John M. Penrose

A Discrepancy Analysis of the Job-Getting Process and a Study of Resume Techniques.

Two primary job-getting processes are interviewing and résumé preparation; yet much of what is written about these two procedures is speculation rather than fact. This article examines two major questions. Are there differences in how recruiters and students view the interviewing process?And, how do subtle visual changes to a résumé, such as typewriter face and paper color, affect recruiters? Attached to this research is another major question Beyond a students major, what abilities do recruiters find most valuable? Responses to these questions are determined through questionnaires to professional recruiters and to students.

A Survey of the Perceived Importance of Business Communication and Other Business-Related Abilities

This is a study of attitudes of local business leaders toward the importance of communication in business. Unlike many such studies it reports informa tion about kind of business and educational background of the respondent.

Telecommunications, Teleconferencing, and Business Communications

This article describes telecommunications, which encompasses the electromagnetic transmission of information, and then examines an important subunit: teleconferencing. Teleconferencing is viewed from the voice, print, and video perspectives and is compared by cost, bandwidth, and speed of feedback. Suggestions on how to prepare for teleconferencing sessions are presented, as are implications to industry, to students, and to teachers of business communication

The Impact of Microcomputers on ABC with Recommendations for Teaching, Writing, and Research.

This article reports the results ofa study on the impact of nticrocowputer.s on ABC members. The findings include reports on such topics as the level of computer expertise of the respondents, time spent weekly using a computer, the type of hctrdware used by respondents and their students, the software used, and the application use of the respondents. Additionally, actions for both the Association and individual members are recommended. Members are encouraged to expand their individual use and to bring the computer into the classroom.

Computer Software Review.

Traditionally the reviews in ABCA magazines have been of books; however, as our society and our discipline turn to the use of computers, and particularly to microcomputers, it seems appropriate to review microcomputer software as well. The reviews presented here-especially of Grarrtmatik and Punctuation + Style-are timely as well as appropriate since they are so directly related to business writing. These software reviews are presented to introduce to

Does Order Make a Difference in Resumes

Positioning of information may be the major problem in preparing a résumé. This study attempts to determine whether a primacy or recency location of facts produces the highest fact-recall rate.

A Qualitative Comparison of Three Microcomputer Business Letter Libraries

The marriage of personal computers and business form letters has lead to readily available, inexpensive computer business letter libraries. Much like their typical paperback predecessors, these libraries purport to overcome the drudgery of preparing typical business correspondence. This study examines three library packages. A board of 54 experts found the three packages of about similar quality; rated sample letters as being poor in quality; preferred letters over memoranda; and noted differences between letter categories. The messages were generally seen as being readable.

A Report to the Teaching Methodology and Concepts Committee

Oriented to Primary Schools: Children have changed. They are not necessarily &dquo;information starved.&dquo; Now schools that were designed for information-poor societies have to change. We need to shift school goals-integrate young into functional community roles that move them into adulthood. School has become a productive community that carries on responsible activities in service to the large community. Teaching is centered on general strategies for learning, especially how to employ information resources. Principal orientation is toward external production or service.

BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES: Recognition and Preparation

This article explains the needs for behavioral objectives, discusses their identity, gives guidelines for their preparation, and includes a self-test for for their appropriateness.

Book Reviews : Communication for Management and Business, Fourth Edition, Norman B. Sigband and Arthur H. Bell. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1986, 891 pages

When I first used this textbook 17 years ago I was impressed with it. Today, now in its fourth edition, it is still an impressive text-impressive in size, coverage, tone, and polish. This edition includes several changes over the third edition. Electronic communication receives two early chapters now and some new topics have been integrated in various other chapters. There is now a discussion of the manager and the media, of proposals, and of computer graphics. An entirely new treatment of intercultural communication, prepared by the authors’ colleague John Gould, is especially detailed and valuable. The text also has new cases, two software packages, transparencies, and an instructor’s manual. Preserved over the editions is the combination of text, cases, and readings. With approximately one-eighth of the book assigned to cases (16 of them) and readings (12 of them), clearly the emphasis is on text. The text is broken into six parts and 25 chapters. Part 1 gives an overview of communication and includes the two electronic communication chapters; a discussion of writing forms part 2 with two chapters. Next follow a thorough presentation of reports (six chapters) and oral communication (five chapters, including one each on listening and interviewing). Two chapters make up part 5 on career planning; the text concludes with part 6, external communication (five chapters, including one on legal aspects of communication). One of the book’s distinguishing features is its focus on the manager and