OXFORD, Miss. – A business administration professor at the
University of Mississippi has been recognized at an
international convention for her research article
“Communication in the Transition to Self-directed Work
Teams,” which was published in the Journal of Business
Communication.
Jeanette Martin was awarded Best Article of 2006 at the
Association for Business Communication’s International
Convention, held earlier this month in Washington D.C.
Martin, professor of business communication, was on hand to
accept the award.
“The article was a longitudinal study of a company that
moved from a hierarchy to a team-base style of management,”
Martin said. “This part of the study was dealing with the
changes in communication that went on during the
transition.”
Along with Martin, who has been teaching at Ole Miss for
more than 17 years, the research team included two other
members, both with Ole Miss ties: Roberta Kraples, who
retired from the business faculty in 2006, and Ceasar
Douglas, associate professor at Florida State University,
who completed his Ph.D. at Ole Miss.
The 18-month research process consisted of a series of
three interview sessions with employees and three
questionnaires, which were spread in intervals throughout
the transition.
“It is always nice as a researcher to have your peers
recognize the work that you are doing,” Martin said. “It
comes out in your teaching, because you can much better
teach what you have researched and experienced firsthand.”
Del Hawley, associate dean of the business school, said,
“Research helps to keep professors at the cutting edge of
knowledge in their particular disciplines, which ensures
that their students are exposed to the most up-to-date and
relevant knowledge in their courses. Research in the
business disciplines helps to improve the efficiency and
competitiveness of all types of businesses all over the
world, which helps to build strong economies that improve
all peoples’ lives.”
Martin received her undergraduate degree in business
education from University of Michigan, an MBA from the
University of Chicago and master’s in curriculum and
instruction from the University of Memphis.
For more information about the UM business school, visit