Coworking: A Rhetorical Enterprise Situated in Place

Abstract

Mobile information and communication technology (ICT) and ubiquitous connectivity, among other forces, have led to changes in the concept of knowledge work and “enable[d] a reinvention of where, how and when work happens” (Laing and Bacevice 2013, p. 39). These changes have inspired entrepreneurs to create a new kind of commercial workplace, called coworking spaces, part office with advanced technology and part social setting, available for short- or longer-term rental. To appeal to potential customers, founder-entrepreneurs of such spaces have created, in text and images, virtual representations of their enterprises on their websites. What counts as data in this study are the websites of five coworking spaces. A mixed-methods approach incorporating material culture studies, design thinking, and rhetoric was used to analyze the persuasive structure of these virtual representations. More than mere real-estate, coworking has become a values-driven culture. In an aesthetically pleasing environment, that culture fosters community, mutual support among members of the space, and a bias toward innovation and creativity. This sample, while admittedly small, represents different regions internationally and different customer demographics. The analysis demonstrates the power of a rhetorical persona, the founder-entrepreneur, who speaks for the enterprise, and the continuing importance of well-tested rhetorical strategies of persuasion—logical, ethical, and emotional—in building an argument in virtual space for the spatial experience a customer will find on the ground.