PERSUASION, MANIPULATION AND COERCION IN BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

The article deals with the communicative strategies and technologies/tactics which are used in today's business communication as means of influencing the recipient. The authors draw a line between the notions of communicative impact, persuasion, manipulation, and coercion as communicative strategies observed in different situations of communication. Despite many terminological differences the authors view the communicative impact as a cover term for persuasion, manipulation and linguistic coercion. Considerable differences can be observed between persuasion, manipulation and linguistic coercion as types of the communicative impact. These differences are defined in the article in terms of different combinations of Aristotle's argumentative components: logos, pathos and ethos. Persuasion, manipulation and linguistic coercion. Considerable differences can be observed between persuasion, manipulation and linguistic coercion as types of the communicative impact. These differences are defined in the article in terms of different combinations of Aristotle's argumentative awareness. In the case of persuasive argumentation it is the highest. The speaker is aware of the necessity to persuade the listener, overtly demonstrates their intentions while making the recipient's claims and wants a priority. Linguistic coercion is perceived as an offensive strategy where the recipient's wants are overtly ignored. Manipulation occupies a position in-between persuasion and linguistic coercion and is viewed as a strategy based on covert communicative intentionality. The above-mentioned types of the communicative impact are also analyzed in terms of ethics and moral code which allows the authors to differentiate between positive, negative and neutral impact factors. Persuasion, manipulation and linguistic coercion are realized through different technologies/tactics and are found in different situations. Ample examples are given to illustrate the author's opinion.