Business Communication: Process &
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GUFFEY & LOEWY
Business
Communication
Process & Product
9th Edition
Mary Ellen Guffey
Professor Emerita of Business
Los Angeles Pierce College
Dana Loewy
Business Communication Program
California State University, Fullerton
Australia • Brazil • Mexico • Singapore • United Kingdom • United States
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
Business Communication: Process &
Product, 9th Edition
Mary Ellen Guffey, Dana Loewy
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Business Communication:
Process & Product 9e
Dr. Mary Ellen Guffey
Emerita Professor of Business
Los Angeles Pierce College
m.e.guffey@cox.net
Dr. Dana Loewy
Business Communication Program
California State University, Fullerton
dloewy@fullerton.edu
Dear Business Communication Student:
Photographer: Barbara D’Allessandro
The Ninth Edition of Business Communication: Process &
Product prepares you for a career in a complex mobile, social,
and global workplace. To help you successfully navigate this vast
networked environment, we have substantially revised our awardwinning book. You will learn how social media networks and mobile
technology function in the workplace and how you can strengthen
your professional communication and critical thinking skills.
All of the features that have made this award-winning textbook
so successful for nearly three decades have been updated in this
edition. In addition to solid instruction in writing skills, which
employers continue to demand, the Ninth Edition brings you
numerous learning resources, a few of which are highlighted here:
Dana Loewy and Mary Ellen Guffey
▪ MindTap. This multimedia learning experience provides
chapter quizzes, downloadable documents to revise, flashcards, and unparalleled resources to achieve success
in the course.
▪ “How-To” videos. Helping you develop expert writing techniques, chapter how-to videos explain and
illustrate many Ninth Edition concepts and model documents including bad-news, claim, adjustment,
persuasive, and sales messages. These chapter-based videos build skills and develop confidence for both
face-to-face and remote learners.
▪ Integrated digital technologies. The professional use of social media networks and mobile technology
requires that you know best practices. This edition provides the latest advice to guide you in using these
digital technologies safely and effectively in the workplace. You’ll find best practices for texting, instant
messaging, blogging, collaborating with wikis, and networking with social media in business today.
▪ Latest trends in job searching. Chapter 15 presents the most current trends, technologies, and practices
affecting the job search, résumés, and cover letters in this digital age. You will learn how to build a personal
brand, how to network, and how to write customized résumés plus create an effective LinkedIn profile.
▪ Hottest trends in job interviewing. Chapter 16 provides countless tips on how to interview successfully in
today’s highly competitive job market, including one-way and two-way video interviewing.
▪ Etiquette IQ. New communication platforms and casual workplace environments have blurred the lines of
appropriateness, leaving workers wondering how to behave on the job. This edition delivers up-to-date guidance
on acceptable workplace attire, professional behavior, and business etiquette for today’s mobile and social workplace. Each chapter also provides a “Test Your Etiquette IQ” quiz with authentic questions and answers.
We wish you well in your course! As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions as you use the No. 1
business communication book in this country and abroad.
Cordially,
Mary Ellen Guffey and Dana Loewy
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: PROCESS & PRODUCT, 9E
This book and this course may well be the most important in your entire college
curriculum!
Why? This book and your course equip you with the skills you will most need in today’s
fast-paced information- and data-driven workplace.
MEETING EMPLOYER EXPECTATIONS
Survey after survey reveals that employers are seeking new hires with these key skills:
• Written and oral communication skills
• Critical thinking and analytical reasoning
• Ethical decision making
• Teamwork skills
• Professionalism
Figure 2.13 The Six Dimensions of Professional Behavior
Promptness
Giving and accepting
criticism graciously
Apologizing for errors
Dining etiquette
Good hygiene
and grooming
Attractive
business attire
Sincerity
Helpfulness
Showing up
prepared
Delivering highquality work
Courtesy
Respect
Collegiality
Sharing
Reliability
Diligence
Appearance
Appeal
Ability to
compromise
Tolerance
Tact
Honesty
Ethics
Fair treatment
of others
Self-control
Dependability
Truthfulness
Honoring commitments
and keeping promises
Consistent
performance
Respecting others
Fair competition
Empathy
• Be selective in sharing personal information. Avoid talking about health concerns,
personal relationships, or finances in the office.
• Don’t put people down. If you have a reputation for criticizing people, your coworkers
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: PROCESS & PRODUCT, 9E
No other college course gives you training in all of these skills at once!
Business Communication: Process and Product, 9e, covers the following topics you
will find indispensable in the digital-age workplace:
• Expert writing techniques geared to developing your writing skills plus
interactive Documents for Analysis, authentic model documents, and
engaging activities in which you apply your skills
• Presentation skills featuring contemporary examples including coverage
of smartphone best practices to prepare you for the realities of workplace
communication and technology
• Critical thinking questions and activities in every chapter to stimulate and
develop skills
• Ethics Checks in addition to guidance and tools provided through discussion
questions and ethical dilemma scenarios
• Teamwork skills with a heavy emphasis on professionalism and etiquette in
the workplace so that you will know how to meet employer expectations
• Two employment chapters that present the latest trends in job searching,
interviewing, and résumé writing, along with current, effective résumé
models, tips for mobile devices and apps, and LinkedIn advice and
illustrations
• Test Your Etiquette IQ, a recurring feature in each chapter, designed to shine
a light on often blurry ideas about appropriateness and professionalism in
the workplace.
PREMIUM ONLINE RESOURCES
• MindTap, Your Personalized, Fully Online Digital Learning Platform.
This comprehensive learning platform guides you through readings,
multimedia tools, and chapter-specific activities that increase learner
involvement and produce significant learning outcomes. By being
interactive, MindTap makes learning enjoyable and playful. You can deepen
your understanding of business communication concepts at your own pace.
• Aplia Homework. Aplia helps you comprehend and remember chapter
concepts in an engaging interactive format. You know immediately how well
you are doing with immediate feedback on each problem set. You may even
be able to repeat exercises to improve your score.
• Grammar Review. Grammar review exercises provide you with engaging
online practice, covering key grammar concepts with interactive exercises
that you can finish in your own time. Your unique needs are addressed
through diagnostic assessments, pinpointing your areas of strength and
potential remediation needs. A large and randomized pool of questions
provides multiple opportunities to master each concept.
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: PROCESS & PRODUCT, 9E
Even in more traditional offices, employees work in open-plan spaces with flexible
workstations, shared conference rooms, and boomerang-shaped desks that save space and
discourage territorial behavior while encouraging casual interactions as well as spontaneous
collaborations.
• How-To Videos. Appealing to visual learners, this edition provides about 32 short vid-
eos that explain and illustrate many Ninth Edition concepts and model
documents inLEARNING
Information
Flow
andclaim
Media
Choices
cluding positive,
bad-news,
adjustment,
persuasive, and sales messages.
OUTCOMEThese
4
videos are especially helpful to distance learners who are not able to benefit from
Examine
critically
the
in Today’s
Workplace
in-class lectures.
internal and external
You may want to connect with friends and family for a specific reason or just for fun.
flow of communication
• Study Tools
However, businesspeople
almost always communicate strategically—that is, purposefully,
in organizations through
hoping to achieve
particular outcome.
Business
functions canslides
be summa◆ PaowerPoint
Lectures.
Ourcommunication
totally new PowerPoint
for the Ninth
Edition
reformal
and informal
rized in three simple
categories:
to inform,and
(b) tohighlight
persuade, and/or
(c) to promote
view
chapter(a)concepts
important
points goodwill.
with contemporary,
colorfulthe
channels, explain
Most business messages
of these
functions
as their purpose. Informing or sharing
images,have
andone
just
enough
animation.
importance of effective
information is perhaps the most common communication function in all organizations
media choices,
at the
Companion
Website
enable
you to and
test
today. On the ◆ jobInteractive
you will have chapter
a dizzying quizzes
array of media
to Student
help you share
information
and
understand
how to
your
knowledge
of concepts
with
immediate
feedback.
stay connected both
internally
and externally.
You will
need
to know which
medium is most
overcome typical
suitable to accomplish
your goal
andcan
be able
to with
distinguish
between
formal and
and informal
◆ Flashcards.
You
study
existing
flashcards
make your barriers
own. to organizational
channels.
communication.
SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS AND MOBILE TECHNOLOGY
The Networked
inand
a Dana Loewy understand social and mobile! The
Trusted authorsWorkplace
Mary Ellen Guffey
authors address workplace
Hyperconnected
World use of social media and communication technology in a
chapter
solely
dedicated
to bestcoupled
practices
thehierarchies
job. Because
Social media
and other
information
technology
withon
flatter
have these
greatlyskills are fundamental
in
the
contemporary
world
of
work,
social
media
and
communication
technology are
changed the way people communicate internally and externally at work. One major shift is away
integrated
in
each
chapter.
from one-sided, slow forms of communication such as hard-copy memos and letters to interactive, instant, less paper-based communication. Speeding up the flow of communication in
Every
chapter
influence
of communication
technology on
organizations
are e-mail,
instantreflects
messagingthe
(IM),pervasive
texting, blogging,
and interacting
with social
business
writing.
This
state-of-the-art
coverage
makes
it
clear
that
writing
is more
media such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Figure 1.8 shows a side-by-side comparison
important
than
ever
in
the
digital
world.
Careers
are
made
or
thwarted
based
on
one’s
between the traditional one-directional business communication model and today’s hypercononline
digital
persona.
nected, many-to-many social media communication model.
Figure 1.8 Traditional vs. Social Media Communication Between Businesses and
Customers
Customers
Traditional communication is
fleeting and opaque,
one-directional
from company to
customer and
customer to company,
one-to-many or
many-to-one
bidirectional/ social
marketing / PR
support/service
Customers
TV, phone, mail, etc.
Traditional Channels
Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Social Channels
Businesses
Businesses
Social media
communication is
persistent and
transparent,
bidirectional,
many-to-many
Chapter 1 Business Communication in the Digital Age
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
19
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: PROCESS & PRODUCT, 9E
• New digital model documents throughout illustrate how social media
networks are shaping today’s communication and will help you understand
professional social media applications.
• New activities, identified with the Social Media and Communication
Technology icon, reflect the preeminence of writing in the digital workplace
and prompt you to develop your professional social networking skills.
SOCIAL NETWORKS VS. OTHER U.S. WORKERS:
COMPARING ATTITUDES TOWARDS QUESTIONABLE BEHAVIOR
Do you feel it is acceptable to…?
“Friend” a client/customer on a social network
Active Social
Networkers
Other U.S.
Workers
59%
28%
Blog or tweet negatively about your company or colleagues
42%
6%
Buy personal items with your company credit card as long as you
pay it back
42%
8%
Do a little less work to compensate for cuts in benefits or pay
51%
10%
Keep a copy of confidential work documents in case you need
them in your next job
50%
15%
Take a copy of work software home and use it on your personal
computer
46%
7%
Upload vacation pictures to the company network or server so
you can share them with co-workers
50%
Use social networking to find out what my company’s competitors
are doing
54%
17%
30%
Source: National Business Ethics Survey, Social Media Week.105
1.11 Ethical Dilemmas: Applying Tools for
Doing the Right Thing (L.O. 5)
Ethics
Team
As a business communicator, you may face various ethical
dilemmas in your career. Many factors can determine your
choice of an action to take.
YOUR TASK Study the seven dilemmas appearing on page
28. Select four of them and apply the tools for doing the
right thing in Figure 1.15 on page 31 choosing an appropriate action. In a memo to your instructor or in a team
discussion, explain the action you would take for each
dilemma. Analyze your response to each question (Is the
action you are considering legal? How would you see the
problem if you were on the opposite side? and so forth).
Test Your Etiquette IQ
New communication platforms and casual workplace environments have blurred the
lines of appropriateness, leaving workers wondering how to navigate uncharted waters.
Indicate whether
the following statements are true or false. Then see if you agree with the
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
responses on p. R-1.
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: PROCESS & PRODUCT, 9E
Nordstrom: A Fabulous
Shopping Experience Goes
Social
Yeamake/Shutterstock.com
Opening scenarios in each chapter illustrate social media and technology use, teamwork,
meetings, persuasion, and more by companies that you know and interact with, such
as Starbucks, Lyft, Walmart, Taco Bell, Sony, Royal Caribbean, olloclip, Pew Research,
and JetBlue.
Zooming In
Nordstrom’s customer service is legendary. Like no other,
the upscale fashion retailer empowers its employees to
make their own decisions to best serve customers. Consider
the Anchorage location once accepting returned tires that the retailer doesn’t even sell. Another
true story relates that an employee raced to deliver a scatterbrained customer’s forgotten baggage
to the airport prior to her departure. Both anecdotes exemplify the century-old company’s motto: to
provide a fabulous customer experience by empowering customers and the employees who serve them.
But Nordstrom’s fabled devotion to customer service extends strategically into the virtual world to
meet customers where they are. The retailer has invested heavily in technology; for example, to integrate its inventory management system with its website and the Nordstrom app—always with the clear
purpose to enhance the customer experience. As a result, the company’s online and offline worlds are
seamlessly linked, and customers can find what they want in one place. Salespeople can track customer
requests and needs online. This persistent effort to integrate digital capabilities has paid off. Nordstrom’s
revenue has grown by more than 50 percent in the last five years.1 Its shares have jumped 120 percent.2
A strong social media engagement is key to Nordstrom’s strategy to provide superb service and to
drive traffic to its e-commerce site. As one of America’s most connected companies,3 it relies on crowdsourcing to learn which items to stock, and it responds rapidly to queries, in Spanish when needed. At
currently 3.2 million likes, Nordstrom is a strong presence on Facebook. Pinterest, the popular online
bulletin board, is a particular success story for early-adopter Nordstrom, which currently has some 4.4
million followers.4
With such public engagement, it’s not surprising that Nordstrom has clearly defined social media
use guidelines. Approved employees may connect with customers during working hours and even after
hours, if allowed. They are admonished to use good judgment and abide by all corporate policies. They
are told to be respectful, responsible, and ethical. Furthermore, Nordstrom’s social media policy forbids
the sharing of confidential corporate information as well as employees’ and customers’ private and personal information. Conflicts of interest are to be avoided, and compensated endorsements must be disclosed. The policy ends with this cheerful invitation: “Above all, remember to have fun and be yourself!”5
Nordstrom’s digital strategy is making the company highly competitive. You will learn more about
Nordstrom and be asked to complete a relevant task at the end of this chapter.
Communicating in the Digital World
What kind of workplace will you enter when you graduate, and which skills will you need to be
successful in it? Expect a fast-paced, competitive, and highly connected digital environment.
Communication technology provides unmatched mobility and connects individuals anytime
and anywhere in the world. Today’s communicators interact using multiple electronic devices
and access information stored in remote locations, in the cloud.
This mobility and instant access explain why increasing numbers of workers must be available practically around the clock and respond quickly. Nordstrom and other technology-savvy
businesses have recognized the power of social media networks and seek to engage their
customers and other stakeholders where they meet online. Communication no longer flows one
way; rather, electronic media have empowered the public to participate and be heard.
In this increasingly complex, networked, and mobile environment, communication skills
matter more than ever.6 Such skills are particularly significant when competition is keen. Job
candidates with exceptional communication skills immediately stand out. In this chapter you
will learn about communication skills in the digital era and about the contemporary world
of work. Later you will study tools to help you negotiate ethical minefields and do the right
thing. Each section covers the latest information about communicating in business while also
providing tips to help you function effectively and ethically in today’s fast-paced, information-driven workplace.
Chapter 1 Business Communication in the Digital Age
Critical Thinking
• After reading this
case study, can you
put into perspective
the suggestion “have
fun and be yourself”?
What exactly does this
invitation mean?
• Why does Nordstrom
allow only certain
employees to connect
online with customers
and other members of the
public?
• Why do social media
guidelines emphasize
ethical behavior and
ethical communication?
LEARNING
OUTCOME 1
Explain how
communication skills
fuel career success, and
understand why writing
skills are vital in a digital,
mobile, and social-mediadriven workplace.
3
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
BK-CHE-GUFFEY_BCPP_9E-160013-Chp01.indd 3
10/12/16 5:07 PM
Brief Contents
Unit 1 Communication Foundations 1
1 Business Communication in the Digital Age 2
2 Professionalism: Team, Meeting, Listening, Nonverbal, and Etiquette Skills 42
3 Intercultural Communication 84
Unit 2 The Writing Process in the Digital Era 125
4 Planning Business Messages 126
5 Organizing and Drafting Business Messages 158
6 Revising Business Messages 186
Unit 3 Workplace Communication 213
7
8
9
10
Short Workplace Messages and Digital Media 214
Positive Messages 252
Negative Messages 294
Persuasive and Sales Messages 338
Unit 4 Reports, Proposals, and Presentations 387
11 Reporting in the Digital Age Workplace 388
12 Informal Business Reports 436
13 Proposals, Business Plans, and Formal Business Reports 482
14 Business Presentations 520
Unit 5 Employment Communication 563
15 The Job Search, Résumés, and Cover Letters in the Digital Age 564
16 Interviewing and Following Up 612
Appendixes
A Document Format Guide A-1
B Documentation Formats B-1
C Correction Symbols and Proofreading Marks C-1
D Grammar and Mechanics Guide D-1
End Matter
Key to Grammar and Mechanics Key-1
Etiquette IQ Responses R-1
Glossary (Available online only at www.cengagebrain.com)
Index I-1
Brief Contents
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
ix
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
Contents
UNIT
1 Communication
Foundations
Chapter 1
Business Communication
in the Digital Age 2
Zooming In: Nordstrom: A Fabulous Shopping
Experience Goes Social 3
Communicating in the Digital World 3
The Digital Revolution and You: Tools for Success in the
21st-Century Workplace 6
How Your Education Drives Your Income 10
Trends and Challenges in the Information
Age Workplace 10
Information Flow and Media Choices in Today’s
Workplace 19
Ethics in the Workplace Needed More Than Ever 26
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills at
Nordstrom 31
AjFile/Shutterstock.com
Summary of Learning Outcomes
Critical Thinking 33
Activities 33
Test Your Etiquette IQ 37
Chat About It 38
Grammar and Mechanics 38
References 39
Chapter 2
Charlotte Purdy/Shutterstock.com
Professionalism:
Team, Meeting, Listening,
Nonverbal, and Etiquette
Skills 42
32
Zooming In: Lyft Epitomizes the Sharing Economy and
Teamwork 43
Adding Value to Professional Teams 43
Checklist: Developing Team Effectiveness 50
Planning and Participating in Face-to-Face and
Virtual Meetings 51
Checklist: Planning and Participating in Productive
Meetings 58
Listening in the Workplace 59
Checklist: Improving Listening 64
Communicating Nonverbally 64
Checklist: Building Strong Nonverbal Communication
Skills in the Workplace 68
Developing Professionalism and Business Etiquette Skills
at the Office and Online 69
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills at Lyft 72
Summary of Learning Outcomes
Critical Thinking 74
Activities 74
Test Your Etiquette IQ 79
72
xi
Contents
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
Chat About It 79
Grammar and Mechanics
References 80
Chapter 3
Intercultural
Communication 84
79
Zooming In: Intercultural and Ethics Challenges for the
World’s Largest Retailer 85
The Growing Importance of Intercultural
Communication 85
Culture and Communication 90
Becoming Interculturally Proficient 96
Checklist: Achieving Intercultural Proficiency 104
Culture and Ethical Business Practices 104
Workforce Diversity: Benefits and Challenges 108
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills at
Walmart 111
Dan Baciu/Shutterstock.com
Summary of Learning Outcomes 112
Critical Thinking 113
Activities 114
Test Your Etiquette IQ 119
Chat About It 119
Grammar and Mechanics 120
References 120
UNIT
Writing
2 The
Process in the
Digital Era
Chapter 4
racorn/Shutterstock.com
Planning Business
Messages 126
Zooming In: TOMS Shoes Integrates For-Profit
Entrepreneurship With Bleeding-Heart
Philanthropy 127
Understanding the Communication Process 127
Using the 3-x-3 Writing Process as a Guide 132
Analyzing and Anticipating the Audience 135
Using Expert Writing Techniques to Adapt to Your
Audience 138
Checklist: Adapting a Message to Its Audience 146
Sharing the Writing in Teams 146
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills at
TOMS 150
Summary of Learning Outcomes 150
Critical Thinking 151
Activities 152
Test Your Etiquette IQ 155
Chat About It 156
Grammar and Mechanics 156
References 157
xii
Contents
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
Chapter 5
Darren Baker/Shutterstock.com
Organizing and Drafting
Business Messages 158
Summary of Learning Outcomes 178
Critical Thinking 179
Writing Improvement Exercises 180
Activities 183
Test Your Etiquette IQ 184
Chat About It 184
Grammar and Mechanics 185
References 185
Chapter 6
Revising Business
Messages 186
Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com
Zooming In: MyEvent.com Moves From Weddings to
Fundraising and Crowdsourcing 159
Beginning With Research 159
Generating Ideas and Organizing Information 161
Composing the First Draft With Effective
Sentences 166
Developing Business Writing Techniques 169
Checklist: Drafting Effective Sentences 173
Building Well-Organized Paragraphs 174
Checklist: Preparing Meaningful Paragraphs 177
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills at
MyEvent.com 177
Zooming In: Taco Bell Seeks to Shatter Sea of
Sameness 187
Stopping to Revise: Applying Phase 3 of the
Writing Process 187
Polishing Your Messages by Revising for
Conciseness 188
Improving Message Clarity 193
Applying Document Design to Enhance
Readability 196
Proofreading to Catch Errors 199
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Your Message 202
Checklist: Editing, Proofreading, and Evaluating 203
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills at Taco
Bell 203
Summary of Learning Outcomes 205
Critical Thinking 206
Writing Improvement Exercises 206
Activities 208
Test Your Etiquette IQ 211
Chat About It 211
Grammar and Mechanics 211
References 212
xiii
Contents
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
UNIT
3 Workplace
Communication
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Zooming In: JetBlue: Speedy Customer Service
with Humor 253
Neutral and Positive Messages: The Writing
Process 253
Routine Request, Response, and Instruction
Messages 257
Checklist: Writing Direct Requests and
Responses 260
Direct Claims and Complaints 264
Adjustment Messages 268
Checklist: Direct Claim, Complaint, and Adjustment
Messages 273
Goodwill Messages 274
Checklist: Goodwill Messages 277
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills at
JetBlue 278
Bolyuk Rostyslav/Shutterstock.com
Short Workplace Messages
and Digital Media 214
Summary of Learning Outcomes 240
Critical Thinking 241
Activities 242
Test Your Etiquette IQ 248
Chat About It 248
Grammar and Mechanics 248
References 249
Positive Messages 252
Stuart Jenner/Shutterstock.com
Zooming In: Sony Hack Signals the End of Privacy 215
Writing Digital Age E-Mail Messages and Memos 215
Checklist: Professional E-Mail and Memos 222
Workplace Messaging and Texting 222
Making Podcasts and Wikis Work for Business 228
Blogging for Business 231
Social Networking for Business 236
Checklist: Using Digital Media Like a Pro 239
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your
Skills at Sony 239
Summary of Learning Outcomes 279
Critical Thinking 280
Writing Improvement Exercises 281
xiv
Contents
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
Activities 282
Test Your Etiquette IQ 290
Chat About It 290
Grammar and Mechanics 290
References 291
Chapter 9
goodluz/Shutterstock.com
Negative Messages 294
Zooming In: Crises Rock the Cruise Industry and Rattle
Cruise Passengers 295
Communicating Negative News Effectively 295
Analyzing Negative-News Strategies 299
Composing Effective Negative Messages 303
Refusing Typical Requests and Claims 309
Managing Bad News Within Organizations 319
Checklist: Conveying Negative News 324
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills at Royal
Caribbean 324
Summary of Learning Outcomes 325
Critical Thinking 326
Writing Improvement Exercises 327
Activities 328
Test Your Etiquette IQ 334
Chat About It 335
Grammar and Mechanics 335
References 336
Chapter 10
Phovoir/Shutterstock.com
Persuasive and Sales
Messages 338
Zooming In: ōlloclip: Smartphone Lenses That Sell
Themselves 339
Persuading Effectively and Ethically in the
Contemporary Workplace 340
Blending Four Major Elements in Successful Persuasive
Messages 346
Writing Persuasive Requests, Making Claims, and
Delivering Complaints 350
Checklist: Using the AIDA Strategy to Request Actions,
Make Claims, and Deliver Complaints 353
Writing Persuasive Messages in Digital Age
Organizations 353
Creating Effective Sales Messages in Print and
Online 357
Developing Persuasive Press Releases 366
Checklist: Preparing Persuasive Direct-Mail and
E-Mail Sales Messages 367
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills at
ōlloclip 369
xv
Contents
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Summary of Learning Outcomes 369
Critical Thinking 371
Activities 372
Test Your Etiquette IQ 382
Chat About It 382
Grammar and Mechanics 382
References 383
UNIT
4 Reports,
Proposals, and
Presentations
Chapter 11
Minerva Studio/Shutterstock.com
Reporting in the Digital
Age Workplace 388
Chapter 12
leungchopan/Shutterstock.com
Informal Business
Reports 436
Zooming In: Research for the Public Good at Pew 389
Reporting in the Digital Age Workplace 389
Applying the 3-x-3 Writing Process to Contemporary
Reports 397
Identifying Secondary Sources and Conducting Primary
Research 402
Documenting Information 412
Creating Effective Graphics 418
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills at
Pew 424
Summary of Learning Outcomes 425
Critical Thinking 426
Activities 427
Test Your Etiquette IQ 432
Chat About It 433
Grammar and Mechanics 433
References 434
Zooming In: Starbucks: Innovate or Die! The Global
Chain That Wants to Remain Local 437
Analyzing Digital Age Data 437
Drawing Conclusions and Making
Recommendations 443
Organizing Data 446
Writing Short Informational Reports 452
Checklist: Writing Informational Reports 458
Preparing Short Analytical Reports 459
Checklist: Writing Direct Requests and Responses 467
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills at Starbucks 468
Summary of Learning Outcomes
Critical Thinking 470
Activities 470
468
xvi
Contents
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Self-Contained Report Activities
Test Your Etiquette IQ 480
Grammar and Mechanics 480
References 481
Chapter 13
Milles Studio/Shutterstock.com
Proposals, Business Plans,
and Formal Business
Reports 482
475
Zooming In: SpaceX Soars on the Wings of its
Proposals 483
Writing Informal Proposals 483
Preparing Formal Proposals 488
Checklist: Writing Proposals 490
Creating Effective Business Plans 490
Writing Formal Business Reports 493
Body and Back Matter Components of Formal Business
Reports 496
Final Writing Tips 497
Checklist: Preparing Formal Business Reports 508
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills at SpaceX 509
Summary of Learning Outcomes 510
Critical Thinking 511
Activities 512
Test Your Etiquette IQ 517
Chat About It 517
Grammar and Mechanics 518
References 518
Chapter 14
Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com
Business
Presentations 520
Zooming In: Jean-luc Doumont: Engineering Effective
Presenting Skills Worldwide 521
Creating Effective Business Presentations 521
Connecting With Audiences by Organizing Content and
Using Visual Aids 525
Preparing Engaging Multimedia Presentations 534
Polishing Your Delivery and Following Up 539
Checklist: Preparing and Organizing Oral
Presentations 544
Developing Intercultural and Team Presentations 545
Improving Speaking Skills for Effective Phone Calls 549
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills 552
Summary of Learning Outcomes 553
Critical Thinking 555
Activities 555
Test Your Etiquette IQ 560
Chat About It 560
Grammar and Mechanics 560
References 561
xvii
Contents
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UNIT
5 Employment
Communication
Chapter 15
The Job Search, Résumés,
and Cover Letters in the
Digital Age 564
Zooming In: Graduating From Classroom to
Career 565
Job Searching in the Digital Age 565
Developing a Job-Search Strategy Focused on the
Open Job Market 569
Unlocking the Hidden Job Market With
Networking 572
Customizing Your Résumé 576
Enhancing Your Job Search With
Today’s Digital Tools 590
Checklist: Creating and Submitting a Customized
Résumé 593
Cover Messages–Do They Still Matter? 594
Creating a Customized Cover Message 595
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills With
Heather Huhman 601
Nicotombo/Shutterstock.com
Summary of Learning Outcomes 602
Critical Thinking 604
Activities 604
Test Your Etiquette IQ 607
Chat About It 608
Grammar and Mechanics 608
References 609
Chapter 16
Interviewing and
Following Up 612
Zooming In: Achieving Interview Success in Today’s
Competitive Job Market 613
Interviewing Effectively in Today’s Competitive
Job Market 613
Before the Interview 617
During the Interview 622
After the Interview 633
Preparing Additional Employment Documents 636
Zooming In: Your Turn: Applying Your Skills 639
goodluz/Shutterstock.com
Summary of Learning Outcomes 639
Critical Thinking 641
Activities 641
Test Your Etiquette IQ 647
Chat About It 647
Grammar and Mechanics 647
References 648
xviii
Contents
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Appendixes
A Document Format Guide A-1
B Documentation Formats B-1
C Correction Symbols and Proofreading Marks C-1
D Grammar and Mechanics Guide D-1
End Matter
Key to Grammar and Mechanics Key-1
Etiquette IQ Responses R-1
Glossary (Available online only at www.cengagebrain.com)
Index I-1
xix
Contents
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Appreciation for Support
No successful textbook reaches a No. 1 position without a great deal of help. We are exceedingly grateful to the reviewers and other experts who contributed their pedagogic and academic
expertise in shaping Business Communication: Process & Product.
We extend sincere thanks to many professionals at Cengage Learning; Erin Joyner, Vice
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Diane Garrity, Intellectual Property Analyst.
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Mary Ellen Guffey
Dana Loewy
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About the Authors
Dr. Mary Ellen Guffey
A dedicated professional, Mary Ellen Guffey has taught business communication and business English topics for over thirty-five years. She received a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude,
from Bowling Green State University; a master’s degree from the
University of Illinois, and a doctorate in business and economic
education from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
She has taught at the University of Illinois, Santa Monica College,
and Los Angeles Pierce College.
Now recognized as the world’s leading business communication author, Dr. Guffey corresponds with instructors around the globe who are using her books. She is the founding author
of the award-winning Business Communication: Process & Product, the leading business
communication textbook in this country. She also wrote Business English, which serves more
students than any other book in its field; Essentials of College English; and Essentials of Business
Communication, the leading text/workbook in its market. Dr. Guffey is active professionally, serving on the review boards of the Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
and the Journal of Business Communication, publications of the Association for Business
Communication. She participates in national meetings, sponsors business communication
awards, and is committed to promoting excellence in business communication pedagogy and
the development of student writing skills.
Dr. Dana Loewy
Dana Loewy has been teaching business communication at
California State University, Fullerton since 1996. She enjoys introducing undergraduates to business writing and honing the skills
of graduate students in managerial communication. Most recently,
she has also taught various German courses and is a regular guest
lecturer at Fach-hochschule Nürtingen, Germany. In addition to
completing numerous brand-name consulting assignments, she is a
certified business etiquette consultant. Dr. Loewy has collaborated
with Dr. Guffey on recent editions of Business Communication: Process & Product as well as on
Essentials of Business Communication.
Dr. Loewy holds a master’s degree from Bonn University, Germany, and earned a PhD in
English from the University of Southern California. Fluent in several languages, among them
German and Czech, her two native languages, Dr. Loewy has authored critical articles in many
areas of interest—literary criticism, translation, business communication, and business ethics.
Before teaming up with Dr. Guffey, Dr. Loewy published various poetry and prose translations,
most notably The Early Poetry of Jaroslav Seifert and On the Waves of TSF. Active in the
Association for Business Communication, Dr. Loewy focuses on creating effective teaching/
learning materials for undergraduate and graduate business communication students.
About the Authors
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
xxiii
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
UNIT
1
Communication
Foundations
AjFile/Shutterstock.com
Chapter 1
Business
Communication
in the Digital
Age
Chapter 2
Professionalism:
Team, Meeting,
Listening,
Nonverbal, and
Etiquette Skills
Chapter 3
Intercultural
Communication
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
Chapter Business
Communication
in the Digital
Age
1
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
After studying this chapter, you
should be able to
1 Explain how communication
skills fuel career success, and
understand why writing skills
are vital in a digital, mobile, and
social-media-driven workplace.
2 Identify the tools for success
in the hyperconnected 21stcentury workplace; appreciate
the importance of criticalthinking skills and personal
credibility in the competitive
job market of the digital age;
and discuss how your education
may determine your income.
4 Examine critically the
internal and external flow of
communication in organizations
through formal and informal
channels, explain the
importance of effective media
choices, and understand how
to overcome typical barriers to
organizational communication.
5 Analyze ethics in the workplace,
understand the goals of ethical
business communicators, and
choose the tools for doing the
right thing.
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
AjFile/Shutterstock.com
3 Describe significant trends in
today’s dynamic, networked
work environment, and
recognize that social media
and other communication
technologies require excellent
communication skills, in any
economic climate.
Yeamake/Shutterstock.com
Nordstrom: A Fabulous
Shopping Experience Goes
Social
Zooming In
Nordstrom’s customer service is legendary. Like no other,
the upscale fashion retailer empowers its employees to
make their own decisions to best serve customers. Consider
the Anchorage location once accepting returned tires that the retailer doesn’t even sell. Another
true story relates that an employee raced to deliver a scatterbrained customer’s forgotten baggage
to the airport prior to her departure. Both anecdotes exemplify the century-old company’s motto: to
provide a fabulous customer experience by empowering customers and the employees who serve them.
But Nordstrom’s fabled devotion to customer service extends strategically into the virtual world to
meet customers where they are. The retailer has invested heavily in technology; for example, to integrate its inventory management system with its website and the Nordstrom app—always with the clear
purpose to enhance the customer experience. As a result, the company’s online and offline worlds are
seamlessly linked, and customers can find what they want in one place. Salespeople can track customer
requests and needs online. This persistent effort to integrate digital capabilities has paid off. Nordstrom’s
revenue has grown by more than 50 percent in the last five years.1 Its shares have jumped 120 percent.2
A strong social media engagement is key to Nordstrom’s strategy to provide superb service and to
drive traffic to its e-commerce site. As one of America’s most connected companies,3 it relies on crowdsourcing to learn which items to stock, and it responds rapidly to queries, in Spanish when needed. At
currently 3.2 million likes, Nordstrom is a strong presence on Facebook. Pinterest, the popular online
bulletin board, is a particular success story for early-adopter Nordstrom, which currently has some 4.4
million followers.4
With such public engagement, it’s not surprising that Nordstrom has clearly defined social media
use guidelines. Approved employees may connect with customers during working hours and even after
hours, if allowed. They are admonished to use good judgment and abide by all corporate policies. They
are told to be respectful, responsible, and ethical. Furthermore, Nordstrom’s social media policy forbids
the sharing of confidential corporate information as well as employees’ and customers’ private and personal information. Conflicts of interest are to be avoided, and compensated endorsements must be disclosed. The policy ends with this cheerful invitation: “Above all, remember to have fun and be yourself!”5
Nordstrom’s digital strategy is making the company highly competitive. You will learn more about
Nordstrom and be asked to complete a relevant task at the end of this chapter.
Communicating in the Digital World
What kind of workplace will you enter when you graduate, and which skills will you need to be
successful in it? Expect a fast-paced, competitive, and highly connected digital environment.
Communication technology provides unmatched mobility and connects individuals anytime
and anywhere in the world. Today’s communicators interact using multiple electronic devices
and access information stored in remote locations, in the cloud.
This mobility and instant access explain why increasing numbers of workers must be available practically around the clock and respond quickly. Nordstrom and other technology-savvy
businesses have recognized the power of social media networks and seek to engage their
customers and other stakeholders where they meet online. Communication no longer flows one
way; rather, electronic media have empowered the public to participate and be heard.
In this increasingly complex, networked, and mobile environment, communication skills
matter more than ever.6 Such skills are particularly significant when competition is keen. Job
candidates with exceptional communication skills immediately stand out. In this chapter you
will learn about communication skills in the digital era and about the contemporary world
of work. Later you will study tools to help you negotiate ethical minefields and do the right
thing. Each section covers the latest information about communicating in business while also
providing tips to help you function effectively and ethically in today’s fast-paced, information-driven workplace.
Critical Thinking
• After reading this
case study, can you
put into perspective
the suggestion “have
fun and be yourself”?
What exactly does this
invitation mean?
• Why does Nordstrom
allow only certain
employees to connect
online with customers
and other members of the
public?
• Why do social media
guidelines emphasize
ethical behavior and
ethical communication?
LEARNING
OUTCOME 1
Explain how
communication skills
fuel career success, and
understand why writing
skills are vital in a digital,
mobile, and social-mediadriven workplace.
Chapter 1 Business Communication in the Digital Age
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3
Communication Skills: Your Pass to Success
Over the last decade, employer surveys have consistently shown that strong communication
skills are critical to effective job placement, work performance, career advancement, and organizational success.7 In making hiring decisions, employers often rank communication skills
among the most desirable competencies.8
Interviewers for defense contractor BAE Systems may request a writing sample to “literally
see if the candidate can write,” but also to find out whether the applicant can organize and
share ideas, explains Curt Gray, senior vice president of human resources and administration.
UPS requires its workers to write clear and concise messages and “to investigate, analyze and
report their findings in a professional manner,” says Matt Lavery, managing director of corporate talent acquisition.9 In a poll, Fortune 1000 executives cited writing, critical-thinking,
and problem-solving skills along with self-motivation and team skills as their top choices in
new-hires.10
Writing skills can be your ticket to work—or your ticket out the door, according to a business
executive responding to a significant survey. This much-quoted study of 120 American corporations by the National Commission on Writing found that two thirds of salaried employees
have some writing responsibility. However, about one third of them do not meet the writing
requirements for their positions.11 “Businesses are crying out—they need to have people who
write better,” said Gaston Caperton, executive and College Board president.
Writing has been variously called a “career sifter,” a “threshold skill,” and “the price of
admission,”12 indicating that effective writing skills can be a stepping-stone to great job opportunities. Poorly developed writing skills, however, may derail a career. Writing is a marker of
high-skill, high-wage, professional work, according to Bob Kerrey, former university president
and chair of the National Commission on Writing. If you can’t express yourself clearly, he says,
you limit your opportunities for many positions.13
When we discuss communication skills, we generally mean reading, listening,
nonverbal, speaking, and writing skills. In addition, workers today must be media savvy
and exercise good judgment when posting messages on the Internet and writing e-mails.
To be successful, they must guard their online image and protect the reputation of their
employers. In this book we focus on the listening, nonverbal, speaking, and writing skills
necessary in a digital workplace. Chapters are devoted to each of these skills. Special attention is given to writing skills because they are difficult to develop and increasingly significant in e-communication.
Writing in the Digital Age
Note: Because this is a
well-researched textbook, you will find small
superscript numbers in
the text. These announce information
sources. Full citations
are located in the Notes
section beginning on
page 40 near the end of
the book. This edition
uses a modified American Psychological Association (APA) reference
citation format.
4
If you are like many young adults, you may think that your daily texts, instant messages,
Facebook posts, blog entries, and e-mails are not real writing. A Pew Internet & American Life
study found that teens and young adults consider their frequent e-communication to be very
different from the traditional writing they learn in school.14 Perhaps young people understand
that their digital writing is largely casual, but that employers expect more formal, thoughtful,
informative, and error-free messages. In any case, the respondents in the study rightly believe
that solid writing skills are a necessity in today’s networked digital world.
Long gone are the days when business was mostly conducted face-to-face and when
administrative assistants corrected spelling and grammar for their bosses. Although interpersonal skills still matter greatly, writing effectively is critical. Ever since the digital revolution
swept the workplace, most workers write their own messages. New communication channels
appeared, including the Web and e-mail, followed by instant messaging, blogs, and social
media networks.
The mobile revolution is stimulating huge economic growth and has profoundly changed
how we communicate; it has become the fastest-adopted technology of all time.15 Figure 1.1
displays the emergence of new communication technology and the rapid growth of Internet
users over the last two decades. So far, the number of Internet users has roughly doubled every
five years.
Chapter 1 Business Communication in the Digital Age
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
Figure 1.1 Time Line: Communication Technology and Social Media
2000 |
2005
| 2010 |
2015 |
Napster StumbleUpon
Skype
iPad
iPhone IPTV
Cloud computing
YouTube
Blogger Wikipedia Second Life
Smartphones
Technology Convergence
Netbooks
Vimeo
RSS 2.0
iTunes
Pinterest
Kindle
MySpace
iPod
Instagram
GPS III
Wearable devices
Hulu
LinkedIn
Geocaching
Facebook
Tumbler
Blackberry
The Mobile Revolution
ThumbDrive
World
of
Warcraft
Android
Dropbox
Palm OS
Apps
Digg
WiMax networks
Treo
Blu-ray
Flickr
USB 3.0
R E SP
O N SE
T IM E :
We e k s >
NUMBER OF IN
D ay s > H o u r s
TERNE T USERS:
> M i nu t e s > S e c o n ds
361 Million
n
> 500 Millio
> 1.15
>
Billion
2020
The Internet of Things
Artificial intelligence
Self-driving automobiles
3
lion >
2.3 Bil
lion
.0 Bil
Writing matters more than ever because the online media require more of it, not less.16 An
important poll by Hart Research Associates supports this view. The participating employers
admitted that their expectations of employees have increased because the challenges on the job
are more complex than in the past. The executives also said that employees today need a broader
range of skills as well as higher levels of knowledge in their field.17
“Communicating clearly and effectively has NEVER been more important than it
is today. Whether it’s fair or not, life-changing critical judgments about you are being
made based solely on your writing ability,” says management consultant Victor Urbach.
“Having excellent command of your online digital persona will enable you to quickly
surpass those who present themselves weakly in the new competitive arena. Since you
probably won’t get a second chance, what kind of digital first impression will you choose
to make?”18 Developing these skills in this course will build your credibility and help you
stand out.
It’s Up to You: Communication Skills
Can Be Learned
By enrolling in a business writing class, you have already taken the first step toward improving
or polishing your communication skills. The goals of this course and this book include teaching
you basic business communication skills, such as how to write an effective e-mail, a short
message on a mobile device, or a clear business letter, and how to make a memorable presentation with various digital media.
Thriving in the challenging interconnected work world depends on many factors, some of
which you cannot control. However, one factor that you do control is how well you communicate. You are not born with the abilities to read, listen, speak, and write effectively. These skills
must be learned. This book and this course may well be the most important in your entire
college curriculum because they will equip you with the skills most needed in today’s fast-paced
information- and data-driven workplace.
Chapter 1 Business Communication in the Digital Age
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
5
Reality Check
photopixel/Shutterstock.com
Digital Workplace Survival Skills
LEARNING
OUTCOME 2
“To succeed in today’s workplace, young people need more than basic reading and
math skills. They need substantial content knowledge and information technology skills;
advanced thinking skills, flexibility to adapt to change; and interpersonal skills to succeed in
multi-cultural, cross-functional teams.”19
—J. Willard Marriott, Jr., chairman and CEO, Marriott International, Inc.
Rachael Arnott/Shutterstock.com
Identify the tools
for success in the
hyperconnected 21stcentury workplace;
appreciate the importance
of critical-thinking skills
and personal credibility
in the competitive job
market of the digital age;
and discuss how your
education may determine
your income.
6
The Digital Revolution and You: Tools for
Success in the 21st-Century Workplace
If you are a young adult, chances are that you check Facebook, smartphone texts, Instagram,
Twitter, or Tumblr first thing in the morning and repeatedly throughout the day to stay
connected with your friends and family. Most likely you write and create digital documents
with a notebook, tablet, or smartphone without thinking much about the technology enabling
you to do all this. Information technology has changed how we work, play, and communicate.
It has never been easier to access and share information via various digital media from a vast
network of sources and to distribute it nearly instantly and to widespread audiences.20 What
hasn’t changed is that communication skills need time and effort to develop.
To achieve literacy in the digital age means not only using multimedia applications and
snazzy late-model gadgets but also thinking critically about new media. It means using technology thoughtfully and in a professional manner to achieve success in a hyperconnected world.
The 21st-century economy depends mainly on information and knowledge. Previously, in
the Industrial Age, raw materials and physical labor were the key ingredients in the creation of
wealth. Today, however, individuals in the workforce offer their knowledge, not their muscles.
Knowledge workers (a term first coined by management
guru Peter Drucker) get paid for their education and
their ability to learn.21
More recently, we are hearing the term information
worker to describe those who produce and consume
information in the workplace.22 Regardless of the terminology, knowledge and information workers engage in
mind work. They must make sense of words, figures,
and data. At the same time, the knowledge available in
the “digital universe” is more than doubling every year,
according to computing pioneer George Dyson.23
In this light it may not surprise you that jobs in
the information technology sector are likely to jump
24 percent by 2020.24 Mobile technology generated
almost $3.3 trillion in revenue globally in one year
alone and is responsible for 11 million jobs, according
to Boston Consulting.25 However, in a recovering but
demanding U.S. labor market, hundreds of thousands
of jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math
remain unfilled.26 Experts also worry about domestic
talent shortages in skilled manufacturing.27 In such a
challenging environment, continuous, lifelong learning
will make you more competitive and valuable to future
Chapter 1 Business Communication in the Digital Age
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
employers. An adaptable, highly skilled workforce is well equipped to weather any economic
climate as well as global competition.
Why Should You Care?
As a knowledge worker in the skills economy, you can expect to be generating, processing, and
exchanging information. You will need to be able to transmit it effectively across various communication channels and multiple media. You might be called on to use e-mail, multimedia slide presentations,
wikis, podcasts, or Facebook and other social media in a professional setting. With added job responsibilities, you will be expected to make sound decisions and solve complex problems. Interviewers
at global giant Siemens probe job applicants for the ability “to quickly distill the key issues and
relationships in complex situations,” says Mike Panigel, senior vice president of human resources.28
In a recent PayScale study, writing proficiency is considered a hard skill; 44 percent of
managers stated that it’s the skill most lacking among recent college graduates. The respondents also criticized a lack of communication skills (46 percent) as well as critical thinking and
problem solving skills (60 percent).29 You are learning to think, read, and ask questions in a
networked world, accessed with computers, tablets, smartphones, e-readers, wearable devices,
and more. The avalanche of information that engulfs you daily requires you to evaluate all
sources critically because information flows at a great speed, across various media, and in many
directions. With potentially a global audience watching, you can choose to project a positive,
professional image, or you can publish misinformation and embarrassing falsehoods.30
Courtesy of Karen Bruett
Reality Check
Wanted! 21st-Century Skills
In the media-driven world of the 21st century, workers must process vast amounts of
information fast and judge accurately whether the information is reliable. “It’s important that
students know how to manage it, interpret it, validate it, and how to act on it.”31
—Karen Bruett, higher education expert, former Dell executive
Thinking Critically in the Digital Age
Jobs that require thinking, brainpower, and decision-making skills are likely to remain plentiful. Whether you work in m-commerce (mobile technology businesses), e-commerce (Internetbased businesses), or brick-and-mortar commerce, nearly three out of four jobs involve some
form of mind work. To be successful in these jobs, you will need to be able to think critically,
make decisions, and communicate those decisions.
Management and employees work together in such areas as product development, quality
control, and customer satisfaction. All workers, from executives to subordinates, need to think
creatively and critically. Even in factory production lines, workers are part of the knowledge culture.
Toyota’s management philosophy of continuous improvement (kaizen) by engaged and empowered
workers is much admired and emulated around the world.32 When your boss or team leader says,
“What do you think we ought to do?” you want to be able to supply good ideas and demonstrate
that you can think critically. This means having opinions that are backed by reasons and evidence.
Faced with a problem or an issue, most of us do a lot of worrying before separating the
issues or making a decision. Figure 1.2 provides a three-point plan to help you think critically and solve problems competently. As you can see, understanding the problem is essential
and must come first. Generating and selecting the most feasible ideas is the intermediate step.
Finally, the problem-solving model prompts you to refine, justify, and implement the solution.
At the end of each chapter in this text, you will find activities and problems that will help you
develop and apply your critical-thinking skills.
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7
Figure 1.2 Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem-Solving Process
1
Explore the
Challenge
2
Generate
Ideas
3
Implement
Solutions
Identify the
challenge
Come up with
many ideas to
solve the problem
Select and
strengthen solutions
Gather information
and clarify the
problem
Pick the most
promising ideas
Plan how to bring
your solution to life
and implement it
Managing Your Career Well: Guarding
Your Credibility
In a dynamic, highly competitive world of work, not even the most talented college graduate
can afford to post or e-mail a résumé, kick back, and wait to be discovered. You will need to
be proactive and exercise greater control over your career than college graduates before you
did. Like most workers today, you will not find nine-to-five jobs, predictable pay increases, lifetime security, and even conventional workplaces.33 Quite likely, your future employer may first
observe your use of social networking tools before deciding to invite you for an interview.34
Don’t presume that companies will provide you with a clearly defined career path or planned
developmental experiences. In the private sector, you can expect to work for multiple employers,
moving back and forth between work and education and between work and family responsibilities.35 Increasingly, the workplace and your career will resemble not a vertical corporate ladder,
but a more intricate, open, fluid, and interconnected framework—a corporate lattice.36
To keep up with evolving technologies and procedures, you can look forward to constant
training and lifelong learning. Businesses are investing heavily in virtual training and social mobile
learning. Such “everywhere” professional development is highly customized. It allows chief learning
officers to track their employees’ continued education needs as well as their progress while workers
earn digital badges, similar to the Boy Scouts’ tokens of achievement.37 Whether you are currently
employed or about to enter today’s demanding workplace, you must be willing to continually learn
new skills that supplement the strong foundation of basic skills you are acquiring in college.
retrorocket/
Shutterstock.com
Reality Check
Constant Career Readiness
“As work moves from climbing a career ladder to navigating a career lattice, people have
to be in a mode of constant career readiness.”38
—Jason Swanson, futurist and director of strategic foresight at learning organization KnowledgeWorks
8
Chapter 1 Business Communication in the Digital Age
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
In addition, in a hyperconnected professional environment, you must manage and guard
your reputation—at the office and online. How you present yourself in the virtual world, meaning
how well you communicate and protect your brand, may very well determine how successful your
career will be. Your credibility is a precious asset. Thoughtful blog posts, well-crafted tweets, astute
comments on LinkedIn and Facebook, as well as competent e-mails will help you continually make
a positive impression. As one career advisor explains: “Every interaction—from how you greet
your coworkers in the morning to how you summarize a status update in an email—contributes
to how people view you.”39 In short, you will need to nurture and safeguard your professionalism
online and off. You will learn more about soft skills and professionalism in Chapter 2.
Succeeding in an Improving but
Competitive Job Market
Recent graduates will enter what economists say is the best job market for fresh-minted degree
holders in nearly a decade. Still, about 1.5 unemployed workers will compete for each job
opening.40 What skills will make a difference for you? In one of its Job Outlook studies, the
National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) recently asked employers what attributes they seek in new college graduates.
First, a prospective employee must meet the employer’s fundamental criteria, including
having the required major, course work, and GPA. By the way, many employers reported
that they screened candidates by grade point average, with 3.0 (a B average) or higher favored
strongly. If a candidate passes these hurdles, then employers look for leadership skills, the ability
to work in a team, and written communication skills, as shown in Figure 1.3.41
Although employers seek these skills, they are not always pleased with what they find. The
Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) asked groups of employers and
college students a series of similar questions about career preparation. The results revealed
a remarkable lack of agreement; students consistently ranked themselves as prepared in
areas in which employers did not. In the key areas of written and oral communication and
critical thinking, students were more than twice as likely as employers to think that they
were well prepared.42 To make sure you don’t disappoint future employers, take advantage
now of opportunities to strengthen your writing, presentation, and critical-thinking skills.
Figure 1.3 Skills Jobs Seekers Should Offer
Skills
Jobs Seekers Should Offer:
Leadership 78%
Ability to work in a team 78%
Communication skills (written) 73%
Problem-solving skills 71%
Strong work ethic 70%
Analytical/quantitative skills 68%
Technical skills 68%
Communication skills (verbal) 67%
Source: Job Outlook 2015, National Association of Colleges and Employers.
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9
Figure 1.4 T
he Education Bonus: Higher Income, Lower
Unemployment
Education
Median Weekly Earnings Unemployment Rate
High school dropout
$ 471
12.4%
High school diploma
652
8.3%
Some college, no degree
727
7.7%
Associate’s degree
785
6.2%
Bachelor’s degree or higher
1,367
4.5%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2013, February 5). Labor force statistics from the current
population survey; and U.S. B
­ ureau of Labor Statistics (2013, May 22). Employment Projections: Earnings
and unemployment rates by educational attachment.
How Your Education Drives Your Income
As college tuition rises steeply and student debt mounts, you may wonder whether going to college
is worthwhile. Yet the effort and money you invest in earning your college degree will most likely
pay off. College graduates earn more, suffer less unemployment, and can choose from a wider
variety of career options than workers without a college education. Moreover, college graduates
have access to the highest-paying and fastest-growing careers, many of which require a degree.43
As Figure 1.4 shows, graduates with bachelor’s degrees earn nearly three times as much as
high school dropouts and are almost three times less likely to be unemployed.44
Writing is one aspect of education that is particularly well rewarded. One corporate president
explained that many job seekers present well. When he faced a hard choice between candidates,
he used writing ability as the deciding factor. He said that sometimes writing is the only skill that
separates a candidate from the competition. A survey of employers confirms that soft skills such as
communication ability can tip the scales in favor of one job applicant over another.45 Your ticket to
winning in a competitive job market and launching a successful career is good communication skills.
LEARNING
OUTCOME 3
Describe significant
trends in today’s
dynamic, networked
work environment,
and recognize that
social media and
other communication
technologies require
excellent communication
skills, in any economic
climate.
10
Trends and Challenges in the
Information Age Workplace
The workplace is changing profoundly and rapidly. As a businessperson and especially as a business
communicator, you will undoubtedly be affected by many trends. Some of those trends include
communication technologies such as social media, expectations of around-the-clock availability,
and global competition. Other trends include flattened management hierarchies, team-based projects, a diverse workforce, and the mobile or virtual office. The following overview reveals how
communication skills are closely tied to your success in a constantly evolving networked workplace.
Social Media and Changing Communication
Technologies
Although interacting with others on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, FaceTime, or
Twitter may seem a daily necessity to you, social media are still relatively new and untried communication channels for some small businesses. Most larger organizations, however, are completely
plugged in and have created a positive presence with the help of both traditional and social media.
Quite logically, social media networks first attracted industries built on communication
and technology, such as mainstream media outlets and information technology firms. New
communication technologies also quickly took hold among marketers, in public relations, and
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Figure 1.5 Communication Technology in a Mobile and
Social World— Costs and Benefits
Benefits
• Empowerment of the individual;
potentially everyone has a voice
• Unparalleled access to nearly
unlimited information
Trade-Offs
• Proliferation of conspiracy theorists,
radicals, criminals and crackpots in
the absence of gatekeepers
• Critical reading and thinking skills
required more than ever before
• Transparency: People and
organizations face scrutiny and
pressure to behave
• Transparency: Privacy violations,
spying, cyber stalking, identify theft
• Companies can collect productivity
and behavioral data
• Without European-style Right to be
forgotten, indiscretions follow
individuals forever.
• Unprecedented mobility; the
anywhere, anytime office
• Cloud-based data storage and
applications independent of device
• Relentless pursuit of productivity;
“Big Data”; loss of control over
one’s information
• 24/7 availability; threat to work-life
balance
Pepsco Studio/Shutterstock.com
• Hacking and data breaches
in advertising. Even so, many businesses relying on traditional media seem to be waiting to
figure out how the new media might benefit them46 to justify the investments.
However, even the most reluctant late adopters of technology eye the explosive growth
of social media networks in the last decade with some interest. After all, online communities
continue to draw huge numbers of people from all over the world. The 302 million active users
of Twitter, the microblogging site, clock an average 500 million tweets per day.47 Ordinary
citizens can organize protests and boycotts within hours, even minutes. Bad customer service
experiences can lead to lifelong grudges.48 In short, word of mouth, positive and negative, can
travel instantly at the speed of a few mouse clicks.
The various social media are maturing and yielding undeniable advantages. However, even
their most avid users are learning that their favorite technologies also come with significant
downsides—for example, data breeches and identify theft, as Figure 1.5 illustrates.
Tech-savvy companies are embracing digital tools to connect with consumers, invite feedback, and improve their products and services. They may announce promotions and events
in blog posts, in tweets, on their company websites, and in online communities. Above all,
plugged-in businesses realize that to manage public perceptions, they need to be proactive but
also respond quickly and deftly within the social media when a crisis hits. They need to go where
their customers are and attempt to establish and keep a loyal following online. It has never been
easier to interact so fast with so many people at once.
At the very least, even if they still pass on social media, nearly all businesspeople today
in some way rely on the Internet to collect information, serve customers, and sell products
and services. Figure 1.6 on pages 12 and 13 illustrates many new office and communication
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11
Figure 1.6 Communication and Collaborative Technologies
Communication
Technologies at Work
Becoming familiar with communication technology can help
you succeed on the job. Today’s digital workplace is shaped by
mobile devices, mobile apps, social media networks, superfast
broadband and wireless access, and other technologies that allow
workers to share information, work from remote locations, and be
more productive in or away from the office. With today’s tools you
can exchange ideas, solve problems, develop products, forecast
future performance, and complete team projects any time of the
day or night and anywhere in the world.
Cloud Computing and Web 2.0
Increasingly, applications and data are stored in remote locations
online, in the cloud.
Cloud computing means that businesses and individuals no
longer need to maintain costly hardware and software in-house;
instead, they can centralize data on their own remote servers or
pay for digital storage space and software applications offered
by providers online. Photo- and video-sharing sites such as
Picasa and Flickr keep users’ photos in the cloud. Similarly, Dropbox, a popular file-synchronization service, and online backup
provider Carbonite allow users to edit and sync files online independent of the device used to access them. The term Web 2.0
means that websites and Web applications have shifted from
one-way, read-only communication to two-way, multidirectional, read-write communication. This profound change has
allowed workers to participate, collaborate, and network in
unprecedented ways.
Telephony: VoIP
Savvy businesses are switching from traditional phone service to
voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). This technology allows callers
to communicate using a broadband Internet connection, thus
eliminating long-distance and local telephone charges. Higher-end VoIP systems now support unified voice mail, e-mail, clickto-call capabilities, and softphones (Web applications or mobile
apps, such as Google Voice, for calling and messaging). Free or
low-cost Internet telephony sites, such as the popular Skype and
FaceTime, are also increasingly used by businesses, although their
sound and image quality is often uneven.
Open Offices
The widespread use of laptops, tablets, and other smart
devices, wireless technology, and VoIP has led to more fluid,
flexible, and open workspaces. Smaller computers and flatscreen monitors enable designers to save space with boomerang-shaped workstations and cockpit-style work surfaces
rather than space-hogging corner work areas. Smaller breakout areas for impromptu meetings are taking over some cubicle space, and digital databases are replacing file cabinets.
Mobile technology allows workers to be fully connected and
productive on the go.
12
Smart Mobile Devices and Digital
Convergence
Lightweight, ever-smaller devices provide phone, e-mail, Web
browsing, and calendar options anywhere there’s a cellular or
Wi-Fi network. Tablets and smartphones such as Android devices
and the iPhone and iPad allow workers to tap into corporate
databases and intranets from remote locations. Users can check
customers’ files, complete orders, collect payment, and send out
receipts without returning to the office. Increasingly, businesses
are issuing smartphones to their workers, abandoning landlines
completely. At the same time, the need for separate electronic
gadgets is waning as digital smart devices are becoming multifunctional and highly capable. With streaming video on the
Web, connectivity between TVs and computers, and networked
mobile devices, technology is converging, consolidating into
increasingly powerful devices. Many smart devices today are
fully capable of replacing digital point-and-shoot still photography and video cameras. Mobile smart devices are competing
with TVs and computers for primacy.
Mobile Apps
Mobile apps are the software that enables smartphones to run
and accomplish amazing feats. Despite their natural size limitations, mobile apps rival the capabilities of full-fledged software
applications on laptops, on desktops, and in the cloud.
Wearable Devices
The most recent trend in mobile computing is wearable
devices. Fitbit, Google Glass, Apple Watch, and similar accessories do more than track fitness activities. They are powerful
mobile devices in their own right that can sync with other smart
electronics.
Voice Recognition
Computers equipped with voice recognition software enable
users to dictate up to 160 words a minute with accurate transcription. Voice recognition is particularly helpful to disabled workers
and professionals with heavy dictation loads, such as physicians
and attorneys. Users can create documents, enter data, compose
and send e-mails, browse the Web, and control their notebooks,
laptops, and desktops—all by voice. Smart devices can also
execute tasks with voice command apps.
Electronic Presentations and Data
Visualization
Business presentations in PowerPoint, Prezi, or Keynote can be
projected from a laptop or tablet, or posted online. Sophisticated presentations may include animation, sound effects, digital
photos, video clips, or hyperlinks to Internet sites. In some industries, PowerPoint slides (decks) are replacing or supplementing
traditional hard-copy reports. Data visualization tools such as SAS
can help businesses make sense of large amounts of complex
data.
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Castleski/Shutterstock.com
Social Media
Web Conferencing
Broadly speaking, the term social media describes technology that enables participants to connect and share in social
networks online. For example, tech-savvy companies and individuals use Twitter to issue up-to-date news, link to their blogs
and websites, or announce events and promotions. Microblogging services, such as Twitter and Tumblr, also allow businesses
to track what is being said about them and their products. Similarly, businesses use social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, and others to interact with customers and build their
brands. Companies may also prospect for talent using social
media networks. Efforts to launch corporate social networks
have seen mixed results. So far workers have been slow in
embracing SharePoint, Jive, Yammer, Telligent, and similar
enterprise-grade collaboration platforms, social networks, and
community forums.
With services such as GoToMeeting, WebEx, and Microsoft Live
Meeting, all you need is a computer or a smart device and an
Internet connection to hold a meeting (webinar) with customers
or colleagues in real time. Although the functions are constantly
evolving, Web conferencing currently incorporates screen sharing,
chats, slide presentations, text messaging, and application sharing.
Collaboration With Blogs, Podcasts, and
Wikis
Businesses use blogs to keep customers and employees
informed and to receive feedback. Company news can be
posted, updated, and categorized for easy cross-referencing.
An audio or video file streamed online or downloaded to a
digital music player is called a podcast. A wiki is an Internet or
intranet site that allows multiple users to collaboratively create
and edit digital files as well as media. Information can get lost
in e-mails, but wikis provide an easy way to communicate and
keep track of what’s said. Wikis for business include Confluence,
eXo Platform, Socialtext, and Jive.
Videoconferencing
Videoconferencing allows participants to meet in special conference rooms equipped with cameras and television screens.
Individuals or groups see each other and interact in real time,
although they may be far apart. Faster computers, rapid Internet
connections, and better cameras now enable 2 to 200 participants to sit at their computers or mobile devices and share
applications, spreadsheets, presentations, and photos. The technology extends from the popular low-end Internet application
Skype to sophisticated videoconferencing software that delivers
HD-quality audio, video, and content sharing.
Gamification
Gamification is a trend that uses game design techniques to increase
motivation and engagement. Much like exciting computer games,
gamification platforms in business are designed to be fun and in
turn increase productivity as well as revenue. Gamification techniques include using badges or points to tap into people’s natural
desires for competition, status, and achievement but also altruism,
collaboration, and more. Gamification is used in marketing, sales,
customer retention, training, and similar business applications.
Chapter 1 Business Communication in the Digital Age
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13
technologies you will meet in today’s workplace. To make the most of the new resources, you, as
a skilled business communicator, must develop a tool kit of new communication skills. You will
want to know how to select the best communication channel, how to use each channel safely and
effectively, and how to incorporate the latest technologies and search tools efficiently. All of these
topics are covered in later chapters.
Anytime, Anywhere: 24/7/365 Availability
Although the dizzyingly fast connectedness across time zones and vast distances offers businesses and individuals many advantages, it also has a darker side. As you rise on the career
ladder, you may be expected to work long hours without extra compensation and be available
practically anytime and anywhere should a crisis strike at work. In the last two decades, the
line between work and leisure has become increasingly blurry. In many industries information
workers are expected to remain tethered to their workplaces with laptops, tablets, and smartphones around the clock and on weekends.
The physical office is extending its reach, sometimes overreaching, perhaps. Compared to
workers in other industrialized nations such as Japan and most European countries, Americans
put in the longest hours (about 50 percent more). They also receive the shortest paid vacations.
In contrast, workers in the European Union enjoy four to six weeks of paid time off per year.
Most are also protected from overtime exceeding 48 hours per week.49 A different picture
emerges in the United States. As the digital revolution reached the masses in the 2000s, articles
in major U.S. publications such as The New York Times decried the 24/7 work climate, citing
its negative effects on workers’ health and personal lives.50 The perceived work-life imbalance
became a hot topic. Be that as it may, the office today and in the future is mobile and always on.
In a global economy in which corporations own far-flung operations around the world, a
networked information-driven workforce never goes off duty. Similarly, the organization essentially never sleeps, according to one expert. The 24/7 workplace operates around the clock, he
says, with managers, staff, and teams always staying connected to share information when needed
and address burning issues when they arise.51 Managers exert power beyond the physical office.
Moreover, work in the digital age demands that participants stay on until the project is finished, not
when the clock strikes five or six at the end of the day. As your professional responsibilities grow,
you can expect not only to be accessible 24/7 but also to feel the significant impact of globalization.
The Global Marketplace and Competition
Betty LaRue/Alamy Stock Photo
The rise of new communication technologies, the removal of trade barriers, advanced forms
of transportation, and saturated local markets—all of these developments have encouraged
companies to move beyond familiar territories to emerging markets around the world. Small,
medium, and large companies in the United
States and abroad have expanded overseas.
Teenagers in Singapore, Latvia, South Korea,
Australia, and the United States alike flock in
droves to popular store openings by Swedish
clothing retailer H&M or its Spain-based rival
Zara. Trader Joe’s parent company, German
discounter Aldi, is giving U.S. food retailers
a run for their money by gaining ground in a
crowded marketplace in the United States.52
If necessary, multinational companies even
adjust their products to different palates. Because
Indians are not crazy about doughnuts, Dunkin’
Donuts radically reworked its menu in India and
now rivals McDonald’s with beef-free burger offerings.53 After initial hiccups, Walmart has become
hugely popular with Chinese shoppers who expect
to bag unpackaged raw meat themselves and like
14
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to catch their own live frogs, fish, and turtles in open tanks.54 Other adjustments to local preferences include payment modalities. McDonald’s and KFC’s parent Yum Brands are testing
mobile ordering and mobile payment. They want to match Chinese consumers’ digital connectedness to gain more fast-food business in China.55 Many traditional U.S. companies are global
players now and generate more profit abroad than at home.
Doing business in faraway countries means dealing with people who may be very
different from you. They may practice different religions, follow different customs, have
different lifestyles, and rely on different approaches in business. Now add the complications
of multiple time zones, vast distances between offices, and different languages. No wonder
global communicators can stumble. Take, for example, IKEA. Unprompted, the Swedish
furniture giant took its accommodation of Saudi Arabia’s strict religious rules so far that
it caused a backlash at home and the company had to apologize for acting against its own
values. IKEA had deleted women from some photos in its Saudi-targeted catalogs. 56
Successful communication in new markets requires developing new skills and attitudes.
These include cultural awareness, flexibility, and patience. Because these skills and attitudes
may be difficult to achieve, you will receive special communication training to help you deal
with intercultural business transactions.
Shrinking Management Layers
In traditional companies, information flows through many levels of managers. In response to
intense global competition and other pressures, however, innovative businesses have for years
been cutting costs and flattening their management hierarchies. This flattening means that fewer
layers of managers separate decision makers from line workers. In flat organizations, in which the
lines of communication are shorter, decision makers can react more quickly to market changes.
When GE Capital, General Electric’s financial services arm, split into four business units,
the reorganization spearheaded by the post–Jack Welch CEO, Jeffrey Immelt, met with skepticism. GE Capital’s former chairman Denis Nayden exited, and the four unit heads started
reporting directly to the CEO. The organization became flatter. Immelt reasoned that he wanted
more immediate contact with the financial services teams.57 He also believed that the greater
number of direct reports would provide clarity for investors.
Despite this bold move, Immelt was forced to begin to shed GE Capital after the Great
Recession, slim GE’s operations, and return to the industrial conglomerate’s core business in
manufacturing.58 Restructured companies generally slash divisions and shrink management
layers to operate more efficiently.
intararit/
Shutterstock.com
Reality Check
Keeping the Organization Flat—A Core Value at Google
“I work with employees around the world to figure out ways to maintain and enhance and
develop our culture and how to keep the core values we had in the very beginning—a flat
organization, a lack of hierarchy, a collaborative environment—to keep these as we continue
to grow and spread them and filtrate them into our new offices around the world.”59
—Stacy Savides Sullivan, VP, people operations & chief culture officer at Google
An important factor in the flattening of management hierarchies was movement away from
mainframe computing. As recognized by Thomas Friedman in his bestselling book The World
Is Flat, the combination of the personal computer, the microprocessor, the Internet, fiber optics,
and, more recently, wireless networks “flipped the playing field.” Management moved away
from command and control to connecting and collaborating horizontally.60 This means that
work is organized so that people can use their own talents more wisely.61
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15
lightwavemedia/Shutterstock.com
Today’s flatter organizations, however, also pose
greater communication challenges. In the past, authoritarian and hierarchical management structures did
not require that every employee be a skilled communicator. Managers simply passed along messages to
the next level. Today, however, frontline employees as
well as managers participate in critical thinking and
decision making. Nearly everyone is a writer and a
communicator.
Collaborative Environments
and Teaming
Ethics Check
Too Connected?
Office workers use
smartphones, e-mail,
voice mail, and text
messaging. Many are
literally always on call
and feel overwhelmed.
What are the limits of
connectedness, and
what is the expected
response time for
various media? Is it fair
to dodge an unpleasant
call by sending it to
voice mail or to delay
answering certain
e-mail messages? How
about text messages?
16
Teamwork has become a reality in business. Many
companies have created cross-functional teams to
empower employees and boost their involvement in decision making. Such stable teams of
people have learned to work well together over time. To generate new products, Johnson &
Johnson started forming small teams and charged each with tackling a cosmetic problem.
The acne team, composed of scientists along with marketing and production people, focused
on finding ways to help teenagers zap zits. A pigmentation team struggled to create products that evened out skin tone.62 Traditional teams helped turn around Simmons Bedding
Company a decade ago by reducing waste in operations, boosting sales, and improving the
relationships with dealers. Customer satisfaction and employee morale also soared.63
However, the complex and unpredictable challenges in today’s workplace require rapid
changes in course and greater flexibility, says Harvard management professor Amy Edmondson.
She argues that the new era of business requires a new strategy she calls teaming: “Teaming is
teamwork on the fly: a pickup basketball game rather than plays run by a team that has trained
as a unit for years.”64 This means that instead of traditional standing teams, organizations are
now forming ad hoc teams to solve particular problems. Such project-based teams disband once
they have accomplished their objectives. Although the challenges of making such diverse and
potentially dispersed teams function well are many, teaming is here to stay.
A sizable chunk of our future economy may rely on free agents who will be hired on a
project basis. This practice is reminiscent of filmmaking, in which creative talent gathers to
work on a feature film; after the wrap, the crew disperses to tackle the next movie, each with
a whole new team. In one of its reports, accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers envisions
a future workplace in which companies hire a network of independent contractors for shortterm projects,65 a far cry from today’s full-time and relatively steady jobs.
Whether companies form standing or ad hoc teams, individuals must work together and
share information. Working relationships can become strained when individuals don’t share
the same location, background, knowledge, or training. Some companies even hire communication coaches to help teams get along. Such experts work to develop interpersonal, negotiation, and collaboration techniques. However, companies would prefer to hire new workers who
already possess these skills. That is why so many advertisements for new employees say “must
possess good communication skills”—which you are learning in this book and this course.
Growing Workforce Diversity
In addition to pervasive communication technology, advanced team management, and distant
work environments, today’s workplace is changing in yet another area. The U.S. workforce is
becoming increasingly diverse. As shown in Figure 1.7, the white non-Hispanic population of
the United States is expected to drop from 62 percent in 2015 to 53 percent in 2035. Hispanics
will climb from 18 percent to 23 percent, while African Americans will hold steady at around
13 percent relative to the growing total U.S. population. Asians and Pacific Islanders will rise
from 5 percent to 7 percent.66
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Figure 1.7 Racial and Ethnic Makeup of U.S. Population, 2015-2055 (Projected)
Growing Population Diversity
70
62
60
Percent
50
2015
2035
2055
53
45
40
28
30
23
18
20
12 13 13
10
0
5
White NonHispanics
Hispanics
7
9
African-Americans Asians and Pacific
Islanders
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division, December 2014.
Women attain higher education in greater numbers than men do; women ages twenty-five
to thirty-four were 21 percent more likely than men to graduate from college and 48 percent
more likely to have completed graduate school.67 However, in many industries and in executive
positions, they are still the minority. According to the National Science Foundation, the gender
gap is most pronounced in business and industry, where women fill only 21 percent of jobs,
followed by the high-tech industry (25 percent), and science and engineering (27 percent).68 The
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that overall women will hold steady at 47 percent of the
labor force by 2022, nearly unchanged from 2012.69
In addition to increasing numbers of minorities, the workforce will see a big jump in older
workers. By 2022, the number of workers aged fifty-five and older will have grown to more
than a quarter of the labor force, almost double the number in 2002.70 To this competition for
information-age jobs, add the influx of skilled immigrants. Despite barriers to immigration,
some experts predict that by 2030 roughly 500 million people will legally work outside their
home countries. This means that twice as many migrants, up from 250 million today, will seek
economic opportunities abroad, displaced by armed conflict, natural disasters, and climate
change.71 As a result of these and other demographic trends, businesses must create work
environments that value and support all people.
Communicating in this diverse work environment requires new attitudes and skills.
Acquiring these new employment skills is certainly worth the effort because of the benefits
diversity brings to consumers, work teams, and business organizations. A diverse staff is better
able to read trends and respond to the increasingly diverse customer base in local and world
markets.
In the workplace, diversity also makes good business sense. Teams made up of people with
various experiences are more likely to create the products consumers demand. Customers also
want to deal with companies that respect their values. They are more likely to say, “If you are a
company whose ads do not include me, or whose workforce does not include me, I will not buy
from you.” Learning to cooperate and communicate successfully with diverse coworkers should
be a major priority for all businesspeople.
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17
pixinoo/Shutterstock.com
Chances are if you go to work in
the next five years, you may not
have to leave home—you’ll be one
of the millions of mobile workers
in the U.S. workforce.72 The rising
trend of these virtual workers is
fueled by technological advances
in smartphones, tablets, and BYOD
programs, in which workers like you
“bring your own devices” to use on
the job. Studies show that virtual
workers are happier and more
productive. However, working
without traditional offices creates
unique challenges, including the
lack of face-to-face communication
with colleagues. What are some
ways virtual workers can effectively
communicate with stakeholders?
Virtual and Nonterritorial Offices
Open Office Rules
18
You may have heard people refer to the virtual office, a workspace that’s mobile and decentralized. Today’s physical work environments are changing profoundly. Thanks largely to advances
in high-speed and wireless Internet access, millions of workers no longer report to nine-to-five
jobs that confine them to offices. They have flexible working arrangements so they can work at
home, on the road, and at the customer’s place of business. Meet the work shifter, a new breed
of telecommuter or, more broadly, teleworker, who remains outside the traditional office the
majority of the time. The “anytime, anywhere” office the work shifter needs requires only a
smartphone and a wireless connection.73
If the self-employed are factored in, teleworkers now represent almost 30 percent of the
U.S. working adult population.74 Reliable data tracking office road warriors are lacking, but as
many as 52 million employees—nearly a third of the U.S. workforce—could likely be working
from remote locations in the near future.75 Yahoo under Marissa Mayer’s leadership pulled
the plug on telecommuting, but Anthem has a third of its staff work remotely. The health care
provider claims that telework is a powerful recruitment incentive and that productivity has not
suffered.76
To save on office real estate, a number of companies such as American Express and drug
maker GlaxoSmithKline provide nonterritorial workspaces. Also known as mobile platforms and hot desks, these unassigned workspaces are up for grabs. The first to arrive gets
the best desk and the corner window.77 Increasingly, work shifters and home office workers
resort to coworking as an alternative to holding business
meetings at the local coffee shop or in the living room.
Coworkers are professionals who share a communal
Rules for sharing open workspaces:
office space on an as-needed basis. Although most
1. Don’t hang around.
coworking spaces provide monthly memberships, some
2. Limit chitchat.
offer day or hourly passes. Not just small businesses, but
3. Don’t sneak up on
also major corporations, such as GE, KPMG, PepsiCo,
anyone.
and Merck, are moving workers into trendy shared
4. Don’t eavesdrop or
offices.78 WeWork and LiquidSpace are doing for office
otherwise spy on others.
real estate what Uber has started for ride sharing—a
5. Speak in a soft voice.
platform for users to offer and seek flexible access to
6. Wear headphones.
workspaces.
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Even in more traditional offices, employees work in open-plan spaces with flexible
workstations, shared conference rooms, and boomerang-shaped desks that save space and
discourage territorial behavior while encouraging casual interactions as well as spontaneous
collaborations.
Information Flow and Media Choices
in Today’s Workplace
You may want to connect with friends and family for a specific reason or just for fun.
However, businesspeople almost always communicate strategically—that is, purposefully,
hoping to achieve a particular outcome. Business communication functions can be summarized in three simple categories: (a) to inform, (b) to persuade, and/or (c) to promote goodwill.
Most business messages have one of these functions as their purpose. Informing or sharing
information is perhaps the most common communication function in all organizations
today. On the job you will have a dizzying array of media to help you share information and
stay connected both internally and externally. You will need to know which medium is most
suitable to accomplish your goal and be able to distinguish between formal and informal
channels.
LEARNING
OUTCOME 4
Examine critically the
internal and external
flow of communication
in organizations through
formal and informal
channels, explain the
importance of effective
media choices, and
understand how to
overcome typical
barriers to organizational
communication.
The Networked Workplace in a
Hyperconnected World
Social media and other information technology coupled with flatter hierarchies have greatly
changed the way people communicate internally and externally at work. One major shift is away
from one-sided, slow forms of communication such as hard-copy memos and letters to interactive, instant, less paper-based communication. Speeding up the flow of communication in
organizations are e-mail, instant messaging (IM), texting, blogging, and interacting with social
media such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Figure 1.8 shows a side-by-side comparison
between the traditional one-directional business communication model and today’s hyperconnected, many-to-many social media communication model.
Figure 1.8 Traditional vs. Social Media Communication Between Businesses and
Customers
Customers
Traditional communication is
fleeting and opaque,
one-directional
from company to
customer and
customer to company,
one-to-many or
many-to-one
bidirectional/ social
marketing / PR
support/service
Customers
TV, phone, mail, etc.
Traditional Channels
Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Social Channels
Businesses
Businesses
Social media
communication is
persistent and
transparent,
bidirectional,
many-to-many
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19
Fearing openly accessible social networks, many large organizations have developed their
own internal social media platforms behind corporate firewalls. These enterprise social networks
(e.g., Adobe’s Unicom) combine e-mail, phone, chat, presence technology, and other communication tools, as you will learn in Chapter 7. To stay connected on the go, business communicators rely on mobile electronic devices and mobile apps that enhance work productivity.
Mobility and Interactivity. Mobility has revolutionized the way we communicate on
the job. Internet access is ever present, whether provided by cell phone companies or wireless
networks. Wireless access is increasingly blanketing entire office buildings, airports, hotels,
restaurants, school and college campuses, cities, and other public spaces.
Other forms of interactive and mobile communication in the contemporary workplace
are intranets (secured local area networks within organizations), corporate websites, audio
and video podcasting, videoconferencing, and Web chats. The latter is rapidly becoming the
preferred communication channel for online customer service. Consumers shopping online or
inquiring about billing or technical support use the company website and chat with customer
service representatives in real time by typing their questions. Live service agents respond with
typed replies.
Smart Devices. The revolution in mobile communication technology that we have come to
depend on is fueled by smart mobile electronics. They include smartphones, tablets, notebooks,
and more recently, wearable technology such as Google Glass and the Apple Watch.
To understand the pervasiveness of mobile technology, consider that the world population
now stands at 7.2 billion people; of those, 4.3 billion are mobile device users who own 7.5 billion
smart electronic gadgets. By 2019, worldwide mobile users are expected to reach 5.2 billion with
11.5 billion mobile devices at their disposal.79 Mobile access reached a tipping point in 2014,
overtaking traditional stationary Internet access.80 When Apple launched its phenomenally
successful iPad, the gadget was hailed as a game changer. Although consumer sales of the most
popular tablet have been eclipsed by phablets (large-screen smartphones), many businesses
choose iPads on the go because they are lighter and cheaper than laptops.
Ahead of the popular iPhone, the Android platform has taken the smartphone market by
storm worldwide. Android, primarily represented by Samsung devices, has grabbed a global
market share of almost 80 percent; Apple iOS has captured over 18 percent.81 Low-cost Android
handsets also dominate the smartphone market in Africa, India, and China. Thus, millions of
people access the Internet by mobile phone not only in industrialized nations but also in regions
of the world where smartphones provide the only online access.
Internal and External Communication
Although most businesses rely on e-mail and digital files for communication, they still produce
some paper-based documents. In certain situations, though, written documents may not be as
effective as oral communication. Each form of communication has advantages and disadvantages,
as summarized in Figure 1.9. These general rules apply whether the communication is directed
at audiences inside the organization or outside. Digital-age businesspeople must also anticipate
public scrutiny and potential leaks of information that may reach unintended audiences.
Internal communication includes exchanging ideas and messages with superiors, coworkers,
and subordinates. When those messages must be written, you will probably choose e-mail—
the most prevalent communication channel in the workplace today. Some of the functions of
internal communication are to issue and clarify procedures and policies, inform management
of progress, develop new products and services, persuade employees or management to make
changes or improvements, coordinate activities, and evaluate and reward employees. Brief
messages and status updates may be conveyed by text message or IM, especially when the writer
is traveling.
External communication is also handled by e-mail in most routine cases. When you
are communicating externally with customers, suppliers, the government, and the public,
e-mail correspondence is generally appropriate. Hard-copy letters sent by traditional snail
mail are becoming increasingly rare, especially under time constraints. However, some
businesses do create signed paper documents to be faxed, or they scan and e-mail them.
20
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Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
— Perfettamente. Vedete dunque che il mio ragionamento è così
chiaro e così semplice, che si svolge naturalmente nelle vostre
menti. Facciamo ora un passo avanti. Supponiamo che gli Stati Uniti
impieghino la loro produzione superflua in un paese le cui risorse
non siano sviluppate; nel Brasile, per esempio. Ricordate che questo
bilancio è fuori e sopra il commercio, essendo gli articoli commerciali
già consumati. Che cosa potrà dunque dare il Brasile, in cambio, agli
Stati Uniti?
— Dell’oro. — disse il signor Kowalt.
— Ma nel mondo c’è una quantità limitata di oro, — obiettò Ernesto.
— Dell’oro in forma di pegni, obbligazioni e simili, — rettificò il signor
Kowalt.
— Questa volta dite bene. Gli Stati Uniti riceveranno dal Brasile, in
cambio del loro capitale di risparmio, obbligazioni ed altre garanzie.
Che cosa vuol dire ciò, se non che gli Stati Uniti entreranno in
possesso di ferrovie, di officine, di miniere e di terreni del Brasile? E
che cosa ne risulterà?
Il signor Kowalt riflettè e scosse il capo.
— Ve lo dico subito. — continuò Ernesto. — Risulterà questo: che le
risorse del Brasile saranno sviluppate. Bene; facciamo ancora un
passo. Quando il Brasile, per impulso del sistema capitalistico, avrà
sviluppato le sue risorse, possiederà esso pure un risparmio di
ricchezza non consumata. Potrà sbarazzarsene negli Stati Uniti? No,
perchè questi hanno già della ricchezza esuberante. Gli Stati Uniti
alla loro volta potranno fare come prima, e dare i loro risparmi al
Brasile? No, perchè questo paese ha i suoi.
«Che cosa succederà? Ormai, Stati Uniti e Brasile devono cercare
tutti e due i loro sbocchi in paesi le cui risorse non siano ancora
sfruttate. Ma impiegando i loro risparmî in nuove regioni, queste
accresceranno le loro risorse, perciò non tarderanno a possedere
alla loro volta dei risparmi, e cercheranno altri paesi per impiegarli.
Ora, state bene attenti, signori, il nostro pianeta non è così grande, e
c’è un numero limitato di paesi sulla terra. Quando tutti i paesi del
mondo, fino all’ultimo, avranno della ricchezza risparmiata da
impiegare e troveranno gli altri paesi nelle stesse condizioni, che
cosa accadrà?
Fece una pausa e osservò i suoi uditori. La loro aria imbarazzata era
divertente. Ma c’era anche una profonda inquietudine sui loro volti.
Fra tante astrazioni, Ernesto aveva evocato una visione chiara.
Infatti tutti, in quel momento, la vedevano distintamente e ne
avevano paura.
— Abbiamo cominciato coll’A.B.C., signor Calvin, — disse
maliziosamente Ernesto, — ma ora vi ho detto il resto dell’alfabeto.
È semplicissimo: perciò è bello. Certamente, voi avete pronta una
risposta. Ebbene, che cosa accadrà quando tutti i paesi del mondo
avranno della ricchezza superflua non consumata? Dove andrà a
finire allora il vostro sistema capitalistico?
Il signor Calvin scuoteva il capo, preoccupato. Evidentemente,
cercava un errore di ragionamento in ciò che Ernesto aveva detto
prima.
— Rifacciamo insieme il cammino già fatto. — riassunse Ernesto. —
Abbiamo cominciato supponendo un’operazione industriale
qualunque, quella di una fabbrica di calzature; ed abbiamo stabilito
che la divisione del prodotto ottenuto dalla collaborazione fra
capitale e lavoro in detta fabbrica, è simile alla divisione che avviene
in tutte le operazioni industriali. Abbiamo visto che il lavoro può
riscattare, col suo salario, solo una parte del prodotto, e che il
capitale non consuma il resto. Abbiamo visto come dopo avere il
lavoro consumato tutto ciò che gli permettono i suoi guadagni, e il
capitale ciò di cui ha bisogno, rimane ancora un avanzo disponibile.
Abbiamo riconosciuto che si può disporre di questo avanzo solo
impiegandolo all’estero. Abbiamo convenuto che il trapasso di
questa ricchezza in un paese nuovo ha l’effetto di sviluppare le
risorse di questo, dimodochè, in poco tempo, quel paese finirebbe
con l’avere, a sua volta, della ricchezza esuberante. Abbiamo esteso
questo procedimento a tutte le regioni del nostro pianeta, fino a
giungere alla conclusione che ogni paese, di anno in anno, di giorno
in giorno, si ingombra di una ricchezza esuberante di cui non può
sbarazzarsi. Ed ora torno a domandarvi: che cosa ne faremo di
questa ricchezza esuberante?
E anche questa volta nessuno rispose.
— Sentiamo, signor Calvin, — incitò Ernesto.
— Ciò oltrepassa i miei calcoli, — confessò l’interpellato.
— Non ho mai immaginato una cosa simile, — dichiarò il signor
Asmunsen. — Eppure è chiaro come un libro stampato.
Per la prima volta sentivo esporre la teoria di Carlo Marx sulla
valuta [60]: ed Ernesto l’aveva fatto così semplicemente, che io pure
rimanevo stupita, incapace di rispondere.
— Vi proporrò un mezzo per sbarazzarvi del capitale esuberante, —
disse Ernesto. — Gettatelo in mare. Gettatevi ogni anno le centinaia
di milioni di dollari che valgono le calzature, gli abiti, il grano, e tutte
le ricchezze commerciali. La faccenda sarebbe risolta?
— Lo sarebbe certamente, — rispose il signor Calvin, — ma è
assurdo parlare così.
Ernesto rispose con rapidità fulminea:
— Siete forse meno assurdo, voi, signor distruttore di macchine,
quando consigliate il ritorno ai procedimenti antidiluviani dei vostri
nonni? Che cosa ci proponete per liberarci del danaro che avanza?
schivare il problema, cessare di produrre, ritornare cioè a un metodo
di produzione così primitivo e impreciso, così disordinato e
irragionevole, che diventerebbe impossibile ottenere la minima
eccedenza.
Il signor Calvin inghiottì la saliva: il colpo era riuscito. Egli deglutì, poi
tossì per rischiararsi la voce.
— Avete ragione, — disse. — Sono convinto. È assurdo. Ma
bisogna bene che facciamo qualche cosa; è questione di vita o di
morte, per noi della classe media. Noi non vogliamo perire.
Preferiamo essere illogici e ritornare ai metodi dei nostri padri, sieno
pure dispendiosi e grossolani. Ricondurremo l’industria allo stato
anteriore ai trusts. Romperemo le macchine. Che cosa potrete fare
voi allora?
— Ma voi non potete distruggere le macchine. — replicò Ernesto. —
Non potete far regredire ciò che è evoluzione. Due grandi forze si
oppongono a voi, e una di queste è più potente della classe media. I
grandi capitalisti, coloro che fanno parte dei trusts, in una parola,
non vi lasceranno battere in ritirata. Essi non vogliono la distruzione
delle macchine. E più potente del trust, è la forza del lavoro. Esso
non vi permetterà mai di distruggere le macchine. La proprietà del
mondo, comprese le macchine, giace su un campo di battaglia, fra
due linee nemiche, quella dei trusts e quella del lavoro. Nessuno dei
due avversarî vuole la distruzione delle macchine, ma ciascuno ne
vuole il possesso. In questa lotta non c’è posto per la classe media,
vero pigmeo fra due titani.
«Non sentite, povera classe media, che siete presa fra due macine
che hanno già cominciato a girare? Vi ho dimostrato
matematicamente l’inevitabile rottura del sistema capitalistico.
Quando ogni paese si troverà in possesso di ricchezza esuberante
inconsumabile e invendibile, l’impalcatura plutocratica cederà sotto
l’enorme peso dei beneficî che s’è creata. Ma quel giorno non ci
saranno macchine distrutte: il loro possesso sarà la posta del
combattimento. Se il lavoro sarà vincitore, il cammino vi sarà facile.
«Gli Stati Uniti e tutto il mondo entreranno in un’êra nuova e
prodigiosa. Le macchine, anzichè opprimere la vita, la renderanno
più bella, più felice e più nobile. Essendo membri della classe media
abolita, d’accordo con la classe dei lavoratori, (la sola che
sussisterà) voi parteciperete dell’equa ripartizione dei prodotti di
quelle macchine meravigliose. E noi, noi tutti, ne costruiremo di più
meravigliose ancora. E non ci sarà più ricchezza non consumata,
perchè non esisteranno più profitti.
— Ma se la battaglia per il possesso delle macchine fosse vinta dai
trusts? — domandò il signor Kowalt.
— In questo caso. — rispose Ernesto, — voi e il lavoro, e noi tutti,
saremmo schiacciati sotto il tallone di ferro di un dispotismo
implacabile e terribile come ogni dispotismo di cui è macchiata la
storia umana. Il Tallone di Ferro! [61] ecco la denominazione propria
di questa tirannìa.
— Ma il vostro socialismo è un sogno, — disse, infine, il signor
Calvin, e ripetè: — un sogno!
— Allora vi dimostrerò qualche cosa che non è un sogno. — rispose
Ernesto. — Qualche cosa che io chiamerò oligarchìa e voi chiamate
plutocrazia, ma che tutti intendiamo ch’essa comprende i grandi
capitalisti ed i trusts. Esaminiamo chi detiene il potere oggi.
«Ci sono tre classi sociali: la prima di tutte è la plutocratica,
composta dai ricchi banchieri, dai magnati delle ferrovie, dai direttori
delle grandi società e dai re dei trusts; la seconda, la classe media,
la vostra, signori, che comprende i grandi professionisti. Infine, la
terza ed ultima, la mia classe, il proletariato, formata dai lavoratori
salariati [62].
«Non potete negare che il possesso della ricchezza forma
attualmente l’essenza del potere negli Stati Uniti. In quale
proporzione, però, questa ricchezza è posseduta dalle tre classi?
Ecco le cifre: la plutocrazia è proprietaria di sessantasette miliardi.
Sul numero totale delle persone che esercitano una professione
negli Stati Uniti, solo il 0.9% appartiene alla plutocrazia; eppure la
plutocrazia possiede il 70% della ricchezza totale. La classe media
ha ventiquattro miliardi; il 29% di persone che esercitano una
professione appartengono alla classe media, e godono il 25% della
ricchezza totale. Resta il proletariato. Esso dispone di quattro
miliardi. Di tutte le persone che esercitano una professione, il 70%
appartiene al proletariato, ed il proletariato possiede il 4% della
ricchezza totale. Da qual parte è il potere, signori?
— Stando alle vostre cifre, noi, della classe media, siamo più potenti
dei lavoratori, — osservò il signor Asmunsen.
— Ma ricordandoci la nostra debolezza voi non migliorate punto la
vostra condizione rispetto alla forza della plutocrazia, — rispose
Ernesto. — D’altronde, non ho finito. C’è una forza superiore alla
ricchezza, superiore nel senso che non può esserci strappata. La
nostra forza, la forza del proletariato, sta nei nostri muscoli che
lavorano, nelle nostre mani che votano, nelle nostre dita che
possono fare scattare un grilletto. È la forza primitiva alleata della
vita, superiore alla ricchezza, e che la ricchezza non può dominare.
«Ma la vostra forza invece è caduca: vi può essere tolta. In questo
stesso momento, la plutocrazia sta per togliervela, e finirà per
strapparvela tutta. E allora cesserete d’essere la classe media,
verrete a noi, diventerete proletarii. E, ciò che più importa,
aggiungerete forza alla nostra forza. Vi accoglieremo come fratelli e
combatteremo a gomito a gomito, per la causa dell’umanità.
«Il lavoro non ha niente di concreto da prendere: la sua parte di
ricchezza nazionale consiste in abiti, mobili, e, in casi rarissimi e
sporadici, in una casa libera da ipoteche. Ma voi avete della
ricchezza concreta, ne avete per ventiquattro miliardi, e la
plutocrazia ve li prenderà. Naturalmente, è più verosimile che sia il
proletariato che ve li prenda prima. Non vedete la vostra posizione,
signori? La vostra classe media è la pecorella tremante, fra il leone e
la tigre. Se non sarete dell’uno, sarete dell’altro. E se la plutocrazia
vi avrà prima, il proletariato avrà in seguito la plutocrazia: è soltanto
questione di tempo.
«Ed anche la vostra ricchezza attuale non dà la misura della vostra
potenza. Ora come ora, la forza della vostra ricchezza è una
conchiglia vuota. Perciò emettete il vostro lamentoso grido di guerra:
«Ritorniamo ai metodi dei nostri padri». Sentite la vostra impotenza,
ed il vuoto della vostra conchiglia. Vi farò vedere tale vacuità:
«Qual’è il potere dei fittavoli? Più del 50 per cento sono in servaggio
perchè semplici livellarii o perchè oppressi da ipoteche; e tutti sono
sotto tutela per il fatto che i trusts possiedono o governano (che è
poi la stessa cosa) tutti i mezzi per immettere i prodotti nel mercato,
come apparecchi frigoriferi, ascensori, ferrovie e linee di
navigazione. Inoltre, i trusts governano i mercati. Del potere politico
e governativo dei fittavoli, mi occuperò parlando di quello della
classe media. Di giorno in giorno, i trusts schiacciano i fittavoli come
hanno strozzato il signor Calvin e tutti i lattai; e di giorno in giorno i
venditori sono schiacciati nello stesso modo. Ricordate come, in sei
mesi, i trusts del tabacco sieno riusciti a distruggere più di
quattrocento spacci di sigari, nella sola Nuova York? Dove sono gli
antichi padroni delle miniere del carbon fossile? Sapete certo, senza
che io debba ripeterlo, che oggi il trust delle ferrovie possiede e
dispone di tutti i terreni minerarii di antracite e di bitume.
«Lo «Standard Oil Trust» non possiede forse una ventina di linee
marittime? Non dispone pure del rame? senza parlare del trust degli
alti forni che ha organizzato, come un’impresa secondaria?
«Vi sono diecimila città negli Stati Uniti, illuminate, questa sera, dalle
società dipendenti dalla Standard Oil, e altrettante dove i trasporti
elettrici, urbani e suburbani, o interurbani, sono nelle sue mani. I
piccoli capitalisti, una volta cointeressati in queste migliaia di
imprese, sono spariti. Lo sapete. Voi vi avviate per la stessa strada.
«Lo stesso avviene ai fabbricanti; tutto considerato, gli uni e gli altri,
sono oggi ridotti a un vassallaggio feudale. E si può dire lo stesso
dei professionisti e degli artisti che oggi, salvo il nome, sono dei
plebei, mentre i politicanti sono dei servi.
«Perchè mai, signor Calvin, passate i giorni e le notti a organizzare i
fittavoli, come il resto della classe media, in un nuovo partito
politico? Perchè i politicanti dei vecchi partiti non vogliono, perchè
sono, come ho detto, i servitori, i lacchés della plutocrazia.
«Ho pure detto come professionisti e artisti sieno plebe, nel regime
attuale. E che altro sono? Dal primo all’ultimo, professori, predicatori,
editori, disimpegnano le loro mansioni servendo la plutocrazia, il loro
ufficio consiste nel propagare solo idee inoffensive o laudative per i
ricchi. Tutte le volte che tentano di propagare idee minacciose per
questi, perdono il posto; in questo caso, se non hanno messo da
parte nulla per i tempi grami, discendono verso il proletariato, e
vegetano nella miseria o diventano i mestatori del popolo. E non
dimenticate che la stampa, il pulpito e l’università, modellano
l’opinione pubblica, dànno il tono alla marcia mentale della nazione.
Quanto agli artisti, fanno semplicemente da mezzani ai gusti più o
meno ignobili della plutocrazia.
«Ma, in sostanza, la ricchezza non costituisce un vero potere da
sola; è un mezzo per ottenere il potere, che è governativo per
essenza. Chi detiene oggi il governo? forse il proletariato con i suoi
venti milioni di persone impiegate in occupazioni varie? Voi stessi
ridete, a quest’idea. Forse la classe media, con i suoi otto milioni di
membri che esercitano professioni varie? Neppure. Chi dunque
detiene il potere del governo? La plutocrazia, con appena un quarto
di milione di persone occupate. Eppure non è questo quarto di
milioni di uomini che lo detiene realmente, quantunque faccia da
guardia volontaria. Il cervello della plutocrazia che guida il governo si
compone di sette piccoli e possenti gruppi. E non dimenticate che,
oggi, questi gruppi agiscono quasi all’unisono [63].
Permettetemi di abbozzarvi la potenza di un solo di questi gruppi,
quello delle Ferrovie. Ha quarantamila avvocati, per rigettare le
istanze del pubblico, davanti ai tribunali: distribuisce innumerevoli
fogli di viaggi circolari gratuiti ai giudici, ai banchieri, ai direttori di
giornali, ai pastori, ai membri delle Università, delle legislature di
Stato e del Congresso. Mantiene ricchissimi e lussuosi focolai di
intrigo, le lobbies [64] nel capoluogo di ogni Stato e nella capitale, e in
tutte le grandi e piccole città del paese: adopera un immenso
esercito di azzeccagarbugli e di politicanti, che hanno il compito di
partecipare ai comitati elettorali e alle assemblee di partito, di
circuire i giurati, di subornare i giudici, e di adoperarsi con tutte le
loro forze a favore degl’interessi del gruppo [65].
«Signori, ho solo accennato alla potenza di uno dei sette gruppi che
costituiscono il cervello della plutocrazia [66]. I vostri ventiquattro
miliardi di ricchezza non vi dànno il 25% di potere governativo. Sono
una conchiglia vuota, e presto anche questa conchiglia vi sarà tolta.
Oggi la plutocrazia ha tutto il potere nelle sue mani. È lei che crea le
leggi perchè dispone del Senato, del Congresso, dei corsi, e del
potere legislativo in ogni Stato.
«E non basta. Occorre, oltre la legge, una forza che la renda
esecutiva. E oggi la plutocrazia, fatte le leggi, ha a sua disposizione
la polizia, l’esercito, la marina, e infine la milizia, ossia voi, io e noi
tutti.
La discussione non continuò, dopo di ciò: i convitati si alzarono
subito da tavola. Calmati e domati, abbassavano la voce
congedandosi. Si sarebbero detti ancora spaventati dalla visione
dell’avvenire, che avevano contemplato.
— La situazione è seria, — disse il signor Calvin ad Ernesto. — Non
trovo nulla da ridire sul modo come l’avete esposta. Dissento solo da
voi su quanto riguarda la condanna della classe media. Noi
sopravvivremo, e distruggeremo i trusts.
— E ritornerete ai metodi dei vostri padri, — concluse Ernesto.
— Giustissimo! So bene che, in certo modo, siamo dei distruttori di
macchine, e che questo è un assurdo. Ma tutta la vita è illogica, al
giorno d’oggi, a causa degli intrighi della plutocrazia. Comunque, il
nostro modo di distruggere le macchine, è almeno pratico e
possibile, mentre il vostro sogno non lo è. Il vostro sogno socialista
non è che un sogno. Noi non possiamo ammetterlo.
— Vorrei poter dare, a voi ed ai vostri, alcune nozioni circa la teoria
dell’evoluzione sociale, — rispose Ernesto, con aria pensosa,
stringendogli la mano.
— Sarebbero evitate molte difficoltà.
CAPITOLO X.
IL VORTICE.
Dopo quel pranzo di uomini di affari, avvenimenti terribilmente
importanti si successero come lampi; e la mia piccola vita, trascorsa
sempre nella calma della nostra Città Universitaria, fu trascinata,
come tutte le mie avventure personali, nel vasto vortice delle
avventure mondiali. Fu il mio amore per Ernesto a far di me una
rivoluzionaria, o il chiaro punto di vista sotto il quale egli mi aveva
fatto considerare la società nella quale vivevo? Non so bene; so che
divenni rivoluzionaria e mi trovai coinvolta in un caos di incidenti che
mi sarebbero sembrati impossibili tre mesi prima.
I turbamenti del mio destino coincisero con grandi crisi sociali. Prima
di tutto, mio padre fu congedato dall’Università. Oh! non fu
congedato, nel senso vero della parola: gli chiesero di dare le sue
dimissioni, ecco tutto. La cosa in se stessa non aveva grande
importanza. Per vero dire, mio padre ne fu entusiasta. Il suo
congedo, affrettato dalla pubblicazione del suo libro: «Economia ed
Educazione», non faceva che rafforzare la sua tesi. Si poteva forse
fornire una miglior prova di fatto, che l’istruzione pubblica era
dominata dalla classe capitalistica?
Ma questa conferma non vide mai la luce: nessuno seppe che era
stato obbligato a ritirarsi dall’Università. Egli era uno scienziato così
eminente, che una simile notizia, pubblicata col motivo delle
dimissioni forzate, avrebbe fatto rumore nel mondo intero. I giornali
gli furono prodighi di onori, congratulandosi con lui pel fatto che
aveva rinunciato alla fatica delle lezioni per consacrare il tempo alle
ricerche scientifiche.
Il babbo dapprima rise, poi si indignò secondo la sua dose tonica di
arrabbiatura! Poi venne la soppressione del suo libro; soppressione
in forma così clandestina, che sulle prime non ci capimmo niente. La
pubblicazione dell’opera aveva subito causato un po’ di emozione
nel Paese; papà era stato gentilmente malmenato dalla stampa
capitalistica; in generale si esprimeva il dispiacere che un così
grande scienziato avesse abbandonato il terreno delle sue ricerche
per avventurarsi in quello della sociologìa, che gli era affatto
sconosciuto, e dove non aveva tardato a smarrirsi.
Questo durò una settimana, durante la quale il papà scherzava
dicendo che aveva toccato un punto delicato del capitalismo. Poi,
improvvisamente, i giornali e le riviste di critica non parlarono più del
volume; e in modo non meno improvviso, il libro sparì dalla
circolazione. Impossibile trovarne il minimo esemplare presso tutti i
librai. Il babbo scrisse agli editori e gli fu risposto che le lastre erano
state incidentalmente rovinate. Ne seguì una corrispondenza
confusa. Messi con le spalle al muro, gli editori finirono col dichiarare
che non vedevano la possibilità di ristampare l’opera, ma che erano
dispostissimi a cedere ogni diritto su di essa.
— In nessun paese troverete un’altra casa editrice che acconsenta a
pubblicare il vostro libro, — disse Ernesto. — Se fossi in voi, mi
metterei subito al sicuro. Perchè questo è solo un saggio di quanto vi
riserba il Tallone di Ferro.
Ma mio padre era prima di tutto uno scienziato, e non si credeva
autorizzato ad arrivare subito alla conclusione. Per lui un’esperienza
di laboratorio non meritava quel nome finchè non era stata seguita
fin nei minimi particolari. Così intraprese pazientemente un giro
presso tutti gli editori. Essi gli esposero una quantità di pretesti, ma
nessuno volle incaricarsi del libro.
Quando fu ben convinto che la sua opera era stata soppressa, tentò
d’informarne il pubblico, ma i suoi comunicati alla stampa non
ricevettero risposta alcuna. A una riunione politica socialista alla
quale assistevano numerosi corrispondenti, credette di aver trovato il
momento buono per rompere il silenzio. Si alzò e raccontò la storia
di questo sopruso. Leggendo i giornali del giorno dopo, prima ne
rise, ma poi si infuriò terribilmente, oltre ogni dose tonica. Nessuno
parlava del suo libro, ma travisavano la sua condotta in modo
piacevole. Avevano trasformato le sue parole e le sue frasi,
trasformato le sue sobrie e misurate osservazioni in un discorso di
anarchico sbraitante. Tutto ciò era fatto con molta abilità. Ricordo
specialmente un esempio: Il babbo aveva adoperato il termine
«rivoluzione sociale», e il corrispondente aveva semplicemente
omesso l’aggettivo qualificativo. La campagna contraria fu condotta
in tutto il paese, per mezzo di informazioni dell’Associazione della
Stampa, e da ogni parte si elevarono alte grida di protesta. Mio
padre fu considerato come un anarchico, un nichilista. Fu
largamente distribuita una caricatura che lo rappresentò con in
pugno una bandiera rossa, alla testa di una torma irsuta e selvaggia,
armata di torce, di coltelli e di bombe di dinamite.
La sua supposta anarchia fu assalita dalla Stampa con una terribile
campagna, fatta mediante lunghi articoli di fondo, seminati di insulti
ed allusioni alla sua decadenza mentale.
Ernesto ci disse che questa tattica della Stampa capitalistica non era
cosa nuova, poichè era abitudine di essa mandare i suoi
corrispondenti a tutte le riunioni socialiste, con l’ordine di alterare e
svisare ciò che veniva detto, per spaventare la classe media e
distoglierla da ogni idea di una possibile unione col proletariato.
Ernesto insistette molto perchè il babbo abbandonasse la lotta e si
mettesse al riparo.
La stampa socialista, pertanto, raccolse il guanto, e tutto il partito
della gente operaia che legge i giornali seppe che il libro era stato
soppresso; ma quest’informazione non oltrepassò la cerchia dei
lavoratori. In seguito, una grande casa editrice socialista, «Il
Richiamo alla Ragione», si accordò con mio padre, per pubblicare il
suo libro. Il babbo ne fu entusiasta, ma Ernesto, invece, si turbò.
— Vi dico che siamo alle porte dell’ignoto. Avvengono attorno a noi
cose enormi e segrete. Noi le sentiamo, infatti; non ne conosciamo
la loro natura, ma in loro presenza è certa. Tutta la compagine
sociale ne freme. Non chiedetemi di che cosa si tratti veramente
perchè non ne so niente. Ma in questo movimento, c’è una realtà
concreta che sta prendendo forma, sta cristallizzandosi. La
soppressione del vostro libro ne è una prova. Quanti altri sono stati
soppressi? Lo ignoriamo e non potremo mai saperlo; siamo nel buio.
Voi potete aspettarvi la soppressione della stampa e delle case
editrici socialiste. Temo anzi che sia imminente. Stiamo per essere
soffocati.
Ernesto, meglio degli altri, sentiva il corso degli avvenimenti, perchè,
meno di due giorni dopo, fu scatenato il primo assalto. «Il Richiamo
alla Ragione» era un settimanale diffuso fra il proletariato, e aveva
una tiratura di settecento cinquantamila copie; inoltre, pubblicava
spesso delle edizioni speciali, da due a cinque milioni di esemplari,
pagati e distribuiti dal piccolo esercito volontario dei lavoratori
raggruppati attorno al «Richiamo». Il primo colpo fu diretto contro
queste edizioni straordinarie, e fu un colpo di mazza.
L’Amministrazione delle Poste decise, con un regolamento arbitrario,
che quelle edizioni non facevano parte della solita circolazione del
giornale, e con questo pretesto rifiutò di riceverle nei suoi treni
postali.
Una settimana dopo, il Ministero delle Poste decretò che il giornale
stesso era sedizioso e lo escluse definitivamente dai suoi trasporti.
Era un terribile attacco alla propaganda socialista. «Il Richiamo» era
in una condizione disperata, e immaginò un disegno per pervenire ai
suoi abbonati, per mezzo delle società dei treni espressi, ma queste
rifiutarono il loro aiuto. Era il colpo di grazia, non il definitivo, però.
«Il Richiamo» voleva continuare le sue imprese editoriali. Ventimila
esemplari del libro di papà erano in rilegatura, e altrettanti in
istampa. Una sera, senza che nulla lo facesse prevedere, una banda
di malfattori uscita non si sa da dove, agitando una bandiera
americana e cantando canzoni patriottiche, incendiò i vasti locali
della tipografia del «Richiamo», che furono totalmente distrutti.
È da osservare che la piccola città di Girard, nel Kansas, era una
località assolutamente tranquilla dove non erano mai accaduti
disordini di operai. Il «Richiamo» pagava i suoi impiegati secondo le
tariffe dei sindacati e, di fatto, costituiva l’ossatura della città, perchè
occupava centinaia di uomini e donne. La folla che aveva distrutto la
tipografia non era formata da abitanti di Girard. Gli autori della
sommossa sembravano usciti di sotterra, ed esservi rientrati dopo
aver compiuto le loro gesta.
— Ernesto vedeva la cosa sotto una cattivissima luce.
— Le Centurie Nere [67] si stanno organizzando negli Stati Uniti, —
diceva. — Questo è solo il principio. Vedremo di ben altro. Il Tallone
di Ferro prende ardimento.
Così fu distrutto il libro di papà. In seguito dovevamo sentir parlare
molto delle Centurie Nere. Di settimana in settimana, altri fogli
socialisti venivano privati dei mezzi di trasporto, e, in parecchi casi
accadde che le Centurie Nere distruggessero i macchinarî.
Naturalmente, i giornali del paese sostenevano la politica delle classi
dominanti, e la stampa assassinata fu calunniata e vilipesa, mentre i
componenti le Centurie Nere furono dipinti come i veri patrioti, i
salvatori della società. Quei falsi rapporti erano così convincenti, che
alcuni ministri del Culto fecero, dal pulpito, l’elogio delle Centurie
Nere, pur deplorando la necessità della violenza.
La Storia si scriveva rapidamente. Le elezioni di autunno si
avvicinavano, ed Ernesto fu designato dal partito socialista come
candidato al Congresso. Le sue probabilità di riuscita erano delle
migliori. Lo sciopero dei tranvai di San Francisco era fallito, com’era
fallito uno sciopero, dichiarato in conseguenza al primo, dei
carrettieri. Queste due sconfitte erano state disastrose per
l’organizzazione dei lavoratori.
La Federazione della Gente di Mare con i suoi alleati, gli operai dei
cantieri, aveva sostenuto i carrettieri, e tutto l’edifizio a fatica eretto
era crollato senza vantaggio e senza gloria. Lo sciopero fu cruento.
La polizia ferì a colpi di mazza moltissimi lavoratori, e la lista dei
morti s’accrebbe in seguito all’azione di una mitragliatrice.
Per conseguenza, gli uomini erano cupi, ebbri di sangue e di
vendetta. Battuti sul terreno scelto da essi stessi, erano pronti a dare
una risposta sul terreno politico. Mantenevano la loro organizzazione
sindacale; ciò che dava loro forza e coraggio per la lotta
ricominciata.
Le probabilità di Ernesto si facevano sempre più serie. Di giorno in
giorno, nuove Unioni decidevano di sostenere i socialisti, ed egli
stesso non potè fare a meno di ridere quando seppe la entrata in
linea degli Ausiliarî delle Pompe Funebri e degli Spennatori di
Volatili.
I lavoratori diventavano cocciuti. Mentre si affollavano con vero
entusiasmo nelle riunioni socialiste, restavano insensibili alle trovate
dei politicanti del vecchio partito. Gli oratori del vecchio partito si
dimenavano di solito davanti alle sale vuote, ma ogni tanto dovevano
affrontare sale rigurgitanti di gente dove venivano a tal punto
malmenati che più di una volta era stato necessario l’intervento delle
forze della Polizia.
La Storia precipitava il corso degli eventi: l’aria vibrava di
avvenimenti attuali o imminenti. Il Paese entrava in un periodo di
crisi [68], dovuta a una serie di anni prosperosi, durante i quali era
diventato sempre più difficile collocare all’estero l’eccesso della
produzione. Le industrie lavoravano a orario ridotto; molte grandi
fabbriche non lavoravano neppure, aspettando lo smercio delle
riserve, e da ogni parte avvenivano riduzioni di salario.
Un altro grande sciopero falliva. Duecentomila meccanici, coi loro
cinquecentomila alleati metallurgici, erano stati vinti nella lotta più
sanguinosa che abbia sconvolto gli Stati Uniti.
In seguito a vere battaglie contro i nuclei di crumiri [69] armati
dall’associazione dei padroni, le Centurie Nere erano comparse nelle
località più distanti le une dalle altre, distruggendo grandi proprietà;
per conseguenza, erano stati mandati centomila uomini dell’esercito
regolare degli Stati Uniti per decidere la cosa con la forza.
Un gran numero di capi operai furono giustiziati, molti altri
imprigionati, e migliaia di scioperanti rinchiusi nei parchi bestiame [70]
e trattati in modo esecrabile dalla soldatesca.
Si pagavano cari gli anni della passata prosperità. Tutti i mercati,
carichi di roba, cadevano nel crollo generale dei prezzi; quello del
lavoro cadeva prima degli altri.
Il paese era soggetto a una crisi industriale. Da una parte e dall’altra
gli operai scioperavano, e se non si mettevano in isciopero, erano
scacciati dagli stessi padroni. I giornali riferivano numerosi fatti di
violenza e di sangue. E in tutto questo c’entravano le Centurie Nere.
Sommosse, incendî, distruzioni a destra e a manca, queste erano le
loro funzioni che esse adempivano con serenità di cuore. Tutto
l’esercito era in moto, chiamato dalle violenze delle Centurie
Nere [71].
Tutte le città e i paesi, sembravano accampamenti militari; gli operai
erano fucilati come cani. I crumiri erano reclutati fra la massa dei
disoccupati, e quando avevano la peggio coi membri dei sindacati,
comparivano le truppe regolari sempre a tempo per difenderli e
schiacciare questi. Inoltre, c’era la milizia. Sin allora non era stato
necessario ricorrere alla legge segreta sulla milizia; solo la sua parte
regolarmente organizzata entrava in azione e operava ovunque. In
ultimo, in questo tempo di terrore, l’esercito regolare fu aumentato di
centomila uomini dal Governo.
Mai il mondo del lavoro aveva ricevuto una lezione così severa.
Questa volta i grandi capi industriali, gli oligarchi, avevano gettate
tutte le loro forze nella breccia aperta dalle associazioni dei padroni
battaglieri. Costoro appartenevano, in realtà, alla classe media.
Stimolati dalla durezza dei tempi, dal crollo dei mercati, e sostenuti
dai Capi dell’Alta Finanza, inflissero all’organizzazione del lavoro
una terribile e decisiva sconfitta. La lega era potentissima, ma era
una specie di alleanza del leone con l’agnello; e la classe media non
doveva tardare molto ad accorgersene.
La classe lavoratrice manifestava idee sanguinose di vendetta, ma
era annientata. Pure, la sua sconfitta non pose fine alla crisi. Le
banche, che erano da sole importanti forze dell’oligarchia,
continuavano ad accettare i risparmi dei lavoratori. Il gruppo di Wall
Street [72] trasformò la Borsa in un turbine dove tutti i valori del
Paese scesero quasi a zero.
E sui disastri e sulle rovine, s’inalzò la forza della nascente
oligarchia: imperturbabile, indifferente e sicura di sè. Questa serenità
e sicurezza erano terrificanti. Per ottener lo scopo, essa non
adoperava soltanto la sua potenza, ma quella del Tesoro degli Stati
Uniti.
I capi dell’industria si erano poi volti contro la classe intermedia. Le
associazioni dei padroni, che li avevano aiutati a lacerare
l’organizzazione del lavoro, erano alla loro volta lacerate dai loro
antichi alleati. In mezzo al crollo dei piccoli finanzieri ed industriali, i
trusts resistevano magnificamente. Non solo erano solidi, ma attivi.
Seminavano vento, senza paura nè sosta, perchè essi soli sapevano
il modo di raccogliere tempesta e trarne profitto, e quale profitto!
quali immensi beneficî! Abbastanza forti per tener testa all’uragano
che avevano contribuito largamente a scatenare, si scatenavano
essi pure e saccheggiavano ciò che turbinava attorno a loro. I valori
erano pietosamente e incredibilmente abbassati e i trusts
allargavano i loro possedimenti in proporzioni non meno incredibili:
le loro imprese comprendevano numerosi campi nuovi, e sempre a
spese della classe media.
Così, l’estate del 1912 vide l’assassinio virtuale della classe
intermedia.
Ernesto stesso fu stupito della rapidità con la quale fu dato ad essa il
colpo di grazia. Alzò la testa con aria di cattivo augurio e vide, senza
illusioni, le elezioni dell’autunno.
— È inutile, — diceva, — siamo sconfitti anticipatamente. Il Tallone
di Ferro è là. Avevo poste tutte le mie speranze in una vittoria
tranquilla, ottenuta mediante le urne. Ho avuto torto. Wickson aveva
ragione. Saremo spogliati delle poche libertà che ci rimangono. Il
Tallone di Ferro camminerà sui nostri volti; non c’è più nulla da
aspettarsi fuorchè da una rivoluzione sanguinosa della classe
operaia. Naturalmente avremo la vittoria, ma fremo al pensiero di
quello che ci costerà.
Da allora, Ernesto sperò nel vessillo della Rivoluzione. Su questo
punto, anzi, era più evoluto del suo partito. I suoi compagni socialisti
non riuscivano a seguirlo, e persistevano a credere che la lotta
avrebbe potuto essere vinta con le elezioni. Non che fossero storditi
dal colpo ricevuto; non mancavano nè di sangue freddo nè di
coraggio: erano increduli, ecco tutto. Ernesto non riusciva a ispirare
loro un vero timore dell’oligarchia; riusciva a commuoverli, ma essi
erano sempre troppo sicuri della loro forza. Non c’era posto per
l’oligarchia, nella loro teoria dell’evoluzione sociale; per
conseguenza, l’oligarchia non poteva esistere.
— Vi manderemo al Congresso, e tutto si appianerà, — gli dissero in
una delle nostre riunioni segrete.
— E quando mi avranno strappato dal Congresso, messo con le
spalle al muro e fatto saltar le cervella, — chiese freddamente, —
che cosa farete?
— Allora ci solleveremo con tutta la nostra forza, — risposero una
dozzina di voci, immediatamente.
— Allora guazzerete nel vostro stesso sangue, — fu la replica. —
Conosco quest’antifona; l’ho sentita cantare dalla classe media. E
dov’è ora la classe media, con tutta la sua forza?
CAPITOLO XI.
LA GRANDE AVVENTURA.
Il signor Wickson non aveva fatto nulla per vedere mio padre. Si
incontrarono per caso sul piroscafo che porta a San Francisco: così
che l’avvertimento che gli diede non fu premeditato. Se il caso non li
avesse fatti incontrare, non ci sarebbe stato avvertimento alcuno; ma
del resto, il risultato sarebbe stato uguale. Il babbo discendeva dal
vecchio e solido ceppo del Mayflower [73]; e buon sangue non mente.
— Ernesto aveva ragione — mi disse rincasando. — Ernesto è un
giovane straordinario, al punto che preferirei vederti sua moglie
anzichè sposa del Re d’Inghilterra, o dello stesso Rockefeller.
— Che è successo? — chiesi con ansia.
— L’Oligarchia ci schiaccia. Wickson me lo ha fatto chiaramente
capire. È stato molto gentile, quale oligarca. Mi ha offerto di rientrare
all’Università. Che ne dici, tu? Lui, Wickson, quel sordido spilorcio,
ha il potere di decidere se insegnerò o no nell’Università di Stato?
Ma mi ha offerto di meglio ancora: mi ha proposto di farmi nominare
Rettore d’un grande Istituto di scienze fisiche, che si sta
progettando. Bisogna pure che l’oligarchia si liberi dei suoi valori
esuberanti, in un modo o nell’altro, non è vero?
Ed ha soggiunto:
— Ricordate ciò che dissi a quel socialista innamorato di vostra
figlia? Gli ho detto che avremmo calpestato la classe operaia.
Orbene, lo faremo. Quanto a voi, sapete che vi ho, come scienziato,
in gran rispetto, ma se voi unite le vostre sorti con quelle del
proletariato, ebbene, state attento. Non posso dirvi altro. Poi, mi ha
voltato le spalle, e se n’è andato.
— Segno che dovremo sposarci prima del tempo fissato — tale fu il
commento di Ernesto, quando gli narrammo la cosa.
Non potei afferrare subito la logica di quel ragionamento, ma non
tardai a capirla. In quel tempo fu pagato il dividendo trimestrale delle
Filande della Sierra..., o cioè avrebbe dovuto essere pagato, perchè
mio padre non ricevette il suo.
Dopo parecchi giorni di attesa, egli scrisse al Segretariato, e ottenne
una risposta immediata nella quale gli si comunicava come nessuna
entrata nei libri della Società indicasse che papà possedeva dei
fondi, e si chiedeva, gentilmente, maggiori notizie.
— Darò delle spiegazioni esplicite, a quel villano là — dichiarò il
babbo avviandosi alla Banca per ritirare i suoi titoli dalla cassaforte.
— Ernesto è un uomo eccezionale — disse al ritorno, mentre
l’aiutavo a togliersi il soprabito. — Lo ripeto, figlia mia; il tuo
fidanzato è un giovane eccezionale.
Sapevo, sentendolo parlare così, che dovevo prepararmi a qualche
nuova sventura.
— Mi hanno già calpestato. Non ci sono più i titoli, la mia cassaforte
è vuota. Dovete sposarvi al più presto.
Il babbo, sempre fedele al suo metodo scientifico, si querelò, e riuscì
a far comparire la Società davanti ai tribunali, ma non riuscì a farvi
comparire i libri dei suoi conti. La Sierra, non lui, dominava i tribunali:
questo spiegava tutto. Non solo fu rigettata la sua istanza, ma la
legge sanzionò quella spudorata spoliazione.
Poichè si tratta d’un avvenimento lontano, mi viene da ridere al
ricordo del modo con cui papà fu battuto. Avendo incontrato per
caso Wickson in una via di San Francisco, egli trattò costui da vile
birbante.