The legitimacy of Business Communication

Establishing the legitimacy of a profession is not a new idea. Many others have attempted to do so within their own field, most notably Kenneth Boulding. As an economist and a philosopher, Boulding published over 400 papers during his career. About 10 of these were concerned with the concept of legitimacy. The authors will use the model developed by Boulding and used by him to establish the legitimacy of economics to advance the legitimacy of the profession of business communication. Examples meeting the criteria identified in the model will be discussed to support this legitimacy. The future of the profession must include an awareness of characteristics that assist in the legitimization of a profession. Internal and external acceptance of professional legitimacy is necessary for continued success.