ABC Western Conference
Wednesday, February 15 through Friday, February 17, 2023
Brigham Young University--Hawaii, Laie, Hawaii
Come and learn from colleagues in a diverse, cultural setting on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Enjoy presentations and interactive discussions about business communication topics at Brigham Young University—Hawaii, the most diverse undergraduate college campus in the United States.
The focus of this conference is experiential learning. In many sessions, attendees will become the “students” in engaging sessions and roundtable discussions.
Conference Registration and Lodging Package
Click here to register. Registration closes December 1, 2022; limited spots remain.
The $1200 ABC member conference fee includes three nights at the Marriott Courtyard in Laie, Hawaii, admission to the adjacent Polynesian Cultural Center and most meals. (Tickets to the Polynesian Cultural Center sell out quickly; prices are subject to change. If registering after October 1, tickets are included only if available.) Airfare, ground transportation, additional excursions, and some meals are not included in the conference fee. Click here for more pricing details.
Vacation rentals (such as AirBnb and VRBO) are not legal on the island of Oahu for fewer than 90 days. You may still find vacation rentals listed on short-term rental sites such as AirBnb and VRBO, but we strongly caution against booking these because they are prone to scams and vacationers run the risk of losing their money. For this reason, we negotiated a discounted rate at the Marriott Courtyard in Laie. You can also book additional rooms at the conference rate by contacting the hotel directly at 808-293-4900. Please note that most other hotel options are more than one hour away from the conference site.
Flight and Car Rental
You are urged to secure a vehicle rental. The conference will take place one hour from Honolulu and a shuttle from the airport will not be provided.
Attendees are welcome to make travel arrangements on their own. Or, they may make them through BYU-Hawaii’s Travel Office by contacting Lurline Nunu at lurline.nunu@byuh.edu or 808-675-3395. Those who book with BYU-Hawaii’s Travel Office can take advantage of BYU-Hawaii’s corporate rates and perks and may be eligible for waived fees.
Guest Tickets
Do you want to bring a guest to the Polynesian Cultural Center? Click here to read more.
Schedule
Click here for schedule.
Submission
Submissions are closed. Notifications will be sent by July 1, 2022. The conference will be capped at 50 attendees.
Before submitting a proposal that includes other presenters, secure permission to include them in your submission. Inform them that they need to register for, attend, and present at the conference should the submission be approved. Please do not include anyone as a co-presenter who has not expressly agreed to be part of your submission and who will not register and attend the conference as your co-presenter. Such individuals can be listed as co-authors. Co-authors have contributed to the intellectual property being submitted, but they are not expected to present.
Presenters must be either an "Organization Member" or "Organization Guest." A presenter or co-presenter can create a free Organization Guest account (no member benefits) by visiting the ABC membership page at https://tinyurl.com/yaznm64k. Please establish the “Organization Member” or “Organization Guest” account prior to submission to keep all presenters in the communication loop. A guest account can be created and later turned into a membership account; find the steps here. Contact abcoffice@businesscommunication.org for assistance.
Once approval notices have been sent, the submitter will be asked to “accept” the approved status by logging in to the submitter’s profile/My Presentations. Approval notices will be sent to the submitter, any co-presenters and any co-authors on a rolling basis. You can also check submission status by visiting your ABC profile and going to My Presentations.
Tracks and Submission Guidelines
Experiential Learning Session. In the spirit of ABC’s “My Favorite Assignment,” presenters share a successful exercise or activity used in their business communication classroom. However, rather than talking about what they do the classroom, presenters demonstrate these innovative teaching methods in front of conference attendees who act as students and participants in the activity. Each 20-minute session is conducted in a classroom setting that includes whiteboards and a projector. The 20-minute session will be followed by a 10-minute Q&A.
Presenters provide instructions and materials for participants to apply the activities in their classrooms. Submissions with 500 to 750-word abstracts (before references) should include a clear statement of purpose of the exercise/activity and the intended learning objectives and outcomes. Additionally, state the logistics of running the exercise/activity in the classroom (including instructions for debriefing the activity), how you will stay within the 20-minute timeframe while involving participants, and how the activity might be modified for online instruction.
Roundtable Discussion. Presenters speak to a topic or issue related to business communication for up to 15 minutes and then facilitate discussion with participants for the remainder of the 45-minute roundtable discussion. The goal is to engage participants in lively debate and conversation. Multiple presenters (groups or pairs) leading roundtable discussions are preferred. Submissions with 500 to 750-word extended abstracts (before references) should introduce the relevant topic or issue related to business communication to be discussed in the roundtable, how you will address this topic or issue in the roundtable and advance the dialogue with participants. Include a presentation overview for up to 15 minutes, who will be involved, how you will engage the audience, and what related questions you may ask of the audience.
Research/Research in-Progress. Presenters describe completed research projects or early-stage research projects still in development on topics related to business communication. Projects involving the scholarship of teaching and learning are also encouraged. Each session is 15 minutes. Research submissions with 500 to 750-word extended abstracts should provide clear statements of purpose, research approach, data set, findings, conclusions, and implications. Research in-Progress submissions with 500-750-word extended abstracts should provide clear statements of purpose, research questions, and research approach. These submissions should describe the challenges you are trying to solve and the types of feedback you want to receive from your peers.
Packing List and Area Tips
Click here for a downloadable pdf of packing tips and area tips. Remember to bring reef-safe sunscreen.