How Can We Make Our Research More Relevant? Bridging the Gap between Workplace Changes and Business Communication Research
Abstract
Some management scholars argue that academic literature is becoming less and less relevant to practicing
managers. Thomas posits that the same will be true for business communication if scholars do not venture
into the field and connect with those who “do” business communication. As organizations shift from manufacturing
to service jobs, expand their operations overseas, manage “talent” more strategically, and alter
traditional bureaucratic structures, business communication is becoming increasingly intercultural, virtual,
horizontal, strategic, and change focused. Yet it is not clear that the business communication literature is
keeping pace. Examples of Thomas’s work in interagency collaboration, electronic mail overload, and
strategic communication demonstrate possibilities for gaining access and studying communication dilemmas
that face practicing managers. Bridging the academic-practitioner gap is a way to build face validity
in the business world as well as help academics to develop better theories about workplace communication.
Description
The article of record as published may be located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0021943607302193
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.Collections
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