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1. Doing Business in Nineteenth-Century Scotland: Expressing Authority, Conveying Stance.

Author

Dossena, Marina

Subjects
*BUSINESS communication, *BUSINESS records, *COMMUNICATION in management, *BUSINESS cycles, *BUSINESS conditions, *CORPORATE image, *CORPORATE culture, *INDUSTRIAL surveys
Abstract

Relying on examples taken from the business section of the Corpus of Nineteenth-Century Scottish Correspondence (in preparation), this paper intends to discuss the linguistic means employed to express authority and convey stance in relation to different recipients (peers, superiors, or subordinates) and different subject matters (e.g., legal controversy as opposed to ordinary, routine transactions). In particular, the aim is to present a survey of the positive and negative politeness strategies adopted by encoders of varying status (e.g., bank officials, publishers, but also working-class contractors). After a general Outline of the corpus currently being compiled, different cases are discussed, in which hierarchical discourse is observed. Our concluding remarks focus on the implications this type of study may have for sociohistorical linguists on the one hand, and the study of the earliest stages of professional discourse on the other; indeed, the latter aspect may be of considerable interest also for present-day practitioners who may gain insights concerning the pragmatic strategies that have proved to be most successful over time. Similar ways of encoding stance and distance, for example, are still found in present-day formal exchanges, though the focus is probably more on corporate identity rather than on individual participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2006
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2. Convergence in Corporate Governance Systems: Reconciling Islamic and Western Business Practices.

Author

Miles, Lilian

Subjects
*CORPORATE governance, *ISLAM, *BUSINESS, *CAPITALISM, *ECONOMIC activity, *CORPORATE image
Abstract

"It has been argued that all business systems will eventually converge along the lines of the western capitalist model. The adoption of such a model is increasingly viewed as the optimal means of maximising resources and encouraging creativity and scientific innovation. It is however, questionable whether the transplantation of western models and values are compatible with Islamic requirements as to how business ought to be managed. Islam prescribes that all Islamic organisations must serve God and develop a corporate culture which promotes morality and spirituality and which advances the achievement of Islamic objectives. Islam prohibits interest based transactions and economic activity which involves speculation and hoarding. It obliges businesses to take care of their stakeholders and urges managers to be kind, trustworthy and exercise holy stewardship of their assets. These principles appear to conflict with the profit driven values inherent in capitalist systems.This paper will argue that contrary to popular belief, the Islamic business model does not prohibit the making of profit, or competition or the accumulation of wealth. But it goes further to provide a moral filter through which business ought to be conducted. Thus Islamic business requirements ought not to be perceived as those which prohibit the creation or accumulation of wealth. Rather, we should seek to achieve a deeper appreciation of the rationale behind the Islamic business model - i.e. to promote honesty, accountability and the creation of a fair society whilst denouncing exploitation, abuse of position and an alienation of the poor and underprivileged." ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2008