Steps Three and Four: Consider the Context and Select a Channel of Communication

What is Organizational Context? The situation or setting in which communication occurs The corporation The not-for-profit The accounting firm

What is Organizational Context? Dimensions of Context Physical Social Chronological Cultural

What is Organizational Context? Dimensions of Context Physical Social Chronological Cultural

Dimensions of Context Physical Social Chronological The actual setting in which interactions take place Social The nature of the relationship between communicators Chronological The ways time influences interactions Example: time of day in the office or time of year for the company Example: the boss’s office vs. the break room Example: a long personal friendship between co-workers

What is Organizational Context? Dimensions of Context Physical Social Chronological Cultural

Dimensions of Context Cultural A system of shared meanings and practices Patterns of shared basic assumptions 1. Innovation and risk taking 2. Attention to detail 3. Outcome orientation 4. People orientation 5. Team orientation 6. Aggressiveness 7. Stability

Organizational Culture Inventory Constructive Passive-Defensive Aggressive-Defensive

Constructive Culture Achievement Self-Actualization Human-focused encouragement Affiliation

Passive-Defensive Culture Seeking approval Maintaining conventions Supporting dependency Avoiding conflict

Aggressive-Defensive Culture Oppositional Focus on power attainment and maintenance Competitive Perfectionism

Communication Climate Description Problem orientation Spontaneity Empathy Equality Provisionalism Defensive Communication Climate Supportive Communication Climate Evaluation Control Strategy Neutrality Superiority Certainty

Formal and Informal Networks Manager Supervisor 1 Worker 1 Worker 2 Supervisor 2 Worker 3 Formal Downward flow Upward flow Horizontal flow Manager Supervisor 1 Worker 1 Worker 2 Supervisor 2 Worker 3 Informal The “grapevine”

Choosing a Communication Channel Richness versus leanness Need for interpretation Speed of establishing contact Time required for feedback Cost Amount of information conveyed Permanent record Control over the message

Choosing a Communication Channel Richness versus leanness Some channels of communication provide more information than others Need for interpretation Some channels of communication leave more ambiguity or room for interpretation of the message than others Speed of establishing contact Channels vary in the amount of time required to deliver a message Time required for feedback Channels vary in conventions around response time

Choosing a Communication Channel Cost Some channels of communication are more cost effective than others Amount of information conveyed Written channels are more appropriate for conveying large amounts of information with great detail Permanent record Many situations in business require records of what occurs during work activities, and this may impact channel choice Control over the message Written channels of communication are often the best choice for maintaining control of the message

Are new media channels good for business? Risks Benefits Minimal cost Increased speed Improved dialogue Exposure of internal problems Leakage of proprietary info More difficult to control messages