Writing Entrepreneurs: A Survey of Attitudes, Habits, Skills, and Genres

John M. Spartz University of Wisconsin–Stout ; Ryan P. Weber

Abstract

This article presents data from an electronic survey asking 101 entrepreneurs in Wisconsin and North Alabama about the documents they write before opening and while operating their businesses, the writing skills they value, and the audiences they consider when writing. The results demonstrate that entrepreneurs highly value writing and rhetorical skills, produce a huge range of documents, and require distinctive genres at different stages of their ventures. The results can help professional communication instructors, entrepreneurship and small-business consultants, and aspiring entrepreneurs to more effectively anticipate and meet the rhetorical challenges of opening and operating a business.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
2015-10-01
DOI
10.1177/1050651915588145
CompPile
Open Access
Closed
Topics
Export

Citation context

Cited by in this index (18)

  1. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Technical Communication Quarterly
  3. Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  5. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
Show all 18 →
  1. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  2. Technical Communication Quarterly
  3. Reflections: A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric
  4. Communication Design Quarterly
  5. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  6. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  7. Technical Communication Quarterly
  8. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  9. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  10. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  11. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  12. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  13. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

References (68) · 7 in this index

  1. Writing in nonacademic settings
  2. 10.1016/B978-0-08-022055-0.50007-5
     ↗
  3. 10.1037/0021-9010.89.4.587
     ↗
  4. 10.1037/0021-9010.83.1.43
     ↗
  5. 10.1177/0021943611414541
     ↗
Show all 68 →
  1. 10.1177/108056990506800307
     ↗
  2. 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2008.10.007
     ↗
  3. Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2009.00857.x
     ↗
  5. 10.5465/amr.1984.4277721
     ↗
  6. 10.5465/amj.2009.36462018
     ↗
  7. 10.1080/13691060802151945
     ↗
  8. 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2010.01002.x
     ↗
  9. Writing in the workplace: New research perspectives
  10. 10.1177/0266242609334971
     ↗
  11. 10.1002/smj.349
     ↗
  12. 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2004.04.001
     ↗
  13. Written Communication
  14. Rhetoric, innovation, technology: Case studies of technical communication in technology t…
  15. Singular texts/plural authors: Perspectives on collaborative writing
  16. 10.1108/13552550710751049
     ↗
  17. 10.1016/0148-2963(95)00164-6
     ↗
  18. 10.1007/s11187-003-6458-4
     ↗
  19. Berkeley Technology Law Journal
  20. 10.1177/105065198800200202
     ↗
  21. 10.1177/0266242609350822
     ↗
  22. 10.1016/j.jm.2002.11.002
     ↗
  23. 10.1362/0267257053166857
     ↗
  24. Intuit future of small business report. (2007). Intuit. Retrieved October 15, 2012, from http://www.intuit.com/
  25. 10.1108/S0277-2833(2010)0000021011
     ↗
  26. 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2007.10.003
     ↗
  27. 10.1504/IJMED.2007.011452
     ↗
  28. InterViews: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing
  29. 10.1016/0048-7333(84)90009-X
     ↗
  30. 10.1007/s11187-006-0020-0
     ↗
  31. 10.1177/108056999706000305
     ↗
  32. 10.1016/0883-9026(85)90011-4
     ↗
  33. 10.3905/jpe.2007.699057
     ↗
  34. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  35. 10.5465/amj.2007.27169488
     ↗
  36. 10.1177/0266242604042377
     ↗
  37. 10.1007/BF00881330
     ↗
  38. 10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.11.282
     ↗
  39. 10.1109/IPCC.1993.593877
     ↗
  40. 10.1177/002194360203900103
     ↗
  41. 10.4337/9781845421472.00011
     ↗
  42. 10.1111/1540-627X.00019
     ↗
  43. 10.1111/j.1540-6520.2012.00531.x
     ↗
  44. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  45. Power and legitimacy in technical communication: Vol. 2. Strategies for professional status
  46. Technical Communication
  47. 10.1007/BF01108398
     ↗
  48. 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2010.09.002
    Journal of Business Venturing  ↗
  49. 10.1002/j.2168-9830.2001.tb00660.x
     ↗
  50. The theory of economic development
  51. 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2003.11.001
     ↗
  52. Pedagogy
  53. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  54. 10.1504/WREMSD.2011.040808
     ↗
  55. Academy–industry relationships and partnerships: Perspectives for technical communicators
  56. 10.1177/108056999605900105
     ↗
  57. 10.1177/108056999906200204
     ↗
  58. 10.1111/j.0955-6419.2004.00326.x
     ↗
  59. Technology management in the energy smart world (PICMET), 2011 proceedings of PICMET ‘11
  60. U.S. Small Business Administration. (2001). Quarterly indicators: The economy and small business. Retrieved A…
  61. New venture strategies
  62. 10.1177/0266242609102274
     ↗
  63. Technical Communication Quarterly