Business Communication: Polishing Your Professional Presence, 5th edition

Published by Pearson (11 December 2024) © 2025

  • Barbara Shwom Northwestern University
  • Lisa Gueldenzoph Snyder North Carolina A&T State University

Business Communication: Polishing Your Professional Presence

Purchasing Instructions

This form contains two groups of radio buttons, one for Exam Pack purchasing options, and one for standard purchasing options. Only one option can be chosen for purchase. Any option that is selected will deselect any previously selected purchase option.

Business Communication: Polishing Your Professional Presence+ subscription to Study & Exam Prep

In this eTextbook — More ways to learn

  • More support. Get AI help with personalized summaries, instant explanations, and quick translations.
  • More flexible. Start learning right away, on any device.
  • More interactive. Learn through audio, video, and practice.
  • More memorable. Study better with notes, highlights, and flashcards.
Requires a Course ID, a link from your instructor or an LMS link (Blackboard™, Canvas™, Moodle or D2L®)
Products list

In this eTextbook — More ways to learn

  • More support. Get AI help with personalized summaries, instant explanations, and quick translations.
  • More flexible. Start learning right away, on any device.
  • More interactive. Learn through audio, video, and practice.
  • More memorable. Study better with notes, highlights, and flashcards.

Title overview

Business Communication helps you achieve the highest level of professionalism when conducting business. The text uses a powerful communication model to assist you in analyzing, composing and evaluating business communication. It also stresses the importance of clarity, critical thinking, persuasion, goodwill, empathy and inclusiveness in both written and spoken messages.

A heavily revised 5th Edition reflects many changes in the field. Examples and discussion relate business communication to modern technologies, including generative AI, as well as important developments in diversity, equity and inclusion.

Table of contents

Visual Walk-Through

PART 1: UNDERSTANDING THE FOUNDATIONS OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

  1. Developing Your Professional Presence
  2. Working with Others: Interpersonal, Intercultural, and Team Communication
  3. Managing the Communication Process: Analyzing, Composing, Evaluating

PART 2: DELIVERING EFFECTIVE MESSAGES

  1. Communicating Routine Messages and Building Goodwill
  2. Communicating Persuasively
  3. Communicating Bad News
  4. Using Social Media in Business

PART 3: RESEARCHING, PROPOSING, REPORTING, AND PRESENTING

  1. Finding and Evaluating Business Information
  2. Preparing Persuasive Business Proposals
  3. Preparing Business Reports
  4. Preparing and Delivering Business Presentations

PART 4: PERSUADING AN EMPLOYER TO HIRE YOU

  1. Communicating Your Professional Brand: Social Media, Websites, Résumés, Cover Letters, and Interviews

APPENDICES

  1. Formats for Business Documents
  2. Documentation and Reference Styles
  3. Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics, and Conventions

Need help?Get in touch