1. BU208 B Interpersonal Communications Fall, 2008
Week 7 - October 21, 2008

2. Chapter 16 – Communication in Organizations
Organizations and Communication
Organizations
-goal directed, boundary maintaining, and socially constructed systems of human activity
examples of organizations: hockey teams,
church, school, work…
-no organization can exist without communication
-it is through communication that the relationships between members of an organization or between a representative of the organization and someone outside the organization are created
-therefore, any organization is a network of human elements joined by communication

3. Chapter 16 – Communication in Organizations
Organizational Communication
-the process of creating or sharing meaning through interaction with other human beings within a system of human activity

4. Chapter 16 – Communication in Organizations
Patterns of Organizational Communication
-communication events participated in by members of an organization can be classified in several ways, depending on the relationship between the sender and receiver, the direction of information flow, and the degree of formality which characterizes the interaction
i) external and internal communication
ii) formal and informal communication

5. Chapter 16 – Communication in Organizations
external and internal communication
-external communication is communication between one or more members of an organization and individuals or groups outside the organization
-it can take many forms: , telephone call, letter, ad campaign
-internal communication occurs when one or more members of an organization direct a message to another member or other members of the same organization
-it, too, can take many forms: team meeting, policy circulated internally

6. Chapter 16 – Communication in Organizations
formal and informal communication
-formal communication occurs through prescribed channels and in compliance with specific rules
-they may be explicit (clearly stated) or implicit (implied)
-members will know the rules and follow them or face sanctions
-informal communication occurs outside these prescribed channels and rules is often referred to as the grapevine
-messages that are exchanged in casual social conversations between members of an organization or members and non-members would be classed as informal

7. Chapter 16 – Communication in Organizations
Organizational Culture
-develop over time
-become codified norms and rules that members are expected to follow
-the extent to which members adopt this meaning system may determine the extent to which they feel a part of the dominant organizational culture and therefore the level of comfort they feel in being part of the organization
-in many organizations, several separate cultures compete for the members’ allegiance

8. Chapter 16 – Communication in Organizations
Official Organizational Culture
-the system of meaning that the leaders of an organization attempt to project as the true culture of the organization
-values of the true culture are usually expressed through its mission statement and its stated organizational goals
-these values are usually given prominent display in any advertising or promotional material associated with the organization

9. Chapter 16 – Communication in Organizations
Unofficial Organizational Culture
-over time, members of an organization may develop a culture that is markedly different from the organization’s official culture
-this is often done through carrying out their day-to-day activities, through interaction with one another or people outside the organization, and through making sense of their function and role in the organization

10. Chapter 16 – Communication in Organizations
Organizational Co-Cultures
-co-cultures may arise or develop within the dominant culture of the organization
-co-cultures draw some or all of their cultural identity from membership in other groups (eg. religious, ethnic, gender) or they may be smaller groups that arise within the organization among members of particular departments, divisions, or teams

11. Chapter 16 – Communication in Organizations
Barriers to Organizational Communication
1. Structural Barriers
2. Social Barriers

12. Chapter 16 – Communication in Organizations
Structural Barriers
-arise because of the way in which an organization or the communication channels within the organization are designed
-Vertical Organization Structure
-organizations that are strongly hierarchical are likely to experience difficulty with upward and downward communication
-as a result, valuable input from subordinates is lost
-Inadequate Downward Communication
-in traditional, top-heavy organizations, a culture of secrecy often limits the flow of downward communication
-as a result, members at the middle or lower ranks have a poor sense of the organization’s direction, do not know what is expected of them, and experience a sense of uselessness or inadequacy and low morale
-Filtering
-the process of modifying the content of messages as they are passed from one person to another occurs in both oral and written messages that are conveyed through long networks
-as a result, messages are: leveled, condensed, sharpened, assimilated, embellished

13. Chapter 16 – Communication in Organizations
Social Barriers
-result from behaviours of members of the organization
Competitiveness
Distrust
Unequal Distribution of Power
Sexual Harassment

14. Chapter 16 – Communication in Organizations
Competitiveness
-because information can frequently be used to further a member’s career, enhance his or her status in the organization, and so on, members who have information may be reluctant to share it with others because they do not want to risk losing an opportunity to a competitor
Distrust
-members of organizations are not likely to communicate openly with peers or supervisors whom they feel they cannot trust

15. Chapter 16 – Communication in Organizations
Unequal Distribution of Power
-because some members of an organization exercise some degree of control over others, and the members with the control wish to appear to be in control, people at different levels of an organization frequently do not communicate openly with one another
Sexual Harassment
-occurs when one person receives unwelcome sexual contract from another

16. Video
I Have A Dream
by Martin Luther King