Merck's Open Letters and the Teaching of Ethos    

In fall 2004, Merck faced a significant threat to the company's public image because of the withdrawal of VIOXX, and Merck executives were forced to defend the company's actions, its motivation for those actions, and its reputation. Confronted with enormous rhetorical challenges, Merck tried to generate public goodwill toward the company by creating a personalized image of a corporate giant worthy of understanding, sympathy, and trust. Open letters released during the initial response to the VIOXX crisis rely on the intimacy of interpersonal communication and demonstrate to students of business communication arguments based on ethos.

Griffin, Frank. Business Communication Quarterly (2009). Articles>Education>Business Communication>Biomedical

The Rhetorical Helix of the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industries: Strategies of Transformation Through Definition, Description and Ingratiation    

Transformation wields great power. As individuals, we can define who we are and describe those essential characteristics that make us unique. Our view of ourselves, however, may not necessarily align with the opinions of those around us. Thus, the ability to reinvent oneself, to change how others see us and react to us, is critical for the process of ingratiation.

Gretton, Linda Burak. Business Communication Quarterly (2009). Articles>Business Communication>Biomedical

Exploring the Concept of “Profession” for Organizational Communication Research: Institutional Influences in a Veterinary Organization    

Recent scholarship has argued that the concept of profession is undertheorized and accepted uncritically. The authors address this issue by summarizing the characteristics of professions and articulating professions as institutionalized occupations. Their study of a veterinary call center suggests that profession influences the workplace through (a) knowledge providing, seeking, and sharing; (b) self-management of behavior, emotions, and productivity; (c) internal sources of motivation; (d) a service orientation; (e) the invocation of field standards; and (f) participation in a knowledge community beyond the workplace. Although these features may be distinguishable analytically, they are unified in the experience of work. Moreover, the close match in this case between the service orientations of the profession and of the organization strengthened the workers' commitment and thus the legitimacy of the organization.

Lammers, John C. and Mattea A. Garcia. Management Communication Quarterly (2009). Articles>Business Communication>Biomedical>Professionalism