ERIC Number: EJ953595
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Jan
Pages: 26
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0741-0883
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Socialization and the Acquisition of Professional Discourse: A Case Study in the PR Industry
Bremner, Stephen
Written Communication, v29 n1 p7-32 Jan 2012
This article tracks the socialization of a Chinese intern into a Hong Kong PR company and considers the factors that enabled her to move toward acquiring the discourse of the profession. Taking a case study approach, the research is based on a detailed daily journal written by the intern during her internship, and two interviews. Over the 3-month period of the internship, her written discourse changed considerably, revealing the extent of her socialization into the organization. Specifically, the intern's writing changed from detailed general descriptions of her activity to discourse resembling that of PR practitioners. The study demonstrates the power of the workplace as a context for learning, yet data show that the academy, by providing tools for understanding and reflecting on organizational culture, also has a role to play in socialization processes. (Contains 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Internship Programs, Socialization, Organizational Culture, Workplace Learning, Case Studies, Discourse Communities, Professional Occupations, Student Journals, Interviews, Context Effect
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: China; Hong Kong
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A