New Voices in the Workplace: Research Directions in Multicultural Communication

Abstract

Although the U.S. workforce is becoming increasingly multicultural, research and theory in business communication continues to be based on the assumption of cultural similarity. This paper develops a framework for understanding multicultural com munication in organizations that is based on the assumption of cultural difference. The framework comprises two steps, resistance to privileged discourse followed by the creation of harmonic discourse. The author suggests four directions for future research in multicultural communication in organizations: (a) documentation of different or ganizational discourses, (b) documentation and analysis of privileged organizational discourse, (c) documentation and analysis of organizational discourse in which privilege is resisted, and (d) documentation and analysis of multicultural organization al discourse.