Handbook of Corporate Communication and Public ... - Blogs Unpad

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• In making sense of the world, use to explain further experiences. So what Where does corporate communication research lie Is it part of management studies (in the United Kingdom) or a specialist-applied branch of communication studies (in the United States) How coherent is the field in drawing upon psychology and sociology (and other epistemic communities) What form of bounded social science provides our disciplinary matrix It would seem sensible to suggest that the several epistemic communities address aspects of the phenomenal world at various levels of abstraction. This presents an expectation of shared discourse as well as direct conflict. It is in the confrontations that creative insight and advancement is possible. Carey (1975) defines communication as ‘a symbolic process whereby reality is produced, maintained, repaired, and transformed’. How well does our research treat this rich picture of what happens between people The scholar is intellectually responsible (Kennedy, 1997) in self-consciously reflecting on methodology. We must neither disable ourselves, with methodological meanderings, from pursuing our academic duty to apply our critical intelligence in original exploration for scholarly production, nor resign ourselves to methodological disinterest or ignorance. Bernstein (1976) argues that an adequate, comprehensive political and social theory must be empirical, interpretative and critical. Almost all of what is published in the field of corporate communication research (and related, including corporate reputation, brand management, public relations, and so on) is empirical but not properly interpretative, and certainly not critical. So to return to my central question. Do researchers of corporate communication wish to pursue no more than a managerialistic endeavour, in which communication is merely an ‘instrument’ or ‘technology’ to be used for commercial ends, or do some at least have the courage to challenge the orthodoxy as constructive mavericks Perhaps the extent to which membership of epistemic communities is recognized as limiting is what distinguishes scholars from technician-scientists Some make intellectual tools, whilst others strive only to proficiently use them. There needs to be more aspiration to the former, as well as more care in using such tools in making claims to warranted knowledge. Unfortunately, still far too much so-called research is conducted by earnest reductionistspecialist technicians in the Department of Detailed Quantification of Not Very Important Problems (Faculty of Traditional Hegemonic Scientism). Where from will much needed creative insights stem Corporate communicators must become creative generalist integrators. Naive empiricism in the pursuit of power and the treatment of politics as no more than a variable to be accounted for in some machine model of ‘organizations’ is unsatisfactory. Sciences may be learned by rote, but Wisdom not. (Laurence Sterne, 1713–1768, Tristram Shandy) © 2004 Sandra Oliver for editorial matter and selection; individual chapters, the contributors

NOTES 1 Deetz (1992) defines managerialism as ‘a kind of logic, a set of routine practices, and an ideology’. He specifies that it is ‘a way of conceptualising, reasoning through, and discussing events’ (a discursive genre) and it involves ‘a set of routine practices, a real structure of rewards, and a code of representation’, and ‘It is a way of doing and being in corporations that partially structures small groups and conflicts with, and at times suppresses, each group’s other modes of thinking.’ 2 There is an irony here – David Bohm was one of the greatest physicists of the twentieth century. REFERENCES Alvesson, M. and Willmott, H. (eds) (1992) Critical Management Studies, London: Sage Publications. Alvesson, M. and Willmott, H. (1996) Making Sense of Management: A Critical Introduction, London: Sage Publications. Anderson, J. A. (1996) Communication Theory: Epistemological Foundations, New York: Guilford Press. Bernstein, R. J. (1976) The Restructuring of Social and Political Theory, Oxford: Basil Blackwell. Bohm, D. (1996) On Dialogue, ed. L. Nichol, London: Routledge. Carey, J. (1975) ‘A cultural approach to communication’, Communication, 2(2), 1–22. Deetz, S. A. (1992) Democracy in an Age of Corporate Colonization: Developments in Communication and the Politics of Everyday Life, Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. Deetz, S. A. (1995) Transforming Communication, Transforming Business: Building Responsive and Responsible Workplaces, Creskill, NJ: Hampton Press Inc. Fulop, L. and Linstead, S. (1999) Management: A Critical Text, London: Macmillan Business Books. Gebhardt, E. (1978) ‘A critique of methodology’, in A. Arato and E. Gebhardt (eds), The Essential Frankfurt School Reader, New York: Basil Blackwell, pp. 371–406. Holzner, B. (1972) Reality Construction in Society, Cambridge, MA: Schenkman. Hosking, D.-M. (1995) ‘Constructing power: entitative and relational approaches’, in D.-M. Hosking, H. P. Dachler, and K. J. Gergen (eds), Management and Organization: Relational Alternatives to Individualism, Aldershot: Avebury Books, pp. 51–70. Johnson, P. and Duberley, J. (2000) Understanding Management Research: An Introduction to Epistemology, London: Sage Publications. Kant, I. (1781;1934) The Critique of Pure Reason, tr. J. M. D. Meiklejohn, London: Dent. Kennedy, D. (1997) Academic Duty, London: Harvard University Press. Quine, W. V. and Ullian, J. S. (1970) The Web of Belief, New York: Random House. Stanton Rogers, R., Stenner, P., Gleeson, K. and Stainton Rogers, W. (1995) Social Psychology: A Critical Agenda, Oxford: Polity Press. Teilhard de Chardin, P. (1959) The Phenomenon of Man, New York: Harper & Brothers. Tudor, A. (1982) Beyond Empiricism: Philosophy of Science in Sociology, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. Wheatcroft, G. (2002) ‘Two cultures at forty’, Prospect, May, 62–4. Wilber, K. (1996) A Brief History of Everything, Boston, MA: Shambhala Publications. © 2004 Sandra Oliver for editorial matter and selection; individual chapters, the contributors

NOTES<br />

1 Deetz (1992) defines managerialism as ‘a kind <strong>of</strong><br />

logic, a set <strong>of</strong> routine practices, <strong>and</strong> an ideology’.<br />

He specifies that it is ‘a way <strong>of</strong> conceptualising,<br />

reasoning through, <strong>and</strong> discussing events’ (a discursive<br />

genre) <strong>and</strong> it involves ‘a set <strong>of</strong> routine<br />

practices, a real structure <strong>of</strong> rewards, <strong>and</strong> a code<br />

<strong>of</strong> representation’, <strong>and</strong> ‘It is a way <strong>of</strong> doing <strong>and</strong><br />

being in corporations that partially structures<br />

small groups <strong>and</strong> conflicts with, <strong>and</strong> at times suppresses,<br />

each group’s other modes <strong>of</strong> thinking.’<br />

2 There is an irony here – David Bohm was one <strong>of</strong><br />

the greatest physicists <strong>of</strong> the twentieth century.<br />

REFERENCES<br />

Alvesson, M. <strong>and</strong> Willmott, H. (eds) (1992) Critical<br />

Management Studies, London: Sage <strong>Public</strong>ations.<br />

Alvesson, M. <strong>and</strong> Willmott, H. (1996) Making Sense <strong>of</strong><br />

Management: A Critical Introduction, London: Sage<br />

<strong>Public</strong>ations.<br />

Anderson, J. A. (1996) <strong>Communication</strong> Theory:<br />

Epistemological Foundations, New York: Guilford<br />

Press.<br />

Bernstein, R. J. (1976) The Restructuring <strong>of</strong> Social <strong>and</strong><br />

Political Theory, Oxford: Basil Blackwell.<br />

Bohm, D. (1996) On Dialogue, ed. L. Nichol, London:<br />

Routledge.<br />

Carey, J. (1975) ‘A cultural approach to communication’,<br />

<strong>Communication</strong>, 2(2), 1–22.<br />

Deetz, S. A. (1992) Democracy in an Age <strong>of</strong> <strong>Corporate</strong><br />

Colonization: Developments in <strong>Communication</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />

the Politics <strong>of</strong> Everyday Life, Albany, NY: State<br />

University <strong>of</strong> New York Press.<br />

Deetz, S. A. (1995) Transforming <strong>Communication</strong>,<br />

Transforming Business: Building Responsive <strong>and</strong><br />

Responsible Workplaces, Creskill, NJ: Hampton<br />

Press Inc.<br />

Fulop, L. <strong>and</strong> Linstead, S. (1999) Management: A<br />

Critical Text, London: Macmillan Business Books.<br />

Gebhardt, E. (1978) ‘A critique <strong>of</strong> methodology’, in<br />

A. Arato <strong>and</strong> E. Gebhardt (eds), The Essential<br />

Frankfurt School Reader, New York: Basil<br />

Blackwell, pp. 371–406.<br />

Holzner, B. (1972) Reality Construction in Society,<br />

Cambridge, MA: Schenkman.<br />

Hosking, D.-M. (1995) ‘Constructing power: entitative<br />

<strong>and</strong> relational approaches’, in D.-M.<br />

Hosking, H. P. Dachler, <strong>and</strong> K. J. Gergen (eds),<br />

Management <strong>and</strong> Organization: Relational Alternatives<br />

to Individualism, Aldershot: Avebury Books,<br />

pp. 51–70.<br />

Johnson, P. <strong>and</strong> Duberley, J. (2000) Underst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />

Management Research: An Introduction to<br />

Epistemology, London: Sage <strong>Public</strong>ations.<br />

Kant, I. (1781;1934) The Critique <strong>of</strong> Pure Reason, tr. J.<br />

M. D. Meiklejohn, London: Dent.<br />

Kennedy, D. (1997) Academic Duty, London: Harvard<br />

University Press.<br />

Quine, W. V. <strong>and</strong> Ullian, J. S. (1970) The Web <strong>of</strong> Belief,<br />

New York: R<strong>and</strong>om House.<br />

Stanton Rogers, R., Stenner, P., Gleeson, K. <strong>and</strong><br />

Stainton Rogers, W. (1995) Social Psychology:<br />

A Critical Agenda, Oxford: Polity Press.<br />

Teilhard de Chardin, P. (1959) The Phenomenon <strong>of</strong><br />

Man, New York: Harper & Brothers.<br />

Tudor, A. (1982) Beyond Empiricism: Philosophy <strong>of</strong><br />

Science in Sociology, London: Routledge & Kegan<br />

Paul.<br />

Wheatcr<strong>of</strong>t, G. (2002) ‘Two cultures at forty’,<br />

Prospect, May, 62–4.<br />

Wilber, K. (1996) A Brief History <strong>of</strong> Everything, Boston,<br />

MA: Shambhala <strong>Public</strong>ations.<br />

© 2004 S<strong>and</strong>ra Oliver for editorial matter <strong>and</strong> selection;<br />

individual chapters, the contributors

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