Breakdown of Hierarchy : Communicating in the Evolving Workplace

by Marlow; O' Connor Wilson

• ISBN13: 9780750697460
• ISBN10: 0750697466
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-04-08
• Publisher: Elsevier Science

Summary

The Breakdown of Hierarchy explores the changes that have taken place in the second half of the 20th century and how organizations of all sizes can harness electronic media to open the lines of dialogue and corporate conversation. Never before published case studies of Honeywell, Motorola and Raychem are discussed. Eugene Marlow has been involved with the strategic application of print and electronic media for over 25 years. He has consulted to dozens of organizations in the media, technology, healthcare, consumer products, and non-profit sectors. Dr. Marlow teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in electronic journalism and business communications at Bernard M. Baruch College (City University of New York). Patricia O'Connor Wilson works for the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), an international non-profit educational institution devoted to behavioral science research, executive development, and leadership education. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, the Center also has educational facilities and network associates throughout the world. Ms. Wilson has also conducted research in the areas of managerial effectiveness, self-efficacy and entrepreneurialism. Provides a unique combination of communication and management theory and practice. Creates awareness and heightens sensitivity to the major communication issues resulting from electronic media. Highlights the necessity of proactively employing strategic communication behaviours

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
Chapter 1 Communications, Corporations, and Change	1	(8)
Chapter 2 Electronic Media: Sudden Impact or Business as Usual?	9	(16)
The First Electronic Medium: The Telegraph	10	(1)
The Telephone and the Telephone Company	10	(1)
Radio	11	(1)
Broadcast Television Networks	11	(1)
Cable Television	12	(1)
Videotape and Organizational Video Networks	12	(1)
Interactive Videodisc	13	(1)
Multimedia	14	(1)
Satellites and Teleconferencing	15	(1)
Computers and LANs	15	(1)
E-mail	16	(1)
The Internet	17	(3)
Summary	20	(5)
Chapter 3 Electrovisual Media and the American Corporation	25	(12)
The Evolving American Corporation	25	(2)
Technology Diffusion	27	(1)
The Breakdown of Hierarchy	28	(2)
The Future Structure of American Corporations	30	(2)
Where Will All the People Go?	32	(5)
Chapter 4 The Emerging Corporate Landscape	37	(14)
Upsizing, Downsizing, and Corporate Responsibility	39	(1)
Upsizing: Competition Through Acquisition	39	(1)
Downsizing: Growth Through Reduction	40	(2)
Corporate Failure and Social Responsibility	42	(2)
The New Employment Contract	44	(7)
Chapter 5 The New Diversity Benchmark	51	(10)
Gender Diversity	52	(1)
Racial Diversity	53	(1)
Age Diversity	54	(1)
Cultural Diversity	55	(3)
The Communication Diversity Challenge of the Future: Congnitive Diversity	58	(3)
Chapter 6 Reshaping the Boundaries Around Business	61	(26)
Going with the Flow: Organization Design and Communication	63	(10)
Corporate Communication: The Structure Behind the Structure	65	(1)
Communication Efficacy and Organizational Size	66	(1)
Alliances	67	(1)
Future Structures: Enter the Networked Organization	68	(2)
The Corporate Manager as a Network Communicator: New Roles, New Rules, New Responsibilities	70	(3)
Bringing Who You Are to What You Do: Communication Behaviors in Organizations	73	(5)
Media Richness	73	(2)
Social Influence Model of Technology Use	75	(1)
Communication and Information Overload	76	(1)
The New Responsibilities of Communicating in the Future	77	(1)
The Way Things Are Done Around Here: Organizational Culture and Communication	78	(9)
The Learning Organization	79	(2)
Metaphor	81	(2)
Emotion	83	(1)
Electronic Media and Status	83	(1)
Communicating Amidst Cultural Crisis	84	(3)
Chapter 7 Harnessing the Power of Electronic Communication Technology	87	(18)
Linear Video	88	(6)
The Benefits for Employee and Management Communications	88	(2)
The Benefits for Employee and Management Training	90	(4)
Teleconferencing, a.k.a. Business Television	94	(3)
Examples	94	(3)
Multimedia (interactive Videodisc and CD_ROM	97	(1)
E-mail	98	(2)
The Benefits of E-mail	98	(2)
Netiquette	100	(1)
The Internet and the World Wide Web	100	(2)
The Office Away from the Office	102	(3)
Chapter 8 Lessons from the Leaders	105	(18)
Forms of Change: A Framework for the Lessons	105	(1)
Motorola Semi-Conductor Sector: Communicating Amidst Changes in Identity	106	(4)
The Change	106	(1)
The Change Communication Tools	107	(1)
The Change Communication Campaign	108	(1)
The Impact	109	(1)
Lessons Learned	109	(1)
Conclusion	110	(1)
ABC Corporation: Communicating Amidst Changes in Coordination	110	(4)
The Change	110	(1)
The Communication Campaign	111	(1)
Organization Design	112	(1)
The Impact	113	(1)
Conclusion	114	(1)
Honeywell: Communicating Amidst Changes in Control	114	(9)
The Change	114	(1)
The Change Communication Campaign	115	(3)
The Impact	118	(1)
Organization Design	119	(1)
Lessons Learned	119	(1)
Conclusion	120	(3)
Chapter 9 The Seven New Rules of Corporate Communication	123	(2)
Appendix I: The Emerging Employment Landscape	125	(14)
Population Trends	125	(1)
Geographic Shifts	126	(1)
Growth Occupations	126	(1)
Employment Change	127	(1)
Industry Profile	127	(1)
Service-Producing Industries	127	(2)
Goods-Producing Industries	129	(1)
Occupational Profile	130	(2)
Replacement Needs	132	(1)
Job Outlooks	133	(6)
Appendix II: Communication Studies and Commentaries	139	(24)
Communication Effectiveness Research	140	(3)
Commentaries	143	(20)
Bibliography	163	(8)
Index	171	(7)
About the Authors	178