Rethinking Communication Skills Education in Professional Institutions

This book examines the growing importance of communication competence in professional education and the gap between classroom learning and workplace expectations. Moving beyond the conventional view of communication as English proficiency, grammar, or public speaking, it presents communication as an integrated professional capability involving listening, speaking, reading, writing, non-verbal communication, and cross-cultural competence. Drawing on empirical research involving 51 communication educators and 600 final-year MBA/PGDM students at professional institutions in India, the book explores what educators consider important, what students perceive as relevant, and where their expectations converge or diverge. It also addresses professional communication in digital, multicultural, and technology-driven workplaces. The findings offer practical implications for curriculum design, teaching, employability, and professional preparation, making the book valuable to educators, students, curriculum designers, researchers, and institutions.