New Features:

• Ethics in Action boxes feature situations based on current business events that provides students with real-world ethical challenges. The material is designed to inspire students to consider ethical questions, or to develop a plan of action when facing ethical dilemmas.

• Based on reviewer feedback, more sample memorandums, letters, reports, and proposals are included to provide students with detailed approaches and step-by-step methods to writing effective business messages.

• The content has been updated to reflect current practice and research trends. For example, chapter 1 contains a new section on ethics; chapter 12 includes a new section on intercultural writing and speaking; and chapter 13 highlights a new section on leadership.

Returning Features:

• The text offers students a simple yet effective model for business communication design. The eight steps discussed in Ch. 3 are, in brief, M ap out message goals, E valuate audience, S hape message content, S elect channel, A cquire resources, G enerate source credibility, E liminate design flaws, and S end Message ( MESSAGES ). By mastering these eight steps students will become better communication designers and more effective business communicators.

• Business Communication Design features such unique content as 1) an entire chapter devoted to listening – a crucial skill for effective communication; 2) culture as a fundamental determinant in communication design and survival in business; and 3) conflict, its resolution, and its place in the business environment.

• In a Nutshell acts as the brief introduction for each chapter. Based on current events and real world stories, Nutshells heighten student awareness of real-life communication issues as they apply to the concepts introduced in the chapters.

• Creative Challenges are flexible critical-thinking exercises that challenge students to apply chapter concepts and to think strategically.

• Jump Ins are skills-based assignments, tasks, or activities that ask students to design communication strategies. They are sprinkled throughout each chapter to reinforce the key concepts as the students learn them .

• A Word on the Web is an interactive Internet activity that offers students an opportunity to access various websites for information pertinent to chapter concepts.

Creative Cases are examples that describe real-world companies and their communication challenges. Each case includes multiple discussion questions and there is one case study per chapter.

• End of Chapter Material concentrates on critical thinking and skill acquisition:

• Strategies – a numbered “take-away” list that highlights skills which should be mastered once completing the chapter.

• Chapter Summary – numbered list summarizing key points of chapter.

• Business Communication Projects – end of chapter exercises and assignments for groups and individuals.

• Discussion Questions – end of chapter questions designed to inspire class discussions.