Journal of Business and Technical Communication Apr 2001

Mythmaking in Annual Reports

Carol David Iowa State University

Abstract

Annual reports produced today increasingly include elaborate photographs and graphics in the narrative section. Financial analysts and many scholars have judged these reports on their clarity, accuracy, and honesty. Because the narrative invites interpretations, such criteria are not sufficient, and additional standards need to be constructed. A semiological analysis of the textual and visual elements allows for the discovery of the techniques used by document designers to promote their companies’ values. Artistic images may encourage positive readings of annual reports, which, combined with similar messages in other media and repeated over time, invoke cultural myths. By definition, myths are broadly accepted commonplaces that conceal details of their subject, and communicators must expose the missing details and judge the myths within a specific context. This kind of analysis, acknowledging the constraints of the rhetorical situation of a single report, can identify effective criteria for judging the narrative's ethics.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
2001-04-01
DOI
10.1177/105065190101500203
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Open Access
Closed
Topics
modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (10)

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  4. Groot et al. (2006)
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  5. Kienzler et al. (2003)
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CrossRef global citation count: 66 View in citation network → Build reading path →

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