1. Communication in Organizations
Focus Questions
What is organizational culture?
How important is it to be involved in the informal networks of organizations?
How do rituals and routines affect life in organizations?
What are the risks of forming personal relationships with co-workers?
What challenges face organizations and members of them in this era?
Communication in Organizations

2. Features of Organizational Communication
Structure
Organization means “structure.” (loose or rigid)
Hierarchy
Networks
Communication occurs in networks.
Relationships
ad hoc network: in response to specific issues
Links to external environment
Contexts (multiple and connected)
Communication in Organizations

3. Communication in Organizations
Organization Culture
Ways of thinking, acting, and viewing work
Shared by members
Reflecting identity
Four Communication Practices (next few slides)
Vocabulary
Stories
Rites & Rituals
Structures
Communication in Organizations

4. Communication in Organizations
Vocabulary
The language of an organization reflects and expresses its history, norms, values, identity.
Hierarchical language
Distinguishes levels of status
Eg., military, school,…
Masculine language
More typical of men than women (HP 菲奧莉娜 故事)
Words & phrases taken from sports, military…
Communication in Organizations

5. Communication in Organizations
Stories
Storytelling to weave coherent narratives and to create meaning, and to sustain organizational cultures
Corporate stories
Convey values, style, and history of an organization
Personal stories
How people see themselves, and to be seen by others
Collegial stories
Personal accounts of other members
02:00
Communication in Organizations

6. Communication in Organizations
Rites and Rituals
Verbal and nonverbal practices
Rites: Sets of activities that bring together aspects of ideology in a single event (dramatic and planned)
Rituals: Forms of communications that occur regularly; perceived familiar and routine
Difference
Rituals don’t necessarily bring together a number of aspects of organizational ideology into a single event
Rituals are repeated communication performance
01:30
Communication in Organizations

7. Communication in Organizations
Rites
Rites of passage
Artwork in larger office, special handshake
Rites of integration
Holiday parties, graduation ceremonies
Rites of blaming or praising
Military, Tenure in college
Rites of recognition
Honors of achievement
Rites of managing change
Training workshops; office rearrangement
Rites of resolving conflicts
Voting, meditation
Communication in Organizations

8. Communication in Organizations
Rituals
Personal rituals
Individual routines; delivering staff mail in person
Social rituals
Company dinning room for informal interaction, tea break
chatting
Task rituals
Police officer’s routine questions
Sales presentations
Communication in Organizations

9. Communication in Organizations
Structures
Organizing relationships and interactions
Roles
Responsibilities and behaviors of specific position
Rules
Constitutive and regulative rules
Policies
Formal statements of practices; mission statement
Communication networks
Formal & informal; job description and organization chart
Grapevine: Communication outside the formal channels
01:16
Communication in Organizations

10. Challenges for Communication in Organizations
Adapting to diverse needs, situations, and people
Moving in and out of teams
Participating in variety teams
Managing personal relationships on the job
Personal vs. professional
Romantic relationships
Movie Clip: Ed Misses the banquet (p. 298)
Communication in Organizations