Business and industry spends a great deal of time and money in standardizing office and shop methods, all to promote efficient operations. Yet they give little—if any—thought to one pervasive operation that wastes an unfathomable amount of time and money: written communication. They allow almost any writing approach, as long as something is written. Why? … because they believe that to know how to write an English essay is to know how to communicate on the job. Nothing is further from the truth. Writing in business and industry requires a particular philosophy as well as special writing mechanics that, when combined and standardized, promote efficient communication. This article advances such a philosophy—and some basic writing mechanics—for that standardization.

Of graduating seniors, businessmen assume basic writing skills. Graduates of business administration curriculums are assumed to have, additionally, not only basic language competence but also some expertise in report writing. Experience, both in the classroom and with personnel in formal organizations, bears out that neither students nor practitioners have a real grasp of organization, rhetorical techniques, and reader devices. Consumerism in Communication suggests what is being done in the College of Business Administration's undergraduate communications course to prepare students to meet realistically, confidently, and competently the expectations of their employers. Based on both research and experience, the course design pragmatically aims at reducing frustration on the part of employers who are dismayed at the verbal deficiencies of college graduates.