Organizational Communication Chapter 4 Outline

Systems Approaches Organizations are complex organisms that must interact with their environment to survive. We should not look at how we should behave in organizations, rather wee need to look at how we should study them. Organizations are complex organisms that must interact with their environment to survive. We should not look at how we should behave in organizations, rather wee need to look at how we should study them.

3 Components of a System Hierarchical Ordering - Example: General Manager, Manager, Employees Interdependence - Parts of a system and people will depend on each other in order for a system to work. Permeability - Allows material to flow in and out of a system. Hierarchical Ordering - Example: General Manager, Manager, Employees Interdependence - Parts of a system and people will depend on each other in order for a system to work. Permeability - Allows material to flow in and out of a system.

System Processes Input --->Throughput ---> Output Example: Humans eat, digest, and produce waste…

System Properties System Properties Holism - The system needs to be looked at as a whole Equifinality - in order to reach a goal there is more than on way to get there. Negative Entropy - When new pieces are added to a system or taken away it will not shut down. Requisite Variety- The process that needs to be used and is used to a degree and level of difficulty as the system itself. Holism - The system needs to be looked at as a whole Equifinality - in order to reach a goal there is more than on way to get there. Negative Entropy - When new pieces are added to a system or taken away it will not shut down. Requisite Variety- The process that needs to be used and is used to a degree and level of difficulty as the system itself.

Cybernetics Theory Currently there are four different goals that are found in this theory. 1.System Goal - Is the actual goal 2.Mechanisms - Different companies will use different methods and mechanisms to help reach the company goal. Currently there are four different goals that are found in this theory. 1.System Goal - Is the actual goal 2.Mechanisms - Different companies will use different methods and mechanisms to help reach the company goal.

Cont. Cont. 1.Feedback - Receiving positive and/or negative feed back - which can and does include friends, advisors and many others. 2.New Mechanism - If the individual or the organism is not completing the goal then it is possible that a new mechanism may be needed to complete the task. 1.Feedback - Receiving positive and/or negative feed back - which can and does include friends, advisors and many others. 2.New Mechanism - If the individual or the organism is not completing the goal then it is possible that a new mechanism may be needed to complete the task.

Cybernetics Process Cybernetics Process Example #1 System Goal >Feedback > New Mechanism (Mechanisms) Example #2 Ecological Change >Enactment >Selection(Assembly rules and communication styles) > Retention Example #1 System Goal >Feedback > New Mechanism (Mechanisms) Example #2 Ecological Change >Enactment >Selection(Assembly rules and communication styles) > Retention

Karl Weick’s Theory of Organizing Goal of organizing = Reduction of uncertainty Ecological Changes = Changes that will happened within the organization Enactment = People will process the information differently. Goal of organizing = Reduction of uncertainty Ecological Changes = Changes that will happened within the organization Enactment = People will process the information differently.

Weick Cont. Weick Cont. Selection = The person/people will decide how to handle the problem Retention = Remembering the problem and taking it into consideration if encountered again. Assembly Rules = The Rules of a corporation; Handbook, company policies Selection = The person/people will decide how to handle the problem Retention = Remembering the problem and taking it into consideration if encountered again. Assembly Rules = The Rules of a corporation; Handbook, company policies

Henry Taylor's Theory of Classical Management Elements of Planning 1. Plan 2. Organize 3. Command 4. Coordination 5. Control Elements of Planning 1. Plan 2. Organize 3. Command 4. Coordination 5. Control

Taylor’s Theory Cont. Principals of Management 1. Scalar Chain 2. Unity of Command 3. Division of Labor 4. Order 5. Span of Control Principals of Management 1. Scalar Chain 2. Unity of Command 3. Division of Labor 4. Order 5. Span of Control

Council of Communication Management

References Miller, Katharine; Organizational Communication. Approaches and Processes; Chapter