Reference no: EM133100929

Ligua, a native of El Salvador, is a part-time student, wife, and mother. In addition to her school and family responsibilities, Ligua works as a car salesperson. Her close friend, Rosa works at a retail store. Rosa, who has a noticeable accent, has seen how her accent can work against her in terms of her ability to sell merchandise. Some customers seem to judge Rosa by the way she sounds, rather than what she knows. Her store manager has suggested she enroll in speech training. Specifically, he hinted that if Rosa wants to move into a managerial position, she needs help in reducing her accent. A course entitled, "Your Job, Your Voice," is offered nearby. According to literature describing the course, it enables participants to move toward the standard American nonregional speech, the kind of speech television news anchors use. Her employer is willing to pay for this training. Rosa is planning on a career in sales, and looking foward to moving into the ranks of management. While she understands the importance of effective communication, how she speaks is part of who she is. Even though some view her speech as a problem, she is reluctant to give up an important part of her identity. Rosa is not sure what she should do and has asked Ligua for advice.

Questions:

1. If you were Ligua, what advice would you give Rosa and why?

2. What are the pros and cons of Rosa's enrollment in such a class?

3. Will changing her accent help make Rosa a more effective manager? Explain.