Transcript Chapter One - Cengage Learning

Chapter One
Organizational Communication:
An Introduction
Chapter Preview
• Define Organizational Communication
• Discuss why communication is considered
to be central, pervasive, and
multifaceted in organizational settings.
• Debunk some myths about organizational
communication.
• List and explain basic communication
principles.
• Describe the range of topics and scope
of this textbook.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Communication is Central to
Organizational Activity
• Communication shapes, limits, and
defines perceptions of individuals
and organizations.
– It is necessary for all forms of organizational
activity and success.
– Many organizational failures are linked to poor
communication practices.
– “Communication does not just service the
organization, it is the organization” (Pace and
Faules).
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Communication is a
Pervasive Activity
• All organizational members are almost
continuously involved in communication
activities.
• Organizations function by operating
interdependently.
– Internal interaction and coordination
between organizational units is required to
produce successful products and services.
– Poor interaction between organizational units
affects products and services and hurts the
“bottom line.”
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Communication is a
Pervasive Activity
(continued)
• Organizations must relay information and
solicit feedback from organizational
members.
• Managers spend 70% to 80% of their time
in communication activities
– Job expectations, procedures, and policies
are learned through various organizational
communication channels.
– Managers must monitor feedback from
employees to gauge employee performance
and satisfaction and to modify management
practices.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Communication is a
Pervasive Activity
(continued)
• Poor communication can result in
bruised interpersonal relationships.
– Past experiences guide future
interactions.
• Bruised interpersonal relationships can
directly or indirectly undermine
organizational efficiency.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Communication is
Multidimensional
• Organizational Communication can
(and does) mean many things.
– Some people refer to organizational
communication as the skills of speaking,
listening, and writing.
– Others refer to the use of technologies to
facilitate communication.
– Still others refer to communication as the
printed matter created and disseminated by
an organization.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Communication is
Multidimensional
(continued)
• Communication problems can
occur in any organizational context.
• Problems are not limited to the use
of skills, technologies, or outputs.
– For example, unproductive group
meetings, lack of cultural awareness,
and poor updating of websites may all
fall under the blanket of organizational
communication issues or problems.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Myths Regarding Organizational
Communication
1. Organizational communication
pertains only to businesses and
those who study business.
2. It is easy to train someone to be
an effective communicator.
3. Organizational communication is
the role of human resources or
corporate communication
people.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Myths Regarding Organizational
Communication
(continued)
4. People already know
how to communicate.
Certainly intelligent
people can
communicate well.
5. Sharing sophisticated
vocabulary makes a
group, and members of
that group, effective
organizational
communicators.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Defining Organizational
Communication
• Organizational communication is a
field of study.
–
–
It involves creating, sending,
receiving, and interpreting
information.
It is complex and involves the
coordination of people towards
common organizational goals.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Definition of Organizational
Communication
Organizational
communication is
the study of why
and how
organizations send
and receive
information in a
complex systemic
environment.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Principles of Communication
1. Communication is a non-linear process.
–
–
People co-construct communication as they
simultaneously affect and are affected by
each other.
Communication involves the past and
immediate histories of those communicating
and should be referred to as a process and
not an “act” that is discrete.
2. Communication can be intentional or
unintentional.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Principles of Communication
3. Communication can be verbal or
nonverbal.
–
Nonverbal message categories
include chronemics, artifacts,
oculesics, haptics, olfactics,
paralanguage, physical
characteristics (and others).
4. Sending a message is not
synonymous with communicating.
5. Communication is irreversible.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Principles of Communication
6. Communication is different from
understanding.
7. Communication is contextual.
• Contexts of Communication Include
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Intrapersonal Communication
Dyadic Communication
Group Communication
Public Communication
Mass Communication
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Four Defining Factors of
Organizational Communication
1. Communication Skills
–
–
Having communication skills is more
than having the competency to read,
listen, write, and use technology.
Skilled communicators know how to
communicate both appropriately
and effectively.
• This involves applying knowledge about
the context, situation, and people
involved in any communication activity.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Four Defining Factors of
Organizational Communication
2. Networks
•
Networks connect related units within an
organization.
•
•
Establishing and cultivating these networks may
be a challenge, but is necessary for effective
communication, especially during times of
organizational crisis.
The term “network” can also refer to the
channels of communication available to
communicate.
•
Having multiple channels allows organizational
members communication flexibility, which may be
needed for clarification or understanding.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Four Defining Factors of
Organizational Communication
3. Culture
• Culture refers to the unique nature
and environment of the organization
and its employees.
• Culture also refers to how an
organization fits and manages its
outside environment.
• The world is smaller than ever.
• The workplace is more ethnically diverse
than ever before.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Four Defining Factors of
Organizational Communication
4. Power
• Knowing how to communicate
effectively and being able to apply
that knowledge can be empowering
for organizational members.
• Power also relates to authority which
is important for organizational study.
• Power can be abused.
• Ethical communication involves
appropriate uses of power.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©
Features in the Text
•
•
•
Principle Applications are exercises that
are designed to apply principles from
the chapter.
Practitioner Perspectives are segments
of interviews with executives who offer
their insight on the importance of
communication to organizational
success.
Ethical Probes ask readers to consider
moral questions pertaining to
communication ethics and the
appropriate use of power.
Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©