Dear WCA Conference Participants,

Welcome to the 2007 Conference of the World Communication Association. This conference, our 19^th Biennial conference, promises to be filled with experiences that are enriching academically, culturally, and personally.

As you peruse the conference program, you will find presentations from all of the major areas in communication, ranging from interpersonal, small group, and public speaking to mass media and information communication technology. Many of the presentations also focus on international and intercultural dimensions of communication. The conference theme, Communication in the 21^st Century: Exploring Roots; Expanding Visions, provides ample opportunities to reflect on the past and consider in what ways and to what extent the dimensions of communication in all forms will evolve as the current century progresses. I look forward to hearing more about both ≥roots≤ and ≥visions≤ from the presentations and the discussions that often follow the presentations. No matter what your areas of interest may be in communication, I am confident that you will find programs that will stimulate your teaching and research.

WCA Secretary-General Caroline Hatcher has done an outstanding job in integrating cultural activities into the conference program. From the ≥Bush Tucker≤ Welcome Dinner and Conference Dinner to keynote speakers and the one-day excursion to Currumbin Wildlife Park and Rainbow Bay Surf Lifesaving Club, we will have multiple opportunities to learn more about and to immerse ourselves in the cultures that comprise ≥the land down under.≤ I hope you will find time to stroll in the gardens and the City Business District of Brisbane and explore the beautiful venues on or near the QUT campus in the warm, sunny ≥winter!≤

Finally, donπt forget to take advantage of the coffee breaks, conference meals, travel to and from the conference study tour, and other times during the conference to renew acquaintances with colleagues from past conferences and to meet and welcome colleagues who have joined us for the first time in Brisbane. You will find that WCA members truly reflect an organization that promotes the furthering of peace and understanding between nations and people through face-to-face interactions, as evidenced by the many countries from which participants have come.

Once again, on behalf of WCA, I extend a hearty ≥Welcome≤ to all of the conference participants. I wish you a successful conference, and look forward to your continued participation in furthering WCAπs motto—that of making ≥a world of difference.≤

Sincerely,

Barbara

Barbara S. Monfils

WCA President

Dear WCA Conference Participants,

Bringing the World Communication Association Conference to Brisbane Australia for 2007 has been an exciting opportunity for the Organising Committee. We hope that you enjoy the richness and diversity of the program, the cool weather of sunny winter Brisbane, and the friendliness and stimulation provided by engaging with our wonderful scholars from across the world.

The staging of this conference is the outcome of the work of many people. The combination of leadership provided by Dr Barbara Monfils, President of the World Communication Association, the hard work and support of Patsy McCarthy, Vice President for Australia and New Zealand, and the amazing energy of Professor Park of Korea to bring so many participants from around the world has made hosting the conference a great pleasure. They embody the performance and spirit of high quality intercultural communication competence to which our association aspires.

We have also been fortunate to have the outstanding contribution of webmaster, Leo Chan, and a generous band of paper peer reviewers, including our vice presidents Salleh Hassan, Sung Gyung Kim, Melissa Beall and Patsy McCarthy, at-large member Carolyn Calloway-Thomas, and members, Judith Hoover, Seon-Gi Baek and Carmencita Del Villar.

Our WCA Secretariat Kaye Mills and Melanie Ely have been very helpful as our members are spread around the world and have communicated to us how easy Kaye and her team have made the åat a distanceπ arrangements made at the mercy of email, fax and telephone.

Special thanks to our volunteers who have welcomed our conference participants, guided them through the QUT maze and assisted in the overall smooth operation of the conference. Thank you Nadia Haralampou, Tifani Wiyanto, Olivia Zhang, Lindy West, Sabrina Amir, Jay Prasu, Rupalee Patel and Lindray Veloso.

We also appreciate the support of the Brisbane Graduate School of Business, the Creative Industries Faculty, the Work and Industry Futures Research Program and the Institute for Creative Industries and Innovation.

As you can see from this extensive list of contributors, including you, our wonderful participants, bringing the conference together has truly been a team effort.

Caroline Hatcher

Secretary-General, World Communication Association