Strategic Management Communication for Leaders

Dr. Robyn Walker is a professor of management communication at the Department of BusinessCommunication at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business, where sheteaches business writing and business communication to undergraduate and graduate students.She earned a master's and a doctoral degree in Communication from the University of Utah, anda master's degree in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California, and holds anMBA. Dr. Walker has held faculty appointments at the University of Arizona and California StateUniversity, Fullerton. Before entering academia, Dr. Walker worked as a professional writer andeditor with such organizations as United Press International, McGraw-Hill, and Novell. She alsohas worked as a writing consultant for companies such as Hoffman LaRoche Pharmaceuticals andFranklin-Covey, Inc.

Strategic Management Communication for Leaders is based upon an alternative theoretical foundation
grounded in theory but with connections to communication in the world of business. The

text is unique in the business communication discipline in that it shows students how various

business courses are related and highlights strategic communication as a practice that is applicable

to all business situations regardless of the discipline, department, or organizational level at which it

takes place. Unlike many other business communication texts, it also looks at communication not

only as the practice of individuals but also has an organizational concern.

Other unique aspects of Strategic Management Communication for Leaders include its spotlight

on strategy formulation while making a clear distinction between strategic and tactical

elements of communication. Because strategic issues are more difficult to understand and internalize

as such, they are treated in an indepth manner before providing the discussion of tactics as

they apply to differing contexts and channels of communication. Internalizing the strategic considerations

will enable readers to logically make appropriate tactical choices without having to set

them all to memory.

Another novel aspect of Strategic Business Communication for Leaders is its focus on leadership,

both at the theoretical and practical level. That is, the text integrates discussions of leadership

theory and practice aimed at meeting the needs and the abilities of its key audiences-advanced

undergraduate and graduate students and the organizations that will employ them. Opportunities

for leadership communication practice is provided through the inclusion of two types of case

studies in each chapter. The opening case study is intended to look at communication practices at

the individual level, while closing cases look at communication from the organizational level. This

ability to work at both the micro and macro level of communication within an organization is a

necessity for effective leaders and managers.

With all of these unique elements combined, the result is this textbook, which provides comprehensive

coverage of the critical elements of business, management, and corporate communications

in a compact, highly readable format.