COM292 Organizational Com. Exam 1

What strategies should the newcomer to an organization use to promote more effective socialization?

"Disguising conversations"- making jokes to view reactions, "teasing"- veterans to newcomers to let them know that they're doing something wrong

Fragmentation Perspective

-Ambiguity is an inevitable and pervasive aspect of contemporary life.

How does one become a more mindful communicator?

-Analyze communication situations & develop strategies for accomplishing goals -think actively about possible communication choices as well as the potential organizational, relational and personal outcomes of those choices -Adapt messages in a timely & thoughtful manner when seeking to inform, amuse, persuade, or otherwise influence listeners & audiences -Evaluate the feedback or responses we receive as an indication of how successful we were in accomplishing our purpose

Performances

-Center on rituals, passion, sociality, politics, socialization of new members, & identity Ex. During hospital rounds when less experienced physicians "talk like a doctor".

Transactional-Process Model

-Clear distinctions are not made between senders and receivers -Communication is a simultaneous process -Stresses nonverbal messages

Strategic-Control Perspective

-Communication is a tool for influencing and shaping the environment. -The primary goal of communication should be organized action. -Strategic Ambiguity -Minimizes importance of ethics (is used to escape blame & allows for "wiggle room".

Differentiation Perspective

-Highlights differences across organizational units or subcultures.

What are some of the values embraced by the communication as dialogue perspective?

-Mindful Communication -Equitable Transaction -Ethical Conversation -Real meeting

Integration Perspective

-Portrays culture in terms of consistency & clarity -Cultural members agree about what they need to do and why they need to do it -Clear, concise, set by management

Communication Networks

-Relationships with trusted co-workers characterized by quick, verbal communication. -The most dynamic source of power in contemporary organizations.

What factors contribute to information overload in contemporary organizations?

Amount (quantity) of information to be processed 2) Rate (speed) at which the information is presented 3) Complexity- the amount of work it takes to process the information

What is one of the downsides resulting from the growth of communication technologies?

Identity Theft

Multicultural Management

The ability to adapt one's leadership style to both respond to & make the most of pervasive cultural differences in values and practices among a diverse employee population.

Organizational Culture

The actions, ways of thinking, practices, stories, & artifacts that characterize a particular organization.

Strategic Ambiguity

The ways in which people may communicate unclearly- or at a more abstract level- but still accomplish their goals.

How does one measure the effectiveness of communication from the transactional perspective?

construction of shared meaning

What is anticipatory socialization?

-When people learn about work through communication. 2 forms- vocational & organizational. -Vocational involves learning about work & careers in general from family members, teachers, part-time employers, friends, & the media. -Organizational type involves learning about a specific job & organization.

Communication as A Balance of Creativity & Constraint

-Working out of tension between individual creativity & organizational constraint. Duality of structure- Must follow rules, norms, etc. of organization, but you can still have some creative freedom.

In order to become more mindful communicators, we are required to do all of the following

-analyze communication situations -evaluate feedback on the success of our communication -think actively about possible communication choices.

According to the Center for Creatively Leadership what are the skills necessary for global leadership?

1) International business knowledge 2) cultural adaptability 3) the ability to take the perspective of others 4) the ability to play the role of innovator

The Characteristics of a Strong Organizational Culture

1) View communication as the core process by which culture is formed & transformed and see culture as patterns of behavior and their interpretation 2) Acknowledge the importance of everyday communication as well as more notable symbolic expressions 3) Encompass not only words & actions, but also all types of nonverbal communication (machinery, artifacts, & work processes) 4) Include broad patterns of interaction in society at large and examine how they are played out in the workplace. Therefore, they view each organization's culture as a cultural nexus of national, local, familial, & other forces outside of the organization 5) They acknowledge the legitimacy of multiple motives for researching culture, from improving corporate performance to overthrowing existing power structures.

The 3 factors that contribute to information overload

1) complexity of information 2) amount of information to be processed 3) rate at which information is presented

What terms does John Van Maanen use to describe the organizational culture at Disney?

A "smile factory"- Employees are "members of a cast" who wear "costumes"- friendly, fun, courteous

What is dialogue in the context of organizational communication?

A balanced communication in which each individual has a chance to both speak & be heard

What is an urgent organization?

A company whose main challenge is to shorten the time in which employees can respond to customers and to one another.

What are some of the fundamental assumptions of the cultural studies approach to organizational communication?

A focus on centrality of language in shaping human perception, attention to the names of things and how these names are invoked in conversation.

What are the stages of organizational socialization?

Anticipatory socialization & organizational assimilation

Examples of environmental factors and symbols which help to define an organization's cultures?

Artifacts such as office decor, dress codes... metaphors, rituals, stories, heroes, performances, & values.

The "god term" for the communication as dialogue perspective

Balanced communication

Ambiguity

Being open to more than one interpretation

What is the fundamental focus of those who adopt a critical view of organizational communication?

Challenges to power relationships & the status quo

4 Approaches to Organizational Communication

Communication As: 1) Information Transfer 2) Transactional Process 3) Strategic Control 4) A Balance of Creativity & Constraint

What is probably the most dynamic source of power in contemporary organizations?

Communication Networks- Relationships with trusted coworkers characterized by quick, verbal communication, are the most dynamic source of power in contemporary organizations because of the role they play in responding to a turbulent business environment

Information-Transfer Approach

Communication is a "pipeline" in which information flows from one person to another.

What is the difference between dialogue and empathic communication?

Dialogue is what allows everyone to share their thoughts; empathic communication has to do with our ability to understand the perspectives of others.

Critical & Postmodern Views

Focus on challenges to power relationships & the status quo (inequalities)

From the strategic perspective we use communication to strategically to accomplish goals and to_________

Gain control

From the strategic control perspective what is the goal of communication?

Goal Attainment

What are the primary catalysts responsible for the forces which are transforming organization?

Historical, political, & social trends

What are some ways in which language can define an organizational culture?

Jokes, gossip, rumors, Jargon..

What is one of the potential limitations of the strategic control perspective?

Less emphasis on building strong communities

Which of the following concepts best illustrates communication that has both purpose and strategy?

Mindful Communication

What does it mean to say that organizational communication is perishable?

Patterns of interaction often have an "expiration date" and become outdated; Organizational communication consists of constant change

What is the dominant metaphor underlying the transaction approach to communication?

Process

Practical View

Responds to managers' desire for practical advice & specific communication strategies for enhancing competitiveness and increasing employee satisfaction. -Management in charge (uniforms, events, etc), passion (excessive positivity)

Which approach to understanding organizational communication emphasizes the use of ambiguity to accomplish multiple goals and objectives?

Strategic Control

Which of the following approaches to understanding communication in organization emphasize the use of communication to accomplish multiple goals and objectives?

Strategic Control

Trafficking

The illegal trade of human beings across borders.

Organizational Communication

The interaction required to direct a group toward a shared goal

Integrity

The mindful state of acting & communicating purposefully to fulfill the promises & commitments you make to others.

How would you characterize the social contract which tends to govern the relationship between the organization and the employee?

The new social contract consists of less trust for job security despite performance; employers would jump at the opportunity to sell companies, while employees are always up for better opportunities, less commitment.

What is organizational socialization?

The process by which people learn the rules, norms, & expectations of a culture over time & thereby become members of that culture.

What are the fundamental assumptions of Ouchi's Theory Z?

The survival & prosperity of organizations depend heavily on their ability to adapt to their surrounding cultures.

Why is metaphor important in the study of organizational communication?

They help us to better understanding something by putting it in recognizable terms.

What are some of the ways in which legends and stories help to shape and define organizational culture?

They instill cultural values, how things are to be done, the consequences for cultural compliance or deviation and the role & meaning of leadership in the organization.

Real Meeting

Through communication, a geniune communion can take place between people that transcends differences in role or perspective and that recognizes all parties' common humanity.

Which communication highlights the importance of feedback?

Transactional Process

Interpretive View

Treat culture as a process that is socially constructed in every day communicative behaviors among all members of the organization -COMMUNICATION is important -Culture is built by employees

What does balancing the tension between creativity and constraint mean?

Working out the tension between individual creativity & organizational constraint

According to the authors of your textbook, in constructing an online networking profile, an individual must often________

balance creativity with societal appropriateness rules

How does one measure the effectiveness of communication from the creativity and constraint perspective?

creating a balance of satisfied individual and a cohesive community

Communication that respects the validity of each person's experience and perceptions is called________.

dialogue as empathic conversation

The definition of dialogue that allows all participants the ability to voice their opinion and perspectives is called________

equitable transaction

Which of the following is NOT one of the three main factors what contributes to information overload?

nonverbal messages

What metaphor captures the information transfer approach to communication?

pipeline or conduit

The creativity and constraint perspective on communication in organizations suggest that one must_______

work out tension between individual creativity and organizational constraint