Communication Studies - Assignment Example

The Number 21 October How does communication influence an organization? How does the nature of the organizational structure influence the communication? Why? A) Define communication and organizational structure (both informal and formal). B) Explain how each may interact with one another. C) How does upward and downward communication influence the organizational culture? D) How can, and under what circumstances, can the workplace personality be changed for the better? While the word communication is well-established in our lexicon, its scientific interpretation still remains a challenge. A variety of definitions have been produced, yet the attempts to establish a single one seem to be not fruitful (Littlejohn and Foss 3). Thus, considering a few of existing definitions is the best way to understand the essence of the phenomenon. In scholarly literature, communication is considered within three major dimensions: level of observation or, in other words, abstractness, intentionality, and judgment. Within the first dimension, definitions of communication are viewed as broad (for example, communication is a process which relates discontinuous parts of the existing world) or restrictive (communication is a system used to communicate information and orders, through telegraph or telephones). Within the second dimension, the definition includes the dimension of intentionality. For example, communication is a term used to describe situations in which a source transmits a certain message to some receiver with a conscious intent to influence the behavior of the latter. Definitions that include judgment present communication within concepts of success, accuracy, effective outcome, etc. For instance, communication is a verbal interchange of some idea or thought (Littlejohn and Foss 4). Anyway, in my opinion, communication can be well defined as a process of conveying information with the help of exchanging messages, ideas, or information using writing, oral speech, body language, signals, behavior, etc. Informally, communication may be defined as exchange of information and thoughts from one person to another. As to organizational structure, it is defined as an organization’s hierarchy which shows how the organization’s elements work together to attain set goals. The organizational structure includes employees, departments, their responsibilities, relations, resources, etc (Filipowska et al. 4). Organizational structures may be formal and informal. Virtually every company possesses a formal structure even if it is not strictly adhered to. Most companies also have an informal structure. It suggested that both structures are important for a company’s successful functioning, so it is necessary to learn their intricate characteristics. Formal structure is above all concerned with the existing relationship between authority and the junior. This is known as organizational hierarchy which starts with the most senior person at the top and ends with subordinate employees who are junior to managers of various levels. Informal structure is the one that develops around some project groups or some social groups. It is often grounded on camaraderie, which means people respond immediately and it is easier to continue working (Schatz, n.p.). The structures interact with each other in different situations: for instance, when the formal structure ceased to be effective people tend to rely more on the informal one, also working within formal structures, people may complete some tasks within informal structures, which saves time and effort. While communication in any organization is upward, downward, or horizontal (Lunenburg 2), there exist clear differences between the three. Upward communication takes place when the staffs communicate their ideas to a leader with the purpose of inform about some difficulties, clarify some tasks, complain about something etc. Downward communication encompasses communication which goes from higher levels to lower levels of an organization. It is aimed at achieving common goal. As for horizontal communication, unlike the previous two, it takes place within informal structures when people need to coordinate their activities across various departments, for example (Lunenburg 5). A workplace personality can be changed for better if there is proper management of personality conflicts that take place in an organization. Recent research found that 25 per cent of managers’ time is spent on managing personality conflicts. Skiffington and Zeus suggest that a workplace conflict may be managed if a manager focuses not on personalities but on their behaviors. Just because any behavior is learnt, it can be unlearnt. So an effective means of changing workplace personalities is to organize various team-building activities and trainings helping people to identify their drawbacks and change their behavior (Skiffington and Zeus). 2. What is professional communication both within and outside of an organization? A) Define professional communication. B) What are three or four basic types of professional communication that might take place within an organization? Outside the organization? –discuss social media, as well as face-to-face communication (including non-verbal) C) How can effective team and small group communication influence an organization from the standpoint of decision making? Professional communication is a term used to describe a variety of communication types within or outside the setting of a workplace. In practice, professional communication is a blend of effective use of communications skills, technical writing skills, ethics in communication, and rhetorical theory. Professional communication may come in a form of oral communication, digital communication, or visual communication. Inside and outside the workplace, professional communication comes in these three forms. Outside the workplace, professional communication is directed at company’s partners or potential partners, it often includes writing business letters and requires excellent non-verbal skills (for example, knowing how to act with business representatives from various countries, how to act at the conferences, seminars, meetings, during receptions, launch parties, etc) To achieve effective decision-making relying on in small teams in a group, one needs first clarify what decision making is. Overall, decision making may be described as the process of looking for a logical option from among the present choices (Armesh, n.p.). To get an effective decision making process, people must be capable of forecasting the expected outcomes of the options they consider. After this, they will be able to determine which option to choose. While decision making is predominantly managers’ business, more and more companies involve junior employees in decision making today. Decision making in groups can be effective and beneficial, with its major advantages being: 1) better quality of decisions since a group can solve a problem that is more complex; 2) more information since a few people have more information than one; 3) people get morally rewarded by participating in decision making; and 4) they train to work as a team (Armesh, n.p.). 3. How does organizational culture influence the social and productive dynamics of an organization? A) Define organizational culture. B) Explain the relationship between culture and social productive dynamics. C) How can relationships—romantic, difficult people, friendships—influence organizational culture both from a positive and negative perspective? Organizational culture may be understood as certain values and behaviors that make up a unique social and psychological setting of an organization (“Organizational Culture”, Business Dictionary). As to Shein, he defines organizational culture as an organization’s behaviors and cultures that are thought to lead to success and therefore taught to new employees (Schein 109). Being a complex phenomenon, it is manifest in a variety of things: behavioral norms, some hidden assumptions, as well as human nature (De Witte 500). Also known as corporate culture, organizational culture manifests in 1) an organization’s ways of conducting business, its attitude to employees, customers, and outside community; 2) the extent of decision making opportunity and autonomy allowed while developing some new ideas, participating in decision making, etc; 3) how information and power come through the existing hierarchy; 4) how strongly employees are committed to achieving corporate goals. Thus, organizational culture includes an organization’s assumptions, both existing and past, as well as its values, philosophy, and certain experiences. It is expressed in how an organization interacts with the outside world, expresses its self-image, works inside, and what its expectations for future are (“Organizational Culture”, Business Dictionary). The relationship between organizational culture and social productive dynamics has been identified with the former affecting an organization’s performance and activity, quality and safety of products, creation of new products, quality of customer care, attendance rates and punctuality in workplace, as well as environmental concerns. Moreover, the importance of organizational culture can be better understood if one agrees with its definition as “normative glue” holding any organization together (Tichy 59) For example, Angadi & Naik assert that “if employee’s behavior and culture is good, it helps them to manage turn around time and adjust to a new task.” (Angadi and Naik 55) Olu, in his turn, says that positive employee’s behavior and culture help a firm to achieve its organizational objectives and set goals (Olu cited in Angadi and Naik 55). Relationships may influence organizational culture in positive or negative ways. If to take the case of subcultures that exist in a company, the latter form among people who speak the same language or have the same customs, or perform similar functions. The impact on organizational culture will depend on the subculture’s attitude to organizational culture: it will either support the culture or function against it. Another type of relationship that influences organizational culture is that of leaders and the rest of staff. Natural leaders serve as support for the staffs who are seeking their guidance; moreover, if appointed leaders identify natural leaders and start to cooperate with them, the organization’s productivity will increase. All in all, subcultures, romantic relationships, friendships may impact organizational culture in a positive and negative ways. If they serve to enhance the organizational culture and diffuse it, this means that they make it stronger. This is a positive way. If they work against dissemination of the company’s values and norms, the organizational culture weakens, which affects the company’s production levels. 4. How has business adapted to the intercultural dimensions of communication in the day-to-day workplace? A) Define intercultural communication. B) Explain how intercultural aspects such as language and non-verbal behavior may cloud understanding within an organizational setting? C) How can organizations clarify meaning in terms of communication including the values, beliefs and perspectives of employees. Jens Allwood from the University of Goteborg in Sweden defines intercultural communication as communication between people of different cultural backgrounds. Allwood also offers a more complex definition of intercultural communication as information sharing that occurs between people who have different cultural backgrounds, on different levels of awareness as well as control. In this context, different cultural backgrounds contain the following differences: cultural differences that relate to nationalities and those related to taking part in a variety of activities existing within a certain national unit (Allwood, n.p.). Allwood distinguishes a set of dimensions which are influenced by differences between cultural dimensions in intercultural communication. Namely, these are 1) body movements; 2) Writing and Sound; 3) Use of Vocabulary and Idioms; 4) use of Grammar. As for body movements, they may impede understanding within an organizational setting. For example, representatives of the so-called Mediterranean cultures usually show their strong emotions including happiness, grief, or anger to other people, while in Sweden and Japan people are rather reserved and restricted. Also, gestures for money, come here, and great differ between nationalities (Allwood, n.p.). Another example is the use of hand in handshakes by Muslim people for whom the right hand is thought to be unclean and thus never given to people. Distance between people is also worth considering. Coming close to an interlocutor is a norm in Spain, but may be perceived as either unpleasant, offending or provocative by Americans. In order to clarify meanings regarding communication, which includes focusing on values, beliefs, and views of the staff, special approaches to managing diversity should be implemented by organizations’ managers. As to promoting the organizational culture, seminars and trainings should be held in order to inform employees about the organizational culture, values, and beliefs. Besides, managers’ personal example will be an effective method of following the organizational culture. However, occasional measures will hardly have a significant impact on communication process effectiveness. Instead, it is recommended that managers should strive to create an inclusive workplace. To create an inclusive workplace in a culturally diverse organization means to do the following things: to arrange formal and informal activities that will facilitate interaction between people working in different departments; design workplaces in such way that the communication between different employees is encouraged; launch employee networks and buddy systems that will ensure new employees are included into the team and can get help and advice; give awards to people that contribute much and manage employees’ grievances by providing assistance. Another approach is to encourage the policy of speaking out and facilitate communication (“Managing Workplace Diversity”). The process of including the members of different cultures into the workplace setting will benefit from surveys that will help to measure the effectiveness of tools used. Works Cited Allwood, Jens. “Intercultural Communication”. Sskkii.gu.se. 1985. Web. 21 Oct 2012 < http://sskkii.gu.se/jens/publications/docs001-050/041E.pdf > Amesh, Hamed. “Decision Making”. In Ms Nuha Jahan (Ed) Proceedings of World Business Research Conference 4-6 October 2012. Web. 21 October 2012. http://www.wbiconpro.com/483-Hamed.pdf Angadi, Arub Babu, and Naik, D. Murahari. “Impact of Employee’s Behavior and Culture on Organizations Productivity in Pharmaceutical Industries of Bangaluru.” Recent Research in Science and Technology 2011, 3(7), pp. 55-57. Print. Filipowska, Agata, Martin Hepp, Monica Kaczmarek, and Ivan Markovic. “Organizational Ontology Framework for Semantic Business Process Management”. In Witold Abramowicz (Ed) Business Information Systems: 12th International Conference, BIS 2009. Springer, 2009, pp. 1-12. Print. Littlejohn, Steven, and Foss, Karen. Theories of Human Communication. Cengage Learning, 2008. Lunenburg, Fred. “Formal Communication Channels: Upward, Downward, Horizontal, and External.” Focus on Colleges, Universities, and Schools, Vol. 4, Number 1, 2010, pp. 1-7. Print. “Managing the Workplace Diversity: A Toolkit for Organizations”. Mom.gov.sg. N.d. Web. 21 Oct 2012. < http://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/employment-practices/WDM/Workplace%20Diversity%20Management%20Tookit%20and%20Manager%27s%20Guide.pdf > Skiffington, Suzanne, and Zeus, Perry. Behavioral Coaching. Mc-Graw Hill, 2003. Print. Schatz, Traci. “Basic Types of Organizational Structure: Formal & Informal.” Chron. N.d. Web. 21 Oct 2012. < http://smallbusiness.chron.com/basic-types-organizational-structure-formal-informal-982.html> Read More