There is more to successful communication than learning the styles and proce
dures often found in the traditional business communication syllabus. In this
article, I discuss the benefits of using a critical-thinking approach to helping
students to understand the complex social and political environment in which
business communication is practiced. I explain how communication consult
ing projects can be used to examine the context of organizational communica
tion. Finally, I discuss the implications for teaching business and technical
communication using a real-world, critical approach.
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