📓 COURSE NOTES

Organizational Communication • ELSC3

Bachelor of Arts in English Language • 3rd Year

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UNIT I — OVERVIEW OF PRINCIPLES & PRACTICES OF ORGANIZATIONAL

COMMUNICATION

1.1 Organizational Communication Topics

📌 What is Org. Communication? Types by Structure

Sending & receiving messages between Formal: official channels (meetings, memos,
individuals/groups to achieve common goals. It's newsletters) Informal: grapevine — free-
how a business runs — from emails to contracts. flowing, impromptu

📐 Types by Direction ✍️Types by Method

Upward: workers → execs Downward: execs → Oral, Written, or Physical — all three are
workers Horizontal: same-level peers often used together in business

Communication Barriers
• Physical, Personal, Semantic/Language, Psychological
• Cultural, Structural, Technological

💡 Key Insight: Company culture shapes how people communicate. The exec team sets the tone for
everyone below them.

Growing Research Areas

• Technology & tools (email, IM, video calls, project apps)
• Globalization — cross-cultural communication challenges AND advantages

1.2 Introducing Organizational Communication

📖 Definition: Organizational communication = the forms and channels of communication among

members of organizations. Think of it as the blood that keeps the organization alive.

Why Communication Matters in Orgs

• Promotes motivation — clarifies tasks & performance expectations
• Source of information — supports decision-making
• Alters individual attitudes — informed people have better outlooks
• Helps in socializing — builds workplace relationships
 • Controls organizational behavior — ensures compliance with policies

5 Primary Functions of Business Communication (Neher, 1997)

Leading Enables management to give clear instructions (downward)

Rationalizing Explains the 'why' behind instructions; also allows workers to raise concerns (upward)

Problem- Tabling problems, brainstorming, finalizing solutions — flows horizontally

Solving

Conflict Brings parties together in a safe, moderated environment

Management

Gaining Listening to feedback so employees adhere to instructions & feel heard

Compliance

Ethics in Communication — The 6 Foundation Terms

Ethics Values
Rules of acceptable conduct; guides moral living Acts/customs a group regards favorably — what we
(truth, honesty, fairness) truly care about

Morals Integrity
Universal rules of right & wrong; apply to everyone, Being honest & sincere; adhering to a moral code
consider others' well-being daily

Character Laws
Drives what we do when no one's watching; built Rules to protect people from extremes — but not all
through thoughts & actions laws are ethical

1.3 The Critical Approach

🔑 Core Idea: Power is NOT equally distributed in organizations. The critical approach aims to
uncover power imbalances so oppressed groups can push for change.

5 Key Concepts of the Critical Approach

Power: Drives the entire critical approach. Hierarchy gives the CEO final say on everything — the end goal is to hold
that position.
Ideology: What we take for granted — our sense of 'normal.' The belief that hierarchy is necessary gives rise to
supervisor-subordinate dynamics.
Hegemony: When a dominant group makes their control feel 'normal' to subordinates, so subordinates don't resist —
they believe it's just how things work.
Emancipation: The ultimate goal — freeing subordinates from oppressive power relationships so their voices actually
carry weight in decision-making.
Resistance: How subordinates push back: large-scale (strikes, boycotts) or small-scale (sarcasm, office humor that
challenges norms).

1.4 Scientific Management, Bureaucracy & the Modern Organization

Classical Perspective — Organizations = Machines

If the machine is well-built and managed, the organization thrives. Each employee = one part. One part fails → the
whole machine fails.

Frederick Taylor's Scientific Management

⚙️Core Belief: Any job can be performed better if done scientifically. Taylor created time-and-motion
studies to maximize efficiency.

Taylor's Steps to a Productive Org

• Examine the job or task
• Determine the single best way to complete it
• Choose the most appropriate person AND compensate them properly
• Train them to execute efficiently

⚠️Criticism (U.S. Commission, 1912): Taylorism weakens individual workers, thwarts group
solidarity, and provides no mechanism for workers to voice ideas or grievances — later called
'Taylorism.'

Max Weber's Bureaucracy

Weber saw bureaucracy as the ideal — synonymous with order, consistency, reason, and reliability. Developed partly in
response to corrupt leadership.

Specialization & Division Each worker has one exclusive task → less cross-training, more production
of Labor
Rules & Procedures Written policies guide the entire organization
Hierarchy of Authority Pyramid chain of command — clear communication lines
Formal Communication All decisions documented; nothing left unaccounted for
Detailed Job Everyone knows their exact role and responsibilities
Descriptions
Employment Based on Workers placed where they maximize production
Expertise
Impersonal Environment Personal feelings must not affect professional decisions

Weber's 3 Types of Authority

Traditional Charismatic Bureaucratic ★
Based on family lineage; passed Based on personality; when the Best type — based on rules,
down regardless of competence person leaves, the authority goes actions, and technical
with them qualifications; neutralizes
nepotism

Henri Fayol's Management Principles

Fayol turned a near-bankrupt French mining company (Comambault) into a success. His principles mirror military
structure.

• Unity of Direction — one plan, one goal, one authority figure

• Unity of Command — orders come from ONE person only
• Authority — managers alone can issue orders and demand compliance
 • Order — everything and everyone in the right place at the right time
• Subordination of Individual Interests — org goals > personal goals
• Scalar Chain — hierarchical flow of communication (similar to horizontal comm)

Fayol's 5 Admin Activities

• Planning → Organizing → Commanding → Coordinating → Controlling

1.5 The Human Relations School

🧠 Origin: Developed in the 1920s during the industrial revolution. Prof. Elton Mayo's Hawthorne
Studies proved that PEOPLE — not machines — are the key to productivity.

Core Belief
When employees receive special attention and are encouraged to participate, they feel their work matters → they
become more motivated and productive.

Three Basics That Emerged from Studies

• Individual attention and recognition aligns with the human relations theory
• Many theorists supported the motivational theory
• Studies confirmed the importance of human relations in business

UNIT II — THEMES OF SYSTEMS, CULTURE, AND POWER IN ORG. COMMUNICATION

2.1 Organizations as Communication Systems

📌 What is Information Management? An umbrella term covering all systems and processes for the
creation and use of corporate information — not just technology, but people, process, and content too.

Information Management Encompasses

• Web content, document management, records, digital assets, learning systems, enterprise search
• Business processes & practices underlying info creation
• Information architecture, metadata, and content quality

10 Principles of Effective Information Management

1. Recognize & manage complexity — Orgs are complex — avoid simple 'silver bullet' solutions
2. Focus on adoption — Systems only work if staff actually use them; change management is crucial
3. Deliver tangible & visible benefits — Improvements must be noticeable and measurable — not just 'behind the
scenes'
4. Prioritize by business needs — Projects should target the most urgent organizational issues, not tech convenience
5. Journey of a thousand steps — No single fix solves everything; hundreds of small changes add up over time
6. Provide strong leadership — Cultural and organizational change REQUIRES clear vision and strong leadership
7. Mitigate risks — Identify risks early; use pilot projects before full-scale rollout
8. Communicate extensively — All teams must stay aligned through constant communication
9. Deliver seamless user experience — Users shouldn't feel the complexity — hide the systems, expose the info
10. Choose the first project carefully — The first project sets the tone — pick one that's visible, useful, and inspires
confidence

2.2 Communication, Culture, and Organizing

🔖 Focus: Defensive vs. Supportive communication climates — developed by Jack Gibb. How we
communicate affects whether others become defensive or open.

Defensive Communication
When someone feels threatened, they divert energy to self-defense — less energy goes to listening and understanding
the actual message.

Gibb's 6 Defensive vs. Supportive Pairs

🚫 DEFENSIVE CLIMATE ✅ SUPPORTIVE CLIMATE
Evaluation Description
Control Problem Orientation
Strategy Spontaneity
Neutrality Empathy
Superiority Equality
Certainty Provisionalism

2.3 Power and Resistance at Work

💬 Key Reminder: Power isn't inherently bad — it's what people DO with power that matters. Leaders
have positional power and a choice: build people up or squander that power.

Sources of Power in Organizations

Formal Authority Control of Resources
Manager's basic positional power — 'we pay you, Budgets, technology, and people — often
you follow rules' source of office politics

Org. Structure & Rules Decision-Making Control

Knowledge of rules (even misquoting them) = Who chairs meetings or keeps minutes
power shapes outcomes

Knowledge & Information Control of Boundaries

Experts protect their status by controlling access Gatekeepers (PAs, security) hold
to what they know disproportionate access power

Coping with Uncertainty Networks & Alliances

 People who handle stress others can't are 'Who you know' = significant informal power
valuable & promotable in any org

Tips for Using Power Positively

• Build healthy relationships — likability matters as much as results
• Don't play favorites — distribute praise fairly
• Your words carry weight — choose them wisely, especially critical feedback
• Hold yourself to higher standards — good behavior starts at the top
• Have hard conversations — dragging out difficult news hurts everyone

UNIT III — DEVELOPMENT OF VARIOUS COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR THE WORKPLACE

3.1 The Postmodern Workplace: Teams, Emotions & Conflict

Cooperative vs. Competitive Goals (Morton Deutsch)

✅ COOPERATIVE ❌ COMPETITIVE
Win-win mindset. Members share info, support Win-lose mindset. Members withhold info and
each other, speak freely about frustrations, manage resources, creating tension, lower morale, and
conflicts productively. harsh confrontations.

3-Step Conflict Resolution Process

Step 1 — Prepare for Resolution: Acknowledge the conflict, discuss its impact, agree to cooperate and to
communicate openly.
Step 2 — Understand the Situation: Clarify each person's position, list the facts and assumptions behind each view,
analyze in smaller groups, then reconvene.
Step 3 — Reach Agreement: With all positions understood, decide on a course of action. Celebrate the resolution to
build team cohesion.

Preventing Conflict — Key Habits

• Deal with conflict immediately — don't let it fester
• Practice clear, open communication and active listening
• Focus on actionable solutions, not blame
• Respect differences and encourage diverse viewpoints
• Keep team issues within the team

3.2 Communicating Gender at Work

📌 Note: Women's entry into the paid labor market reshaped family, marriage, and labor dynamics.
Despite progress, gender inequality and the 'glass ceiling' still exist in many workplaces. Treating men
and women equally is a win-win for everyone.

3.3 Communicating Difference at Work / Globalization & Democracy

 🌏 Why It Matters: 80% of U.S. products competed internationally by end of the 20th century.
International experience is now moving from 'desirable' to 'essential' for managers.

Intercultural Communication = Non-Negotiable

• Etiquette, manners, and cross-cultural communication are critical for global business
• Simply translating words isn't enough — deeper cultural understanding is needed
• Famous fails: Pepsi in Taiwan, Chevy Nova in Puerto Rico, Euro Disney's $1B loss in 1993

Keys to Cross-Cultural Business Success

• Appreciate and respect regional, country, and cultural differences
• Slow down and 'sneak up on information' — don't assume understanding
• Learn proper etiquette before entering a new market
• Recognize that communication style (honesty vs. harmony) varies by culture

3.4 Leadership Communication & Crisis Communication

Communication Networks
Formal Network Informal Network (Grapevine)
Created by management via org chart. Flows Based on friendship and shared interests. No set
upward, downward, or horizontally through official direction, not through official channels. Fills gaps
channels (memos, bulletins, intranet). left by formal networks, esp. during crises.

Communication Directions — Quick Recap

• Upward: subordinates → superiors. Surfaces problems, gives suggestions, builds managerial skill.
• Downward: superiors → subordinates. Job instructions, feedback, policies — must be constructive, not
destructive.
• Horizontal / Lateral: peers ↔ peers. Builds teamwork; most important in today's flatter organizational structures.

3.5 Branding and Consumption

Core Idea: Consumers choose brands that match their self-image and lifestyle. Brands serve as a
tool for self-expression. Companies must position their brand to fit into that lifestyle.

Personal branding is growing in importance — the average employee has 10x more social media followers than their
company. Authentic, personal brands build consumer trust.

3.6 Communication, Meaningful Work & Personal Identity

The Communication Audit

📋 Definition: A systematic analysis of an organization's communication practices — revealing what's
actually happening vs. what people think is happening.

• Identifies: target audiences, key messages, communication channels

 • Reveals: misunderstandings, information blocks, duplication, misrepresentation
• Evaluates: attitudes toward communication, group needs, problem areas

Fundamental Rule of Effective Communication

You MUST have feedback — two-way communication is essential. A one-way system (like that glossy annual report no
one reads) is a broken system.

3.7 Mindfulness and Leadership

🧘 Definition: Mindfulness = non-judgmental awareness of the current experience. Two key elements:
ATTENTION (fully present) + ACCEPTANCE (open, non-judging attitude).

Mindfulness in Leadership Communication — 3 Facets

• Being present and paying full attention in conversations
• An open, non-judging attitude toward the other person
• A calm, non-impulsive manner — not reactive

Why It Matters for Leaders

Followers' Well-Being Autonomy & Voice
Leaders higher in mindfulness have followers Mindful leaders listen fully and are open to
who report better well-being, job performance, input → followers feel heard and empowered
and relationship quality. to speak up.

Emotional Regulation Follower Satisfaction

Mindfulness = better emotion regulation. Leaders Less info gets lost between sender and
stay composed under stress rather than reacting receiver when leaders communicate
impulsively. mindfully → better outcomes.

⚠️Caution: Mindfulness is not a cure-all. It must be implemented by experts and tailored to individual
needs. It can also be misused for impression management with selfish goals.