Introduction to Communication - Panama Communicating in Organizations Chapter 11..

Organization Defined: A human group that has been deliberately designed so as to achieve a desired objective.

Introduction to Communication - Panama

Your life is shaped by organizations everyday Organizations influence individuals; individuals influence organizations Understanding organizations enhances professional success

Introduction to Communication - Panama

Organizational Communication Defined: The transmission of messages through both the formal and informal channels of a relatively large, deliberately designed group, resulting in the construction of meanings that have influences on its members, both as individuals and on the group as a whole.

Introduction to Communication - Panama Organizations are the set of interactions that members of groups use to accomplish their individual and common goals Communication Functions –Production –Maintenance –Innovation Communication Structure – occurs within hierarchy –Downward –Upward –Horizontal –Formal –Informal

Introduction to Communication - Panama Organizational culture is a pattern of shared beliefs, values, and behaviors within a given organization –Composed of languages, habits, rituals, ceremonies, etc –Develop to integrate new members To understand organizational culture, look to –Artifacts –Stated beliefs –Underlying values

Introduction to Communication - Panama

Processes that influence individuals in regard to their participation/membership with an organization –Organizational identification – when individual values overlap with organizational values –Processes can be active, passive, and interactive information-seeking strategies

Introduction to Communication - Panama Semantic-Information Distance –Information/Understanding Gaps –Upward Distortion Perceptual Co-Orientation Successful Supervisor-Subordinate Communication –Openness –Supportive –Motivation –Empowerment –Ingratiation

Introduction to Communication - Panama Horizontal Communication Formal/Professional Informal/Personal Supervisors can encourage effective coworker communication

Introduction to Communication - Panama Emotion Labor –Requirement to display specific emotions –Rmotional display rules Stress/Burnout –Emotional exhaustion –Lack of sense of personal accomplishment –Depersonalization –Role conflict/confusion/ambiguity Work-Life Conflict –Balance issues –Pressure to prioritize work

Introduction to Communication - Panama

Contingent employees –Work in temporary, part-time, or subcontractor positions –“Disposable workforce” Urgent organizations  The new social contract ◦ More change for employees

Introduction to Communication - Panama Organizational Communication and Power –Bullying –Sexual Harassment –Employee Privacy and Monitoring

Introduction to Communication - Panama One of the most important societal factors Increasing connectedness (economic, political, cultural) to others around the globe More intercultural contact Homogenizing effects on organizational practices

Introduction to Communication - Panama Repeated, hostile behaviors Occurring over an extended period Intended to do harm to parties who can’t defend themselves 30% of workers have been bullied Few strategies are successful in managing bullies

Introduction to Communication - Panama Quid pro quo, inappropriate displays –Touching, names, date requests, displays w/ sexual content Primarily a communicative behavior Responses –Confronting harasser –Complain to HR or supervisor –Legal –Leaving Unwanted sexual attention that interferes w/ ability to do one’s job

Introduction to Communication - Panama 76% of employers monitor workers web connections Also includes drug testing, Video, , instant message, phone, location monitoring, Personality & psychological testing Keystroke logging Monitoring can decrease morale & increase worker stress

Sociocultural Situations People get together in organizations in carefully organized patterns so as to accomplish certain goals that could not be attained in alternative groups settings The needs of a population are provided not only by an economic system, but also by social institutions

Social Institution Defined: A broad configuration of closely related cultural elements and organized social activities that are essential to fulfilling a perceived basic need of the social order.

Society’s Need for Organizations Every society has basic social institutions –Educational –Government –Religious –Economic –Family –Many Others

Bureaucracy as a Prerequisite Bureaucracy: A deliberately designed plan of the goals, norms, roles, ranks, and controls in an organization

Bureaucracy as a Prerequisite Why do you need it? –Group size –Task complexity

Bureaucracy as a Prerequisite An effective organization must have a formal communication network that will maintain group cohesion as well as facilitate attaining the group’s goals. Big Boss Underboss Peon

The Classical Theory of Bureaucracy

Max Weber Max Weber, a German social scientist

The Emergence of Rational Society Social order held together by rational lines of thought

The Emergence of Rational Society Leadership is based legal-rational power and not on tradition or charisma

The Emergence of Rational Society Nobody has a “legitimate” right to leadership; technical managerial skills is the key to good leadership

Weber’s Principles 1.Fixed Rules 2.A rationally defined division of labor 3.A clear graded hierarchy of power and authority 4.A fixed and universalistic system of sanctions

Three General Theories of Organizational Design, Management, and Communication 1.Human Use Perspective 2.Human Relations Perspective 3.Human Resources Perspective

Human Use Perspective Developed between 1800s and late 1920s

Wage Formula Adam Smith Scottish Economist Wealth of Nations

“Wage-incentive-system” Wages were the only means to motivate employees Production norms established Bonuses were tied to norms Very popular system –Employers loved it –Employees hated it

“Scientific Management” Time and Motion studies First person to use a scientific approach to the study of production

Organization Chart French engineer, Henri Fayol Communication should be restricted to the tasks and operations related to the work being done Manager Worker Peon Low Peon

Weber, Taylor, Fayol Attention on the essential nature of deliberate planning while designing communication systems within organizations

Human Relations Perspective 1920s – 1960s

Hawthorne Studies Effects of lighting on working conditions Personal and social characteristics of workers are crucial factors in the work process Perceived attention is powerful Informal communication plays an important part in worker productivity

Hawthorne Studies Managers must design communication systems in organizations that will produce high job satisfaction

Hawthorne Effect The phenomenon in which subjects in behavioral studies change their performance in response to being observed.

Hawthorne Conclusions 1.The aptitudes of individuals are imperfect predictors of job performance. 2.Informal organization affects productivity. 3.Work-group norms affect productivity.. 4.The workplace is a social system.

Decline of the Human Relations Perspectives “Caring” and “Sympathetic” was sometimes construed as “Weak” and “Indecisive”

Decline of the Human Relations Perspectives Was the perspective too idealistic?

Human Resources Perspective

W. Edwards Deming American Statistician

Deming’s Objective Produce goods of maximum quality Loyalty and dedication are keys

Quality Control Circle Frequent discussions with employee input; management listens

Human Resources vs. Human Relations Employees viewed as potential resources for the organization Management tries to minimize communication barriers Management motivates workers toward quality, not just output

A Contemporary Perspective: Systems Theory Mutual Dependence Synergy Balance Communication as ‘glue’

The design for the content, transmission, and reception of messages dictates who can say what to be received by whom about specific kinds of topics by communication with what medium in order to achieve specified types of goals

The Flow of Messages in Large Organizations 1.Formal Communication through official channels 2.Informal communication in organizational settings 3.Distortion of messages in the grapevine 4.Consequences of formal and informal communication

Formal Communication through Official Channels Vertical transmission Boss Manager Worker Peon

Upward Flowing Messages 1.Routine operational messages 2.Assessment by experts 3.Feedback on completion of tasks 4.Reports on problems

Downward Flowing Messages 1.Requests 2.Specific orders and instructions 3.Operating guidelines 4.Policy-shift directives

Critical Importance of Some Messages

Mistakes?

Accuracy and Distortion

Upward Messages 1.Condensed 2.Simplified 3.Standardized 4.Idealized 5.Synthesized

Downward Messages Selective exposure

Downward Messages Selective attention and listening

Downward Messages Selective perception

Downward Messages Selective retention and recall

Downward Messages Selective action

Downward Messages Vocabulary differences

Informal Communication in Organizational Settings Socially validated constructions of meanings

Informal Communication in Organizational Settings Speed Rumors Gossip Speculation Interpretations

Distortion of Message in the Grapevine Two general patterns of distortion 1.Embedding 2.Compounding

Embedding Leveling Sharpening Assimilation

Compounding Original story is relatively brief Original story is of a threatening or disturbing nature

Grapevine and Managers Accept it and don’t try to eliminate it Acknowledge that it should remain unrestrained Do not underestimate its power Use it Maintain all formal channels of communication Remind organizational members to question and assess its accuracy

Consequences of Formal and Informal Communication Unique organizational cultures develop from two basic sources 1.Official organization as it functions with its carefully defined channels of formal communication 2.Micro subcultures of many spontaneously formed peer groups among the workers

Consequences of Formal and Informal Communication Conflicting Cultures Potential for differences between subgroups within an organization is always there.

Consequences of Formal and Informal Communication Organizational Cohesion ( Features of the organization that keep it together ) 1.Dependency-based cohesion 2.Division of labor 3.Formal Communication

Introduction to Communication - Panama Ethics and Organizational Communication –Individual Perspective – ethical demands on the individual –Communal Perspective – ethical demands on all members

Introduction to Communication - Panama We tend to focus on individual rights & responsibilities Communal approach focuses on the common good –Morality is based on consequences for the group But when organizations are unethical, no individuals may be held responsible Most ethical approach considers needs of individual & community and holds community and leaders responsible

Introduction to Communication - Panama Managing conflict with coworkers –Prepare for the conflict, use strategy control –Decide if the issue is worth confronting right away or at all –Try to understand each party’s goal –Plan the interaction before engaging in it

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