Bridging Boundaries, Negotiating Differences: The Nature of Leadership in Cross-Functional Proposal-Writing Groups    

This paper analyzes behaviors and mechanisms that led to successful and unsuccessful aerospace proposals written by one company over 10 years. Successful proposal managers elicited cooperation through persuasion and by successfully negotiating organizational, disciplinary, and cultural boundaries. Tracking devices that identified scheduling problems early in the project and designation of a dedicated, neutral project space located near corporate decision makers also contributed to a proposal team's success. This research suggests the need for technical writing instruction that develops students' non-coercive persuasive skills and their sensitivity to the communication challenges inherent in cross-organizational and cross-cultural contexts.

Kent-Drury, Roxanne. Technical Communication Online (2000). Articles>Grants>Proposals>Writing