COMM 406 Midterm

what are examples of mindless intent?

"hi, how are you doing?" "I'm fine, you?" "good, good. well see you later then" "later"

systems perspective

-Relationships that exist among people make the group a system -Environment and open systems -Interdependence -Processes and feedback -Equifinality

structure

-The "scalar principle"-a strict vertical chain of command -each employee should have only one boss and should be accountable to one plan

communication as a tool

-This led to domination narratives -Which in turn led to narratives of resistance -These narratives can function as hidden transcripts that tell another side of the story

what are the typical communication problems in the information transfer approach?

-information overload -distortion (noise the effects communication) -ambiguity

Approaches to organizational communication

-information transfer -transactional process -strategic control -creativity and constraint

critical postmodern views

-integration -differentiation -fragmentation

self deprecating

employees used this humor to enhance their identity. Is a special type of humor in which individuals can raise their position by laughing at themselves.

duality of structure

individuals are molded, controlled, ordered, and shaped by society and social institutions; individuals also create society and social institutions

what aspects of globalization increased employment opportunities, and easier access to medical care- are universally welcome?

intellectual and artistic exchange

organizational communication

interaction required to direct a group toward a shared goal

organizational assimilation

involves both surprise and sense making. Newcomers search for information carries a sense of urgency. Thus attempt to "situate" themselves in an unfamiliar organizational context, but to do so they must first learn a great deal about how existing members define the organization's culture. Differentiate what's in the norm and rules to be followed and those that can be ignored.

organizational

involves learning about a specific job and organization. Takes place before the first day of work and is typically consisted of brochures, websites, interactions with job applications etc. Individuals develop expectations about their prospective job and organization.

what do critics of the information transfer approach argue?

it is simplistic and incomplete -"i throw you a message, then you throw one back" -assumes the receiver remains passive and is uninvolved in constructing the meaning of the message.

voice

the ability of an individual or group to participate in the ongoing organizational dialogue -speak up against the status quo

what are examples of outsourcing?

-Demetrios owning warehouses in china -nike accused of outsourcing "sweatshops" in south korea -U.S. software designers employing call centers in india and Philippines

what is a theory?

-Explains, often through metaphor -Enhances understanding -Often allows for prediction and control -metaphorical in that it uses language to suggest enlightening comparisons between organizational communication and other processes

situated individual model of organization

-Individual is an actor whose thoughts and actions are based on interpretation of contexts -More than one context always exists to guide individual's actions -Communication includes interpretation and action

Taylor's scientific management

-Managers think, workers work -Males were more "rational" and less "emotional" than their female coworkers and therefore better managers -

what ways of thinking are associated with the human resources approach?

-Maslow's hierarchy of needs -McGregor's theory Y management -Likert's principle of supportive relationships

dialogue

-Mindful communication -Equitable transaction -Empathetic conversation -Real meeting

attitude

-Workers should subordinate their personal interests to those of the organization ("leave baggage at the door") -supervisors should work hard to build positive team morale

what are the 8 common characteristics of successful company cultures ? (practical view)

-a bias for action:if change occurs they react, don't take a long time to think -close relations to the customer: customers make them successful -autonomy and entrepreneurship: empower employees -productivity through people: quality product depends on quality workers -hands on, value driven: strong core values that are widely shared among employees -stick to knitting: strictly focuses on their source of product and service excellence -simple form, lean staff: lack of hierarchies; simple staff instead -simultaneous loose tight properties: encourage individ. action

theories are problematic

-account asks more questions than it can answer and the answer it does provide are based on what is currently known rather than on all the could be known -problematic because they're partial and partisan

likert's principle of supportive relationships

-all interactions within an organization should support individual self worth and importance, with emphasis on the supportive relationships within work groups and open communication among them. -supportive relationships considers open communication to be among the most important aspects of management -prefers general oversight to close supervision and emphasize the role of the supportive peer group in fostering productivity.

strategic control approach

-clarity may not be the overriding goal -regards communication as a tool for influencing and shaping the environment. -sees communicators as having multiple goals -cannot be expected to communicate in ways that consistently maximize others' understandings of those reasons -communication choices are socially, politically, and ethically motivated

what were the three early approaches to organization and communications?

-classical management approach -human relations approach -human resources approach

urgent organizations

-companies (most businesses today) whose main challenge is to shorten the time in which employees can respond to customers and to one another

theory x

-control oriented, bureaucratic style of management -the average human being has an inherent dislike of work and will avoid if he or she can -because of their dislike for work, people must be coerced, controlled, directed, or threatened with punishment to get them to put forth effort toward the achievement of organizational objectives -average human prefers to be directed, wishes to avoid responsibility, has little ambition, and wants security above all.

open systems theory

-encourages members (whether people, departments, or organizations) to be mindful of the importance of the overall health of their industry "ecosystem" -a system is open means, not simply that it engages in interchanges with the environment, but that this interchange is an essential factor underlying the systems viability, its reproductive ability to continuity, and its ability to change.

rewards

-fair remuneration for well directed efforts, foreshadowing the potential of profit sharing as a compensation system -believed in the value of a stable workforce

what are examples of trends that lead to urgent organizations?

-fast food -overnight mail -virtual libraries -medical clinics -customer service centers open 24/7 -customers now expect to get exactly what they want, exactly when they want it

what are the primary factors that have contributed to the overall shifting of priorities? (QOL)

-fewer high-pating unionized jobs, two career families are more prevalent now (65% dual earning couples) -child care is too expensive

what do informal relationships allow employees to do?

-get things done across functions: -within the organization -across organizations -among business -government -other stake holders

world views

-habitual ways of seeing the world -perceptions that reflect our inclinations and experiences

With such global ventures, what must businesses acquire and address?

-highly sophisticated, global communication skills -culturally diverse workforce -acknowledge and address differences in religion

what did Franklin popularize as the foundation of American work culture?

-industry need not wish-there are no gains without pains -god gives all things to industry -god helps them that help themselves -sloth makes all things difficult, but industry easy -early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

why can't bureaucracy fully be realized?

-it is not possible to rid organizations of all extra organizational influences on member behavior -bureaucracy didnt deal well with non routine tasks -people vary in terms of rationality

what goals does strategic ambiguity accomplish?

-it promotes unified diversity -preserves privileged positions -it is deniable -facilitates organizational change

classical management approach

-machine metaphor -top down control

newcomer info seeking tactics

-overt question -indirect question -third parties -testing limits -disguising conversations -observing -surveillance

Theories are:

-partial -partison -problematic

human relations approach

-people weren't treating each other very well. wanted to help find a way to make relationships better. -emphasize the impotence of cooperative relationships between managers and employees. -want to feel united, tied, bound to something, some cause, bigger than they, commanding them yet worthy of them summoning them to significant living. -organizations as the sum of relationships

what are the levels of of Masclow's hierarchy of needs?

-physiological (food, clothing) -safety (shelter, employment, security) -love (belonging, affection, respect by colleagues) -self esteem (salary, rank,statues, opportunities, responsibilities) -self actualization

what are the 3 views of organizational culture?

-practical view -interpretive view -process of organizational socialization

practical view

-responds to managers desire for practical advice and specific communication strategies for enhancing competitiveness and increasing employee satisfaction. -interested in the meaning of such things as corporate logos and value statements

hawthorne effect

-showed the limits of time and motion studies. -Experimented to see if people would work as hard when the lights were dimmed. Study showed that the lights weren't the underlying factor; they were working hard because scientists were observing them. You affect things by observing them.

theories are partisan

-story that we favor -personalized to you and others in your situation

Fayol's 4 principles to classical management

-structure -power -reward -attitude

theory y

-the expenditure of physical and mental effort is as natural as play or rest -external control and threat of punishment are not only means for bringing about effort toward organizational objectives. people will exercise self direction and self control in the service of objectives to which they are committed -commitment to objectives is a function of the rewards associated with their achievement(including the reward of self actualization) -the average human beings learns, under proper conditions, not only to accept but also to seek responsibility -the capacity to exercise relatively high degrees of imagination, ingenuity , and creativity in the solution of organizational problems is widely, not narrowly distributed in the population -under the conditions of modern industrial life, the intellectual potential of the average person is only partially utilized,

self

-the story of "I," unpredictable part os person that is usually kept private, strives to fit societies rules and norms -the story of "me," socially constrained part of a person that is more openly shared with others, desires meaningful action with other

information transfer

-views communication as a metaphoric pipeline through which info flows from one person to another -i give you info (thats it)

outsourcing

-when a U.S. company chooses to hire people in other countries to do some of their work. -businesses today search the globe for the lowest possible labor costs and move jobs wherever cheap labor can be found.

wick's sense making model

1. Enactment: actually doing something 2. Selection: selecting the thing that worked 3. Retention: Keeping the things that worked

what is an example of testing limits?

arriving at work in casual clothes and observing everyone reactions

what types (systems) does likert divide based on the degree of participation?

1. exploitative/authoritative 2. benevolent/authoritative 3. consultative 4. participative

what are the 7 properties of sense making?

1. identity construction 2. retrospection 3. enactment 4. socialization 5. continuation 6. extracted cues 7. plausibility

what are the 5 features of Senge's learning organization?

1. systems thinking: combining holism and interdependence 2. personal mastery:share a personal commitment to learning and self reflection 3. flexible mental models: patterns of belief that shape and limit and individuals interpretations and actions. self reflection 4. a shared vision: hierarchy replaced with conceptive control. members act in concert together 5. team learning: communicate in ways that lead the team toward intelligent decisions, with an emphasis on dialogue as the key

transactional process

Clear distinctions are not made between senders and receivers. rather, people play both roles simultaneously. -each person is engaged in sharing the process -use communication as a loop -i give you the info, receiver gives feedback -transactional process model

what is an example of third parties?

I'm making a presentation to the president. does she like it if you open with a joke?

insourcing

in some cases, European and Asian companies have set up operations in the U.S

machine metaphor

Organizations view employees as gears. Able to find "defective" and replace him/her. (Easily replaceable)

retrospective sense making

People act first, then examine their behaviors to explain their meaning.

top down control (hierarchy)

The boss/manager communicate downwards and it helps the "machine" to run. What you really want to get out of your job, you can't because control is distributed from the top-down.

the new social contract

a different kind of employment relationship in which "job security" is fleeting and tied expressly to whether one's skills fit the organizations need at the time

integrity

a mindful state of acting and communicating purposefully to fulfill promises and commitments to others -requires dialogue

situated individual

a person conducting the everyday business of constructing and maintaining the social realities in which he or she lives.

empathetic conversation

ability to understand or imagine the world as another person understands or imagines it.

hidden transcripts

accounts of the powerless function as hidden transcripts, including themes and arguments that are well known by members of the oppressed group but are kept out of the eye of the public for fear of reprisal from those in power. - employee's telling the other side of the story EX: Wal-Mart and Amazon employees

equitable transaction

all participants have the ability to voice their opinions and perspectives

facilitates organizational change

allowing people the interpretive room to change their specific activities while appearing to keeps those activities consistent with more abstract goals

promotes unified diversity

allows room for multiple interpretations and change -nike "just do it"

fragmentation

ambiguity is an inevitable and pervasive aspect of contemporary life. replaces certainty with ambiguity, contradiction, tension , irony as models for interpretation.

cult-like culture

an organizations longevity can be sustained by a culture that preserves its core purpose and values while remaining open to change and opportunity in a dynamic world.

resistance to domination

any action on the part of oppressed individuals to lessen the constraints placed on them by those in power

vocational

begins in childhood. involves learning about work and careers in general form from family members, teachers, part time employers, friends and the media. Children and adolescent acquire a general knowledge of accepted attitudes toward work, of the importance of power and status in an organization, and of work as a source of meaningful personal relationships.

collective mindfulness

being more concerned about group effectiveness than about individual ego or position

why did Mcgregor expand on theory x with theory y?

builds on the best of human relations approach to offer a fundamentally different view of employees and their relationships. employees are viewed as possessing a high capacity for autonomy, responsibility, and innovation. -treats employees as valued human resources

performances

center on rituals, passion, sociality, politics, socialization of new members, and identity.

power

centralization of decision making and respect for authority -persons authority accrues from one's position and character; discipline and obedience expected if BOTH are present

mindless

communicating without conscious, purposeful intent

lightly coupled

communication connections among people in organizations vary in intensity and are often loose or weak.

creativity and constraint approach

communication is the moment to moment working out the tension (thinking innovatively, being willing to reexamine taken for granted routines and practices, encouraging new ideas) between individual creativity and organizational constraint (deadlines, financial limits, organizational rules, etc)

what do critics of the transactional process approach argue?

criticize emphasis on the creation of shared meaning through communication -the degree of shared meaning between people can never be verified

context

different contexts suggest different rules for action and interpretation

theories are partial

doesn't explain everything

rituals

dramatize a cultures basic values and can range in scope from personal, day to day routines for accomplishing tasks to annual organization wide celebrations of top performers.

what is an example of surveillance?

eavesdropping on peer conversations; paying careful attention at office parties; monitoring the environment for cues

human relations definition

emphasized the interpersonal and social needs of individuals and marked a clean break from earlier points of view.

systems approach

emphasizes the important difference between a disconnected set of parts versus a collection of parts that work together to create a functional whole

distance and differentiating

employees also poke fun at clients, thus distancing and differentiating themselves (both individually and as a group) from those they served. Role distancing occurs when individuals deny ''the virtual self that is implied in the role'' and distance themselves from their own actions.

what does the new social contract advise employees and businesses?

employees must engage in continual learning to remain in demand; businesses must strive to attract and retain the best talent.

partially included

explain why certain strategies for motivating employees are ineffective -employees are only partially included in the workplace; at work we see some but not all of their behaviors

what was the human relations approach critiqued for?

falling short of valuing employee perceptions, worldview, and voice

metaphors

figures of speech that define an unfamiliar experience in terms of another, more familiar one. EX: referring to a family as a "machine"

Hierarchy

from the 18th century, organizations functioned much like empires. -corporations were viewed as extensions of governments, they expanded trade provided employment for the masses, and contributed to economic and social development.

real meeting

genuine communication can take place between people that transcends differences in a role or perspective and that recognizes all parties' common humanity. -real meeting is achieved when all of the approaches are combined and used together

In regards to human relations, what did Mary Follet believe?

genuine power can only be grown...for genuine power is not coercive control but coactive control

what are the goals for the scientific management approach?

goals are central: both individuals and organizations direct their activities toward goal attainment.

how has fitness been subject to the scientific management principles?

gyms and fitness instructors seek to identify the most effective way to complete a task (getting fit or losing weight) in the shortest amount of time while conserving the most energy.

differentiation

highlights differences across organizational units or subcultures. Portrays cultural manifestations as predominantly inconsistent with one another. When consensus emerges, differentiation view is quick to point out its limitations. differentiated subcultures can coexist in harmony, conflict, or indifference to one another.

what is an example of an indirect question?

i guess i won't plan to take a vacation this year, implying something indirectly

particularism

job security didn't exist, young children worked long hours for meager wages and workers were hired and fired for reasons that had to do with their race, religion, sex, attitude, or relationship to the boss.

feedback

loops that connect communication and action -individuals provide messages to others who then respond to those messages in some way.

scientific management

management oriented,production-centered view of organizations and communication

heroes and heroines

members of an organization who are held up as role models, they embody and personify cultural values EX: organizational founders, managerial ranks

culture

national standards of organizational performance

what are the two types of feedback?

negative and positive

goals

negotiated among interdependent factions in the organization and are heavily influenced by its environment

dialogue definition

one of the richest activities that human beings can engage in. it is the thing that gives meaning to life, its the sharing of humanity, its creating something. and there is this magical thing in an organization where you get unrestricted interaction, unrestricted dialogue, and this synergy happening that results in mrs productivity, and satisfaction, and seemingly magical levels of output from a team.

anticipatory socialization

people learn about work through communication.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs

peoples basic needs for food, shelter, and belonging must be satisfied before they can move toward achieving their full human potential, which is called "self actualization"

integration

portrays culture in terms of consistency and clarity. from this perspective it appears that cultural members agree about what they need to do and why they need to do it. there is no room for ambiguity.

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.

interpretive methodology

researchers are driven to treat culture as something an organization is

what are the types of hidden transcripts?

resistance narrative slave narratives-gave slaves a way to express their outrage to others in the same situation -"the blues" slave songs, ditties

theory of structuration

sees human behavior as an unresolvable, productive tension between creativity and constraint

values

shared set of beliefs about appropriate organizational behaviors

preserves privileged positions

shielding those with power form close scrutiny by others

stories

storytelling helps convey to members what and whom the cultural values, how things are to be done, the consequences for cultural compliance, or deviation, and the role and meaning of leadership in an organization

ethics

system of rules, duties, and morality that we use to guide our behavior

mindful approach

talk as mental and relational activity that is both purposeful and strategic

artifacts

tangible or physical features of an organization EX: office decor, spatial arrangements, corporate art, dress codes, etc.

what is an example of disguising conversations?

that safety memo sure was a riot. can you believe the gall of those guys? waiting to see whether others also thought it was funny

multicultural management

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

organizational culture

the actions, ways of thinking, practices, stories, and artifacts that characterize a particular organization

globalization

the closer integration of the countries and peoples of the world which has been brought about by the enormous reduction of costs of transportation and communication and the breaking down of artificial barriers to the flow of goods, services, capital, knowledge and (to a lesser extent) people across borders

why is Masclow's hierarchy of needs important to understanding the human relations approach?

the conditions that foster individual health are often surprisingly good for the prosperity of the organization as well.

what effect is related to the human relations approach?

the hawthorne effect

quality of life

the overall satisfaction with one's work experience in the context of other life experiences, constraints, and aspirations

equifinality

the same goal may be reached in multiple ways

theory z

the survival ad prosperity of organizations depend heavily on their ability to adapt to their surrounding cultures.

what is the human resources approach concerned with?

the total organizational climate as well as with how an organization can encourage employee participation and dialogue.

strategic ambiguity

the ways in which people may communicate unclearly

interdependence

the wholeness of the system and its environment and to the interrelationships of individuals within the system ex: student is dependent on instructor but the instructor is only minimally interdependent

ethnography

the writing of culture -provides "thick" descriptions of organizational life, often capturing subtle points that are overlooked by traditional research methods

in regard to the social contract, what is essential to achieve success?

to make personal connections and interpersonal relationships, since careers no longer follow predictable paths.

what do employees struggle with? (Quality of life)

to succeed at work while also attending to the care of their children and parents. -success in career but also deeper involvement with their communities and personal growth through a variety of life experiences.

what led to the emergence of domination narratives?

top down flow of information in hierarchies

interpretive approach

treat culture as a process that is socially constructed in everyday communicative behaviors among all members of the organization -culture cannot be managed; it emerges. leaders don't create cultures; members of the culture do. -symbolism in organizations

what is an example of observing?

watching which employees get praised in meetings and emulating those who do; paying attention for specific individuals

what is an example of an overt question?

who has the authority to cancel purchase orders?

it is deniable

words seem to mean one thing but under pressure they can seem to mean something else

bureaucracy

• General rules that govern performances • Separation of work and personal life • Employees hired solely on technical qualifications (thought of as a good thing because people were being discriminated against for their religion, race, ethnicity, beliefs, etc...) • Equal treatment for all • The ideal can never be realized • A fixed division of labor among participants • A hierarchy of offices

systematic divisions of labor

• Increased worker efficiency • Helped train less skilled workers

cultural elements

• Metaphors • Rituals • Stories: stories told to shape organizational culture • Artifacts • Heroes and heroines • Performances: everyday enactments, improvised • Values: Accessed through use of symbols and symbolic environment

human resources approach

• Workers can achieve self-fulfillment at work if allowed. • Creativity must be nurtured • Motivation for working emphasized. • Forms the foundation for TODAY'S common management practices. • Bottom-up communication