In this book, Elizabeth C. Tomlinson offers a rich analysis of the ways that rhetorical principles inform the world of work. With in-depth, engaging examples from across business, Tomlinson draws on a broad range of rhetorical scholarship including both ancient and contemporary works, as well as on select materials from management and entrepreneurship. The author shows how principles such as audience, ethos, stasis, kairos, metaphor, topoi, and visual rhetoric inform the development and survival of businesses. With extensive examples from surveys and interviews with business owners, archival trade journal data, business plans, annual reports, corporate social media, pitch competitions, ESG reporting, case studies, and business websites, Applied Business Rhetoric demonstrates how arguments can be successfully constructed across multiple business genres, and illustrates the usefulness of applied rhetoric for both building and analyzing arguments. Scholars of rhetoric, professional writing, and business communication will find this book of particular interest.
Elizabeth C. Tomlinson is a teaching professor in the Department of General Business at West Virginia University.
Acknowledgements Chapter 1: Introduction Part I: Launching Businesses Chapter 2: Audience and the Creation of Adherence Chapter 3: Topoi and Founders' Initial Audiences Chapter 4: Stasis as Heuristic: The Development of Early Stage Businesses Chapter 5: Stasis for Analysis: Appealing to Investors Chapter 6: Ethos: Establishing a Reputation with Investors and Consumers Chapter 7: Epideictic Rhetoric: Founders' Approaches to Establishing Shared Values Part II: Sustaining Businesses Chapter 8: Case Study: A Longitudinal Examination of a Business's Rhetorical Work in Creating Customer Adherence Through their Website Chapter 9: Loci: Using Corporate Social Media to Connect With Customers Chapter 10: Kairos and the Timely Pivot Chapter 11: Metaphors and Annual Reports Chapter 12: Visual Rhetoric in Business Documents Chapter 13: Conclusion References About the Author
In the growing field of applied rhetoric, this volume stands out as a remarkable contribution. Elizabeth C. Tomlinson balances careful explanations of foundational rhetorical concepts with practical, modern applications to business. Her work shows a thorough understanding of both ancient and modern rhetoric, and the examples and case studies make the concepts relatable and applicable for students and scholars of business. -- Jacob D. Rawlins, Brigham Young University
