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COMM 122: Micro/Macro Organizational Communication Lecture 4 10/22/08

COMM 122: Micro/Macro Organizational Communication Lecture 4 10/22/08. Dave Seibold Professor, Department of Communication Division of Social Sciences (L&S) Co-Director, Graduate Program in Management Practice Technology Management Program (CoE). Review Lecture 3 10/15/08.

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COMM 122: Micro/Macro Organizational Communication Lecture 4 10/22/08

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  1. COMM 122:Micro/Macro Organizational Communication Lecture 4 10/22/08 Dave Seibold Professor, Department of Communication Division of Social Sciences (L&S) Co-Director, Graduate Program in Management Practice Technology Management Program (CoE)

  2. Review Lecture 3 10/15/08 1. Structure 2. Systems School 6 Theorists 5 Concepts 3. Communication Load & Implications

  3. 5 Schools of Organizational Theory Classical/Traditional School Human Relations/Resources School Systems School Interpretive/Cultural School Critical School

  4. Structure Each organization has some DEGREE of the following . . . Configuration a. span of control b. hierarchical level c. organizational size Complexity a. vertical complexity b. horizontal complexity Formalization Centralization

  5. Structure Evident in all three schools: Classical/Traditional: Building block of bureaucracy (Weber), industrial management (Fayol), and scientific management (Taylor) -- most central here HR: Basis for relationships between organizational work groups Systems: Design of organization, especially as outcome of organizing

  6. Systems School 6 Key Theorists 1. Sociotechnical Systems Theory: Emery & Trist (1960) 2. Management Theory: Woodward (1965) 3. Biology: Bertalanffy (1962) 4. Engineering/Physics: Shannon & Weaver (1949) 5. Social Psychology: Katz & Kahn (1966) 6. Communication: Farace, Monge & Russell (1977)

  7. Systems School 6 Key Theorists 1. Sociotechnical Systems Theory: Emery & Trist (1960) 2. Management Theory: Woodward (1965) 3. Biology: Bertalanffy (1962) 4. Engineering/Physics: Shannon & Weaver (1949) 5. Social Psychology: Katz & Kahn (1966) 6. Communication: Farace, Monge & Russell (1977) Implications Environment(s) recognized Interdependence(ies) highlighted Overtime changes & analyses emphasized

  8. Systems School 5 Concepts 1. Interdependence 2. Goals 3. Feedback: deviation-counteracting (morphostasis) deviation-amplifying (morphogenesis) 4. Environment: entropy (disorder) negative entropy (lack of disorder) Law of Requisite Variety 5. Contingency: equifinality (Galbraith) turbulent/placid environments (Emery & Trist)

  9. Systems School Communication Load (p. 29-30 of Reader) I. DEFINITION II. DETERMINANTS III. FINDINGS IV. (PROBLEMATIC) LEVELS OF LOAD V. FACTORS AFFECTING LOAD VI. STRATEGIES

  10. Systems School Communication Implications 1. Comm critical: “cement” that holds sub-systems together 2. Comm functions: a. control and coordination b. provide info to decision makers c. adjust org to changes in its environment

  11. Systems School Communication Implications (con’t) 3. Directions of comm flow: a. all directions within the system, b. including downwards and upward across levels c. & across org’s boundary w/environment Comm problems: a. overload, distortion, and omission b. unresponsiveness to negative feedback

  12. Preview Lecture 4 1. Systems (vs Classical vs HR) School 2. Organizational Environment 4 Types 3 Levels Enacted Environment/Retrospective Sense-Making 3. Cultural/Interpretive School 4. Critical School

  13. Systems (vs Classical vs HR) School Classical/Traditional School Persons = Economically driven, rational beings World = Mechanistic; machine theory, time-motion studies Org key = Structure Issues = Hierarchy, job duties, division of labor, centralization, size & shape, line vs staff Resources = Money, specialization, rigid hierarchy, rules & regulations, impersonalness Communication emphasis = Downward communication HR School Persons = Goal driven, social beings World = Social, participative; group norms important Org key = Social networks, informal groups Issues = Status, role, social relations, morale, attitude, groups, individual personality Resources = People, shared authority, participation, job satisfaction Communication emphasis = Informal communication

  14. Systems (vs Classical vs HR) School Systems School Persons = Interdependently connected; part of a system How World Operates = Wheels w/in wheels; interdependent systems w/in larger environment Org Key = Issues = Resources = Communication emphasis =

  15. Systems (vs Classical vs HR) School Systems School Persons = Interdependently connected; part of a system World = Wheels w/in wheels; interdependent systems w/in larger environment Key Characteristic of Org = Interdependence Issues = Input, output, transformation, feedback, equilibrium, steady state Resources = Communication emphasis =

  16. Systems (vs Classical vs HR) School Systems School Persons = Interdependently connected; part of a system World = Wheels w/in wheels; interdependent systems w/in larger environment Org Key = Interdependence Issues = Input, output, transformation, feedback, equilibrium, steady state Resources Available to Deal w/Problems = Input, feedback, process (transformation), information Communication emphasis =

  17. Systems (vs Classical vs HR) School Systems School Persons = Interdependently connected; part of a system World = Wheels w/in wheels; interdependent systems w/in larger environment Org Key = Interdependence Issues = Input, output, transformation, feedback, equilibrium, steady state Resources Available to Deal w/Problems = Input, feedback, process (transformation), information Communication emphasis = Linking function

  18. Systems (vs Classical vs HR) School Systems School Persons = Interdependently connected; part of a system World = Wheels w/in wheels; interdependent systems w/in larger environment Org Key = Interdependence Issues = Input, output, transformation, feedback, equilibrium, steady state Resources = Input, feedback, process (transformation), information Communication = Linking function

  19. Systems School Organizational Environment (p. 19 of Reader) Emery & Trist’s 4 “Types” of Org. Environments 1. Placid-Randomized 2. Placid-Clustered 3. Disturbed-Reactive 4. Turbulent

  20. Systems School (review “Key Concept”) 4. Environment: Interaction w/ environment essential to system survival Non-interaction w/ environment --> entropy (disorder) Open system capturing resources to renew = negative entropy (lack of disorder) Law of Requisite Variety: the more complex the envirn, the more complex the structures needed to enable org to deal w/ envirn

  21. Systems School Organizational Environment (p. 19 of Reader) Emery & Trist’s 4 “Types” of Org. Environments Environment = resources available to org to aid survival

  22. Systems School Organizational Environment (p. 19 of Reader) Emery & Trist’s 4 “Types” of Org. Environments Envirn = resources available to org to aid survival 1. Placid-Randomized Environment: resources randomly distributed throughout the environment, w/constant probability of securing them To survive: -Find different sorts of resources to use -Store a single resource -Use an abundant resource

  23. Systems School Organizational Environment (p. 19 of Reader) Emery & Trist’s 4 “Types” of Org. Environments Envirn = resources available to org to aid survival 1. Placid-Randomized 2. Placid-Clustered Environments: sequential shifts in resource probabilities, but predictable To survive: -Accumulate sufficient resources to survive resource scarcity -Reduce need for resources during lean periods

  24. Systems School Organizational Environment (p. 19 of Reader) Emery & Trist’s 4 “Types” of Org. Environments Envirn = resources available to org to aid survival 1. Placid-Randomized 2. Placid-Clustered 3. Disturbed-Reactive Environments: competitive interdependence -- distributions and probabilities created by actions of orgs themselves To survive: -Identify interdependencies -Anticipate competitors’ actions and reactions

  25. Systems School Organizational Environment (p. 19 of Reader) Emery & Trist’s 4 “Types” of Org. Environments Envirn = resources available to org to aid survival 1. Placid-Randomized 2. Placid-Clustered 3. Disturbed-Reactive 4. Turbulent Environments: (known competitive interdependencies) + (far removed interdependencies) = ripple effects Survival threatened . . .

  26. Systems School Organizational Environment (p. 19 of Reader) Emery & Trist’s 4 “Types” of Org. Environments 1. Placid-Randomized 2. Placid-Clustered 3. Disturbed-Reactive 4. Turbulent

  27. Systems School Organizational Environment (p. 19 of Reader) Pfeffer & Salancik’s 3 “Levels” of Org. Environment 1. System of indivs/orgs related to one another (& a focal org.) through the org’s transactions. 2. Set of indivs/orgs with whom org interacts. 3. Perceptions/representation of “environment”by org/members (i.e., enacted environment).

  28. Systems School ---> Cultural School Organizational Environment Weick’s Enacted Envirn viz “Retrospective Sense-Making” Premise: orgs exist in complex, uncertain information envirns (not just physical envirns) 2. Envirns don’t exist ‘out there’; indivs/orgs ‘create’ envirns (enact them) 3. Enactment = making sense of uncertainty via communication cycles (equivocality reduction)

  29. Systems School ---> Cultural School Organizational Environment Weick’s Enacted Envirn viz “Retrospective Sense-Making” 4. Equivocality (uncertainty) = same facts can be interpreted in multiple ways (pun on equifinality) 5. Major goal of orgs: reduction of equivocality in envirn (uncertainty reduction) How do they do so?????

  30. Systems School ---> Cultural School Organizational Environment (p. 31 of Reader09F) Weick’s “Retrospective Sense-Making” 1. Equivocality reduction via enactment, selection, retention (model in K. Miller)

  31. Systems School ---> Cultural School Organizational Environment (p. 31 of Reader09F) Weick’s “Retrospective Sense-Making” 1. Equivocality reduction via enactment, selection, retention (model in K. Miller) 2. Environmental “enactment” as a process of retrospective“sense making” by org.members.

  32. Systems School ---> Cultural School Organizational Environment (p. 31 of Reader09F Weick’s “Retrospective Sense-Making” Equivocality reduction via enactment, selection, retention (model in K. Miller) 2. Environmental “enactment” as a process of retrospective“sense making” by org.members. 3. “Loose coupling” as an adaptation to turbulence in enacted environment.

  33. 5 Schools of Organizational Theory Classical/Traditional School Human Relations/Resources School Systems School Interpretive/Cultural School Critical School

  34. Cultural School Introduction What is “culture”? What “organizational culture” is . . . Goal of researchers in this area

  35. Cultural School (p. 43 of Reader09F) A. Popularity of Organizational Culture Perspective 1. Popular press, Professional press, Academic press 2. Interpretive Research Paradigm (vs. Functionalism/Positivism) 3. Examples in Communication (Since 1985)

  36. Cultural School (p. 43 of Reader09F) B. Shifts toward Organizational Culture Perspective 1. Shifts in Business -- Culture is something an org “has” Deal & Kennedy’s “strong” org culture Peters & Waterman’s “excellent” cultures

  37. Cultural School (p. 43 of Reader09F) B. Shifts toward Organizational Culture Perspective 1. Shifts in Business 2. Shifts in Organizational Communication Theory toward higher mental processes (sense-making) toward language & creation of meaning toward social construction of reality (e.g., temporality) Comm creates & recreates the social structures that makes orgs apparent.

  38. Cultural School (p. 43 of Reader09F) B. Shifts toward Organizational Culture Perspective 1. Shifts in Business 2. Shifts in Organizational Communication Theory 3. Shifts in Human Sciences toward “understanding” (vs explanation) toward metaphors as bases for understanding toward assumptions implied in metaphors

  39. Cultural School (p. 43 of Reader09F) C. Research Approaches to Organizational Culture 1. Comparative Management Approach: Culture as External Variable

  40. Cultural School (p. 43 of Reader09F) C. Research Approaches to Organizational Culture 1. Comparative Management Approach: Culture as External Variable 2. Corporate Culture Approach: Culture as Internal Variable

  41. Cultural School (p. 43 of Reader09F) C. Research Approaches to Organizational Culture Comparative Management Approach: Culture as External Variable Corporate Culture Approach: Culture as Internal Variable Problems w/ Approaches 1 and 2 a. Culture still treated as linear b. Culture assumed to work mechanistically c. Culture what management promotes

  42. Cultural School (p. 43 of Reader09F) C. Research Approaches to Organizational Culture 1. Comparative Management Approach: Culture as External Variable 2. Corporate Culture Approach: Culture as Internal Variable 3. Organizational Cognition Approach: Culture as Knowledge Structures

  43. Cultural School (p. 43 of Reader09F) C. Research Approaches to Organizational Culture 1. Comparative Management Approach: Culture as External Variable 2. Corporate Culture Approach: Culture as Internal Variable 3. Organizational Cognition Approach: Culture as Knowledge Structures 4. Organizational Symbolism Approach: Culture as PatternsofDiscourse

  44. Cultural School (p. 44 of Reader09F) D. Limitations of Organizational Culture Approaches 1. Atheoretical 2. Non-longitudinal Studies 3. Shared Practices vs. Shared Values/Meaning 4. Shift to Other Approaches/Metaphors (New Forms, SOSTs) 5. Popularization as Tool of Control, Not Understanding

  45. Critical Theory School A. Core Assumptions 1. Societal structures (wealth, status, gender) lead to power imbalances 2. Imbalances of power lead to alienation and oppression for certain social classes and groups 3. Role of critical theorists is to uncover these imbalances, and to bring them to the attention of oppressed groups, so that emancipation is possible (through awareness and political action)

  46. Critical Theory School (p. 45 of Reader09F) B. Example Time and 5 OT Schools Critical Perspective

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