COMM 200 final

theory Originated by Karl Marx (CT)

- Goal of Marxism was to emancipate the workers and inspire a revolution.

Types of identification inducements (OI)

-Common Ground -antithesis -assumed or transcendent "we" -unifying symbols

Identification and control (OI)

Concertive control - unobtrusive ways in which organizations can influence the decisions and behaviors of highly identified employees <The more the organization becomes a part of an individual, the more likely he/she will make decisions that place organizational interests above all else. Thus, the employee is controlled by the organization through his/her strong identification.>

researchers take an alternative approach to culture (OC)

Ethnography qualitative methods analysis of cultural markers and performances

Labor theory of value (CT)

He focused on two forms of power which oppressed workers: modes and means of production by denying workers the full value of their labor

Social Identity Theory / Psychological (OI)

Identity is based on Social categories

organizational (OI)

Identity is based on organizational ties

sociological (OI)

Identity is based on roles and relationships

Identification measurements

Organizational Identification Questionnaire (OIQ)- a 25-item scale exploring individuals' association with and feelings toward their employer.

Identification targets (OI)

Organizational subgroups such as departments and work groups, people such as supervisors, and even specific positions or jobs represent various identification targets that can be either compatible or competing

Unifying symbols (OI)

Organizations use corporate logos, trademarks, and other visual elements to promote the linkage of individuals to the corporation

Organizational identity is communicative (OI)

Rhetorical process (organizational members construct and re-construct their identity through their communication and interaction both within and outside the organization)

Modes of production (CT)

Through these systems an employee's labor value is not equivalent to the product he/she helps create.

Cultural performances definition (OC)

While abstract in nature, organizational culture is something you can actually see in the way group members "act out" their collective values, beliefs, and norms of behavior. (ritual, passion, sociality, politics, and enculturation)

stories (OC)

about the company or about individuals that serve to reinforce behaviors or highlight values • How the company rose from the ashes • How the founder and CEO developed the idea for the organization in his dorm room • How Jane transposed several numbers on a government report that cost the organization thousands of dollars in fines

Enculturation (OC)

addresses how we become members of an organization, acquire the information we need to take on, adapt, understand, and even reject our roles

Ideal speech situation (CT)

allowing everyone the opportunity to speak their opinions and beliefs, freely ask questions, and present their positions with open disclosure of their historical or social position

Rituals (OC)

are personal, task, social, or organizational in nature. Rituals are ways we mark events and often gain collective experience

Stakeholder democracy model (CT)

attempt at establishing a good form for organizational decision-making and workplace democracy. He claims that all stakeholders in an organization have unique needs and have various levels of investment in the organization.

Org. members construct their identity through (OI)

communication and interaction both within and outside the organization

Assumed or transcendent "we" (OI)

corporate language, such as "we" and "us," subtly but powerfully assumes a relationship between the organization and individual

Prescriptive (OC)

culture is something an organization has -represents a managerial approach -treats culture as a variable to be managed and controlled -work on "excellent" or "strong" cultures perpetuates the idea that culture can be controlled and recreated in other organizations

Descriptive (OC)

culture is something an organization is -emerges from the interaction of its neighbors -can be influenced by management but not controlled -subcultures and countercultures also exist and influence the collective whole

Sociality (OC)

describes culture as influencing behavior in a way that promotes harmony through courtesies, pleasantries, sociabilities such as gossiping, joking, or complaining, and privacies or communicative acts that take place behind closed doors such as evaluations, criticisms, or forms of support

Cultural approach to OC

describes how people in organizations communicatively construct their workplaces. Culture isn't just something that an organization has it is something that the organization is.

Passion (OC)

describes how we convey the nature and details of our work through personal, collegial, and organizational stories

Politics (OC)

describes power and control in the workplace

Meaning denial (CT)

discursive closure strategy -claims are made and yet denied at the same time creating ambiguity

Topical avoidance (CT)

discursive closure strategy -discouraging or prohibiting discussion of areas of conflict

Subjectification of Experience (CT)

discursive closure strategy -disregarding personal opinions as subjective and inadequate for discussion

Pacification (CT)

discursive closure strategy -diverting messages which serve to pacify others or discount significance of important issues

Legitimation (CT)

discursive closure strategy -making decisions and/or acting in ways that are in line with higher order values

Naturalization (CT)

discursive closure strategy -presenting organizational policies and practices as "natural"

Disqualification (CT)

discursive closure strategy -process of excluding individuals who may not be "qualified" to speak

Neutralization (CT)

discursive closure strategy -the hiding of values or positions when presenting information as neutral and objective

Common ground technique (OI)

emphasizes association and the overlap of the individual's values with the organization's values

critical theory

examines and uncovers elements of organizational life and practices that oppress people. Critical theory focuses especially on power, specifically who has it and who doesn't

practices (OC)

for completing tasks • Record-keeping • Processes for completing a medical exam • Looking busy even when there's nothing to do • Start and end times to the work day

facts (OC)

how the organization operates which is a form of social knowledge • Why a product is made to a large client's specifications • What "counts" as success in a sales position

Self-categorization (OI)

is produced and reproduced through language (We are always trying to figure out who we are, and we do so based on experiences and interactions with others, particularly within organizational contexts)

Marx was critical of capitalism or bourgeoisie because (CT)

it exploits the working class or proletariat

Traditional approach to OC

looked at the structure and hierarchy and the content and direction of messages across the chain of command. Research also focused on how satisfied employees were with their organization based on the communication climate. looked at organizations as networks or complex systems where members were interconnected within and outside the workplace. focuses on how communication can be changed or manipulated to improve an organization's bottom line.

Means of production (CT)

methods and processes by which products are created. Marx claimed that with the industrial age, workers were separated from the products they helped create and were often stuck performing repetitive tasks focusing on one element of production. In capitalist systems, workers are separated from the end product of their labor, become deskilled, and must follow work processes laid out by management. Through these systems employees become dehumanized and machine-like.

Discursive closure (CT)

occurs within a communicative moment, such as a meeting, where conflict is squelched. In these moments, a dominant viewpoint emerges while other viewpoints are marginalized. Strategies include: • Disqualification • Neutralization • Naturalization • Topical Avoidance • Subjectification of Experience • Meaning Denial • Legitimation • Pacification

Qualitative methods (OC)

participant observation, interviews, document analysis, metaphor analysis, and narrative analysis

Identification Outcomes (OI)

positive behavioral outcomes - greater cooperation, effort, motivation and low turnover <Identification, is both a process (the ongoing action of developing maintaining identity) and a product (the resulting decisions, behaviors and commitments)>

3 identification perspectives (OI)

social identity theory/psychological, sociological, and organizational

Systematically distorted communication (CT)

squelches conflict, preserves power of dominant groups, and prevents other groups from recognizing or speaking against beliefs and procedures that seem natural to organizational life.

relevant constructs (OC)

such as processes or objects understood and used by members • Industry trade magazine, corporate meeting, previous company merger

Antithesis (OI)

the organization and individual become united against a common enemy.

ethnography (OC)

the scientific description of the customs of individual peoples and cultures.

2 approaches to organization communication

traditional and cultural

vocabulary (OC)

used and shared by employees • Name of a special report ("TPS Report") • Acronym for a company initiative or program such as "ATP-Academic Transitions Program

metaphors (OC)

used by organizational members • Team • Family • System

Concertive control (CT)

when employees strongly identify with an organization, they are more willing to carry out the interests of the organization without question

rites and rituals (OC)

which serve as structured events that demonstrate shared sense-making • Happy hour or "Thursday beer" • Annual reviews • Holiday parties

Participation and Democracy in organizations (CT)

worker participation comprises organizational structures and processes designed to empower and enable employees to identify with organizational goals and to collaborate as control agents in activities that exceed minimum coordination efforts normally expected at work

Characteristics of collaborative communication (CT)

• Members are joint problem solvers • Speaking comes from an outcome wishing to be accomplished • Dialogue focuses on complex underlying interests • Dialogue broadens field of options • Joint search is used to discover facts • Seeks workable options • Definition of the problem is a joint achievement • Final responsibility for the decision rests with the group

Evaluation of the theory (CT)

• Unique philosophical perspective • Interesting lens to uncover subtle forms of control • Overly idealistic goals or reforming & emancipating Orgs. • Democracy in organizations hard to find • Lack practical suggestions to reform democracy and structure

Focus of critical theorists (CT)

• common ideologies or beliefs - which serve to control behaviors -decisions in organizations should be made based on the bottom line, or on what is "best" for the "team" • hegemony -ways in which employees buy into beliefs and structures that actually serve to control them often without their knowledge. In this sense, employees often take part in their oppression.

Examples of cultural markers (OC)

• relevant constructs • facts • practices • vocabulary • metaphors • Stories • Rites and Rituals

Evaluation of the theory (OC)

• rich theoretical lens for studying organizations and the meaning created by its members • thick description leads theorists to weave a story that clearly demonstrates culture through examples • comprehensive picture of an organization • Hard to replicate or represent culture • Not very practical - given its descriptive nature • Fails to expose power issues