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Article
Interpersonal Stories Told by a Catholic Parish Staff
American Communication Journal (1998)
  • Stephanie J. Coopman, San Jose State University
  • Katherine Burnett Meidlinger, San Jose State University
Abstract

Organizations are sites of interpersonal communication, although there is disagreement as to the extent such communication occurs and its utility in the workplace. In our study, we were interested in the exchange of interpersonal stories told by the members of a Roman Catholic parish staff in their everyday interactions. We collected stories during the staff's weekday lunchtime gatherings through participant-observation and categorized them according to story type. Of the 88 stories identified, 37 (42%) were collegial, 33 (37%) were personal, 14 (16%) were corporate, and 4 (5%) did not fit any of the categories. We discuss the implications of these results.

Publication Date
1998
Citation Information
Stephanie J. Coopman and Katherine Burnett Meidlinger. "Interpersonal Stories Told by a Catholic Parish Staff" American Communication Journal Vol. 1 Iss. 3 (1998)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/stephanie_coopman/8/