Journal of Business and Technical Communication Jan 2000

Russian Teaching Contracts: An Examination of Cultural Influence and Genre

Betsy Stevens Cornell University

Abstract

Teaching business communication in Russia involves operating in a high-context, oral culture where few documents are created. However, this article analyzes two Russian teaching contracts, rhetorically comparing purpose and audience, culture, gender, and the role of the individual versus the state. For historical, political, and economic reasons, less documentation is used in business transactions in Russia than is used in the United States. Subsequently, communication scholars have been afforded little opportunity to analyze Russian business documents. This study uses anecdotal episodes as a framework for examining Russian culture and analyzing university teaching contracts, concluding that the contracts are not only brief and factual but also reflect a more oral, less litigious environment than Western countries like the United States.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
2000-01-01
DOI
10.1177/105065190001400102
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
Closed
Topics
teacher development professional writing gender and writing
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (6)

  1. Ding (2018)
    What Do We Learn About Technical Communication in Hungary Through My Students a…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Zemliansky et al. (2013)
    The State of Technical Communication in the Former Ussr: A Review of Literature
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Cardon (2008)
    A Critique of Hall's Contexting Model: A Meta-Analysis of Literature on Intercu…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  4. Matveeva (2008)
    Teaching Intercultural Communication in a Basic Technical Writing Course: A Sur…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Matveeva (2007)
    The Intercultural Component in Textbooks for Teaching a Service Technical Writi…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Show all 6 →
  1. Harootunian (2007)
    Commentary: Dancing the Kochari : Challenging the U.S. Perspective on Communica…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication

References (33)

  1. Alred, Gerald J. (1997)
    JBTC
  2. Bazerman, Charles (1994)
    Constructing Experience
  3. Berkenkotter, Carol (1995)
    Genre Knowledge in Disciplinary Communication: Cognition/Culture/Power
  4. Caryl, Christian (1997)
    US News and World Report
  5. Chinyaeva, Elena (1996)
    Transition
Show all 33 →
  1. Coleman, Fred (1997)
    US News and World Report
  2. 10.1177/002194369703400304
     ↗
  3. Frederick, Howard H. (1993)
    Global Communication and International Relations
  4. 10.1111/j.1460-2466.1961.tb00344.x
     ↗
  5. 10.1177/002194369703400302
     ↗
  6. Greene, Stephen (1997)
    The Chronicle of Philanthropy
  7. Hagen, Patricia (1998)
    JBTC
  8. Hall, Edward (1983)
    The Dance of Life: The Other Dimensions of Time
  9. Hofstede, Geert (1984)
    Culture's Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values
  10. Howard, Lucy (1998)
    Newsweek
  11. 10.1177/002194369603300207
     ↗
  12. 10.1177/002194369703400305
     ↗
  13. Locker, Kitty (1992)
    Business and Administrative Communication
  14. 10.1177/002194369703400306
     ↗
  15. 10.1177/002194369703400303
     ↗
  16. Morvant, Penny (1997)
    Transition
  17. 10.2307/41165787
     ↗
  18. Rosch, Martin (1987)
    Management International Review
  19. Savicheva, Gregor (1994)
    Examples of Private Law Documents
  20. Swales, John (1990)
    Genre Analysis
  21. Tannen, Deborah (1995)
    Harvard Business Review
  22. Toulmin, Stephen (1958)
    The Uses of Argument
  23. 10.1177/002194369603300203
     ↗
  24. Victor, David (1992)
    International Business Communication
  25. Vroli, John D. (1996)
    Transition
  26. Weber, Max (1983)
    Max Weber of Capitalism, Bureaucracy, and Religion: A Selection of Texts
  27. Weiss, Edmond H. (1998)
    JBTC
  28. 10.5465/amr.1992.4279545
     ↗
CrossRef global citation count: 11 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly Mar 2026
    Teaching Radical Love: Implementing Critical Positive Communication Pedagogy in the Classroom ↗
    Vincent Russell; Grace Cheshire; Gabriel Wisnewski-Parks
    writing pedagogy teacher development professional writing race and writing gender and writing disability studies
  2. Pedagogy Oct 2025
    Contributors ↗
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism genre theory cultural rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy advanced composition creative writing writing across the curriculum graduate education two-year college service learning teacher development technical communication professional writing labor and working conditions archival research multimodality artificial intelligence literacy studies race and writing gender and writing disability studies literary studies editorial matter
  3. Pedagogy Apr 2025
    Contributors ↗
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism african american rhetorics cultural rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy basic writing graduate education two-year college teacher development writing centers technical communication professional writing labor and working conditions digital rhetoric multimodality social media literacy studies race and writing gender and writing community literacy literary studies editorial matter
  4. Pedagogy Jan 2025
    Contributors ↗
    rhetorical criticism graduate education teacher development professional writing archival research race and writing gender and writing disability studies literary studies editorial matter
  5. Pedagogy Apr 2024
    Contributors ↗
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism feminist rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy creative writing teacher development collaborative writing assessment technical communication professional writing grammar and mechanics literacy studies gender and writing literary studies book reviews editorial matter