In this chapter, we examine how and with what consequences the discursive

expectations of a particular genre shape the ongoing work of organizational

actors. The genre we focus on has recently become pervasive in multiple spheres

of communicative activity (business, education, government, etc.) and is popu-

larly referred to as “the PowerPoint presentation.” Virtually everyone who works

in an organization today is familiar with the bullets, formats, templates, and

clip art that compose the visual representations associated with this genre. This

chapter explores how the use of this genre influences the communicative practices

of organizational members, and, in particular, how it enables and constrains their

discursive choices and actions.