Organizational Communication : Foundations, Challenges and Misunderstandings

by Modaff, Daniel P.; Dewine, Sue

• ISBN13: 9781891487576
• ISBN10: 1891487574
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-03-01
• Publisher: Oxford Univ Pr

Table of Contents

Preface	p. x
Foundations
Introduction	p. 3
Defining the Study and Practice of Organizational Communication	p. 4
The Prevalence of Misunderstandings	p. 6
The Changing Nature of Organizations	p. 8
The Realities of a Diverse Workforce	p. 11
Ethical Frameworks and Organizational Communication	p. 13
Three Important Constructs	p. 16
Organizational Identification	p. 16
Job Satisfaction	p. 17
Communication Satisfaction	p. 17
Summary	p. 18
Classical Theories of Organizations	p. 21
The Metaphor of the Machine	p. 22
Minimizing Misunderstandings	p. 22
Taylor's Theory of Scientific Management	p. 24
Elements of Scientific Management	p. 25
Scientific Management in the Modern Workplace	p. 27
Fayol's Administrative Theory	p. 27
Principles of Management	p. 28
Elements of Management	p. 30
Administrative Theory in the Modern Workplace	p. 32
Weber's Theory of Bureaucracy	p. 33
Tenets of Bureaucracy	p. 34
Bureaucracy in the Modern Workplace	p. 36
Summary	p. 36
Humanistic Theories of Organizations	p. 39
Human Relations Theory	p. 39
Misunderstandings and the Emergence of the Worker	p. 40
The Beginning of the Human Relations Movement: z The Hawthorne Studies	p. 41
The Emergence of Communication: Chester Barnard	p. 45
Theory X and Theory Y: Douglas McGregor	p. 49
Human Resources Theory	p. 53
Four Systems of Management: Rensis Likert	p. 55
Blake and Mouton's Managerial Grid	p. 59
Summary	p. 61
Systems Theory	p. 63
Misunderstandings and the Organization as a System	p. 63
Systems Framework	p. 65
Principles of General System Theory	p. 66
Open-Systems Theory Principles	p. 67
Characteristics of Organizations as Systems	p. 69
Input-Throughput-Output	p. 69
Feedback and Dynamic Homeostasis	p. 70
Equivocality and Requisite Variety	p. 71
Role of Communication	p. 71
Systems, Subsystems, and Supersystems	p. 71
Boundaries	p. 72
The 'Closed' System	p. 73
Contingency Theory	p. 74
The Learning Organization	p. 76
Summary	p. 78
Organizational Culture Theory and Critical Theory	p. 81
Organizational Culture Theory	p. 82
What Is Organizational Culture?	p. 82
Misunderstandings and Organizational Culture	p. 83
Two Perspectives on Organizational Culture	p. 85
Definitions of Organizational Culture	p. 90
Schein's Model of Organizational Culture	p. 93
Critical Theory	p. 96
Organization as a Site of Domination	p. 96
Power, Hegemony, and Concertive Control	p. 97
Communication and Critical Theory	p. 100
Critical Theory: Issues and Challenges	p. 101
Summary	p. 103
The Communicative Organization	p. 105
Talk as Action: Structuration and the Communicative Organization	p. 106
Talk as Action	p. 107
The Communicative Organization Model	p. 109
Anticipate Misunderstandings	p. 110
Social Interaction	p. 114
Behavioral Flexibility	p. 116
Strategic Communication Planning	p. 116
Summary	p. 119
Challenges and Misunderstandings
Realistic Recruitment	p. 123
When Applicants and Organizations Misrepresent Themselves	p. 124
Misrepresentation by the Applicant	p. 125
Misrepresentation by the Organization	p. 126
The Costs of Traditional Recruiting	p. 127
The Human Factor	p. 127
The Financial Factor	p. 129
Addressing the Problem: Realistic Recruitment	p. 130
How RJPs Work	p. 131
The Medium of the RJP	p. 131
Time of Administration of the RJP	p. 135
Realistic Recruitment and the Communicative Organization	p. 135
Summary	p. 136
Socialization of New Members	p. 139
The Need for Information	p. 140
Organizational Assimilation	p. 144
Anticipatory Socialization	p. 145
Organizational Encounter	p. 145
Metamorphosis	p. 146
Criticisms of the Assimilation Approach	p. 147
Organizational Socialization	p. 148
Factors Affecting Socialization: Loyalty and Congruency	p. 148
Socialization Processes	p. 150
Summary	p. 154
Conflict in the Organization	p. 157
Defining Conflict	p. 158
How Does a Conflict Start?	p. 159
Negative Consequences of Conflict	p. 160
Negative Consequences	p. 160
Positive Consequences of Conflict	p. 161
Factors Influencing Conflict	p. 161
Conflict Styles	p. 162
Relationship Between a Superior's Conflict Styles and Rewards for Subordinates	p. 165
Diversity and Gender as Related to Conflict Styles	p. 165
Disputes and Negotiation	p. 166
Conflict Management and Resolution Skills	p. 167
Summary	p. 170
Superior-Subordinate Communication	p. 173
Nature and Importance of the Superior-Subordinate Relationship	p. 175
The Prevalence of Misunderstandings in the Superior-Subordinate Relationship	p. 176
A Dyadic View of the Superior-Subordinate Relationship	p. 179
Trait Research	p. 180
Behavior Research	p. 180
Leader-Member Exchange Theory	p. 181
Communication Activities: Superior to Subordinate	p. 184
Trust	p. 184
Immediacy	p. 185
Feedback	p. 185
Compliance-Gaining	p. 188
Communication Activities: Subordinate to Superior	p. 189
Upward Influence	p. 189
Women and the Superior-Subordinate Relationship	p. 190
Summary	p. 192
Peer and Co-worker Communication	p. 193
Nature of Relationships in Organizations	p. 194
Principles of Developing Work Relationships	p. 195
Proxemics Affect Relationship Development	p. 195
Relationship Communication Conveys Information and Imposes Behavior	p. 195
Relationships Can Be Symmetrical or Complementary	p. 196
Each Partner Has Different Interpersonal Needs	p. 196
Co-workers Can Have More Control Over Each Other Than Can Supervisors	p. 197
Relationship Development	p. 198
Social-Exchange Theory	p. 200
Positive Consequences of Work Relationships	p. 200
Negative Consequences of Work Relationships	p. 201
Strains Caused by Work	p. 202
Strains Caused by Friendship	p. 203
Strengthening Work Relationships	p. 205
Provide Positive Feedback	p. 205
Mediate Conflict	p. 205
Discuss Communication	p. 205
Help Manage Relationships	p. 206
Case Study (Submitted by Phil Modaff)	p. 207
Summary	p. 211
Organizational Teams	p. 213
Characteristics of Groups	p. 214
Norms	p. 214
Cohesiveness	p. 215
Diversity	p. 216
Satisfaction	p. 217
Groupthink	p. 217
Stress	p. 218
Stuckness	p. 219
Relational Communication in Groups	p. 219
Decision Making	p. 221
Ethics and Computer-Supported Decision Making	p. 221
Effective Teams	p. 222
Suggestions for Team Members	p. 224
Suggestions for Organizations	p. 225
Summary	p. 225
Communication Technology in the Organization	p. 227
An Overview of Communication Technology	p. 227
Voice Mail	p. 228
E-mail	p. 230
Teleconferences and Compressed Video	p. 232
Computer-Mediated Groups	p. 232
Virtual Reality	p. 233
Criteria for Selection of Mediated Communication	p. 234
Fear of Technology and the Impact of Technology on Relationships	p. 237
Summary	p. 238
Postscript	p. 239
Subject Index	p. 243
References	p. 251
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