Research indicates that "rule-based" writing and writing pedagogy may be inadequate
and irrelevant for management practice. As an alternative, this article introduces the
notion of "choice-based" writing, an approach which examines the range of writing op
tions available in any given managerial context. Two questions are addressed: (1)
What is choice-based writing? and (2) What is choice-based writing instruction? Dis
cussion of the second question centers on a particular writing choice of a select group
of managers in a specific communication context — namely, field managers' use of nar
rative for Dealer Contact Reports. Analysis illustrates the benefits of a choice-based ap
proach that recognizes contextual complexities and explores writing choices managers
find functional.
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