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Communication Contexts

 Interpersonal  Health
 Intrapersonal  Public Relations
 Group  Public
 Mass
 Organizational
Communication Characteristics

 Process  Channel
 Source  Feedback
 Transmission  Noise
 Source  Environment
 Receiver  Context
 Message  FOE
 Encode  Ethics
 Decode  Competency
Ethics
 Principles of conduct that help govern
behaviors of individuals and groups that
often arise from a community’s perspective
of good or bad behaviors (Martin &
Nakayama)
 Decision of Points (Kreps)
 1. Tell the truth.
 2. Do no harm
 3. Treat people
ORGANIZATION
 A living, open system connected by the flow
of information between and among people
who occupy various roles and positions.
(Goldhaber)
 The planned coordination of the collective
activities of two or more people who,
functioning on a relatively continuous basis
and through division of labor and a hierarchy
of authority, seek to achieve a common goal
or set of goals. (Robins )
Organizational Changes

 Organizational Structure
 Management Style
 Information Technology
 Competition
 Communication
Organizational Changes

 Organizational Structure
– Hierarchal & Tall to PDM, Flat, & Matrix
(Team)
 Hierarchy (Greek meaning sacred rule)
system of ranking & organizing things &
people, creating division of labor land
centralized control
Organizational Changes
 Management Styles
– Authoritative to Coaching or Empowered
– Classical to Human Resources
 Information Technology
– Limited, Static to Pervasive, Essential
 Competition
– Local, National to Global
 Communication
– Top Down to Multi-directional
Types of Organizations

 Profit vs. non profit


 Small business vs. corporate
 Commercial vs. education
Organizational vs. Group

 Complexity
 Structure/hierarchy
 Multiple voices
 Multiple goals
 Nature of relationships ([im] personal)
 Culture (history, tradition,& shared exp.)
Common Definitional
Points
 OC occurs w/in a complex open system
which is influenced by and influences its
environments, both internal & external.
 OC involves messages & their flow,
purpose, direction, and media.
 OC involves people & their attitudes,
feelings, relationships, behaviors, &
skills.
Organizational Communication

The process of creating and exchanging


messages within a network of
interdependent relationships to cope
with environmental uncertainty
(Goldhaber)
Components Definition
 Process-ongoing (continuous)
 Message (consider)
– Participants
– Modality
– Method of diffusion (channel)
• F2F, oral, written, technology
– Purpose (function)
• Task
• Maintenance
• Human-relational
• Innovative-creativity
Modality-Nonverbal

 Nonverbal communication includes all


aspects of communication other than
spoken or written words themselves
(expressed by other than linguistic
means).
Nonverbal Communication

Verbal+Vocal+Bodied=Total Message

Words+Paralinguistic+Kinesics

7% + 38% + 55% = 100%


(Mehrabian Equation)
Nonverbal Communication
 One cannot, not communicate.
 Nonverbal communication can be
ambiguous.
– Meanings vary over time.
– Meanings vary according to context.
– Meanings vary according to relationships.
– Nonverbal communication is guided by
rules particular to a culture.
Nonverbal Communication
 NV communication can interact with
verbal com
– Can repeat
– May highlight
– May complement
– May contradict
– Can substitute
– Sometimes more believable
Nonverbal Communication

 Nonverbal communicative behavior can


regulate interaction.
 Nonverbal communicative behavior can
establish relationship level meanings.
 Nonverbal communication reflects
culture values and is culture bound.
Categories of Nonverbal Com
Kinesics-posture, gestures, facial expressions,
eye contact (oculesics)
Paralanguage-pitch, rate, volume, inflection,
Haptics-touch (appropriate and inappropriate)
Proxemics-space (personal and public)
Environment-room shape, arrangement, access,
lighting, noise, color, seating arrangement
Presentation-physical appearance and clothing
choice
Artifacts-personal objects that reflect and
announce identity; how we personalize our
space
Definition Components
 Network-creation & exchange of messages
among individuals that takes place over set
pathways
– Roles
– Formality
– Direction (horizontal, upward, downward)
– Serial process-efficiency
 Interdependence-interrelated parts
 Relationships-connected by people &
comm.
 Environment-internal & external
 Uncertainty-equivocality/ambiguity-coping
Organizational Communication

The process of creating and exchanging


messages within a network of
interdependent relationships to cope
with environmental uncertainty
(Goldhaber)
WIIO’S LAWS OF
COMMUNICATION
 Communication usually fails, except by
chance.
 If a message can be understood in different
ways, it will be understood in just that way
which does the most harm.
 There is always somebody who knows better
than you what you meant by your message.
 The more communication there is, the more
difficult it is for communication succeed.
Reasons for Comm Failure
 Inadequate information
 Information overload
 Poor quality information
 Poor timing
 Lack of feedback or follow-up
 Problems with channel choice
Reasons for Comm Failure

 Incompetent communication
 Ineffective goal setting
 Communication anxiety
 Lack of retention
 Language barriers
 Noise
 Unethical communication

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