Abstract

In contemporary organisational communication, email plays an important role in facilitating interactions across various levels; managers, staff, and colleagues in different departments within consumer goods organisations. This study investigates the patterns and functions of email communication within a prominent Nigerian consumer goods organisation. It specifically focuses on how emails sent upward to managers, downward to staff and horizontal across peers facilitate task directives, information sharing, commitment affirmations and expressions of feeling within a Nigerian consumer goods organisation. In this study, a sample of 250 email messages written in both English and Hausa was carefully examined to reveal how these exchanges support everyday work. Using a qualitative content analysis approach grounded in Speech Act Theory and Conversational Structure frameworks, the study shows that most emails serve to direct tasks to ensure clarity in responsibilities, and maintain interpersonal interaction in a consumer goods setting. Findings reveal that directive speech acts dominate email interactions, which facilitate efficient task execution and hierarchical communication. At the same time, the study demonstrates that language styles are adjusted to each type of email communication flow and that cultural and organisational norms guide these choices. The implications of these findings suggest avenues for enhancing organisational communication strategies to improve operational efficiency and interpersonal relationships within consumer goods organisations.