Organizational Communication 11-2

Organizational Communication By nature Formal Informal 11-3

Organizational Communication Formal Communication –follows the official chain of command –communication required to do one’s job –takes place within work arrangements Informal Communication –not defined by the organization’s structural hierarchy –fulfills two purposes permits employees to satisfy their needs for social interaction creates alternative, and frequently faster and more efficient, channels of communication 11-4

Organizational Communication By direction Upward Downward Diagonal 11-5

Organizational Communication (cont.) Direction of Communication Flow –Downward - flows from a manager to subordinates used to inform, direct, coordinate, and evaluate employees –Upward - flows from subordinates to managers keeps managers aware of employees’ feelings source for ideas on improving operations amount of upward communication affected by the culture of the organization –trust and empowerment increase upward flow –mechanistic and authoritarian environment decrease upward flow 11-6

Organizational Communication (cont.) Direction of Communication Flow (cont.) –Diagonal - cuts across both work areas and organizational levels benefits efficiency and speed facilitates diagonal communication 11-7

Organizational Networks 11-8

Three Common Organizations Communication Networks and How They Rate on Effectiveness Criteria 11-9

Organizational Communication Networks –combination of vertical and horizontal flows into a variety of patterns –Types of Networks chain - communication flows according to the formal chain of command wheel - flows between a clearly identifiable and strong leader and others in a work group or team all-channel - flows freely among all members of a work team –no single network is best for all situations 11-10

Organizational Communication (cont.) Organizational Communication Networks (cont.) –Grapevine - an informal network that is active in almost every organization important source of information identifies issues that employees consider important and anxiety producing can use the grapevine to disseminate important information grapevine cannot be abolished –rumors can never be eliminated entirely 11-11

Approaches & Models Philosophy Actions Reactions Advantages Disadvantages 11-12

ONE-WAY COMMUNICATION MODEL OF APPROACH –Arrow approach –developed by the Engineer Claude Shannon in 1949 Philosophy: receptor’s feedback is not needed Actions: by using a clear and precise language, the decision that he/she transmits Reactions: complain s about the lack of information and the information reached is distorted. Advantages: preferred in formal, rigid, plain and authoritarian style Disadvantages: inadequate distribution of the information from the upper level of management to the lower levels 11-13

receptor’s response (reaction) to the received message Philosophy: supposes the existence of the receptor’s response (reaction) to the received message Actions: presupposition that the manager must know problems, opinions and views Reactions: a harmonious organizational environment and in cultivating agreeable relations Advantages: –Understanding of the employees, –the adaptation of the messages –the certainty that the message sent was correctly understood Disadvantages: communication comes from the large amount of time spent in discussions and debates CIRCUIT APPROACH

INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION Philosophy: exchange of ideas between those who communicate Actions: trusts the subalterns’ professional competence and has them informed and consulted about the occurring problems and the solution of such. Reactions: employees’ creative skills are appreciated and their participation into solving the problems that the company faces is stimulated Condition: compatibility of those who communicate, from the perspective of the level of knowledge, experience, share values and type of behavior

THE BEHAVIORAL MODEL Philosophy: the way in which the transmitter expects the receptor to react after receiving the message Actions: anticipation of the possible response Reactions: adapt the message in such a way as to get a positive response Advantages: Requires rich knowledge, skills and experience. Disadvantages: Parallel interferences 11-16