Focus Questions

1. Focus Questions • What is organizational culture? • How important is it to be involved in the informal networks of organizations? • How do rituals and routines affect life in organizations? • What are the risks of forming personal relationships with co-workers? • What challenges face organizations and members of them in this era? Communication in Organizations

2. Features of Organizational Communication • Structure • Organization means “structure.” (loose or rigid) • Hierarchy • Networks • Communication occurs in networks. • ad hoc network: in response to specific issues • Links to external environment • Contexts (multiple and connected) Communication in Organizations

3. Communication in Organizations • Organization Culture • Ways of thinking, acting, and viewing work • Shared by members • Reflecting identity • Four Communication Practices (next few slides) • Vocabulary • Stories • Rites & Rituals • Structures Communication in Organizations

4. Vocabulary • The language of an organization reflects and expresses its history, norms, values, identity. • Hierarchical language • Distinguishes levels of status • Eg., military, school,… • Masculine language • More typical of men than women • Words & phrases taken from sports, military… Communication in Organizations

5. Stories • Storytelling to weave coherent narratives and to create meaning, and to sustain organizational cultures • Corporate stories • Convey values, style, and history of an organization • Personal stories • How people see themselves, and to be seen by others • Collegial stories • Personal accounts of other members Communication in Organizations

6. Rites and Rituals • Verbal and nonverbal practices • Rites: Sets of activities that bring together aspects of ideology in a single event (dramatic and planned) • Rituals: Forms of communications that occur regularly; perceived familiar and routine • Difference • Rituals don’t necessarily bring together a number of aspects of organizational ideology into a single event • Rituals are repeated communication performance Communication in Organizations

7. Rites of passage Artwork in larger office, special handshake Rites of integration Holiday parties, graduation ceremonies Rites of blaming or praising Military Rites of recognition Honors of achievement Rites of managing change Training workshops; office rearrangement Rites of resolving conflicts Voting, meditation Rites Communication in Organizations

8. Rituals • Personal rituals • Individual routines; delivering staff mail in person • Social rituals • Company dinning room for informal interaction • E-mail chatting • Task rituals • Police officer’s routine questions • Sales presentations Communication in Organizations

9. Structures • Organizing relationships and interactions • Roles • Responsibilities and behaviors of specific position • Rules • Constitutive and regulative rules • Policies • Formal statements of practices; mission statement • Communication networks • Formal & informal; job description and organization chart • Grapevine: Communication outside the formal channels Communication in Organizations

10. Challenges for Communication in Organizations • Adapting to diverse needs, situations, and people • Moving in and out of teams • Participating in variety teams • Managing personal relationships on the job • Personal vs. professional • Romantic relationships Communication in Organizations