Information and Communication in the Workplace - Assignment Example

Answer In the age of globalization, an in-depth study and understanding of the organization’s culture and behaviour have become vital as its people comprise of different race, colour and culture. Geerzt and Pacanowsky, in their book, ‘Cultural Approach to Organizations’ have emphasized the importance of understanding the cross cultural values, within an organization for improved work performance. The various elements of organization and the interpersonal relationship amongst the colleagues within the workplace is significantly influenced by the tacit manipulation of the informed choices by the organizational leadership. Data, information and knowledge are the three major elements of the informed choices that need to be effectively linked within the organizational goals and objectives to promote collective goals through shared vision. Therefore, it becomes crucial to understand and differentiate these factors so that they can be exploited to gain leverage so as to improve and improvise performance outcome. The data can be broadly defined as the facts related to various issues and subject areas within the organizational paradigm. The information is the process of streamlining the data into certain specific format and order so that they acquire value addition by virtue of their arrangement in specified manner. Knowledge becomes the most important part of organizational functioning. Knowledge can be defined as the ideas, thoughts, opinion, observation, application of all these in our everyday life and categorizing them in some systematic format so that can be further used, modified or changed as per our need. The diversity in the area of knowledge is the most important aspect of it. In the context of the organization, knowledge primarily is the expertise of the workforce to exploit the information to improve performance outcome of the organization. Knowledge management through effective communication becomes important part of workplace (Raghuram, 1996). The most interesting aspect of knowledge is that whether we want or not, we have the choices to imbibe, cultivate, facilitate, use, misuse and so on. Though knowledge is difficult to define but its presence in our life complements and supplements our existence. It promotes our inherent tendency to explore and widen its area of influence through all available means. The diversity in the area of knowledge is the most important aspect of it. The increasing use of knowledge made huge impact on the lives of the people, facilitating interchange of information while at the same time, using it as one of the most powerful tool to influence paradigms of socio-political relationship across the globe. The implicit and explicit use of knowledge thus, became strong motivators for change. Indeed, the evolving database of knowledge, accrued over time is utilized through its application in all areas of mutual interest within the organization. This ongoing process is continuously being simulated to garner more information and knowledge to satisfy the curiosity and meet the emerging challenges of the changing time. The precepts and concepts of knowledge, therefore, have become important tools for not only widening the scope of utilization of the existing resources but they have become imperative to understand the changing dynamics of business environment. The accessibility to the changing face of knowledge in its multifaceted dimension is the most precious gift to the people in the contemporary time. Answer 2 The fast changing pace of the technology can be observed in the study of the organizations and the changing role of leadership within the organizations. The various aspects of the interactive elements of the organization, which may comprise of diverse ideologies and personal conflicts of the individuals, work together to produce a cohesive output representing the organizations unique objectives and goals. Therefore, in the increasingly changing environment of global competitiveness, managerial leadership becomes crucial and needs to be considered as ‘a relational, ongoing social construction process rather than as a single clear cut phenomenon’ (Sjostrand and Tyrstrup, 2001). It is effective because it gets the important feedback through three main ingredients of innovative approach that relies on: small talks; set of invisible arenas; and institutional dynamics. Creating special arenas by virtue of which, through subtle maneuvers, leaders promote and inspire ideas and ideologies for the overall benefit of the organization. This particular methodology serves the dual purpose of getting feedback on the organization’s ideas as well as promoting them through informally disseminating information of their plans and policies. This is also a very effective mode of observing local and global understanding of issues that may have wide ranging implications for them also. The feedback system encourages the leadership to encourage people’s participation in the overall strategy of having collective goals through shared learning. Thus making it an intrinsic part of the work methodology which is characterized by the stability provided by the system and the integrated approach of the workers. Interaction with the employees by means of informal chats and small talk greatly facilitates exchange of important information, ideas and ideologies. It also promotes better understanding of their employees’ aspirations and expectations from the company and also the motivating factors which inspires them to excel. It was realized that ‘strategies rather than operative planning and decision making, became the main factor of managerial leadership’ (Chandler, 1962). The widespread implications of the feedback strategy helps to take into account the factors of human failings and human emotions. It believes in developing joint goals and objectives that are mutually beneficial, thus fostering mutual beliefs and better understanding of each others value system. The new dimension in the managerial leadership has also accepted the presence of ‘unexpected situations’ giving them fresh impetus to readily take up the challenges of unforeseen crisis and handle them with aplomb. The presence of uncertainty in an organization implies the recognition that unexpected situations will arise and that they will continue to do so time and time again (Tyrstrup, 1993). The effective leadership, therefore, greatly facilitates improved performance outcome of the organizational goals and objectives. Answer 3 Hall and Fagen define a system as ‘a set of objects together with relationships between the objects and between their attributes’(Hall and Fagen, 1956). Organizations, therefore, can be broadly classified as a set of inter-related elements that work together within pre-defined environment to achieve pre-meditated goals and objectives. In an organization, the system often is divided into sub-systems that are intrinsically linked to the broader objectives through informed choices. Effective communication becomes the major integrating force that forms the linkages amongst the various inter-related elements of the sub-system. Thus, the organization needs to be looked as an integrated whole, promoting collective goals. In the rapidly changing environment of globalization and advancing technology, organizations tend to adapt to the constantly evolving business environment. “Organizations must change because their environments change” (Bateman, 1990). They implement necessary changes in the organization to not only survive but compete with their rival with confidence. An in-depth study and understanding of the organization’s behavior becomes crucial because it reflects the interaction of the workforce that may comprise of people coming from different race, culture and color who may resist change. The good leadership ensures effective communication with the employees with shared vision of the new strategy thus promoting better understanding among the employees for easy adaptability to change. Understanding of organizational behaviour is essential ingredient of organizational communication which motivates people to better performance, leading to higher productivity. Effective communication facilitates better understanding of cross cultural values and cuts across the multi cultural layer of the organization and is the key to enhance the overall performance of the organization. It is therefore advised that to build-up strong work force to achieve goals, one needs to acquaint oneself about parameters that affect directly the work ethics and values of people belonging to different cultures within the organization. In the changing times, the human behavior became more formal and often less predictive. The corporate strategy, therefore, started incorporating the changing human behavioral pattern and taking into account the collection decision making and participatory approach to corporate decisions. The identification of various barriers to communication that are detrimental to the organizational effectiveness has become vital for prediction and improvisation in work place, leading to improved performance. Understanding of cross cultural values has become the most important barrier to effective communication. The good leadership encourages creativity and innovative practices that give a unique perspective to participatory approach of management and employees. The motivating factor of managerial leadership that facilitates adaptability to changing equations, which occur due to rapidly changing environment of emerging business processes, have another very important attribute of recognizing the wide scope of emerging opportunities. The empirical relationship of leaders and the emerging changes are critical for a given situation and therefore, good managerial leadership demands a better informed leader who is capable of taking initiative and at the same time, he is also able to inculcate confidence in his people to move forward. Workers are the pillars of the organization and good leaders promote better understanding of cross cultural values and help resolve conflicts. It also facilitates in creating congenial work atmosphere that motivates and inspires others to improve their performance and achieve organization’s goals with more enthusiasm, vigor and creativity. The compulsions of the present times require versatility in the working force. The current scenario of working populations therefore faces much more challenges than the people who were earlier working in different work environment. According to Marrow ‘the changes required by the welfare of the business become everybodys business and get made’ (Marrow, 1957, p. 66). Therefore, the management must make efforts to develop consensus through proper dissemination of information. It is important for the leaders and management of the organizations to promote empowerment of its staff through well designed process of problem solving and self learning through mutual cooperation and innovative management approach. The conflicts can be solved through effective communication that encourages discussions and doubts clearing sessions and leaders must adapt such techniques to overcome resistance and create congenial atmosphere in the organization. The changing times had made it imperative to meet the challenges of the contemporary lifestyle that demands more innovative approach based on the latest technology. The leadership qualities ensure that collective decision is promoted so as to win the trust and confidence of the employees or other professionals. Though it is difficult to change an organization’s culture but good leadership is known to make visible changes in it. Leadership encourages innovation of ideas and adaptability to changes. Hence, leaders who are visionary and endowed with effective communication skill are able to inspire others to achieve a common goal. Reference Bateman, Thomas S., and Carl P. Zeithaml. Management: Function and Strategy. Homewood, IL: Irwin, 1990. Chandler, AD (1977). The Visible Hand: The Managerial Revolution in American Business. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Geertz, Clifford and Pacanowsky, Michael. Cultural Approach to Organization. KPMG. Available from: [Accessed 12 May, 2009]. Marrow, A. J. (1957). Making Management Human. New York: Mc-Graw-Hill Book Company. Hall, A. D. and Fagen, R. E. (1956). Definition of a system. General Systems Yearbook, 1, 18–28. Sjostrand, S and Tyrstrup, M. (2001). Recognized and unrecognized managerial leadership, in invisible management – The social construction of leadership. S Sjostrand, J Sandberg and M Tyrstrup (eds.). Thomson. pp 1-27. Tyrstrup, M. (1993) Företagsledares arbete (Executives work) Stockholm: EFI. Read More