Superior – subordinate request email in workplace communication of a Malaysian organisation
Email is key in workplace communication. This study examines structure of request emails and display of politeness by Malaysian superiors when writing to subordinates. Authoritative and solidarity-oriented structures with corresponding linguistic strategies were found to reflect different leadership...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Routledge
2018
|
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/35533/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/35533/1/Superior%20%E2%80%93%20subordinate%20request%20email%20in%20workplace%20communication%20of%20a%20Malaysian%20organisation.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848848081556078592 |
|---|---|
| author | Paramasivam, Shamala Subramaniam, Shabina Kumari |
| author_facet | Paramasivam, Shamala Subramaniam, Shabina Kumari |
| author_sort | Paramasivam, Shamala |
| building | UPM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Email is key in workplace communication. This study examines structure of request emails and display of politeness by Malaysian superiors when writing to subordinates. Authoritative and solidarity-oriented structures with corresponding linguistic strategies were found to reflect different leadership styles, autocratic and democratic. Language and communicative style were influenced by situational context of a request. When face threat and imposition were low, superiors were authoritative and when face threat and imposition were high, they were egalitarian. Email functioned as an equalising medium that enabled superiors to be democratic as well as a channel for power enactment that reinforced hierarchical structures. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T09:28:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | upm-35533 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T09:28:50Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publisher | Routledge |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | upm-355332018-08-13T01:52:56Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/35533/ Superior – subordinate request email in workplace communication of a Malaysian organisation Paramasivam, Shamala Subramaniam, Shabina Kumari Email is key in workplace communication. This study examines structure of request emails and display of politeness by Malaysian superiors when writing to subordinates. Authoritative and solidarity-oriented structures with corresponding linguistic strategies were found to reflect different leadership styles, autocratic and democratic. Language and communicative style were influenced by situational context of a request. When face threat and imposition were low, superiors were authoritative and when face threat and imposition were high, they were egalitarian. Email functioned as an equalising medium that enabled superiors to be democratic as well as a channel for power enactment that reinforced hierarchical structures. Routledge 2018 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/35533/1/Superior%20%E2%80%93%20subordinate%20request%20email%20in%20workplace%20communication%20of%20a%20Malaysian%20organisation.pdf Paramasivam, Shamala and Subramaniam, Shabina Kumari (2018) Superior – subordinate request email in workplace communication of a Malaysian organisation. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 47 (3). pp. 161-187. ISSN 1747-5759; ESSN: 1747-5767 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17475759.2018.1443969?journalCode=rjic20 10.1080/17475759.2018.1443969 |
| spellingShingle | Paramasivam, Shamala Subramaniam, Shabina Kumari Superior – subordinate request email in workplace communication of a Malaysian organisation |
| title | Superior – subordinate request email in workplace communication of a Malaysian organisation |
| title_full | Superior – subordinate request email in workplace communication of a Malaysian organisation |
| title_fullStr | Superior – subordinate request email in workplace communication of a Malaysian organisation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Superior – subordinate request email in workplace communication of a Malaysian organisation |
| title_short | Superior – subordinate request email in workplace communication of a Malaysian organisation |
| title_sort | superior – subordinate request email in workplace communication of a malaysian organisation |
| url | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/35533/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/35533/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/35533/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/35533/1/Superior%20%E2%80%93%20subordinate%20request%20email%20in%20workplace%20communication%20of%20a%20Malaysian%20organisation.pdf |