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International Journal of Business Communication

International Journal of Business Communication

Official Publication of the Association for Business Communication

eISSN: 23294892 | ISSN: 23294884 | Current volume: 61 | Current issue: 2 Frequency: Quarterly

The International Journal of Business Communication (IJBC) publishes peer-reviewed, rigorous original research that contributes to the knowledge and theory of business communication as a distinct, multifaceted field approached through the administrative disciplines, the liberal arts, and the social sciences.

Articles in IJBC address all areas of business communication including, but not limited to, business composition/technical writing, information systems, international business communication, management communication, and organizational and corporate communication. In addition, the journal IJBC welcomes submissions concerning the role of written, verbal, nonverbal and electronic communication in the creation, maintenance, and performance of profit and not for profit business.

All individual subscriptions are handled by the Association for Business Communication. Subscribers to International Journal of Business Communication also receive a subscription to Business and Professional Communication Quarterly. To learn more about subscription information click here.

The International Journal of Business Communication (IJBC) publishes manuscripts that contribute to knowledge and theory of business communication as a distinct, multifaceted field approached through the administrative disciplines, the liberal arts, and the social sciences. Accordingly, IJBC seeks manuscripts that address all areas of business communication including but not limited to business composition/technical writing, information systems, international business communication, management communication, and organizational and corporate communication. In addition, IJBC welcomes submissions concerning the role of written, verbal, nonverbal and electronic communication in the creation, maintenance, and performance of profit and not for profit business.

Editors
Jacqueline Mayfield Texas A&M International University, USA
Milton Mayfield Texas A&M International University, USA
Special Features Editor
Stephanie Smith Virginia Tech University, USA
Associate Editors
Ryan Bisel University of Oklahoma, USA
Rod Carveth Morgan State University, USA
Jonathan Clifton University of Valenciennes, France
Bertha Du-Babcock Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages, Taiwan
Sky Marsen Flinders University, Australia
Jef Naidoo University of Alabama, USA
Amber Raile Montana State University, USA
Stephanie Smith Virginia Tech University, USA
Marlies Whitehouse ZHAW School of Applied Linguistics, Switzerland
Yunxia Zhu University of Queensland, Australia
Book Review Editor
Ryan Fuller California State University-Sacramento, USA
Managing Editor
Kathryn Rybka University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
ABC Officers and Directors
Judith Ainsworth ABC President, McGill University, Canada
Jolanta Aritz Regional Vice President, Western U.S., Brigham Young University, USA
Ann Springer and Scott Springer Regional Vice President, Western U.S., Brigham Young University, USA
Barbara Bolt Regional Vice President, Southeastern U.S., University of South Carolina, USA
Valerie Creelman Regional Vice President, Canada, Saint Mary’s College, Canada
Kristen Getchell Regional Vice President, Eastern U.S., Babson College, USA
Patricia Harms ABC Vice President, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
Paula Lentz Regional Vice President, Midwestern U.S., University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, USA
Ursula Lutzky Regional Vice President, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria
Ana Lucia Magalhaes Regional Vice President, Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, State of Sao Paulo Technological College, Brazil
Kathryn Rybka ABC Executive Director, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
Lucia Sigmar Regional Vice President, Southwestern U.S., Stephen F. Austin State University, USA
Barbara Shwom Past President, Communication Partners, USA
Misa Fujio Regional Vice President, Asia and the Pacific, Toyo University, Japan
ABC Directors at Large
William Christopher Brown Midland College, USA
Christina McDowell Cornell University, USA
Leslie Ramos Salazar West Texas A&M University, USA
Leslie Seawright Missouri State University, USA
Lisa Gueldenzoph Snyder North Carolina A&T University, USA
Christopher Toth Grand Valley State University, USA
Editorial Review Panel
Greg Armfield New Mexico State University, USA
Joshua Boyd Purdue University, USA
Patrice M Buzzanell University of South Florida, USA
Mabel Chan Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
Jonathan Clifton University of Lille, France
Valerie Creelman Saint Mary’s College, Canada
Dale Cyphert University of Northern Iowa, USA
Menno de Jong University of Twente, Netherlands
Chuqing Dong Michigan State University, USA
Bertha Du-Babcock City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Paolo Esposito University of Sannio, Italy
Robert Gill Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
Renee Heath University of New Hampshire, USA
John Jamison Marymount University, USA
Jeff Kassing Arizona State University, USA
Hubert Korzilius University of Nijmegen, Netherlands
Charles Kostelnick Iowa State University, USA
Antonio La Sala Sapienza Universita di Roma, Italy
Magnus Larsson Lund University, Sweden
Paula Lentz University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, USA
Ivan Manev University of Maine, USA
Sky Marsen Flinders University, Australia
John McClellan Boise State University, USA
Jennifer Mize Smith Western Kentucky University, USA
Jennifer Scott Mobley Grove City College, USA
Sushil Oswal University of Washington, USA
Augustine Pang Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Donna Pawlowski Bemidji State University, USA
Irene Pollach University of Aarhus, Denmark
Mariia Rubtcova St. Petersburg State University, Russia
Pablo Ruiz-Palomino University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
Irv Schenkler New York University, USA
Joe Scudder Northern Illinois University, USA
Jason Snyder Central Connecticut State University, USA
Gail F. Thomas Naval Postgraduate School, USA
Dorien Van De Mieroop Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Anne Witte EDHEC School of Management, France
Yafei Zhang Remnin University, China
Theodore E. Zorn University of Waikato, New Zealand
  • Abstract Journal of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)
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  • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

    The International Journal of Business Communication (IJBC) publishes manuscripts that contribute to the knowledge and theory of business communication as a distinct, multifaceted field approached through the administrative disciplines, the liberal arts, and the social sciences. Accordingly, IJBC seeks manuscripts that address all areas of business communication including but not limited to business composition/technical writing, information systems, international business communication, management communication, and organizational and corporate communication. In addition, IJBC welcomes submissions concerning the role of written, oral, nonverbal and electronic communication in the creation, maintenance, and performance of profit and not for profit business. IJBC accepts all rigorous research methods, including but not limited to qualitative, quantitative, and critical. IJBC conducts masked reviews in which the Editor, an Associate Editor, and at least two subject-matter experts examine submitted manuscripts.

    Types of Manuscripts Published

    • Traditional scholarly studies of 15-35 double-spaced pages, excluding references, notes, and appendices.
    • Commentaries of 10-14 pages, excluding references, notes, and appendices.
    • Forums consisting of 2-4 articles organized around a unifying theme. Manuscripts comprising forums  typically resemble commentaries rather than traditional research submissions. Forums might also have an  introduction written by a guest editor.
    • Book reviews. Contact the Book Review Editor to inquire about reviewing a book.

    Quantitative and Qualitative Guidelines

    Quantitative manuscripts must report estimates of reliability for all dependent measures, variance accounted for in tests of significance, and power estimates when tests fail to achieve significance.

    Content analysis employing quantitative measures should note intercoder reliability.

    Survey research should describe the sampling frame (relevant population), sampling method, sample unit, and response rate.

    Qualitative research must note standards used to ensure the quality and verification of the presented interpretation.

    Submitting Manuscripts

    Manuscripts should be submitted to http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jbc.  Submit the manuscript and cover page as a Microsoft Word file or a rich text file. Save any figures, tables, or charts in a PDF document, but be sure to include editable versions of these elements.

    Manuscript Preparation

    Write the manuscript in English, following the format specified in the Publication Manual Of The American Psychological Association (6th edition). You may use either U.S. or British spelling, but use U.S. punctuation.

    Remove all personal and institutional identification from the body of the manuscript.

    The cover page should include:

    • Manuscript title.
    • Name, institutional affiliation, mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone and fax numbers for the corresponding author.
    • Name, institutional affiliation, and e-mail address for all other authors.
    • One to two sentences for each author’s biography.
    • A statement that the manuscript is original and is not under consideration or published elsewhere.
    • Submit the manuscript as a separate attachment.
    • On the first page of the manuscript, include 1) the title, 2) an abstract of 150 words or fewer, 3) five keywords for online searchability.
    • Start the body of the paper on the second page.
    • Check the paper and references for accuracy.
    • Write clearly and concisely using inclusive language.
    • To hide your identity during the review process, refer to your own previously published research by using the word AUTHOR rather than your name.

    To hide your identity during the review process, refer to your own previously published research by using the word AUTHOR rather than your name.

    • Submit figures, tables, and charts as a PDF document. Such visuals are often lost when sent in a Word document. Indicate on the manuscript where each visual should be placed.
    • If your article is accepted, you might be asked to provide:
      • Some additional text formatting.
      • An electronic copy of the article (if not originally submitted electronically).
      • A camera-ready copy of any images.
      • Author notes (e.g., acknowledgments and manuscript history) .
      • A statement showing that you have complied with the principles outlined in Appendix C (Ethical Standards for the Reporting and Publishing of Scientific Information) of the APA, 5th edition.

    Robyn C. Walker, Editor
    Journal of Business Communication
    University of Southern California
    Marshall School of Business
    Center for Management Communication
    3660 Trousdale Parkway, ACC 400
    Los Angeles, CA 90089
    Phone: 213-821-5444
    Email: rcwalker@marshall.usc.edu

    Kathryn M. Rybka, Book Review Editor
    Journal of Business Communication
    University of Illinois
    College of Business
    408 Wohlers Hall
    1206 South Sixth Street
    Champaign, IL 61820
    Phone: 217-621-2973
    Email: krybka@illinois.edu

    If you or your funder wish your article to be freely available online to nonsubscribers immediately upon publication (gold open access), you can opt for it to be included in Sage Choice, subject to payment of a publication fee. The manuscript submission and peer review procedure is unchanged. On acceptance of your article, you will be asked to let Sage know directly if you are choosing Sage Choice. To check journal eligibility and the publication fee, please visit Sage Choice. For more information on open access options and compliance at Sage, including self author archiving deposits (green open access) visit Sage Publishing Policies on our Journal Author Gateway.

    As part of our commitment to ensuring an ethical, transparent and fair peer review process Sage is a supporting member of ORCID, the Open Researcher and Contributor ID. ORCID provides a unique and persistent digital identifier that distinguishes researchers from every other researcher, even those who share the same name, and, through integration in key research workflows such as manuscript and grant submission, supports automated linkages between researchers and their professional activities, ensuring that their work is recognized.

    The collection of ORCID iDs from corresponding authors is now part of the submission process of this journal. If you already have an ORCID iD you will be asked to associate that to your submission during the online submission process. We also strongly encourage all co-authors to link their ORCID ID to their accounts in our online peer review platforms. It takes seconds to do: click the link when prompted, sign into your ORCID account and our systems are automatically updated. Your ORCID iD will become part of your accepted publication’s metadata, making your work attributable to you and only you. Your ORCID iD is published with your article so that fellow researchers reading your work can link to your ORCID profile and from there link to your other publications.

    If you do not already have an ORCID iD please follow this link to create one or visit our ORCID homepage to learn more.

    As part of our commitment to ensuring an ethical, transparent and fair peer review process Sage is a supporting member of ORCID, the Open Researcher and Contributor ID. ORCID provides a unique and persistent digital identifier that distinguishes researchers from every other researcher, even those who share the same name, and, through integration in key research workflows such as manuscript and grant submission, supports automated linkages between researchers and their professional activities, ensuring that their work is recognized.

    The collection of ORCID iDs from corresponding authors is now part of the submission process of this journal. If you already have an ORCID iD you will be asked to associate that to your submission during the online submission process. We also strongly encourage all co-authors to link their ORCID ID to their accounts in our online peer review platforms. It takes seconds to do: click the link when prompted, sign into your ORCID account and our systems are automatically updated. Your ORCID iD will become part of your accepted publication’s metadata, making your work attributable to you and only you. Your ORCID iD is published with your article so that fellow researchers reading your work can link to your ORCID profile and from there link to your other publications.

    If you do not already have an ORCID iD please follow this link to create one or visit our ORCID homepage to learn more.

    For more information, please refer to the Sage Manuscript Submission Guidelines.

    Sage Choice

    If you or your funder wishes your article to be freely available online to nonsubscribers immediately upon publication (gold open access), you can opt for it to be included in Sage Choice, subject to the payment of a publication fee. The manuscript submission and peer review procedure is unchanged. On acceptance of your article, you will be asked to let Sage know directly if you are choosing Sage Choice. To check journal eligibility and the publication fee, please visit Sage Choice. For more information on open access options and compliance at Sage, including self/author archiving deposits (green open access) visit Sage Publishing Policies on our Journal Author Gateway.

    All individual subscriptions are handled by the Association for Business Communication. Subscribers to International Journal of Business Communication also receive a subscription to Business and Professional Communication Quarterly. Please contact the association for more information at

    Association of Business Communiation
    www.businesscommunication.org
    Marilyn Buerkens
    Office Manager
    Association for Business Communication
    P.O. Box 304
    Natural Bridge Station, VA 24579-0304
    E-mail: abcoffice@businesscommunication.org

    To purchase an institutional subscription, please click here.

    Institutional, Single Print Issue