Applied Business Rhetoric

Abstract

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.