Organizational Rhetoric

Due by 4:00 p.m. on September 12th

*All students should complete all blog post assignments. Brittany and John will present their responses to this particular post for class discussion on the 19th.

Before completing this posting, make sure you have read Chapter 3 in our textbook.

In order to systematically describe the rhetorical situation of your selected artifacts, please answer the following questions based on information that you already know or have gathered through research about your selected organization–and the particular rhetorical artifacts (or a particular promotional campaign) that you have identified in order to analyze your selected organization’s rhetoric.

Please enumerate your responses as in the following.

1. Exigencies: What elements in the rhetorical situation appear to be challenges or opportunities for the organization? Is there an imperfection or an opportunity? Was it anticipated or unanticipated? Is it marked by urgency? What are some options for how organizational rhetors might frame the elements?
2. Audiences: What types of audiences seem to be the most appropriate target in the situation –  enabling, functional, normative, or diffused? What are the characteristics of or interest of members of these audiences?
3. Constraints and Assets: What things might make it more difficult or easier for the organization to answer the exigencies? Are there pre-existing beliefs, attitudes or values, or past rhetoric or experiences that will affect how the message is interpreted by audiences?
4. Rhetorical Situations: Is the rhetorical situation similar to any of the types of situations that occur with regularity in organizations (identity, issues, risk, crisis, or internal)? Select which one seems to be more prominent in your selected organization. This will eventually determine the focus of your discussion of this organization’s rhetoric.