Journal of Business and Technical Communication Jul 2017 OA PDF

Rhetorical Narratives of Black Entrepreneurs: The Business of Race, Agency, and Cultural Empowerment

Natasha N. Jones University of Central Florida

Abstract

Using cultural empowerment as a conceptual framework, this study emphasizes the interrelated role of culture, rhetorical agency, and empowerment in discursive analysis and communicative practice. Twelve black business owners were interviewed using a narrative inquiry approach. Thematic analysis revealed that these entrepreneurs enacted rhetorical agency in ways that work within oppressive systems and resisted damaging dominate discourses about black businesses. By highlighting the rhetorical narratives of black entrepreneurs, this study also addresses the need for a more culturally sensitive approach in business, professional, and organizational communication.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
2017-07-01
DOI
10.1177/1050651917695540
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Topics
modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism professional writing qualitative research
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