Description
Book SynopsisThis is the first book-length study of the linguistics of organizational styling, looking at the language and semiotic resources used by holiday resorts, pharmaceutical companies, restaurants and insurance companies in order to project their identities, and style themselves.
Trade Review'By juxtaposing the styling of persons and organizations, this important book elegantly demonstrates how we are shaped by corporate actors as they shape themselves and organizational others through their discursive force. It will be an invaluable resource for scholars in sociolinguistics, management and organization studies, and the field of communication.' Boris H. J. M. Brummans, Université de Montréal
'Full of fascinating case studies and new theoretical insights, and brilliantly written, Lionel Wee's book explains how organisations large and small build and exploit corporate images and engage in style wars. The Language of Organizational Styling breaks important new ground for sociolinguistics.' Nikolas Coupland, University of Copenhagen and University of Technology Sydney
'… a fascinating read for anyone interested in the process of how businesses promote themselves through specific language choices. Language has power, and this book explores the power behind linguistic choices.' S. E. Vie, Choice
'In sociolinguistics, and more particularly in social semiotics, Lionel Wee has attempted to break new ground … Wee's perspective that the styling of organizations is fundamentally different from (yet related to) that of individuals emerges as a particularly salient theme.' Sebastian Muth, Journal of Sociolinguistics
Table of Contents1. Introduction: the organization as a corporate actor; 2. Styling: from persons to organizations; 3. Enterprise culture as a master ethical regime; 4. Size matters: the semiotics of big versus small businesses; 5. When Peter meets Harry: the emotional labor of organizations; 6. Organizational restyling; 7. Styling the organizational other; 8. Organizations and speakers: structure and agency in language.
