1. Last Week… The Question was: “Who does what”
Looked at the six key elements to consider in organizational design
Looked at mechanistic vs organic designs and structural contingency factors
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2. This Week’s Objectives
Look at actual organizational structures (traditional vs contemporary designs)
Understand why we communicate and how it works
Consider the various methods of communication and how to know what works
Examine the barriers to effective communication
Understand the flow of communication in organizations
Look at two contemporary communication issues
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3. Organizational Structures
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4. Traditional Organizational Designs
Simple Structure
Low departmentalization, wide spans of control, centralized authority, little formalization
Functional Structure
Departmentalization by function
Operations, finance, human resources, and product research and development
Divisional Structure
Composed of separate business units or divisions with limited autonomy under the coordination and control of the parent corporation
Learning Objective #3
We now need to look at various organizational designs that you might see in today’s organizations. Exhibit 9.7 summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of each of these designs.
1. A simple structure is an organizational design with low departmentalization, wide spans of control, authority centralized in a single person, and little formalization.
a. Its strengths are its flexibility, speed, and low cost to maintain.
b. Its major drawback is that it’s most effective in small organizations.
2. As an organization grows, the structure tends to become more specialized and formalized. When contingency factors favour a bureaucratic or mechanistic design, one of two options is likely to be used.
3. One option expands functional departmentalization into the functional structure, which is an organizational design that groups similar or related occupational specialties together.
4. The other option is the divisional structure, which is an organizational structure made up of autonomous, self-contained units.
Chapter 9, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada
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5. Strengths/Weaknesses of Common Traditional Organizational Designs
Exhibit 9.7 summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of each of the traditional organizational designs.
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Chapter 9, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada 5

6. Contemporary Organizational Designs
Team Structures
The entire organization is made up of work groups or self-managed teams of empowered employees
Matrix Structures
Specialists for different functional departments are assigned to work on projects led by project managers
Matrix participants have two managers
However, many of today’s organizations are finding that the traditional hierarchical organizational designs aren’t appropriate for the increasingly dynamic and complex environments they face.
1. Team structures. One of the newer concepts in organizational design is the team structure, which is an organizational structure made up of work groups or teams that perform the organization’s work.
2. Matrix and Project Structures. Another variation in organizational arrangements is based on the fact that many of today’s organizations deal with work activities of different time requirements and magnitude.
a. One of these arrangements is the matrix organization, which assigns specialists from different functional departments to work on one or more projects being led by project managers (see Exhibit 9.9).
b. Another of these designs is the project structure, which is a structure in which employees are permanently assigned to projects.
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Chapter 9, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada 6

7. Contemporary Organizational Designs (cont.)
Project Structures
Employees work continuously on projects, moving on to another project as each project is completed
Learning Organization
An organization that has developed the capacity to continuously learn, adapt, and change through the practice of knowledge management by employees
However, many of today’s organizations are finding that the traditional hierarchical organizational designs aren’t appropriate for the increasingly dynamic and complex environments they face.
1. Team structures. One of the newer concepts in organizational design is the team structure, which is an organizational structure made up of work groups or teams that perform the organization’s work.
2. Matrix and Project Structures. Another variation in organizational arrangements is based on the fact that many of today’s organizations deal with work activities of different time requirements and magnitude.
a. One of these arrangements is the matrix organization, which assigns specialists from different functional departments to work on one or more projects being led by project managers (see Exhibit 9.9).
b. Another of these designs is the project structure, which is a structure in which employees are permanently assigned to projects.
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Chapter 9, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada 7

8. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada
Contemporary Organizational Designs (cont.)
Boundary-less Organization
A flexible and an unstructured organizational design that is intended to break down external barriers between the organization and its customers and suppliers
Removes internal (horizontal) boundaries:
Eliminates the chain of command
Has limitless spans of control
Uses empowered teams rather than departments
Eliminates external boundaries:
Uses virtual, network, and modular organizational structures to get closer to stakeholders
Another approach to organizational design is the boundaryless organization, which describes an organization whose design is not defined by, or limited to, the horizontal, vertical, or external boundaries imposed by a predefined structure.
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Chapter 9, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada 8

9. Examples of Removing Boundaries
Virtual Organization
An organization that consists of a small core of full-time employees and that temporarily hires specialists to work on opportunities that arise
Network Organization
A small core organization that outsources its major business functions (e.g., manufacturing) in order to concentrate on what it does best
Modular Organization
A manufacturing organization that uses outside suppliers to provide product components for its final assembly operations
a. A virtual organization is one that consists of a small core of full-time employees and that temporarily hires outside specialists to work on opportunities that arise
b. A network organization is a small core organization that outsources major business functions
c. A modular organization is a manufacturing organization that uses outside suppliers to provide product components that are then assembled into final products.
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Chapter 9, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada 9

10. Contemporary Organizational Designs
Exhibit 9.8 summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of each of the contemporary organizational designs.
Chapter 9, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada
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11. Communication and Information Technology
Chapter 10
Communication and Information Technology
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

12. Why don’t people just do what I tell them to do?
The Question…
Why don’t people just do what I tell them to do?
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13. What Is Communication? The transfer and understanding of meaning
Interpersonal communication
Communication between two or more people
Organizational communication
All the patterns, network, and systems of communications within an organization
Learning Objective #1
Communication is the transfer and understanding of meaning.
1. If no information or ideas have been conveyed or transferred, communication hasn’t taken place.
2. For communication to be successful, the meaning must be imparted and understood.
3. Good communication does not require agreement with the message, just a clear understanding of the message.
4. Communication encompasses both interpersonal communication (between two or more people) and organizational communication (all the patterns, networks, and systems of communication within an organization).
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

14. Why do we communicate? (Functions of Communication)
Control
Motivation
Emotional Expression
Information
Communication serves four major functions:
1. Control: Formal and informal communications act to control individuals’ behaviours in organizations.
2. Motivation: Communications clarify for employees what is to be done, how well they have done it, and what can be done to improve performance.
3. Emotional Expression: Social interaction in the form of work group communications provides a way for employees to express themselves.
4. Information: Individuals and work groups need information to make decisions or to do their work.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

15. Exhibit 10.1 The Interpersonal Communication Process
Receiver
Message
Channel
Noise
Encoding
Decoding
Feedback
Sender
Learning Objective #2
Exhibit 10.1 illustrates the seven elements of the communication process: the communication source, the message, encoding, the channel, decoding, the receiver, and feedback. Note that the entire process is susceptible to noise—disturbances that interfere with the transmission, receipt, or feedback of a message.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

16. Interpersonal Communication
Message
Source: sender’s intended meaning
Encoding
The message converted to symbolic form
Channel
The medium through which the message travels
Decoding
The receiver’s retranslation of the message
Noise
Disturbances that interfere with communications
Exhibit 10.1 illustrates the seven elements of the communication process: the communication source, the message, encoding, the channel, decoding, the receiver, and feedback. Note that the entire process is susceptible to noise—disturbances that interfere with the transmission, receipt, or feedback of a message.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

17. Interpersonal Communication Methods
Face-to-face
Telephone
Group meetings
Formal presentations
Memos
Postal mail
Fax
Publications
Bulletin boards
Audio-/videotapes
Hot lines
Computer conference
Voice mail
Teleconference
Videoconference
Exhibit 10.2 provides a comparison of the various communication methods.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

18. Interpersonal Communication Methods
Exhibit 10.2 provides a comparison of the various communication methods.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada
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19. Interpersonal Communication Barriers
Filtering
National Culture
Emotions
Language
Interpersonal Communication
Information Overload
In addition to the general distortions identified in the communication process, managers face other barriers to effective communication as this diagram illustrates.
Selective
Perception
Defensiveness
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

20. Organizational Communication
Formal Communication
Communication that follows the official chain of command or is part of the communication required to do one’s job
Informal Communication
Communication that is not defined by the organization’s hierarchy
Permits employees to satisfy their need for social interaction
Can improve an organization’s performance by creating faster and more effective channels of communication
Learning Objective #3
1. Formal communication refers to communication that follows the official chain of command or is part of the communication required to do one’s job.
2. Informal communication is organizational communication that is not defined by the organization’s structural hierarchy.
a. Informal communication systems permit employees to satisfy their need for social interaction.
b. Informal communication systems can improve an organization’s performance by creating alternative, and frequently faster and more efficient, channels of communication.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

21. Direction of Communication Flow
Downward
Communications that flow from managers to employees to inform, direct, coordinate, and evaluate employees
Upward
Communications that flow from employees up to managers to keep them aware of employee needs and how things can be improved to create a climate of trust and respect
1. Downward communication—flows from a manager to employees and is used to inform, direct, coordinate, and evaluate employees
2. Upward communication—flows from employees to managers
a. Upward communication can be used in order to keep managers aware of how employees feel about their jobs, their co-workers, and the organization in general.
b. The organizational culture influences the extent of upward communication. A climate of trust, respect, and participative decision making will encourage considerable upward communication. A highly mechanistic and authoritarian environment will severely limit upward communication in both style and content.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

22. Direction of Communication Flow
Lateral (Horizontal) Communication
Communication that takes place among employees on the same level in the organization to save time and facilitate coordination
Diagonal Communication
Communication that cuts across both work areas and organizational levels in the interest of efficiency and speed
3. Lateral communication—takes place among employees on the same organizational level
4. Diagonal communication—communication that cuts across both work areas and organizational levels
a. The increased use of facilitates diagonal communication.
b. Diagonal communication has the potential to create problems if employees don’t keep their managers informed.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

23. Exhibit 10.4 Three Common Organizational Communication Networks and How They Rate on Effectiveness Criteria
Chain
Moderate
High
Speed
Accuracy
Emergence of leader
Member satisfaction
Criteria
Fast
Low
None
Wheel
All-Channel
Exhibit 10.4 illustrates three common communication networks.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

24. How IT Affects Organizations
Removes the constraints of time and distance
Allows widely dispersed employees to work together
Provides for the sharing of information
Increases effectiveness and efficiency
Integrates decision making and work
Provides more complete information and participation for better decisions
Creates problems of constant accessibility to employees
Blurs the line between work and personal lives
1. Communication and the exchange of information among organizational members are no longer constrained by geography or time.
2. However, managers must not forget to address the psychological drawbacks, such as the cost of an employee being constantly accessible, pressure to “check in” even during off hours, and the separation of work lives and personal lives.
3. Information technology also creates opportunities for organizations, such as the ability for universities and colleges to offer on-line courses.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

25. Current Communication Issues
Managing the Organization’s Knowledge Resources
Build on-line information databases that employees can access
Create “communities of practice” for groups of people who share a concern, share expertise, and interact with each other
Managers need to make it easy for employees to communicate and share their knowledge so they can learn from each other.
1. Create on-line information databases.
2. Create communities of practice, which are groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic and who increase their knowledge about the topic by interacting on an ongoing basis.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

26. Current Communication Issues (cont.)
Communicating Effectively with Customers
Recognize the three components of the customer service delivery process:
The customer
The service organization
The service provider
Develop a strong service culture focused on the personalization of service to each customer:
Listen and respond to the customer
Provide access to needed service information
What communication takes place and how it takes place can have a significant impact on customer satisfaction.
The quality of the interpersonal interaction between the contact employee and the customer has an impact on customer satisfaction.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

27. This Week’s Summary
Considered the difference between traditional and contemporary designs
Understood why we communicate and how it works
Considered the various methods of communication and how to know what works
Examined the barriers to effective communication
Looked at the flow of communication in organizations and some contemporary issues
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28. Nonverbal Communication
Communication that is transmitted without words
Sounds
Images
Situational behaviours
Clothing and physical surroundings
Body language: gestures, facial expressions, and other body movements that convey meaning
Verbal intonation (paralinguistics): emphasis that a speaker gives to certain words or phrases that conveys meaning
Nonverbal Communication is communication transmitted without words.
Sounds with specific meanings or warnings
Images that control or encourage behaviours
Situational behaviours that convey meanings
Clothing and physical surroundings that imply status
The best-known types of nonverbal communication are body language and verbal intonation.
a. Body language refers to gestures, facial expressions, and other body movements that convey meaning. Keep in mind that the message that is transmitted through body language may be quite different than the verbal message. This “nonspoken” language is most often more accurate than what is being said.
b. Verbal intonation refers to the emphasis someone gives to words or phrases that convey meaning.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada
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29. Evaluating Communication Methods
Time-space constraint
Cost
Interpersonal warmth
Formality
Scanability
Time of consumption
Feedback
Complexity capacity
Breadth potential
Confidentiality
Encoding ease
Decoding ease
1. Feedback. How quickly can the receiver respond to the message?
2. Complexity capacity. Can the method effectively process complex messages?
3. Breadth potential. How many different messages can be transmitted using this method?
4. Confidentiality. Can communicators be reasonably sure their messages are received only by those for whom they’re intended?
Encoding ease. Can the sender easily and quickly use this channel?
6. Decoding ease. Can the receiver easily and quickly decode messages?
7. Time–space constraint. Do senders and receivers need to communicate at the same time and in the same space?
8. Cost. How much does it cost to use this method?
9. Interpersonal warmth. How well does this method convey interpersonal warmth?
10. Formality. Does this method have the needed amount of formality?
11. Scanability. Does this method allow the message to be easily browsed or scanned for relevant information?
12. Time of consumption. Does the sender or receiver exercise the most control over when the message is dealt with?
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada
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30. Fitting Communication with Circumstances
Managers can use 12 questions to help them evaluate appropriate communication methods for different circumstances.
Feedback. How quickly can the receiver respond to the message?
Complexity capacity. Can the method effectively process complex messages?
Breadth potential. How many different messages can be transmitted using this method?
Use these questions to determine the appropriate form of communication. See Exhibit 10.2.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada
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31. Fitting Communication with Circumstances
Confidentiality. Can communicators be reasonably sure their messages are received only by those for whom they’re intended?
Encoding ease. Can the sender easily and quickly use this channel?
Decoding ease. Can the receiver easily and quickly decode messages?
Use these questions to determine the appropriate form of communication. See Exhibit 10.2.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada
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32. Fitting Communication with Circumstances
Time–space constraint. Do senders and receivers need to communicate at the same time and in the same space?
Cost. How much does it cost to use this method?
Interpersonal warmth. How well does this method convey interpersonal warmth?
Use these questions to determine the appropriate form of communication. See Exhibit 10.2.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada
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33. Fitting Communication with Circumstances
Formality. Does this method have the needed amount of formality?
Scanability. Does this method allow the message to be easily browsed or scanned for relevant information?
Time of consumption. Does the sender or receiver exercise the most control over when the message is dealt with?
Use these questions to determine the appropriate form of communication. See Exhibit 10.2.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada
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34. Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communication
Filtering
The deliberate manipulation of information to make it appear more favourable to the receiver
Emotions
Disregarding rational and objective thinking processes and substituting emotional judgments when interpreting messages
Information Overload
Being confronted with a quantity of information that exceeds an individual’s capacity to process it
1. Filtering is the deliberate manipulation of information to make it appear more favourable to the receiver.
a. As information is communicated up through the organizational levels, it’s condensed and synthesized, and those doing the condensing filter communication through their personal interests and perceptions of what is important.
b. The more that organizational cultural rewards emphasize style and appearance, the more that managers will be motivated to filter communications in their favour.
2. Emotions influence how a receiver interprets a message when it is received. It’s best to avoid reacting to a message when the receiver is upset because he/she is not likely to be thinking clearly
3. Information overload happens when the information we have to work with exceeds our processing—such as 600 waiting messages in the in box.
a. Receivers tend to select out, ignore, pass over, or forget information when they have too much information.
b. Or, receivers may put off further processing until the overload situation is over—still ineffective communication.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada
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35. Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communication
Selective Perception
Individuals interpret “reality” based on their own needs, motivations, experience, background, and other personal characteristics
Defensiveness
When threatened, reacting in a way that reduces the ability to achieve mutual understanding
4. Selective Perception––people don’t see reality; people interpret what they perceive and call it “reality.” As a result, the reality that people construct is based on individual needs, motivations, experience, background, and other personal characteristics.
5. Defensiveness—engaging in behaviours such as verbally attacking others, making sarcastic remarks, being overly judgmental, and questioning others’ motives—happens when people feel that they’re being threatened.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada
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36. Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communication
Language
The different meanings of and specialized ways (jargon) in which senders use words can cause receivers to misinterpret their messages
National Culture
Culture influences the form, formality, openness, patterns, and use of information in communications
6. Language—words mean different things to different people.
a. Age, education, and cultural background can influence language use and definition given to words.
b. Jargon is specialized terminology or technical language that members of a group use to communicate among themselves.
7. National culture can affect the way a manager chooses to communicate.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada
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37. The Grapevine
An informal organizational communication network that is active in almost every organization
Provides a channel for issues not suitable for formal communication channels
The impact of information passed along the grapevine can be countered by open and honest communication with employees
The grapevine is the informal organizational communication network.
a. The grapevine is active in almost every organization. One survey reported that 75% of employees hear about matters first through rumours on the grapevine.
b. The grapevine can act as both a filter and a feedback mechanism.
Chapter 10, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada
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