Peer Review in the Contemporary Corporation

My dissertation explores the history, pedagogy, and practice of peer review in academia and in the workplace, so that I could suggest strategies for improving peer review in the contemporary corporation. Several scholars have studied collaborative writing—of which peer review is just one type—but few have specifically and thoroughly treated the subject of peer review. I surveyed the technical writers in my organization as well as other local writers about their thoughts on peer review. For improving peer review in the workplace, two predominant themes emerged: improve the corporate culture and assign a manager to the process. Therefore, I explore how to create a sense of community in the organization, and I propose a leader of the peer review process—the technical editor. My final chapter discusses the pedagogical implications of my study, and includes suggestions for preparing technical communication students (i.e., technicaleditors) for such a leadership role in the workplace

Open Source Software: From Open Science to New Marketing Models

-Open source Software; Intellectual Property; Licensing; Business Model.

Behaviour Analysis: Catalyst for Perspective Transformation and Perceptions of Interpersonal Effectiveness

This qualitative case study sought to expand what is known about training methods that improve interpersonal communication skills for mid-level leaders in corporate settings. It looked at a training methodology, Behaviour Analysis (BA, Rackham & Morgan, 1977) conducted in the context of a year-long leadership development program in a biopharmaceutical company in the United States. Interviews with 16 program participants, and post-program survey data from 83 participants across 5 years, responded to three research questions: 1. How, and in what ways, did mid-level leaders perceive the interplay between thinking about how to communicate effectively and behaving in an interpersonally effective way? (perception) 2. How did mid-level leaders apply BA post-program? (application) 3. What were the reported perceptions of mid-level leaders about a relationship between BA and perspective transformation? (meaning) The researcher had unique access to and history with the client as a facilitator and member of the program design team. A qualitative case study approach was appropriate, given the consistent program content and profiles of participants year over year as well as the availability of additional program documents for analysis. Data insights were varied and clustered by cohort. Findings were interpreted using two theoretical frames: (a) Mezirow’s (1978, 2003) work with perspective transformation, and (b) the study’s conceptual framework, based on Argyris and Schön’s (1974) seminal work on action science and single-/double-loop learning. Key findings included: (a) the element of time on learning to balance advocacy and inquiry; (b) BA acting as a disorienting dilemma and menu card for expanded communication strategies; and (c) the placement of the disorienting dilemma in the process of perspective transformation. Four conclusions were drawn: 1. Making a shift in communication skills to balance advocacy and inquiry is additive and transformative. 2. Group and/or peer learning is an important component for increasing self-awareness in corporate L&D programs. 3. Disorienting dilemmas can be engineered and are valuable for bringing unconscious behavior patterns to consciousness for skill-building in a training setting. 4. Time and reflection play critical roles in making conscious connections between espoused theories and theories-in-use to build communication skills

Use of Local Wisdom (Purpusage) through Heart-to-Heart Communication in Settling of Social Conflicts in Karo, North Sumatra Indonesia

Refusal of refugee relocation policy due to the eruption of Mount Sinabung from the community members in Lingga Village, Karo Regency, in North Sumatra Province has created social conflict. This study aims to find a model of social conflict management through heart-to-heart local wisdom, known as communication purpusage in Karo, North Sumatra. This research uses a qualitative approach in order to further explore and understand the process of heart to heart basis of communication and local wisdom. Data collection techniques used in this research are observation and in-depth interviews on research subjects, more specifically the background of the conflict, the parties involved in the conflict, the impacts of the conflict, and the solutions adopted. The results of this study show that a heart-to-heart communication model in the Karo culture through a process of runggu (communication for peace) produces local wisdom of purpusage that effectively resolves the conflict. This research contributes in offering a new concept of heart-to-heart communication for resolving social conflicts using a local wisdom called purpusage. Heart-to-heart communication among all conflicting parties has created a sincere communication attitude, which tends to accept the situation, willingness to overcome the conflict, and a strong desire to live peacefully. Village Community of Lingga Karo in North Sumatra has agreed to emphasize on heart to heart communication because it is rooted in their local culture named runggu and purpusage. This research recommends that local wisdom can effectively be used as an effort to resolve social conflicts

Strong Individualization in Managing Asian Societal Transformations

Is individualization typical for most advanced contemporary societies alone? A correction comes from the comparative analyses of the thoughts and historical deeds of two outstanding Asian leaders. In the XX century, Mahatma Gandhi and Deng Xiaoping substantially influenced public thinking and behaviour as well as the institutional framework in India and China respectively. Their achievement is efficiently channelling the national collective action towards gaining the independence of India and the acceleration of Chinese modernization. Both leaders have some similarities and much more differences in their programmes and practical activities. Gandhi and Deng are eager to foster a full-scale transformation of Indian and Chinese societies and to mobilize the active support of millions for societal transformation. However, Gandhi asks for the support of the Hindu traditional religion while Deng orients his intellectual strategy and practical activities on the principles of civic religion. Gandhi relies on his inventiveness and charisma while Deng searches for support from political organizations and the state.  The conceptual framework of social actors, relations and processes guides the systematic analysis of structures and actions in the transformation of Indian and Chinese societies.     CITE THIS PAPER: Genov, Nikolai (2023). "Strong Individualization in Managing Asian Societal Transformations" Journal of Social Sciences: Transformations & Transitions (JOSSTT) 2(05):24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52459/josstt25240323