ABSTRACT
Productive relationships with colleagues, clients, and other organizations depend on the effective management of interpersonal rapport. The breadth and diversity of these relationships places wide ranging demands on our communicative competencies. Spencer-Oatey’s Rapport Management framework identifies three key factors that influence interpersonal rapport: face sensitivities; sociality rights and obligations; and interactional goals. Whilst it is widely acknowledged that these factors are managed differently by different ethnic cultures, what often goes unrecognized is that differences in the management of these factors are also present in the cultures of the various communities (departments and professions) that comprise organizations.
