with reference to Hofstede’s model. Because of its importance in Europe, the companies belong to the dairy sector. The countries chosen for the present investigation are Germany and Spain, the cultural differences of which, with reference to Hofstede’s model (Hofstede et al. 2010), are less marked when contrasted with the countries in previous linguistic studies on corporate websites (Cucchi 2010a, 2012, 2015, 2016). Methodologically, the study, based on a corpus of self-representative discourse from the websites of 12 German and 12 Spanish companies, draws on the Corpus-Assisted Discourse Studies tradition (Partington 2004; Baker 2006), so as to verify the extent to which the findings are compatible with those obtained, within linguistics, from other countries and/or other genres, and with those in other disciplinary domains. The study relies on Wmatrix (Rayson 2009) for content analysis and on WordSmith Tools (Scott 2012) for the analysis of dispersion plots. Results show that German websites are more informal and give more prominence to data, while Spanish websites rely more on ‘self-celebratory’ discourse, emphasising tradition, quality and awards. Overall, the findings show that Hofstede’s model is helpful for the study of the English versions of websites of European local companies, even in countries where cultural differences are less marked. Since cross-cultural differences still exist among the websites of European companies, future research should address the issue of what content and style are appropriate when targeting international customers in English used as a lingua franca.