This study compared simulated sales negotiations with authentic negotiations. Specifically, three areas of language were considered: (i) chat phases, (ii) mitigation in disagreements, and (iii) argumentation. Findings indicated that greatly reduced use of chat phases in the simulations led to an impoverishment of the interactional aspect of communication. A statistical analysis indicated that mitigation of disagreements was significantly reduced when compared to authentic negotiations. Finally, in spite of the difference noted between professional and non-professional negotiators in the simulated negotiations, a significant increase in the use of argumentation was found in the simulations. Even though further research would be required, it could be hypothesized that these differences may be attributed to the one-off nature of simulations, the absence of a surrounding business context and the intrinsic difficulty of using interactional language in simulations. These factors should be considered when simulations are used and designed for business and LSP training courses. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Linguistics)

The study was undertaken to ascertain whether participatory development (PD and) by implication, the Person Centred Approach (PCA) had an impact on change in the communication patterns in the parachute packing section in the SANDF. The study was conducted in a military setting where hierarchical authoritarian structures exist. PCA and PD are used as theoretical frameworks for the study which resulted in changes in the communication patterns at the section. Change occured at two levels viz: Changes in communication amongst the participants which led to teamwork, cooperation and the avoidance of conflict. Changes in communication between management (the Officer Commanding) and the parachute packing section which lead to regular contact with the participants to address their problems. The study further highlighted the importance of learning from the community in order to avoid misinterpretation which could lead to conflict and dissatisfaction / M. A. (Social Science (Mental Health))

Thesis (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / In this study, students’ reactions towards linguistic politeness and the lack thereof in letters distributed by Stellenbosch University (SU), is tested. The aim of the research is to determine the answers to mainly two questions: Does letters which lack linguistic politeness influence institutional image negatively? Is linguistic politeness considered a vital component in institutional letters? SU is currently engaged in establishing the institution’s proposed image in letters directed to students. For that reason, male and female students from the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Natural Sciences were chosen as respondents. The pioneers in the field of pragmatic politeness, Penelope Brown and Stephen C. Levinson, identified approximately 40 politeness strategies utilised in social interaction. According to Brown and Levinson, these strategies protect two intrinsic aspects of the human personality: positive face (roughly, the want to be respected by others) and negative face (roughly, the want not to be impeded by others). Consequently, two official letters from SU were tested to establish senior students’ interpretation of the letters’ contribution to face loss. One letter, incorporating no politeness strategies, and a manipulated version comprising appropriate strategies was employed. The research was accomplished by means of pared observations in which fifteen analogous politeness concepts were tested. Senior students responded to comparable questions that assessed the letters’ effect on their positive and negative face. Despite this, the respondents were never fully aware of the fact that their opinion of politeness was tested. The next step entailed the statistical processing of the answers that were ultimately featured on comparable histograms. The results prove that the writer (as a representative of SU) of the letter in which politeness strategies lack, shows no respect for the student (she/the letter generates positive face loss). However, this letter is mainly responsible for negative face loss which means the writer is excessively prescriptive. Interestingly enough, the student respondents were more sensitive towards linguistic politeness in the manipulated text than the lack thereof in the original version. Alternatively, the students are more appreciative towards the institutional letter which employs positive and negative politeness strategies. The results prove the high probability of linguistic politeness promoting institutional image and white, Afrikaans speaking students’ regard for linguistic politeness in institutional letters.

This thesis examines Google’s Executive Chairman Eric E. Schmidt’s speech at the European Innovation Convention 2011 from the perspectives of Kenneth Burke’s dramatism and identification theories. In the wider context it aims to contribute to the analyses of human progress traced through the history of our technologies and inventions. These breakthroughs do not happen or spread without beneficial influences from societal institutions in spheres like culture, philosophy, politics and law. Language is the creator and carrier of these institutions. A complicated “ecosystem” of culture, science, financing, laws and regulations, affects the possibilities for economic growth through innovation. Perhaps due to the contested legitimacy of corporations in the democratic process, the study of the messages of corporate entities in the political arena seems to be a fairly unexplored dimension of traditional rhetorical analysis of politics. Through rhetorical criticism the author seeks to better understand Google’s communication in this area, and to gain further insights into the communication strategies that companies may use to influence such complex fields of politics as Innovation Policy.

<p>kursa poslovnog engleskog jezika koji ima za cilj razvoj pragmatičke<br />kompetencije polaznika i unapređenje poslovne komunikacije na engleskom jeziku.<br />Uspostavljanje i održavanje uspe&scaron;ne poslovne komunikacije koja uključuje poslovne<br />ljude kojima je engleski jezik zajedničko sredstvo komunikacije zavisi od njihove<br />sposobnosti da koriste jezik na odgovarajući način u odgovarajućem poslovnom<br />kontekstu.<br />Istraživanje za disertaciju sastojalo se iz dva dela. U uvodnom delu<br />istraživanja učestvovali su predavači poslovnog engleskog jezika, studenti koji slu&scaron;aju<br />kurs poslovnog engleskog jezika i zaposleni polaznici koji pohađaju kurs poslovnog<br />engleskog jezika u &scaron;kolama stranih jezika. Cilj ovog dela istraživanja je bio da se<br />prikupe podaci o nastavi poslovnog engleskog jezika kod nas &ndash; na koji način se ona<br />organizuje i &scaron;ta bi trebalo uključiti u nastavu kako bi polaznici bili &scaron;to uspe&scaron;niji u<br />poslovnoj komunikaciji na engleskom jeziku.<br />Nakon toga usledilo je glavno istraživanje u kome je učestvovalo dvadeset<br />zaposlenih polaznika koji su pohađali kurs poslovnog engleskog jezika. Oni su bili<br />podeljeni u dve grupe, kontrolnu i eksperimentalnu, sa po deset polaznika. Obe grupe<br />su pohađale kurs poslovnog engleskog jezika. Kontrolna grupa je kurs slu&scaron;ala samo<br />na osnovu odabranog udžbenika, a eksperimentalna grupa je pohađala kurs koji je<br />izrađen na osnovu analize potreba i u skladu sa poslovnim situacijama u kojima oni<br />koriste engleski jezik. Pre početka kursa obe grupe su popunile upitnik sa op&scaron;tim<br />podacima o njima i upitnik za analizu potreba, ulazni test op&scaron;teg engleskog jezika i<br />ulazni test poslovnog engleskog jezika. Podaci dobijeni upitnikom za analizu potreba<br />upotpunjeni su pitanjima u prvom intervjuu. Napredak u sposobnosti kori&scaron;ćenja<br />engleskog jezika u poslovnoj komunikaciji obe grupe, posebno u pogledu kori&scaron;ćenja<br />govornih činova, praćen je tokom kursa pomoću pet testova nakon svake obrađene<br />teme.<br />Istraživanjem su dobijeni kvantitativni podaci (pomoću testa i upitnika) i<br />kvalitativni podaci (pomoću upitnika i intervjua) koji su detaljno analizirani. Na<br />osnovu analize svih podataka može se zaključiti da su polaznici iz eksperimentalne<br />grupe ostvarili primetno bolji napredak na testovima koji su pratili kurs, ali i u<br />sposobnosti poslovne komunikacije, &scaron;to je bio i cilj kursa.<br />Značaj ovog istraživanja je vi&scaron;estruk jer ukazuje na potrebu da se veća pažnja<br />posvećuje izradi kurseva poslovnog engleskog jezika za zaposlene polaznike,<br />detaljnoj analizi poslovnog konteksta u kome rade i njihovih stvarnih potreba. Takvi<br />kursevi omogućavaju polaznicima da lak&scaron;e i uspe&scaron;nije razviju svoju pragmatičku<br />kompetenciju i unaprede poslovnu komunikaciju.</p> / <p>This thesis in applied linguistics and language teaching focuses on designing a<br />business English course for the purpose of the development of pragmatic competence<br />of business English learners in order to improve their business communication in the<br />English language. Establishing and maintaining successful business communication<br />involving business people who use English as a common communication language<br />depends on their ability to use the language in an appropriate way in an appropriate<br />business context.<br />The research for this thesis consisted of two parts. The first part of the research<br />involved teachers of business English, students who attended business English<br />courses and employed learners who attended business English courses in private<br />language schools. The purpose of this part of the research was to collect the data on<br />business English language teaching, the way the courses are organized and what<br />should be included in the courses so that the learners are able to participate in<br />business communication in the English language.<br />This was followed by the main part of the research, which involved twenty<br />professionals attending a business English course. They were divided into two groups,<br />control and experimental, with ten learners in each group. Both groups attended a<br />business English course, however, the control group had a course based only on the<br />selected course book, and the experimental group had a course designed on the basis<br />of needs analysis and in accordance with the business situations in which they use<br />English language daily. Prior to the course learners in both groups completed a<br />general data questionnaire, a needs analysis questionnaire, general and business<br />English language entrance tests. The data gathered by the needs analysis questionnaire<br />were additionally clarified by the answers in the first interview. The learners&#39; progress<br />in using English in business communication in both groups, especially regarding the<br />use of speech acts, was monitored by five tests, one after each of the topics covered<br />during the course.<br />The data collected in the research, both quantitative (collected by tests and<br />questionnaires) and qualitative (collected by questionnaires and interviews), were<br />thoroughly analyzed. The analysis led to a conclusion that learners from the<br />experimental group showed substantially better improvement in tests and their overall<br />ability to communicate in business related contexts.<br />The significance of this research is manifold and suggests that greater attention<br />should be paid to designing business English courses for professionals and to a<br />thorough needs and business context analysis. Such courses would enable learners to<br />develop their pragmatic competence more successfully and, consequently, improve<br />their business communication.</p>

Ce travail aborde la question du rôle des communautés virtuelles d'intérêt dans la communication et la co-création de valeur pour les énergies renouvelables en tant qu'innovation. Malgré la multiplicité et diversité des études portant sur les communautés virtuelles, la connaissance, à la fois théorique et pratique, de la manière avec laquelle les membres de ces communautés virtuelles communiquent et co-créent de la valeur pour les innovations demeure limitée. Deux champs théoriques complémentaires ont été mobilisés, la théorie de l'acteur-réseau et la théorie du Lead user, afin de mieux comprendre comment s'effectue cette communication et co-création de valeur pour les énergies renouvelables au sein des « réseaux des communautés virtuelles » et d’élaborer un cadre d'analyse et conceptuel appropriés. Pour ce faire, trois études ont été menées. Une première étude documentaire a été réalisée pour identifier et recenser les diverses parties prenantes dans la communication et la gestion de valeurs co-créées au sein des réseaux de communautés virtuelles d'intérêt pour les énergies renouvelables. Une seconde étude à été menée sur la base de trois « réseaux des communautés virtuelles d'intérêt pour les énergies renouvelables » dans le but de montrer comment les membres-actants de ces réseaux communiquent et co-créent de la valeur pour cette innovation. Une dernière étude a été réalisée sur la base de 28 entretiens semi-directifs afin de montrer comment les diverses parties prenantes communiquent et gèrent les divers types de valeurs co-créés au sein de ces réseaux. Les résultats obtenus ont permis de conceptualiser deux processus. Un premier processus a été mis en oeuvre afin de montrer comment les membres-actants des communautés virtuelles communiquent et co-créent de la valeur au sein de ces réseaux : le « processus en ligne de communication et de co-création de valeur pour les innovations centré sur l’utilisateur ». Un second processus a été conceptualisé dans le but de mettre en oeuvre la stratégie de communication et de gestion de valeurs cocréées via ces réseaux: le « processus stratégique de communication et de gestion de valeurs co-créées pour les innovations au sein des réseaux des communautés virtuelles ». Par ailleurs,l'implication mutuelle et l'intégration des divers acteurs/actants au sein des réseaux de communautés virtuelles (à savoir les utilisateurs, le réseau en tant qu'actant, les contributions, les valeurs co-créées, ainsi que les community managers) permettent de communiquer, de diffuser, de co-créer collectivement et de redéfinir l'innovation en tant que résultat d'un système d'interactions sociotechniques, favorisant la stabilisation de cette innovation et sa mise en boîte noire. / This work addresses the issue of the role of virtual communities of interest in the communication and the co-creation of value for renewables as an innovation. Despite the multiplicity and diversity of studies based on virtual communities, both theoretical and practical knowledge of how members of these virtual communities communicate and co-create value for innovation remains limited. In order to better understand the way of communicating, value co-creating and building an approriate analytical and conceptual framework, two complementary theoretical fields were mobilized : the actor-network theory and the lead user theory. Three studies were conducted. A primary study was conducted to identify the various stakeholders in the communication and the management of co-created value within virtual communities’networks of interest in renewables. A second study was conducted on the basis of three « networks of virtual communities of interest in renewable energies » in order to highlight how members of these networks communicate and co-create values for this innovation. A final study based on 28 interviews was conducted to understand how the various stakeholders communicate and manage diverse types of co-created values within virtual communities’networks related to renewables. Results enable to conceptualize two diverse processes. A first process was implemented to show how members of virtual communities communicate and co-create value within virtual communities’networks of interest in renewable energies: the « online user centred co-creation of value and communication of innovation process ». A second process was established in order to implement the strategy of communication and management of co-created value through virtual communities’networks of interest in innovation: the « strategic process of communication and co-creation of value to innovation management within virtual communities’networks ». Moreover, mutual involvement and integration of various actors within virtual communities’networks (such as : users, networks, contributions, co-created values and community managers) enable to communicate, to diffuse, to co-create collectively,to redefine the innovation as a result of a socio-technical system and to foster the «stabilization» of this innovation.

Recent surveys of international business professionals indicate that foreign language abilities and cultural sensitivity are important competitive advantages in today's globalized economy. The current study interviewed 71 practicing global professionals currently working in cross border transactions in diverse fields. Biographic, demographic and second language data were collected, including information on experiences and opinions on the use and importance of foreign language and cultural awareness abilities in the professional world. Research questions include: (1) Who are the global professionals applying L2 abilities at work? (2) How do they apply these abilities? (3) What are the profiles of advanced and non-advanced proficiency users? (4) How important are linguistic abilities and how much of a competitive advantage do they represent? (5) What language strategies and communication strategies are used? (6) What are the most common beliefs on the role of foreign languages and culture awareness in business? (7) How well do intercultural communication models explain the culture views and experiences reported by working professionals? Results indicate that learners with self-reported advanced proficiency regularly apply the four language abilities (listening, reading, speaking and writing) at work, albeit in varying degrees, depending on the level of complexity of the task (phone, email, face-to-face meeting, etc.). For the majority of informants, foreign language and culture abilities are considered important for professional effectiveness. For those who reported advanced foreign language abilities, they also exhibited a greater appreciation for increased exposure to foreign language learning, had received more foreign language instruction, and had more experience working and living abroad. Those advanced in foreign language abilities were also more likely to be non-native speakers of English, have earned a university degree while using an L2, had family or community connections to the target language, have emigrated, or have a spouse with a different L1. The study also ranks and identifies the informants' strategies used to deal with language and culture issues. Participants' anecdotes were analyzed in light of current cultural analysis models applied in International Business Communications. Suggestions are presented for curricula changes to improve foreign language proficiency in professional settings. / text

This study compared simulated sales negotiations with authentic negotiations. Specifically, three areas of language were considered: (i) chat phases, (ii) mitigation in disagreements, and (iii) argumentation. Findings indicated that greatly reduced use of chat phases in the simulations led to an impoverishment of the interactional aspect of communication. A statistical analysis indicated that mitigation of disagreements was significantly reduced when compared to authentic negotiations. Finally, in spite of the difference noted between professional and non-professional negotiators in the simulated negotiations, a significant increase in the use of argumentation was found in the simulations. Even though further research would be required, it could be hypothesized that these differences may be attributed to the one-off nature of simulations, the absence of a surrounding business context and the intrinsic difficulty of using interactional language in simulations. These factors should be considered when simulations are used and designed for business and LSP training courses. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Linguistics)

The study was undertaken to ascertain whether participatory development (PD and) by implication, the Person Centred Approach (PCA) had an impact on change in the communication patterns in the parachute packing section in the SANDF. The study was conducted in a military setting where hierarchical authoritarian structures exist. PCA and PD are used as theoretical frameworks for the study which resulted in changes in the communication patterns at the section. Change occured at two levels viz: Changes in communication amongst the participants which led to teamwork, cooperation and the avoidance of conflict. Changes in communication between management (the Officer Commanding) and the parachute packing section which lead to regular contact with the participants to address their problems. The study further highlighted the importance of learning from the community in order to avoid misinterpretation which could lead to conflict and dissatisfaction / M. A. (Social Science (Mental Health))

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T12:30:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 1- PRE TEXTO.pdf: 26558 bytes, checksum: 0640d9f2356dd4a2c9f842eb0a2c1c7e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-04-25 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This project has, as it's main issue the study of the Corporate Communication of Philip Morris Brazil, a subsidiary of Philip Morris International, one of the largest Tobacco Companies Worldwide. The objective of this research is to demonstrate how Philip Morris Brazil communicates and relates itself with its different targets: the community, the retail and young end-users, and also which strategies it uses to establish and maintain this relationship, guaranteeing its sustainability. Another important issue of the study is to understand how the company advertises its products and stimulate the use of cigarettes in Brazil, on behalf of a Brazilian Legislation that strongly restricts the Advertisement of cigarettes on the main national media.(AU) / Este projeto tem como tema central o estudo da comunicação corporativa da Philip Morris Brasil, subsidiária da Philip Morris International, uma das maiores industria de tabaco do mundo. Os objetivos desta pesquisa é demonstrar como a Philip Morris Brasil se comunica e se relaciona com seus públicos de interesse, a comunidade, o varejo e os consumidores jovens e que estratégias ela utiliza para estabelecer e manter este relacionamento, garantindo assim a sua sustentabilidade. Outro fator importante é entender como a empresa divulga o seu produto e estimula o consumo do cigarro no Brasil sabendo-se que a legislação brasileira impõe uma forte restrição à propaganda do cigarro nas principais mídias nacionais.(AU)