Journal of Business and Technical Communication Jan 2001

Technical Communication and Late Capitalism

Greg Wilson New Mexico State University

Abstract

This article proposes a postmodern reconceptualization of technical communication pedagogy to make student and professional agency a major concern, especially because technical communicators must compete in a global economy that rewards flexibility and penalizes inflexibility. Postmodern mapping metaphors and Robert Reich's methodology for training “symbolic-analytic” workers are used to suggest ways in which a postmodern approach to technical communication could be taught.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
2001-01-01
DOI
10.1177/105065190101500104
Open Access
Closed
Topics
multimodality technical communication

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (22)

  1. Litterio (2021)
    Digital Humanities in Professional and Technical Communication: Results of a Pe…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Pihlaja et al. (2020)
    Navigating Messy Research Methods and Mentoring Practices at a Bilingual Resear…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  3. Edenfield (2019)
    Research in Cooperatives: Developing a Politically Conscious Research Methodology
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. Pickering (2018)
    Navigating Discourses of Power Through Relationships
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Ross (2018)
    Environmental Impact Communication: Cape Wind EIS, 2001–2015
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Show all 22 →
  1. Carradini (2018)
    An Organizational Structure of Indie Rock Musicians as Displayed by Facebook Usage
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Edenfield (2017)
    Power and Communication in Worker Cooperatives
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Wilson et al. (2017)
    The Technical Communicator as (Post-Postmodern) Discourse Worker
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  4. Henning et al. (2016)
    Reconsidering Power and Legitimacy in Technical Communication
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Pigg (2014)
    Coordinating Constant Invention: Social Media's Role in Distributed Work
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  6. Andersen (2014)
    Rhetorical Work in the Age of Content Management
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  7. Toscano (2011)
    Using I, Robot in the Technical Writing Classroom: Developing a Critical Techno…
    Computers and Composition
  8. Maher (2011)
    The Technical Communicator as Evangelist: Toward Critical and Rhetorical Litera…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  9. Andrus (2010)
    A Legal Discourse of Transparency: Discursive Agency and Domestic Violence in t…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  10. Williams (2010)
    Interpretive Discourse and other Models from Communication Studies: Expanding t…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  11. Ford et al. (2009)
    The Two-Semester Thesis Model: Emphasizing Research in Undergraduate Technical …
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  12. Lutz et al. (2007)
    Exploring Authority: A Case Study of a Composition and a Professional Writing C…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  13. Lutz et al. (2007)
    Exploring Authority: A Case Study of a Composition and a Professional Writing C…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  14. Scott (2006)
    Writing work, technology, and pedagogy in the era of late capitalism
    Computers and Composition
  15. Jablonski (2005)
    Seeing Technical Communication from a Career Perspective
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  16. Salvo (2004)
    Rhetorical Action in Professional Space
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  17. Latterell (2003)
    Technical and Professional Communication Programs and the Small College Setting…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

Cites in this index (6)

  1. Cooper (1996)
    The Postmodern Space of Operator's Manuals
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Johnson-Eilola (1996)
    Relocating the Value of Work: Technical Communication in a Post-Industrial Age
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  3. Dombrowski (1995)
    Post‐modernism as the resurgence of humanism in technical communication studies
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. Thralls et al. (1993)
    The social perspective and pedagogy in technical communication
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  5. DOHENY-FARINA (1986)
    Writing in an Emerging Organization
    Written Communication
Show all 6 →
  1. Connors (1982)
    The Rise of Technical Writing Instruction in America
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Also cites 1 work outside this index ↓
  1. 10.2307/377272
     ↗
CrossRef global citation count: 31 View in citation network →

Related Articles

  1. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2026
    Developing Intercultural Socioemotional Communication Skills: A Hybrid Student Exchange Project Between Kenya, Ireland, and Germany ↗
    Belinda Oechsler; Yvonne Cleary; Sissi Closs
    multimodality technical communication
  2. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2026
    What Video Games Can Tell Us About Interactive Technical Communication ↗
    Emily Kuzneski Johnson
    multimodality technical communication multilingual writers
  3. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2026
    “Is This Ethical?” New Data on the Ethical Principles and Practices of Document Design ↗
    Leslie Seawright; Amy Hodges; Timothy Ponce
    multimodality technical communication disability studies multilingual writers
  4. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Mar 2026
    “It's Hard to Show ROI When You’re Preventing Things from Happening”: How Impact Storytelling Frames Community Health Initiatives for Executive Audiences ↗
    Margaret Hsiao
    qualitative research multimodality technical communication professional writing multilingual writers
  5. Computers and Composition Mar 2026
    From vision to insight: Enhancing students’ user-centered design skills with eye-tracking technology and usability tests ↗
    Meng Yu
    multimodality technical communication