title: The impact of perceptions of journal quality on business and management communication academics

authors: Rogers, Priscilla

subjects: business and management communication journal rankings

abstract: This commentary describes and critiques criteria that, according to results from an Association for Business Communication (ABC) member survey, are having an impact on quality judgments about our journals. ABC members rank the Journal of Business Communication and Business Communication Quarterly as top research and pedagogical journals in business/management communication, a finding corroborated by a larger study of academics in business and technical communication. However, the growing importance of citation counts and journal rankings currently disadvantages our journals, presenting us with professional obligations and personal dilemmas in relation to them. The authors' purpose is to raise awareness of the various determinants of perceptions of journal quality, to explore the communal views of ABC members on this issue, and to seek ways of enhancing the value of business/management communication research in the academic marketplace.

text: The impact of perceptions of journal quality on business and management communication academics This commentary describes and critiques criteria that, according to results from an Association for Business Communication (ABC) member survey, are having an impact on quality judgments about our journals. ABC members rank the Journal of Business Communication and Business Communication Quarterly as top research and pedagogical journals in business/management communication, a finding corroborated by a larger study of academics in business and technical communication. However, the growing importance of citation counts and journal rankings currently disadvantages our journals, presenting us with professional obligations and personal dilemmas in relation to them. The authors' purpose is to raise awareness of the various determinants of perceptions of journal quality, to explore the communal views of ABC members on this issue, and to seek ways of enhancing the value of business/management communication research in the academic marketplace.

year: 2007

title: The Educational Practice of Ethical Leaders: A Case Study of Chilean School Leaders

authors: Cuellar, Carolina

subjects: Ethical leadership

abstract: It is widely acknowledged that ethical leadership is of great importance to schools. Behaving ethically is indeed an imperative for school leaders. Being an ethical educational leader is something different. It is not only about behaving according to standards but rather involves an ethical way of being that engages the leader holistically in their attempt to do the right thing for students. The purpose of this constructivist study was to explore the educational praxis of ethical school leaders in Chile. A multiple case study design was employed to gain insight into the feelings, beliefs and thoughts of ethical school leaders regarding their educational experiences. To this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight identified ethical school leaders. The data focused on the commonalities and uniqueness within and across participants. Six main themes about the nature of ethical leadership were identified. They included: holding personal and professional ethics as inseparable, ‘consistently’ inspiring practice, valuing others, sustaining a humane view of education, being sensitive to the complex local context, and leading as serving. These themes reflect the experience of being ethical as a school leader in Chile. It has been found that ethical leadership influences the relational context of leaders’ practice. Ethical leaders in education have been shown to influence educational contexts from a moral imperative that is grounded in a critical and humanistic concern that deeply affirms ‘others’ as a common good, rather than through any instrumental or technical change that they may initiate. The findings provide key elements of ethical leadership within the Chilean school context that can influence current and future school leaders’ practices and professional development. Moreover, becoming and being an ethical leader is indeed an experiential journey that integrates the leader’s personal and professional way of being. This research calls for priority to be given to the encouragement and development of ethical leadership.

text: The Educational Practice of Ethical Leaders: A Case Study of Chilean School Leaders It is widely acknowledged that ethical leadership is of great importance to schools. Behaving ethically is indeed an imperative for school leaders. Being an ethical educational leader is something different. It is not only about behaving according to standards but rather involves an ethical way of being that engages the leader holistically in their attempt to do the right thing for students. The purpose of this constructivist study was to explore the educational praxis of ethical school leaders in Chile. A multiple case study design was employed to gain insight into the feelings, beliefs and thoughts of ethical school leaders regarding their educational experiences. To this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight identified ethical school leaders. The data focused on the commonalities and uniqueness within and across participants. Six main themes about the nature of ethical leadership were identified. They included: holding personal and professional ethics as inseparable, ‘consistently’ inspiring practice, valuing others, sustaining a humane view of education, being sensitive to the complex local context, and leading as serving. These themes reflect the experience of being ethical as a school leader in Chile. It has been found that ethical leadership influences the relational context of leaders’ practice. Ethical leaders in education have been shown to influence educational contexts from a moral imperative that is grounded in a critical and humanistic concern that deeply affirms ‘others’ as a common good, rather than through any instrumental or technical change that they may initiate. The findings provide key elements of ethical leadership within the Chilean school context that can influence current and future school leaders’ practices and professional development. Moreover, becoming and being an ethical leader is indeed an experiential journey that integrates the leader’s personal and professional way of being. This research calls for priority to be given to the encouragement and development of ethical leadership.

year: 2010

title: The Google Translator Toolkit and minority languages case study: Translating Moodle 2.0 into te reo Māori

authors: Manuirirangi, Hōri

abstract: This paper describes a case study where the Google Translator Toolkit (GTT) was used to undertake a large translation task involving a minority language. The task involved the translation of 50,000 interface terms of the Moodle learning management system into te reo Māori (the Māori language).  

The paper begins by describing how some minority languages are not in an environment where technology can be easily used for translations. It then suggests that te reo Māori however, is in a position to use technology and suggests some technologies that are suitable. The paper then briefly describes the GTT and the translation task that this tool was used for. The translators' feedback on the use of this technology in this environment is summarised and it appears that the GTT is suitable to be used by minority language translators.

text: The Google Translator Toolkit and minority languages case study: Translating Moodle 2.0 into te reo Māori This paper describes a case study where the Google Translator Toolkit (GTT) was used to undertake a large translation task involving a minority language. The task involved the translation of 50,000 interface terms of the Moodle learning management system into te reo Māori (the Māori language).  

The paper begins by describing how some minority languages are not in an environment where technology can be easily used for translations. It then suggests that te reo Māori however, is in a position to use technology and suggests some technologies that are suitable. The paper then briefly describes the GTT and the translation task that this tool was used for. The translators' feedback on the use of this technology in this environment is summarised and it appears that the GTT is suitable to be used by minority language translators.

year: 2011