Download Communication, Symbols, and Meaning

Organizational
Communication
John A. Cagle
Max Weber: Theory of Bureaucracy
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Organization is a system of purposeful
interpersonal activity designed to coordinate
tasks.
Power is the ability of a person to influence
others and overcome resistance.
Legitimate authority is power authorized
formally by the organization.
Bureaucratic authority is power vested in
supervisors and managers by virtue of rules.
Theoretical Priorities in Organizational
Communication
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1940s: What effects do downward directed communications
have upon employees?
1950s: How do small-group networks affect organizational
performance and members’ attitudes and behaviors?
1960s: What do organizational members perceive to be
communication correlates of “good” supervision?
1970s: What are the communication components and correlates
of organizational communication climates?
What are the characteristics and distribution of “key”
communication roles within organizational networks?
‘til now: Organizations are a system of interdependent variables.
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What are the strategic parts of the system?
What is the nature of their mutual dependency?
What are the main processes in the system which link the parts
together and facilitate their adjustment to each other?
What are the goals sought by the system?
Gordon Lippitt’s Organizational Health
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Task dimensions
 Goal focus
 Communication adequacy
 Optimum power utilization
Social dimensions
 Resource utilization
 Cohesiveness
 Morale
Growth dimensions
 Innovativeness
 Autonomy
 Adaptation
 Problem-solving adequacy
Organizational Hierarchy – Bureaucratic
Structure
Communication
Network
Peter F. Drucker’s Key Leadership
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Key leadership tasks must be done if the
organization is to be successful.
On the other hand, the organization cannot
function unless the routine tasks are taken
care of as well.
The answer, of course, is effective delegation
of these routine tasks so the key leaders
have time for their genuinely more important
responsibilities.
Key Leadership Tasks
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Thinking through the mission of the
organization
Setting the standards and good examples
Building the human organization
Relating to the “public”
Perform “ceremonial” functions
Attend to crisis after crisis whenever
necessary
Requirements for Key Leadership
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Analysis of key leadership tasks
Key leadership tasks assigned
Key leadership team
Delegation of operating tasks