MBA Students’ Workplace Writing: Implications for Business Writing Pedagogy and Workplace Practice

Employers frequently complain about the state of their employees’ writing skills. Much of the current research on this subject explores workplace writing skills from the employer’s perspective. However, this article examines workplace writing from the employees’ perspective. Specifically, it analyzes MBA students’ responses to a course assignment in which they assessed their writing strengths and weaknesses and reflected on opportunities and threats to demonstrating good writing skills in the workplace. Results indicate employers must show that they value good writing and that writing skills must become the employee’s habit. Implications for business communication pedagogy are discussed.