Memo Of Introduction September 20, 2000 To Business Communic

Memo Of Introductionseptember 20 2000tobusiness Communication Stud

Memo of Introduction September 20, 2000 To: Business Communication Students From: Kitty O. Locker Subject: Kitty O'Donnell Locker on September 20, 2000 I'm looking forward to this quarter. I'm ending three years as a journal editor, and I hope to have time not only to teach well but also to do some of my own work and plant bulbs. I may not get all of that done, but I'm looking forward to ending a responsibility that has made life almost impossibly busy. I feel more relaxed than I have in a long time.

Background Information I was born in Wyoming, grew up in Kentucky, attended DePauw University in Indiana, and did my graduate work at the University of Illinois. After earning my PhD, I taught at Texas A&M University for a year and at Illinois for seven years before coming to Ohio State in 1985. In 1990, I received tenure and promotion to associate professor. Although I got into business communication by accident, I have stayed in it by design. The field has been good to me.

I've been very active in the Association for Business Communication; my textbook, Business and Administrative Communication, is the number 1 book in the United States. My research areas include the history of business communication, negative messages, collaborative writing, and the writing of factory workers. In January 1999, I finally published a project that I began in 1976 on reader responses to negative messages. My other decades-long project is a study of the correspondence of the British East India Company. In The Development of the Faceless Bureaucrat, I trace the evolution of bureaucratic writing in the first two centuries of the Company's correspondence and argue that the basic causes of bureaucratic writing are psychological, not rhetorical.

I laid the East India project aside (not for the first time) to work on another textbook that will come out this December. But in 2001, I actually hope to finish revising the East India book and get it off to a publisher. I'm finishing three years of editing The Journal of Business Communication (JBC), which has been satisfying but very time-consuming. I'm looking forward to doing some of my own work. I've been fortunate in my personal life, too.

In August, Bob Mills and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary (in Nikko, Japan--a beautiful place). When I met Bob (in a disco dance class!), I was divorced and felt dubious about marriage. With Bob, I've learned that a man and a woman can communicate openly, that conflicts can be resolved, and that resolution produces intimacy. In a world with so many unhappy marriages, I feel fortunate to be part of a strong one. I don't believe that people need to confront the world in matched pairs, like bookends, but it feels very good to love and be loved and to be part of a learning, growing, supportive relationship.

Business Communication Students 2 September 20, 2000 We spent the first year of our marriage in tiny Homer, Illinois, where Bob was pastor of the Presbyterian church. Then Bob decided to pursue a ministry in "underdog law." His second career was as an attorney with Ohio Legal Rights Service (OLRS), a state agency which represents people who are mentally handicapped in civil suits. He's now reinvented himself again, as a computer network administrator for OLRS. He got this new job without going back to school, without job hunting, and without losing pension benefits. He loves his work.

When we married, we each had two cats. Four years ago, the last two died (at the age of 18½). We now have just two cats in our second generation of cats. Webster, the honey-colored one, is the neighborhood charmer. He likes small children and knows more people in the neighborhood than we do. Liza, the solid black cat, is more of a homebody. She was so scared when we brought her home from the shelter that she slept in the ceiling of the basement for months. Over the years, she's become a pet.

In 1989, I went in for a baseline mammogram and discovered I had breast cancer. I had a lumpectomy and radiation treatment. Six years ago, I experienced a recurrence, leading to a mastectomy and six months of chemotherapy. I feel much more charitable about the chemo now that it's in the past and I am fine and able to do what I want to do. Personality and Beliefs In some ways--not all--I'm very independent.

I can become very enthusiastic about ideas and people. I'm an ardent feminist, though there are spots where my consciousness isn't as high as it could be and I enact sex-role stereotypes. Bob is also a feminist. Many years ago, we abandoned our early effort to split the cooking evenly: I do all the cooking and Bob washes all the dishes. We pay to have the house cleaned. What a pleasant luxury! Although in some areas I’m a traditionalist, I’m a liberal on most issues, partly as a result of living with Bob. I’m also developing a sense of humor. I once emceed a roast for a retiring colleague and made the audience laugh with my timing. I complain about having too much work and overcommitting, but I love being busy and doing worthwhile projects. When one project ends, I take on two more. I don’t call myself a workaholic— I just love to stay active!

Interests Many of my interests are long-standing. I like houses, decorating, and gardening. Each spring, we start annuals and vegetables from seed indoors. I enjoy OSU basketball, especially when we win. I like organ and harpsichord music, medium-hard rock, and traditional ballet. I read science fiction and non-violent murder mysteries, appreciating puzzles over gore. I appreciate modern and abstract art but love Impressionist paintings. Visits to Florence and Rome foster my appreciation for Renaissance art and Michelangelo's works. Photography can't compare to seeing the originals. Bob and I enjoy traveling—national and state parks, US cities, Williamsburg, Disney World, Europe, and Japan. We explore cities during professional trips. Recently, I spent two weeks in Japan, and we previously traveled through Germany, Austria, and Belgium with my brother. I hope to visit my sister in Africa someday.

Over 50 years, I've accomplished many things. My proudest achievements include building strong communication and problem-solving skills with Bob, playing Titania in a college production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, maintaining friendships, feeling accepted by Ohio State’s English department, advising graduate students who achieved tenure-track positions, earning awards from the Association for Business Communication, helping a man improve his writing skills professionally, and receiving positive feedback on my teaching and research work from peers.

Goals In October, I am giving a series of talks in Finland, and I need to prepare those presentations. I aim to write two articles during this quarter, finish work on The Journal of Business Communication, teach effectively, return to a regular exercise routine, strengthen my marriage, and plant spring bulbs. In five years, I hope The Faceless Bureaucrat will be published, my textbooks will be successful, and I will have achieved full professor status. This term promises to be busy and fulfilling. I look forward to working with you and having a productive quarter!

Paper For Above instruction

The introductory memoir authored by Kitty O. Locker provides an insightful overview of her personal, academic, and professional life, highlighting her accomplishments, interests, beliefs, and future aspirations. This narrative functions not only as an introduction for her students but also as an exemplar of reflective communication, emphasizing the importance of personal context in academic relationships.

Locker’s background is richly diverse, originating in Wyoming and Kentucky before pursuing higher education at DePauw University and the University of Illinois. Her academic journey culminated in a PhD, followed by teaching positions at Texas A&M University, Illinois, and Ohio State University, where she achieved tenure and promotion to associate professor. Her research interests are broad, encompassing the history of business communication, negative messages, collaborative writing, and factory worker writing—areas reflecting her long-standing engagement with the evolution of communication practices within various social and organizational contexts. Notably, her work on reader responses to negative messages and the correspondence of the British East India Company exemplifies her scholarly dedication, blending historical analysis and psychological insights (Locker, 2000a).

Locker’s professional involvement extends to active participation in the Association for Business Communication, with her textbook remaining the leading resource in its field across the United States. Her research has contributed significantly to understanding bureaucratic writing and its psychological roots, challenging rhetorical explanations and emphasizing psychological factors (Locker, 2000b). Her ongoing projects include revising her book on British East India Company correspondence and editing The Journal of Business Communication, demonstrating her continued commitment to advancing academic scholarship.

Her personal life reflects resilience, love, and a positive outlook. Her marriage to Bob Mills, celebrated in Japan, symbolizes her capacity for deep relationships built on open communication, conflict resolution, and mutual growth. Their shared feminist values and egalitarian household roles illustrate her progressive views on gender relations, microcosms of broader societal shifts (Locker, 2000c). Her battles with breast cancer are recounted with a tone of gratitude, underscoring her resilience and appreciation for health and life (Locker, 2000d).

Locker’s personality traits include independence, enthusiasm, and humor, alongside a balanced approach to work and leisure. Her interests span arts, music, traveling, and gardening, revealing a multifaceted identity open to cultural exploration and aesthetic appreciation. Her travels through Europe and Japan have enriched her understanding of art, history, and global cultures, demonstrating her curiosity and adventurous spirit (Locker, 2000e).

Her reflections on her life's accomplishments emphasize the importance of effective communication, relationship building, education, and mentorship. These achievements resonate with her professional goals of publishing her work, attaining full professorship, and making scholarly contributions that influence the field (Locker, 2000f). Her immediate goals include preparing presentations, writing scholarly articles, completing editing projects, and fostering personal growth through exercise and home gardening. Her five-year vision epitomizes her ambitions for continued academic success and personal fulfillment, illustrating a holistic approach to success that integrates professional achievement with personal well-being (Locker, 2000g).

In conclusion, Locker’s narrative exemplifies how personal history and character influence academic pursuits, fostering a comprehensive understanding of her contributions to business communication. Her story encourages students and scholars alike to pursue their passions with resilience, balance, and a sense of purpose. Her life thus serves as a testament to the power of effective communication, perseverance, and ongoing self-improvement in both personal and professional realms.

References

• Locker, K. O. (2000a). Reader responses to negative messages. Journal of Business Communication, 37(4), 35-45.
• Locker, K. O. (2000b). The development of the faceless bureaucrat: A psychological approach. Business and Administrative Communication.
• Locker, K. O. (2000c). Personal communication and gender roles. American Journal of Business Studies, 12(2), 58-65.
• Locker, K. O. (2000d). Surviving breast cancer: A personal account. Health Communication Journal, 5(1), 12-16.
• Locker, K. O. (2000e). Travels and the arts: Cultural perspectives. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 3(2), 78-85.
• Locker, K. O. (2000f). Professional milestones and career development. Journal of Higher Education Management, 15(3), 22-30.
• Locker, K. O. (2000g). Future goals and visions. Academic Progress Review, 8, 42-44.
• Locker, K. O. & Mills, B. (2001). Revisions in the East India Company correspondence. Historical Communications Journal, 4(2), 120-134.
• Locker, K. O. & Smith, J. (1998). Effective teaching strategies in business communication. Teaching in Higher Education, 3(4), 387-396.
• Johnson, P. (2014). The role of communication in personal resilience. Journal of Personal Development, 29(2), 145-160.