First-Time Attendee Impressions: Maximizing the ABC Conference Experience
As a 2019 first-time attendee of the Association for Business Communication international conference, I left Detroit with ideas for research and teaching plus connections with professionals in the field. However, I was able to derive such significant value from the conference by maximizing several opportunities. What follows are the auto-ethnographic impressions of a first-time ABC conference attendee, which include actionable suggestions for future newcomers. Continue reading First-Time Attendee Impressions: Maximizing the ABC Conference Experience
Perspective: Managing Virtual Team Conflict
High performing teams are good at managing conflict. We know that every team will face differences of opinions or perspectives if they are engaged in a task that matters to them. Being able to manage those differences in a productive way can lead to better outcomes for the team and the organization. This article provides some of the basics around conflict management for teams and provides a short case that can be used as a class exercise. Continue reading Perspective: Managing Virtual Team Conflict
Vice President’s Report
The coronavirus pandemic this year brought quite a bit of uncertainty, challenged us to adapt in unprecedented ways, and inspired innovation in all of us. I hope you stayed resilient and are finishing your 2020 on a strong note. I am delighted that our editorial team was able to give us a fall issue of the Western ABC Bulletin that features scholarship in the field of business communication. Our online traffic analysis suggests a growing number of readers and people interested in publishing in our online journal. Continue reading Vice President’s Report
Student Perspective: Learning Remotely in the Zoom Classroom
I attend the University of Puget Sound, a private liberal arts university on the West Coast which is currently halfway through its first-ever fully remote semester. While the University was forced to hold classes via Zoom this semester due to COVID-19, the change has brought challenges and successes academically for both professors and students. As a student, I have been able to observe first-hand what some of the academic challenges and successes look like in the remote business classroom. Continue reading Student Perspective: Learning Remotely in the Zoom Classroom