Factors affecting written business communication creation and productivity perceptions

In light of today's business communication literature on the large amount of written workplace communication and suspect message quality, this study attempted to gather information regarding the methods business professionals use to create differing types of written business communications and the frequency of use of each method. Additionally, professionals were surveyed on their perceptions regarding message quality, training/preparation factors, and productivity in message creation. Data were gathered through survey administration to a sampling frame of 1994-2004 MBA graduates of three AACSB-accredited programs.; Conclusions state that professionals' perceptions regarding quantity, quality, timeliness, and cost seem to indicate relative solidarity. Professionals use a limited number of methods to compose written communications, are confident in message writing and information quality, timeliness in sending messages, and subsequent cost/opportunity cost implications. Confidence was also expressed in professionals' preparation and training up to the graduate level, but not beyond, to create written business messages. Moreover, professionals expressed great confidence in overall productivity in business writing on the job.; However, statistical analyses revealed differences in the more specific aspects of preparation and productivity in business writing between demographic groupings. Also, statistical tests indicated differences by scope in that external messages are perceived to have a higher quality than internal messages. Moreover, qualitative evidence suggests that businesspersons are cautious of maintaining quality messages.; Recommendations for practice involving written business communication productivity enhancement suggest an earlier adoption in the workplace of written communication technologies. Further, recommendations for training center holistically on a greater availability of total business composition skills development at the graduate level as well as in the workplace and center more specifically on factors regarding e-mail encoding. Suggestions for further research include a more extensive examination of reasons for utilizing certain message creation resources and reasons for utilization frequency of such resources. Additional research conducted on other populations of business writers could further highlight possible demographic differences inherent in written business communication creation in an effort to move toward implications for curricula.