Professional Communication: Collaboration between Academics and Practitioners

Preface

Preface Professional communication is an emerging area of investigation in many disciplines such as applied linguistics, communication studies, education, and psychology. While these approaches share similarities, researchers working in those traditions tend to downplay the works of colleagues in other disciplines. This is unfortunate, given the fact that each discipline has its own strengths and contributions that allow researchers to investigate a particular issue. This book takes a discourse approach to professional communication. It allows flexibility for researchers in integrating insights from cognate disciplines, without difficulty, because discourse analysis deals with how language is mediated by context, taking into consideration many factors which are shared by most of the disciplines pertaining to professional communication. Taking a discourse approach to professional communication, we are interested in the role of language in forming, shaping and reproducing the practices, identities and even problems in various professional contexts, from academic settings to business negotiations. Discourse analysts are interested in not only the outputs of textual productions but also in the processes through which the products are negotiated. The understanding of these processes is as important as the understanding of the products they create. Current research in professional communication, especially in communication and organizational studies, tends to be biased towards the outputs and has focused less on how those outputs are negotiated and mediated in situ. The voices of professionals themselves may also be taken into consideration, such as in followup interviews. This book has a deep-seated belief that the understanding of professional communication can be enhanced by the studies conducted by the professionals themselves, because they are the insiders in their professions. The difficulty lies viii Preface in the fact that many professional practitioners do not have appropriate background in analyzing discourse or, more precisely, in talking about their research in a way which is recognized in this ‘community of practice’ (Lave and Wenger 1991). In this book, we are fortunate to be able to solicit papers written by researchers who are also practitioners in their own professions. It is for this reason that the book is titled Professional Communication: Collaboration between Academics and Practitioners. Another uniqueness of this book is its diverse representation by different contexts and regions. This volume explores current research in professional communication by presenting a range of research studies in different professional contexts across different regions, from Danish multicultural companies to Hong Kong academic institutions, from Dutch government to Chinese courtroom. Despite having different focuses, all chapters share a common theme of professional communication by drawing on discourse analytic framework and offering insights into how certain institutional practices are maintained and reproduced. Some of the chapters have direct implications for improving communication in the workplace, while others may be more focused in understanding the social construction of professional discourse. Who should read this book? This book is intended for: • Researchers who are interested in the linguistic, social and cultural aspects of professional communication, and who want to keep abreast of current developments. This book can also serve as a guide to the different frameworks of discourse analysis for those who are new to the area. • Students and educators in professional communication from different disciplines such as applied linguistics, communication studies, and organizational studies. This book provides a spectrum of ideas to inspire students and stimulate their thinking so that they can formulate their own research plans. Professors can also use the chapters to illustrate to their students the main concerns and current developments in professional communication. • Practising professionals who would like to know how their professions are influenced by the language they are using. The chapters allow professionals to reflect on what they have been used to as ‘common practice’. After reading this book, they will have a better understanding of the role of language in perpetuating certain institutional ideologies and practices and will be in a better position to understand, challenge and even change those practices. Preface ix How this book is organized This book consists of three parts: Part One: Methodological and Conceptual Issues, Part Two: Professional Communication in the Asia-Pacific Region, and Part Three: Professional Communication in Other Regions. Part One deals with the methodological and conceptual issues in studying professional communication. It includes three chapters: Chapter 1: Intercultural Professional Communication: Approaches and Issues, by Kenneth C. C. Kong and Winnie Cheng Chapter 2: Business Communication across Cultures: A Theoretical Perspective, by Francesca Bargiela-Chiappini Chapter 3: Professional Communicative Competences: Four Key...