Business Communication Course Research Articles

Self-directedness in nontraditional college students: a behavioral factor in computer anxiety?

This paper reports on the results of a study of nontraditional undergraduate students enrolled in a business communication course. The focus of the study was to determine whether or not self-directedness in learner profile was a predictor of computer anxiety. Analysis was carried out to assess the factor structure of the Oddi Continuing Learning Inventory and Oetting's Computer Anxiety Scale. Self-directedness was indicated to be a predictor of computer anxiety in nontraditional college students.

Predicting Computer Anxiety in the Business Communication Classroom

The purpose of this study is primarily twofold: (1) to determine what factors, if any, are predictors of computer anxiety among business communication students and (2) to explore alternative teaching strategies suggested by the literature to effectively reduce computer anxiety in business communication classrooms. Participants consisted of 431 students enrolled in business communication courses during the 1995 spring semester at three state-supported universities in three southern states. Statistical analyses revealed that gender, keyboarding skill, age, socioeconomic status, and self-directedness are adequate predictors of computer anxiety in business communication students. Teaching strategies for reducing or eliminating computer anxiety in business communication classrooms are discussed.

Teaching Business-Communication Ethics with Controversial Films

Two recent films by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, David Mamet, can provide opportunities for observing student reactions to ethically troublesome situations and for discussing business-communication ethics in the classroom. The key question addressed in this article is whether business-communication courses, for example, those in public relations, can encourage students to make the "metaphoric leap" and apply Mamet's messages to class readings and discussions on ethical problems or challenges. Through showing two films in their entirety and conducting focus groups among upper-level undergraduates, the authors find that there is instructional value in using Mamet's films to discuss ethics in business-related settings.

The Efficacy of Several Writing Feedback Systems

Over the years, a number of systems have been developed or adapted for use in grading the work of students in written business communication courses. Although the "perfect" system most likely has not been developed, a number of those currently used fulfill theirgoal of helping students become more profi cientwriters. Some systems undoubtedly fulfill their goal more effectively than others, however. Regardless of which feedback system an instructor uses, he/she needs to be aware of its advantages and disadvantages as well as ways to maximize its effectiveness. This article provides a review of three different systems: written comments, conferences, and peer evaluation.

Multimedia as a Teaching Tool in Business Communication Course Delivery

The two authors created a multimedia intercultural business communication program. Multimedia is an effective instructional tool because of its ability to capture the attention of the learner and offer interactivity so the learner con trols the learning process. An appeal is made to the learner's imagination. Two constraints are the computer requirements to operate it and the length of time required to learn a multimedia software design program. The course content is described and the seven steps in developing the multimedia hypertext are detailed. The authors recommend the process with advice about what charac teristics the authors of multimedia programs need to develop.

Communication Training in Corporate Settings: Lessons and Opportunities for the Academe

Today, communication skills are among the most popular content areas in employee training. This survey of training managers examined the status of communication training in businesses and identified the lessons and opportunities for business communication faculty. Results indicated that communication training in businesses tend to focus on managerial and interpersonal communication including teamwork, problem solving, effective meetings,and motivating people. Supervisors and customer service personnel received communication training most frequently. Training managers felt that course development,teaching, and evaluation strategies used in communication training can be applied to undergraduate business communication courses. Also, communication training in businesses offers opportunities for business communication faculty to expose students to real‐world problems, do joint planning and evaluation of courses, and provide continuing education to trainers.

Predicting Success in Upper-Division Business Communication Classes

A quasi-experimental design was used to determine predictors of student success in an upper-level business communication course. Two categories of independent variables, student characteristics and measures of basic English skills (based on the scores of two tests)—were identified. Three dependent variables, the grade earned on the analytical report, the grade earned on the short assignment, and the grade earned in the course, were used to measure the students' performance. Overall, the tests appeared to be weak predictors of students' performance in the course or on the analytical report. Students appeared to have performed poorly on the assignments and in the course. The students' performance was similar regardless of their primary language.

Faculty Perceptions of Students' Business Communication Needs

Today's student populations comprise more minority students, more students for whom English is a second language, and more older students than in the past. These changes prompted this descriptive study in which business faculty members' perceptions about the business commumcation curriculum are examined. Faculty perceive their students to have problems with basic writing skills as well as with sophisticated writing concepts and techniques. Faculty seem to agree on the content that should be included in a business communi cation course. As a result, guidelines are recommended for those who revise the business communication course.

Graduate Business Students' Preferences for the Managerial Communication Course Curriculum

The purpose of this study was to determine graduate business students' pref erences for the business communication course curriculum. Two hundred fifty- five graduate business students who had taken a core course in managerial communication were surveyed, 86% of whom are employed. The most highly rated course topics were making presentations, writing memos and letters, lis tening and interpersonal communication, impromptu speaking, and business report formats. The topics rated least important were international business communication, using technology, and managing diversity. The most fre quently suggested additional topics were job interviews, team building, writing manuals/policies/procedures, and ethics.

Total quality management in higher education: A case study

This paper addresses instructors' effectiveness as it applies to the performance of students in six different courses. In this era of institutional accountability and fiscal difficulties, instructors' effectiveness has been focused upon with respect to the assessment of students' overall performance. This paper utilizes the randomized complete block of analysis of variance and Duncan's multiple range test to determine the differences among instructors' skills. The statistical analyses reveal that the instructors' performance is significantly lower for algebra and statistics in comparison in accounting, English, COBOL and business communication courses. In conclusion, a set of recommendations are proposed to improve instructors' effectiveness in algebra and statistics.

The business communication classroom vs reality: What should we teach today?

This article focuses on written business communication in the middle of the rapidly changing technological environment. Mailed letters have, to a large extent, been replaced by brief faxes and even e-mail messages, but the effects of the new media on the language used in the messages has not received much scholarly interest yet. In addition, it seems that many business communication courses need updating, as the basic concept, The Business Letter, is becoming very rare, if not extinct, in real business. This article describes the present workplace environment by presenting the results of an extensive questionnnaire and interview study conducted among Finnish business professionals on their English business communication; special emphasis is placed on the views of the informants on the recent developments of written communication: its organization, structure and language.

Group Writing versus Individual Writing—Is there a Difference in Achievement?

Abstract To determine whether group writing projects are a viable alternative to individual projects in terms of reducing grading and improving student learning through peer evaluation and peer teaching, this study compared students' individual and group grades on unfavorable and persuasive letters. The results of four analysis of variance tests revealed that group writing projects are generally of a higher quality than individual projects. These findings suggest that collaborative writing assignments can be a valuable learning tool in business communication courses.

Using the Internet in Written Business Communication

The Internet already has become a pervasive force in our society, and projections are that it will continue to become even more so in the future. We educators need to be sure we are preparing our students adequately to use the rich resources found on the Internet. The purpose of this article is to help business communication instructors become more familiar with the Internet and to discuss ways its use- through several scenarios - can be incorporated into writ ten business communication courses.

Business Etiquette: What Your Students Don't Know

Recent developments in the workplace have supported the need for more awareness of business etiquette, especially by new employees entering the workforce. This study was com pleted to determine the current level of etiquette awareness possessed by students enrolled in business communication courses at three AACSB institutions. The findings indicate that students are most concerned with issues related to job interviews, interpersonal relationships, and social issues and least concerned with intercultural issues.

The Status of Computer Use in Business Commu nication Instruction

The results of an ABC Undergraduate Studies Committee survey of members to determine the status of computer use in business communication courses are presented in this article. The majority of business communication instructors require students to complete all assignments on the com puter, and some instructors provide software training. Stu dents predominantly are using WordPerfect on networked IBM or IBM-compatible computers in labs managed by the college.

Preparing Business Students More Effectively for Real-World Communication

This article explores the problems with most business communication courses today—the general lack of real-world applicability in the textbooks and approaches used to teach the subject. Based on many employers' concerns that students are not getting the kind of real-world preparation they need in the area of business communication, the article suggests some practical solutions and effective pedagogical techniques that will make the course more real-world oriented and, therefore, more useful for today's business graduate. It also suggests ways to prepare students more realistically and specifically for the kinds of communication tasks they will be expected to do in a corporate setting in their first jobs after graduation.

Incorporating Electronic Mail into the Business Communication Course

E-mail is the primary communication vehicle for the information superhighway. Unfortunately, e-mail education is focusing on the hardware and software issues without regard for the requisite communication skills. To be effective electronic communicators, students need training in understanding the electronic organizational hierarchy and electronic communication volume and costs; selecting the appropriate media; and evaluating message permanence, security, ownership, and privacy. Including targeted exercises in the business communication class can enhance students' understanding of e-mail.

Teaching Interviewees Employment Interviewing Skills

Instructors of business and technical communication courses continually search for ways to improve their classroom and professional training exercises. Toward that end, this investigation examines two methods of conducting an employment interviewing training exercise for interviewees. Specifically, instructor-facilitated and peer-facilitated interviewing exercises are compared. Data collected from interviewing classes show that students preferred the instructor-facilitated over the peer-facilitated training exercise. Advantages and disadvantages of the instructor-facilitated exercise are discussed, and suggestions for further examination are offered.

Tapping Campus Talent for the Collegiate Business Communication Course: A Guide to Guest Speakers

Since "variety is the spice of life,"guest speakers can add an element of enthusiasm and interest in the business communication classroom. Individuals from departments as diverse as home economics, research and development, and academic computing can be approached as potential guest speakers for the undergraduate course. Experts from the campus community can be tapped to lend expertise and insights on many topics usually included in the business communication curriculum.

Adapting Composition Theory to the Business Communication Course

Composition research provides a vast field of information from which business communication instructors can draw. Major changes in techniques for responding to student writing include teaching the process of writing and ways to teach grammar.