MGMT 5320 - Organizational Behavior Chapter 9
Preferred channel for coordinating work Tends to increase communication volume Significantly alters communication flow Somewhat reduces status differences and stereotyping
Communication
Process by which information is transmitted and understood between people - Transmitting intended meaning (not just symbols)
Improving Communication Coding/Decoding
Sender/Receiver have similar codebooks Sender is experienced encoding that message Sender/receiver are motivated and able to use the selected channel Sender/receiver have shared mental models of the communication context
Communication Process Model
Sender: Form Message -> Encode Message -> Transmit Message Receiver: Receive encoded message -> Decode message-> Form Feedback-> Encode Feedback-> Transmit Feedback Sender: Receives encoded Feedback-> Decode Feedback
Cross-Cultural Communication: Verbal
Verbal Differences -language -voice intonation -silence/conversational overlaps
Grapevine Benefits
fills in missing information from formal sources strengthens corporate culture relieves anxiety associated with the drive to bond
Exceptions to Media Richness
Media richness theory doesn't apply as well to electronic channels because: 1. Able to multi-communicate through lean channels 2. More varied proficiency levels 3. Lean channels have less social distraction than do media rich channels
Gender Communication Differences
Men view conversations more as power status, functionality -report talk -give advice quickly -dominate conversation Women consider more interpersonal relations - rapport talk - indirect advice/requests - sensitive to nonverbal cues
Cross-Cultural Communication: Nonverbal
Nonverbal Differences -some nonverbal gestures are universal, but others vary across cultures
Communication Barriers
Perceptions Filtering Language -Jargon -Ambiguity Information Overload
Problems with Email
Poorly communicates emotions Reduces politeness and respect (flaming) Inefficient for ambiguous, complex, novel situations
Management by Walking Around (MBWA)
A communication practice in which executives get out of their offices and learn from others in the organization through face-to-face dialogue
Information Overload
A condition in which the volume of information received exceeds the persons capacity to process it. - information gets overlooked or misinterpreted
Media Richness
A mediums data-carrying capacity, that is, the volume and variety of information that can be transmitted during a specific time
Persuasive Communication
Changing another persons beliefs and attitudes Spoken communication is more persuasive because: - accompanied by nonverbal communication - has high quality immediate feedback - has high social presence `
Grapevine Limitations
Distortions might escalate anxiety Perceived lack of concern for employees when company info is slower than grapevine
Choosing Channels: Social Acceptance
Do others support use of that communication channel for that purpose? 1. Firm/team norms for using the channel 2. Individual preferences for using the channel 3. Symbolic meaning of the channel
Communicating Through Social Media
Internet/mobile based channels with user-generated, interactive content - Blogs, wikis, tweets, personal sites (Facebook) - More conversational and interactive - Most can develop a public identity - Encourage communities -- links, interactivity, feedback Serves diverse Functions -Presenting identify, enabling conversations, etc...
Organizational Grapevine
Early research findings - transmits information rapidly in all directions - follows a cluster chain pattern - more active in homogenous groups - transmits some degree of truth Changes due to internet - emerging grapevines channels: email, tweets, etc - social networks are now global, extends grapevine
Getting Your Message Across
Empathize Repeat the message Use timing effectively Focus on the problem, not the person
Choosing Channels: Media Richness
High richness channels when: 1. conveys multiple cues 2. allows timely feedback 3. allow customized message 4. permits complex symbols Use rich communication media when the situation is non routine and ambiguous
Importance of Communication
Importance of communication 1. coordinating work activities 2. organizational learning 3. better decision making 4. changing others' behavior 5. employee well-being
Information Overload Solutions
Increase information processing capacity -example: Learn to read faster, remove distractions Reduce information load -example: Buffering, omitting, summarizing
Nonverbal Communication
Influences meaning of verbal symbols Less rule bound than verbal communication Most is automatic and non conscious
Emotional Contagion
The non conscious process of "catching" or sharing another persons emotions by mimicking that person's facial expressions and other nonverbal behavior
Persuasion
The use of facts, logical arguments, and emotional appeals to change another person's beliefs and attitudes, usually for the purpose of changing the person's behavior
Communicating in Hierarchies
Workspace Design - Open Offices - consider noise, distractions - Clustering people in teams Internet-based organizational communication - wikis - collaborative document creation - ezines - rapid distribution of company news Direct communication with management -management by walking around (MBWA) - Town Hall meetings
grapevine
an unstructured and informal communication network founded on social relationships other than organizational charts or job description
Flaming
email and other electronic messages that convey strong negative emotions to the receiver
