ABSTRACT
Organisational writing is specialised. To be an effective writer in the business environment, the readers need to have excellent general writing skills and to understand the complex communication choices involved. Knowing how writing is structured in an organisation and what is acceptable helps them to shape their writing so that it communicates successfully. Effective business writers solve many of these potential problems and produce successful documents by satisficing. Efficient organisational writers are adept ‘satisficers’ who can create an effective document for particular readers in the time given. They can do so because they understand the organisation's culture and the effect of this culture on communication. Communication etiquette is partly determined by the hierarchical structure of an organisation. Communication flows through the hierarchy in different directions: upwards, downwards, and across. Each direction presents potential problems for organisational writers.
