Analysis of a Private Group-Based on Ethnography of Communication - Essay Example

? Group Communications/ Com 3078 Introduction Group communication is a process which aids the members in a group to learn the various nuances of shared communication. It enables to learn about how to respect and believe one another for working together in groups in any field whether it is in business, sports and education among others to achieve the desired results. It is needed for the individuals to recognize what they feel about the organization or sporting activities. Group communication can enable to determine the level of commitment of the participants in a group for their individual development and to find what drawbacks are present that are required to be rectified for effective functioning in any field (Poole, Frey, Gouran, 1999). Private group is a collection of members who work together on certain projects or activities which can be related to educational purposes and sports among others. The members in a private group work effectively in order to attain the desired outcomes along with their own development and improvement. Through interacting with one another, it is possible to share knowledge as well as gather information (Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP, 2012). In order to comprehend the communication process of a private group, a group related to a basketball match is observed. The participants who take part in such groups are provided proper training for playing the sport in an efficient way through coordination and shared communication. Contextually, in this paper, an interactional event which occurred during the basketball match is assessed based on Dell Hymes’ S.P.E.A.K.I.N.G model which is a part of Ethnography of Communication analysis. Analysis of a Private Group based on Ethnography of Communication Ethnography is referred as a research design which is utilized to analyze the cultural aspect in any environment such as prevailing in organization or in sports. It is required for the individuals to interact with one another to know the situation and commitment of the team members if the work is done in a team. However, in sports, communication is extremely necessary for the individuals as well as for a team to know each other and be aware of the strengths and the weaknesses of the members to gain the desired levels of success from participated events (Reeves, 2008). The notion of ethnography of communication or speaking was first coined by Dell Hymes in order to study the ways in which people talked. The primary aim of the study of Dell Hymes was to create a theory based on which researchers would be able study the use of languages in particular contexts or scenarios (Hymes, 1974). With the aim to assess a private group a scenario of sports group especially a setting in which basketball is played has been selected. The analysis of communication practices would be done of group by considering an interactional event. The analysis below is conducted based on the components of Dell Hymes’ S.P.E.A.K.I.N.G model. Setting/Scene With regard to a setting comprising a sporting event, the observed event was a basketball match which took place in a court in London where the game was played between the United States and Australia. The tournament was extremely prestigious for both the teams playing the basketball match as it was part of the Olympic Games (The Sydney Morning Herald, 2012). The game was played on a large court with lots of people cheering their respective teams. The venue had a sitting capacity of more than 10,000 people which contributed to the excitement of the participants which was witnessed quite apparently through their cheerful demeanor. They seemed also quite excited to perform at their best especially for their supporters. The game was conducted by the organizers in the United Kingdom and was played under the jurisdiction of the match officials who were in-charge of the match to conduct it fairly and efficiently (Communication Institute for Online Scholarship, 1998). Participants The basketball match was played between two teams Australia and USA having five players each from both the sides. Among the other participants, the match was conducted by the match officials who were to make the participating players oblige to the play the game within the specified rules and regulations of the game (The Sydney Morning Herald, 2012). The players from both the teams also had their reserve players who could participate as substitutes or if any player gets injured (Communication Institute for Online Scholarship, 1998). Ends During the match officials had taken active part in the game to officiate the basketball match in a proper way and limit any unfair advantage. The members of each team set forth on a particular goal of winning the match for their team through coordinating with one another efficiently. For this purpose, it was important to communicate with one another in order to know their perceptions of the strategy of the competitors and what the players felt about their opponents (Communication Institute for Online Scholarship, 1998). Act The match was played between Australia and the USA where the players showed friendly gestures among them. There was no intentional conflict among the players from any team which could hamper the environment and the playing nature. At times, players from the other team also commended a good play of his opponent through applause (The Sydney Morning Herald, 2012). Key The keys for communication should be two types in playing a match like basketball. Firstly, the game was played with sheer concentration and a lot of hard work had been done by both the teams to surpass the opposition. Secondly, the interactions and communications also were in a casual and friendly manner. The game was played in a true sporting spirit. Although during the concluding part of game the atmosphere became quite tense, the players maintained the essence of game. The players in the bench were quite encouraging by shouting instructions and motivations (Communication Institute for Online Scholarship, 1998). Instruments The channel through which the interaction in the basketball match was taking place comprised among the players and audience as both of them were equally excited which contributed in their shared speeches (Communication Institute for Online Scholarship, 1998). Norms The game of basketball has certain norms which are needed to be followed. Different rules are to be maintained such as fouls cannot be done by any team which provides an edge to the other side. Fouls in a basketball game can be of various types like personal foul and technical fouls among others. Moreover, a basketball game was played with the tallest player play in the center, power forward or small forward positions and the other players who are shorter or can play with the ball more efficiently and had the talent to pass and dribble the ball faster play in point guard or shooting guard position. The duration of the basketball game was 30 minutes divided into four halves. The audience remained quite vocal during the entire duration of play which at times facilitated to raise the spirit of the players (Communication Institute for Online Scholarship, 1998). Genre The game was played under the circumstances where the players enjoyed themselves. The players had a lot of fun along with the audience who were very much evolved in the game. Most of them were supporting the Australian team. The game was played in four halves. The communication process primarily comprised of small talks among the players who provided instructions and encouragements to each other. This kind of speech generally takes place in sporting events where the participants and audience involve themselves in short interactions. At times, the emotions guide the audiences which are reflected in their speech (The Sydney Morning Herald, 2012). Conclusion Group communication is an important aspect in order to build the culture of an organization. Communication should be maintained efficiently in the personal as well as professional life for any individuals. Without communication it is not possible for anyone to know the strengths and the weaknesses and to the ways to rectify those weaknesses so that effective results are achieved. References Communication Institute for Online Scholarship. (1998). A sample study using the S.P.E.A.K.I.N.G. Model. Retrieved from http://www.cios.org/encyclopedia/ethnography/6sample_study.htm Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP. (2012). Private client group. Retrieved from http://www.coblentzlaw.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=firmGroups.firmGroupDetail&id=4007 Hymes, D. (1974). Dell Hymes's SPEAKING Model. Retrieved from http://www1.appstate.edu/~mcgowant/hymes.htm Poole, M.S., Frey, L.R., Gouran, D. (1999). The handbook of group communication theory and research. United States: Sage. Reeves, B. (2008). Managing participation within a novice coaching context. Retrieved from http://www.aare.edu.au/08pap/jon08944.pdf The Sydney Morning Herald. (2012). Aus v USA Men's Basketball. Retrieved from http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/olympics/news-london-2012/aus-v-usa-mens-basketball-20120809-23w4i.html Read More