12: Communication in Organisations Organisation Definition: A planned system of behaviours of two or more people who seek to achieve a common

goal or set of goals by coordinating their efforts. Features of Organisations 1. Structure Provides predictability for members so that they understand roles, procedures and expectations. Organisation relationships and interaction in an organisation. Most rely on hierarchical structure. 2. Communication networks Formal and informal links between members of organisations. Overlaps between networks ensure that we will communicate in various ways with many people in any organisation. - Upward - Downward - Lateral - Grapevine 3. Links to External Environments System of external relationships that provide the context for the organisation. Affect how they work and whether they succeed or fail. Organisational Culture Consists of ways of thinking, acting, and understanding work that are shared by members of an organisation and that reflect an organisations identity. Distinct cultures - Values, rules, myths, symbols and conventions - Reflect the organisations identity 1. Vocabulary Reflect and reproduce organisational cultures. Hierarchical Language - Designate status (Captain, Sir, General) - Unequal terms of address communicate rank - First names (employees) vs Mr, Ms, Sir, Maam (CEO) Masculine Language - Emphasizes mens traditional interests and experiences - Bind men together in a community in which women may feel unwelcome or uncomfortable. - Range from sports (touchdown), military life (battle plan), male sexual parts and activities (balls). - Normalise sexist practices and sexual harassment.

Obscures womens professional abilities and status.

2. Stories Establish and sustain organisational contexts. Corporate stories - Convey the values, style and history of an organisation. - Socialise new members into the organisations culture. - Pivotal events in shared history cement bonds between long-term members and their involvement with the organisation. Personal stories - Stories about themselves aka members of organisations. - Announce how people see themselves and how they want to be seen by others. Collegial stories - One persons account of other members. - Can help navigate ones context. - Assert identities for others in an organisation.

3. Rites and Rituals Verbal and non-verbal practices that express and reproduce organisational cultures Rites Dramatic, planned sets of activities that bring together aspects of cultural ideology in a single event - Rites of integration affirm and enhance the sense of community in an organisation. - Blaming rites: Firings, demotions, reprimands - Enhancement rites: Praise individuals and teams that embody the organisations goals and self-image o Campuses bestow awards on faculty who are gifted teachers or outstanding students (Nanyang Awards) - Renewal rites: Aim to revitalise and update organisations (training workshops). Rituals Forms of communication that occur regularly and that members of an organisation perceives as familiar and routine parts of organisational life - Personal rituals: routine behaviours that individuals use to express their organisational identities - Social rituals: standardised performances that affirm relationships between members of organisations. - Task rituals: repeated activities that help members of an organisation perform their jobs.

4. Structures Roles - Responsibilities and behaviours expected of people because of their specific positions in an organisation. - Not tied to any particular person; can be performed by a number of people who have particular talents, experience and qualifications. - Different roles in an organisations are a system; interrelated and interacting. Rules - Patterned ways of interacting. - May be formal or informal. - Constitutive rules: Specify what various kinds of communications symbolise o Working late commitment o Socialising with colleagues team spirit o Attending training sessions - ambition - Regulative rules: Specify when, where and with whom communication should occur Policies - Formal statements of practices that reflect and uphold the overall culture of an organisation

5. Communication networks Guidelines for communicating in organisations 1. Adapt to Diverse Needs, Situations, and People Variety of workers is a major chance that requires organisations to adapt. Cafeteria-style benefits package that allow employees to select benefits from a range of options (compromise). Meet the expectations and needs of different workers. 2. Expect to Move In and Out of Teams Effective comm requires interacting intensely with members of teams that may form and dissolve quickly. Adjust your style of communicating to expectations and interaction styles of a variety of people and to the constraints of a range of situations. TEAM PLAYER 3. Manage Personal Relationships on the Job Involve relationships that are simultaneously personal and professional

May involve tension between the role expectations for friends and for colleagues. Difficulty rendering a fair evaluation Romantic relationships: arouse co-workers resentment and discomfort. Also more dramatic when breaking up.