Communication within the organization
Influence of the structure on communication; Management of communication flows; Types of communication networks
Lecture # 5.
Communication within the organization
Influence of the structure on communication
Management of communication flows
Types of communication networks
1
To which extent does the structure promote
communications within and outside the
organization?
2
Typical features of organizations
Structure
Culture
Leadership
3
What influences the structure of the organization?
Size of the organization
Type of activity and technologies applied
Mission and objectives set
Competition
4
Influence of the structure on communications
Functional structure
Matrix structure
Virtual structure or network
Informal and formal structure
5
Formal Channels:
Downward communication
• Instructions to job execution
• logical explanation of work
• policy and methods communication
• feedback
• persuasive communication
6
Formal Channels:
Upward communication- Info sent
•What has been done by an employee, his subordinates and his peers;
•What problems this worker and the department he works at have;
•What he thinks should be done;
•How he evaluates his performance;
•What aspects of the organizational policy and practice should be corrected
NASA 1986 “Challenger” example
7
Formal Channels:
Lateral/horizontal communication purposes
• Jobs coordination;
• Problem solving;
• Information sharing;
• Conflict resolution
Consultative, persuasive, reminding style
8
Influence of culture on communications
Power distance
Individualism/collectivism
Uncertainty avoidance
Models of culture
9
Influence of the leadership on communication
Access to the channels
Availability of external channels
Efficiency of usage
Extent of the clientorientation
Influence on competitiveness
10
What do Communications add up to?
To get necessary info on time
To make important decision
To provide feedback
What else?
11
What do the communications take away?
Overload the organization
Deconcentrate the employee
Increase the possibility of errors while transmitting the info
What else?
12
What info does the organization need?
Basic financial information
Information about the labor productivity
Information about distribution of resources
Information about key knowledge and exclusive competence
13
Communications and knowledge management
Contribute to decreasing the barriers
emerging ideas
formation of models
dissemination of the best solutions
14
Conclusions
Organization structures are a compromise between productivity and
efficiency;
The basic causes of communication problems are: hierarchy, culture clash,
changeability, grapevine
communication failures are symptoms and integral parts of organizational
problems; look for core cause of the failure
15
Conclusions
“Walls” in organizations should not turn into insurmountable
barriers;
The key question:”whom of my colleagues must I give info for
him to be able to do his job?”
16
