Lecture 2

Question 1

Organization

Answer 1

act of organizing / an organized group of people with a particular purpose ie business, gov’t department

Question 2

Organizational Communication

Answer 2

combination of process/people/messages through which orgs are created – communication creates organization, an ongoing process, shapes events

Question 3

Organizational climate

Answer 3

the environment - feeling employees are valued/supported by org / belief that org encourages/discourages communication

Question 4

Org Climate shaped by (PME):

Answer 4

1. People (characteristics combining - need relationships to achieve goals, need communication to meet objectives)
2. Messages (creation/exchange of messages as well as verb/non behaviour - can have diff meanings to diff people)
3. Events (symbolic behaviour affecting all ind)

Question 5

supportive environments

Answer 5

value employee work/feedback
open to suggestions
descriptive & nonjudgemental
empathetic to employee concerns at work & beyond
acknowledge/respect employees
provide constructive evaluation

Question 6

Climate Impact

Answer 6

ability to hire qualified/quality staff
employee turnover
reputation damage
impact on investment on investment/profit

Question 7

Culture defined

Answer 7

unique sense of place
personality of an organization
generated through ways of doing/communicating about org
reflects shared realities/practices in the org
creates/shapes events

Question 8

Organizational Culture

Answer 8

basic value systems/beliefs that guide organizational members
organizational histories/stories, rituals, slogans, shared experiences

Question 9

Org culture created/shaped by

Answer 9

org practices/policies, management systems/styles, people

Question 10

Assimilation

Answer 10

process of becoming integrated into org - requires socialization, learning org values/norms/behaviours

Question 11

Socialization

Answer 11

attempts to help members learn appropriate behaviours/norms/values - overlap of personal and org interests

Question 12

identity

Answer 12

relative stable characteristics
sense of self
core beliefs/values/attitudes/experiences/preferces

Question 13

identification

Answer 13

extent that one identifies with goals/values of org
perception of sense of belonging
usually associated with belief that ind/org goals are compatible
ongoing, active process

Question 14

Anticipatory socialization

Answer 14

pre-entry info about org and role - leaning about culture you’re going to enter

Question 15

encounter

Answer 15

orientation as new member, early org experience, reduce uncertainty about all aspects of org life, employee orientation/training

Question 16

metamorphosis

Answer 16

mastery of skills/adjustments to org life - transform into active member, “one of them”

Question 17

manufacturing culture

Answer 17

cannot be made to encompass values simply by discussing them - created through expression of values in actions - take a long time to develop

Question 18

Seeding culture:

Answer 18

formal statements of organizational philosophy, deliberate coaching/modeling by others, organizational structure, design of physical space, storytelling/legends

Question 19

Culture/Climate/Organizational credibility:

Answer 19

important for successful culture/climate
trust is key dimension to organizational credibility
trust violations increase resentment/decrease organizational commitment

Question 20

Gaining Credibility

Answer 20

2 way comms
respect/value employees
ensure reward/punishment is fair/appropriate

Question 21

Communication climate:

Answer 21

reaction to organization’s culture; consists of collective beliefs, expectations, values (regarding comms generated as members evaluate interactions w others)

Question 22

Communication networks, channels, message direction

Answer 22

formal/informal patterns that link org members
Formal = prescribed by org, chain of command, organizational chart
Informal = channels not prescribed ie grapevine

Question 23

Communication channels

Answer 23

means for message transmission, face-to-face, group meetings, memos, letters, email systems, socials

Question 24

Message direction

Answer 24

movement of message in org, based on authority/position levels of senders/receivers, vertical (downward/upward) and horizontal comms

Question 25

comms load & distortion

Answer 25

load = amount of messages moving through comm systems - load, overload, underload distortion = anything that contributes to alterations in meaning as messages move through org

Question 26

power in org

Answer 26

attempts to influence another person's behaviour to produce desired outcomes - attempt to maintain status/position, behaviours which marginalize others, process occurs through comms

Question 27

Processes to alter culture:

Answer 27

postmodernism - theory representing alienation from the past, skepticism about authority structures, ambiguity of meaning, mass culture – move away from broad application of values/behaviours, examines how multiple meanings and interpretations influence multiple behaviours deconstruction and critical theory - method of post-modern analysis - examines assumptions and myths, uncovering interest involved in socially constructed meanings