An Introduction to Organizational Communication

[Pages:524]An Introduction to Organizational Communication

v. 0.0

This is the book An Introduction to Organizational Communication (v. 0.0). This book is licensed under a Creative Commons by-nc-sa 3.0 ( 3.0/) license. See the license for more details, but that basically means you can share this book as long as you credit the author (but see below), don't make money from it, and do make it available to everyone else under the same terms. This book was accessible as of December 29, 2012, and it was downloaded then by Andy Schmitz () in an effort to preserve the availability of this book. Normally, the author and publisher would be credited here. However, the publisher has asked for the customary Creative Commons attribution to the original publisher, authors, title, and book URI to be removed. Additionally, per the publisher's request, their name has been removed in some passages. More information is available on this project's attribution page (). For more information on the source of this book, or why it is available for free, please see the project's home page (). You can browse or download additional books there.

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Table of Contents

About the Authors................................................................................................................. 1 Preface..................................................................................................................................... 3 Chapter 1: Introduction to Organizational Communication ....................................... 7

What is an Organization? .............................................................................................................................. 9 What is Communication? ............................................................................................................................ 26 History of Organizational Communication ............................................................................................... 32 Approaches to Organizational Communication Research ....................................................................... 40 Chapter Exercises......................................................................................................................................... 58

Chapter 2: Organizational Communication Ethics....................................................... 63

Nature of Ethics............................................................................................................................................ 65 Business Ethics ............................................................................................................................................. 73 Communication Ethics................................................................................................................................. 81 Organizational Communication Ethics ...................................................................................................... 87 Chapter Exercises....................................................................................................................................... 104

Chapter 3: Classical Theories of Organizational Communication .......................... 108

The Classical Perspective .......................................................................................................................... 110 Human Relations Theories ........................................................................................................................ 119 Human Resources Theories....................................................................................................................... 127 Chapter Exercises....................................................................................................................................... 137

Chapter 4: Modern Theories of Organizational Communication ........................... 142

Rethinking the Organization .................................................................................................................... 144 Rethinking Communication...................................................................................................................... 165 Representative Modern Theories ............................................................................................................. 183 Chapter Exercises....................................................................................................................................... 194

Chapter 5: Communicating Between and Among Internal Stakeholders ............. 199

Formal Communication Networks ........................................................................................................... 202 Informal Communication Networks ........................................................................................................ 243 Chapter Exercises....................................................................................................................................... 263

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Chapter 6: Organizational Communication Climate, Culture, and Globalization 268

Psychological Life of Organizations ......................................................................................................... 269 From Climate to Culture: A History of Research..................................................................................... 270 Components of Organizational Culture ................................................................................................... 271 The Process of Organizational Culture .................................................................................................... 272 Analyzing Climate and Culture................................................................................................................. 273 Outcomes of Organizational Climate and Culture .................................................................................. 274 Globalization............................................................................................................................................... 275

Chapter 7: Leader and Follower Behaviors & Perspectives ..................................... 276

Approaches to Leadership......................................................................................................................... 282 Followership ............................................................................................................................................... 304 Mentoring and Coaching........................................................................................................................... 317 Chapter Exercises....................................................................................................................................... 335

Chapter 8: Organizational Identity and Diversity ..................................................... 338

Identity and the Organization .................................................................................................................. 341 Identity and the Organization Member................................................................................................... 362 Diversity and the Organization ................................................................................................................ 375 Chapter Exercises....................................................................................................................................... 392

Chapter 9: Teams in the Workplace .............................................................................. 397

Group........................................................................................................................................................... 399 Types of Teams........................................................................................................................................... 408 The Downside to Teams............................................................................................................................. 413 Group Communication Roles .................................................................................................................... 420 Chapter Exercises....................................................................................................................................... 429

Chapter 10: Recruiting, Socializing, and Disengaging.............................................. 433

Recruiting ................................................................................................................................................... 434 Socializing................................................................................................................................................... 450 Disengaging ................................................................................................................................................ 467 Chapter Exercises....................................................................................................................................... 473

Chapter 11: Teams in the Workplace ............................................................................ 476

Group vs. Team........................................................................................................................................... 477 Characteristics of Teams ........................................................................................................................... 478 Types of Teams........................................................................................................................................... 479 The Downside to Teams............................................................................................................................. 480

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Chapter 12: Entering, Socializing, and Disengaging ................................................. 481

Entering....................................................................................................................................................... 482 Socializing................................................................................................................................................... 483 Disengaging ................................................................................................................................................ 484

Chapter 13: Technology in Organizations ................................................................... 485

Innovation in Organizations ..................................................................................................................... 486 A Brief History of Technology in Organizations ..................................................................................... 487 Why We Use Technology ........................................................................................................................... 488 Benefits of Technology on Organizational Outcomes ............................................................................ 489 Knowledge Management ........................................................................................................................... 490 The Downside to Technology in the Organization ................................................................................. 491

Chapter 14: Stress, Conflict, and Negotiation............................................................. 492

Stress ........................................................................................................................................................... 493 Conflict ........................................................................................................................................................ 494 Negotiation ................................................................................................................................................. 495

Chapter 15: The Dark Side of Organizational Communication ............................... 496

Aggression in the Workplace .................................................................................................................... 497 Discrimination in the Workplace ............................................................................................................. 498 Employee Behavior .................................................................................................................................... 499 Organizational Behavior ........................................................................................................................... 500 Outcomes of the Dark Side ........................................................................................................................ 501

Chapter 16: Corporate Communications: Communicating with External Stakeholders ...................................................................................................................... 502

Communication with an Organization's Environment .......................................................................... 503 Types of External Stakeholders ................................................................................................................ 504 Public Relations and Marketing ............................................................................................................... 505 Sales............................................................................................................................................................. 506 Customer Service ....................................................................................................................................... 507

Chapter 17: Strategic Communication (issue management, risk communication, & crisis communication).................................................................................................. 508

Corporate Issue Management ................................................................................................................... 509 Risk Communication.................................................................................................................................. 510 Crisis Communication ............................................................................................................................... 511

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Chapter 18: The Professional Side of Organizational Communication ................. 512

Organizational Development .................................................................................................................... 513 Communication Analysis........................................................................................................................... 514 Organizational Change .............................................................................................................................. 515 Workplace Learning................................................................................................................................... 516 Human Performance Improvement ......................................................................................................... 517

Chapter 19: Organizational Communication and Your First Job out of College.. 518

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About the Authors

PLEASE NOTE: This book is currently in draft form; material is not final.

Jason S. Wrench

PLEASE NOTE: This book is currently in draft form; material is not final.

JASON S. WRENCH (Ed.D., West Virginia University) is an associate professor in the Communication and Media department at the State University of New York at New Paltz. Dr. Wrench specializes in workplace learning and performance, or the intersection of instructional communication and organizational communication. His varied research interests include communibiology, computer-mediated communication, empirical research methods, humor, risk/crisis communication, and supervisor-subordinate interactions. Dr. Wrench regularly consults with individuals and organizations on workplace communication and as a professional speech coach for senior executives.

Dr. Wrench has published five previous books: Intercultural Communication: Power in Context, Communication, Affect, and Learning in the Classroom (2000, Tapestry Press), Principles of Public Speaking (2003, The College Network), Human Communication in Everyday Life: Explanations and Applications (2008, Allyn & Bacon), Quantitative Research Methods for Communication: A Hands-On Approach (2008 & 2013, Oxford University Press), The Directory of Communication Related Mental Measures (Summer 2010, National Communication Association), Stand Up, Speak Out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking (2011, Unnamed Publisher), and Scared Speechless: Communication Apprehension, Avoidance, and Effectiveness (2013, Allyn & Bacon). Dr. Wrench is also the editor of three books on the subject of organizational communication: Casing Organizational Communication (2011, Kendall Hunt), Workplace Communication for the 21st Century: Tools and Strategies that Impact the Bottom Line: Vol. 1. Internal Workplace Communication, and Vol. 2. External Workplace Communication (2013, both with Praeger). Dr. Wrench was the editor of the Ohio Communication Journal from 2005-2007, served as an associate editor for Communication Research Reports from 2007-2010, and been on the editorial board for numerous academic journals.

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About the Authors

Furthermore, Dr. Wrench has published over 30 research articles that have appeared in various journals: Communication Quarterly, Communication Research Reports, Education, Human Communication, Journal of Homosexuality, Journal of Intercultural Communication, Southern Communication Journal, The Source: A Journal of Education, and The NACADA Journal (National Association of Campus Advising).

Narissra Punyanunt-Carter

PLEASE NOTE: This book is currently in draft form; material is not final.

NARISSRA PUNYANUNT-CARTER (Ph.D., Kent State University) is an associate professor of Communication Studies at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. She teaches the basic interpersonal communication course. She is a prot?g? of Drs. Rebecca Rubin & Alan Rubin, who are considered to be two of the most notable researchers in communication studies. Her research areas include mass media effects, father-daughter communication, mentoring, advisor-advisee relationships, family studies, religious communication, humor, and interpersonal communication. She has published over 40 articles that have appeared in several peer-reviewed journals, such as Communication Research Reports, Southern Journal of Communication, and Journal of Intercultural Communication Research. She has also published numerous instructional ancillaries and materials.

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