How can Aristotle's ethos be used as cultural attire in business communication?

PurposeThe unprecedented economic development and increase in the number of global corporations in the Greater China region, comprising the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong, have led to more emphasis on corporate leader-stakeholder communication. Bilingual web-based messages posted on corporate websites, which aim to strategically cultivate positive relationships between leaders and stakeholders, have emerged as a primary mode of communication for Chinese corporations. However, a research study investigating the prominent themes and underlying cultural values depicted in leaders’ messages intended for different groups of stakeholders is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the themes and cultural values expressed through corporate leaders’ web-based messages in a non-western context.Design/methodology/approachUsing an inductive approach, open coding and a categorization system, this study analyzed the web-based messages of leading corporations with WordSmith 6.0.FindingsSix prominent themes in leaders’ communication were identified. These themes included, in order of importance: company development, operating philosophy, company profile, business environment, performance, and products and services. It was found that leaders strategically selected certain themes such as focusing on progress and the business environment but omitted others depending on how they wanted to strategically influence their stakeholders’ attitudes. Differences between the cultural values depicted in Chinese and the corresponding English messages could be attributed to leaders’ cultural adaptation of the messages intended for non-domestic stakeholders.Originality/valueSince this study provides insights into the major themes preferred by leaders of corporations operating in Greater China, it will enable existing stakeholders to understand the main business focus of leaders and offer leaders more information about commonly accepted themes. These possibilities for enhanced knowledge on the part of stakeholders and business leaders, in turn, may potentially increase academic appreciation of the complexities involved in corporate communication. It also informs stakeholders about the variations in the values reflected in the English and Chinese messages of leaders, and, therefore, has a potential to offer value to academics and practitioners.

While Aristotle’s ideas in the area of virtue ethics are considered to be among the most prominent in the field, less attention has been given to one of his most crucial and significant texts, On Rhetoric, and the role that virtue plays in reputation management. This article explores the role that virtue plays in moral character, or ethos, which is a critical component of persuasion according to Aristotle. It then identifies how persuasion is critical to reputation repair according to current reputation management theory, and demonstrates how Aristotle’s theories on virtue and ethos underpin many substantive and procedural recommendations for corporate reputation management. We therefore argue in this paper that being ‘short’ on ethos can not only lead to an ethical crisis and reputational damage, it can have a material impact on a corporation’s ability to be effective in recovering from reputational damage.

Challenges arise in administering courses via online platforms in every aspect of the educational field. Open Distance Learning (ODL) has been enforced in almost all educational institutions to ensure ongoing teaching and learning. This study explored persuasive strategies of Professional Communication students in presenting their projects via an online platform. The participants’ prerecorded presentations were transcribed and analysed thematically based on Rhetorical Appeals proposed by Aristotle to unveil the prominent persuasive strategies applied in achieving the course outcomes. The results of this study revealed Logos or argument-focused strategy as the prominent persuasive skill used by the students in attracting their project prospects. In addition to the data analysis, ethos, or speaker-focused strategy, was applied moderately, while pathos, or the audience-focused strategy, was the least used to persuade the audience. Indeed, the results of this study provide extensive knowledge of the subject and the research context, specifically in the field of Professional Communication course.

Business communication ethics is a set of principles and guidelines that govern behavior in business communication. This study aims to explore the importance of business communication ethics and its impact on relationships with customers, employees and other stakeholders as well as organizational image. The research method used is literature study, by collecting and analyzing literature relevant to the research topic. The results of the study show that the application of business communication ethics can help build good relationships with customers, employees and other stakeholders as well as maintain a positive image for the organization

The character of communicator is called by Aristotle as ethos. Ethos consists of good thoughts, good morals, and good intentions. Another term for ethos is credibility, which consists of two elements, namely expertise and trustworthiness. Another element is the attraction of the communicator and power. This paper contains the characteristics of communicators in interpersonal communication. The three characters mentioned above are the basic characters that must be fulfilled by communicators. However, this character still needs to be complemented by the importance of a Communication Control Pattern so that Interpersonal Communication can be effective.

This text aims to reexamine the role of ethos in persuasion through a comparative analysis of the viewpoints of the great classical rhetoricians Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian. By comparing these viewpoints, it seeks to demonstrate their similarities and differences. The study reveals that Aristotle emphasizes the moral aspect of character, Cicero focuses on the artistry of rhetorical techniques, and Quintilian places greater importance on adapting to the practical context of the audience. The perspectives of Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian provide us with profound insights that contribute to a reconsideration of the role of ethos in persuasion.

The article provides evidence that business communication and especially at the industrial enterprise depends on a lot of factors. One of such factors, cross-cultural communication, is focused on as a central notion. The author attracts examples and considers exogenous and endogenous factors for effective industrial business communication. One of the widely covered aspects of communication is the role of the individual, his personality and personal traits of behavior in establishing and maintaining mutual understanding. The concept of culture in corporate or business ethics is proven to be an inseparable factor of communication which should guide the communicators in treating contracts and employees.

The article explores biblical sources of ethics principles of business. It demonstrates that in the contemporary pluralistic world, principles of biblical business ethics can be valuable in the communication and interaction among representatives of different countries and cultures, as they encompass fundamental foundations for building business relationships. Due to the influence of Christian morality on the culture of many nations, biblical values have the potential to significantly impact individuals and their economic behavior, contributing to the dissemination of important economic categories in society. The study reveals that important anthropological foundations for fruitful economic relations have been formed within the framework of biblical theocentrism, including considerations of human dignity, honesty, diligence, responsibility, and charity. The biblical perspective on property as a temporary stewardship has significant implications for awareness and education about responsibility not only towards other people but also towards the environment, holding crucial relevance in the context of corporate social responsibility in the modern world.

The current economic crisis is forcing us to reflect on where we have gone wrong in recent years. In the search for responsibilities some have looked to Business Schools and Administration Departments. It is surprising that this situation has come about despite the fact that Business Ethics and Social Corporate Responsibility have been taught in business schools for years. Without wanting to place all the blame on higher education institutions, but from a critical perspective and assuming responsibility, we believe it is necessary to reflect rigorously on how to train leaders for the future and how we can best educate responsible Managers. In this article our objective is to reflect on the two factors which influence the training of responsible Managers: management discourse theory and the ethos of the institutions training future Managers. The central point of our article will be to argue for the need to develop an institutional ethos in Administration Faculties and business schools which is consistent with the responsibility discourse we propose and with the aim of providing high quality technical and moral training. Our central argument is that institutional ethos has enormous educational power and that the moral climate of an institution has a major influence on students' ideas, values and behaviours. The second argument for this main point is that corporate ethos can be managed and modulated. It is a process of cultural change which requires time and the setting up of specific initiatives to achieve the organisation that we want.

This article focuses on the importance of language culture in the context of business communication. In today's world, business communication has become an integral part of the successful operation of any organization. It includes information exchange, negotiations, presentations, and communication with clients and colleagues, making language culture a crucial aspect of its effectiveness. The authors examine the key aspects of language culture in the business environment and its impact on communication outcomes in organizations, emphasizing the importance of proper language usage, expressiveness, speech structure, and other essential elements of language culture for achieving business communication goals. Special attention is given to the intercultural aspects of business communication since many companies in the modern world have international connections and interact with clients and partners from different countries and cultures. The article analyzes the challenges associated with differences in cultural norms and communication requirements and provides recommendations for effective communication in intercultural contexts. The impact of modern information technologies on language culture in business communication is also discussed. Communication through email, video conferences, social networks, and other tools has undergone significant changes in recent years, and this has a significant influence on how language is used in the business environment. The article calls for the development of language culture skills as an essential aspect of professional development. It provides readers with practical advice and tools for improving their communication skills in business and underscores the importance of continuous self-improvement in this aspect. In conclusion, the authors offer a deep analysis and important insights into the role of language culture in the modern business environment and provide valuable recommendations for enhancing the quality of business communication.