Chapter 13-17 Study Guide

1) Communicating and communication are vital aspects of the managerial

function of leading.
2) Without communications, managers cannot influence individuals and groups

to attain performance objectives.

3) Effective communication is at the very heart of managerial performance.
4) Communication-the transmission of mutual understanding through the use

of symbols
5) The Communication Process:

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1. The Communicator
2. Encoding- the translating of a communication into an understandable
message by a communicator
3. The Message
4. The Medium
5. Decoding- the process by which receivers translate a message into terms
meaningful to them
6. The Receiver
7. Noise-any element or condition that disturbs or interferes with sending
and receiving effective communication
8. Feedback-an element that enables the communicator to determine
whether a message has been received and whether it has produced the
intended message
Organizational Communication Formal Channels:
Downward communication-communication that flows from individuals
at higher levels; the most common type of downward communication is
job instructions that are transmitted from the superior to the subordinate
Upward communication-communication that flows from individuals at
lower levels of an organization structure to those at higher levels
Horizontal communication-communication that occurs when the
communicator and the receiver are at the same level in the organization
Organizational Communication Informal Channels:
Grapevine-an informal communication network in organizations that
short-circuits the formal channels
Rumors-unverified beliefs that circulate in an organization or into its
external environment; comprises the target (the rumors object), the
source (the rumors communicator), and the allegation (the rumors point
about the target)
The informal organization in corporate life is widely underappreciated among
practicing managers. As a result, many managers dont have a mastery of
the workings of the informal organization and often downplay its comparative
importance.
Sociogram-a graphical presentation of pathways used for communication;
shows who is communicating with whom
Cliques-groups within an organization that tend to communicate internally
on a regular basis
Isolates-individuals or small groups within an organization that tend not to
communicate with other individuals and/or group

12) Interpersonal communication-communications that comprise the full

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range of direct verbal and nonverbal signals that pass between and among
individuals in the work place
Information-derived from data; essentially, data that are organized for a
specific purpose
Interpersonal style-the way in which an individual prefers to relate to
others
Good communicators learn to recognize their interpersonal style and the
styles of others. They also learn to modify their style to enhance the
likelihood of effective communications
Verbal communication-communication by talking or writing
Written communication-the transmission and receipt of messages
through the written word
Oral communication- the transmission and receipt of messages that
occurs when the spoken word is used to transmit a message
Research has indicated that 67% of new employees recruited from full-time
education start their careers without essential interpersonal skills.
Written communication takes more time to prepare and doesnt allow
interaction or immediate feedback. Managers rely on two-way communication
to resolve problems quickly. It takes much longer to get ideas on paper, to
distribute them to others, and to receive written responses; a telephone call
or a meeting is quicker. Written communication, by its formal nature, may
also discourage open communication. E-mail, a form of written
communication, is more timely and allows quick response, perhaps explaining
its popularity.
Non-verbal communication-the transmission and receipt or messages by
some medium other than verbal or written
Emblems-nonverbal communication that resembles sign language;
examples include a thumbs up gesture indicating approval
Illustrators-physical gestures that illustrate what is being said (e.g.,
extended hands to indicate the size of an object); a form of body language
Regulators-physical movements that regulate a conversation (e.g.,
nodding the head to indicate understanding); a form of body language
Adapters-physical expressions used to adjust psychologically to the
interpersonal climate of a particular situation; frequently used to deal with
stress (e.g., drumming fingers on a table); a form of body language
Affect displays-usually subconscious expressions that directly
communicate an individuals emotions (e.g., a closed posture that
communicates defensiveness); a form of body language
Proxemics-an individuals use of space when communicating with others
Why Communications Break Down:
Conflicting Frames of Reference-individuals can interpret the same
communication differently, depending on their previous experiences
Selective Perception-the process of blocking out new information,
especially if it conflicts with what the receiver believes
Value Judgements-the assignment by a receiver of an overall worth to a
message before the receiver receives the entire communication
Status Differences-the differences between communicators that often
hinder the communication
Security

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Source Credibility-the trust, confidence, and faith that the receiver has
in the words and actions of the communicator
Time Pressure-communication problems caused by inadequate time
Information Overload
Semantic Problems
Poor Listening Skills-Effective interpersonal communication requires
that each participant not only hear the words that are said but also
understand their meaning. This task requires the ability to listen to focus
on the speaker, block out distractions, and carefully comprehend the
communicators message. Although listening is a key requirement for
effective communication, most individuals listen at only a 25 percent level
of efficiency. On average, an individual speaks about 125 words a minute
but listens at a rate that is more than three times as fast (from 400 to 600
words a minute). As a result, 75% of listening time is free time that is,
time to become mentally sidetracked by any number of distractions.
How Communication Can Be Improved:
Effective Listening
Following Up
Regulating Information Flow
Utilizing Feedback
Empathy-the ability to put oneself in another persons role and to assume
that persons role and to assume that persons viewpoints and emotions
Simplifying Language
Organizational Stories
Final Comments
Work groups-a collection of interacting employees (managerial or
nonmanagerial) who share certain norms and are striving toward member
need satisfaction through the attainment of group goals
Work team-a special type of organizational work group; teams are selfmanaging and have a great deal more decision autonomy than work groups
Formal groups-the departments, units, and project teams that an
organization forms to do the work
Command group-the group shown on an organization chart that reports
to a single manager
Task group-a formal group put together temporarily to complete a
specific job or project
Informal group-natural grouping of people based on common interests or
needs
Interest group-an informal group formed to achieve some job-related,
but personal, objective
Friendship group-an informal group that evolves because of some
common characteristics, such as age, political sentiment, or background
Group development-the phases or sequences through which a group
passes, such as mutual acceptance, decision making, motivation, and control
The Development of Work Groups:
Stage 1 Forming-is the beginning stage of group development where
individuals are brought together for a specific purpose; they agree to rules
of conduct and the goals of the team
Stage 2 Storming-is the most turbulent stage of group development;
refers to the fact that, after initial niceties, the group falls into a process of

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confronting conflicts and discovering ways to keep the group focused;

during this stage, group members learn to accept individual differences,
and the beginnings of a collective group personality emerge; there is
also an informal vying for power within the group that occurs in this stage
Stage 3 Norming-group establishes its long-term vision and how it will
function over time
Stage 4 Performing-is reached when the group is able to begin
performing the task it was designed to address
Group cohesiveness-the attraction of individual members to a group in
terms of the strength of the forces that impel them to remain active in the
group and to resist leaving it
Enhance or Reduce Cohesiveness:
The Size of the Work Group
The Spacing of the Work Group
Virtual Teams
The Dependence of the Members on the Work Group
The Achievement of Goals
The Status of the Group
Management Demands and Pressure
Group politics-the use of self-serving tactics to improve a groups positive
relative to that of other groups
Intergroup conflict-the disagreements, hostile emotions, and problems that
exist among groups as a result of limited resources, communication
problems, differences in perceptions and attitudes, and lack of clarity
Intergroup Conflict:
Limited Resources
Communication Problems
Different Interests and Goals
Different Perceptions and Attitudes
Lack of Clarity
Managing Intergroup Conflict:
The Indirect Approach-Initially, managers often avoid direct approaches
to solving conflict among groups. Unfortunately, avoidance doesnt always
minimize the problem. Matters get worse because nothing is being done,
and the groups become more antagonistic and hostile. Another strategy is
to encourage the groups to meet and discuss their differences and to work
out a solution without management involvement. This strategy can take
the form of bargaining, persuasion, or working on a problem together.
The Direct Approach-Management can use domination to minimize
conflict by exercising its authority and requiring that a problem be solved
by a specific date. If management uses authority, the groups may join
together to resist domination. Management thus becomes a common
enemy, and the groups forget their differences in order to deal with their
opponent. Another approach is to remove the key figures in the conflict. If
a conflict arises because of personality differences between two
individuals, removing them is a possible solution.
Today, it is more critical than ever to improve an organizations performance.
Controlling function-the actions and decisions that managers undertake to
ensure that actual results are consistent with desired results
The key to effective controlling is to plan for specific performance results.

37) Perceived value-the value customers place on a good or service as opposed

to its cost or price

38) Necessary Conditions for Control:

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Standards that reflect the ideal outcomes.

Information and measurement that indicate deviations between actual
and standard results.
Corrective action for any deviations between actual and standard results.
Standards-conditions for control derived from objectives
Information-derived from data; essentially, data that are organized for a
specific purpose
Corrective action-the actions a manager takes to bring a system back into
conformance with performance standards
Three Types of Control Methods:
1. Preliminary Control-the methods that focus on the acquisition of
resources
A. Preliminary Control of Human Resources
B. Preliminary Control of Materials
C. Preliminary Control of Capital
D. Preliminary Control of Financial Resources
2. Concurrent Control-the techniques and methods that focus on the
actual, ongoing activity of the organization
3. Feedback Control-the techniques and methods that analyze historical
data to correct future events
A. Financial Statement Analysis
B. Standard Cost Analysis
C. Employee Performance Evaluation
D. Quality Control
Total Quality Management (TQM)-the generic name given to the approach
to quality-based management developed by W. Edwards Deming that is
heavily oriented toward treating the system as the primary source of error or
defects in manufacturing or service work
Under the Deming approach, the responsibility for quality control ultimately
rests with management. However, managers must also promote worker selfmanagement or quality-mindedness practices, as Armand Feigenbaum
refers to it.
Preliminary, concurrent, and feedback control methods are not mutually
exclusive. Rather, they usually are combined into an integrated control
system. Such a control system must provide for standards, information and
measurement, and corrective action at every point, from input to process to
output.
Production-the total process by which a company produces finished goods
or services
Manufacturing-the physical process of producing goods
Operations-the functions needed to keep a company producing and
delivering
Supply Chain Management-a companys efforts to organize and control its
acquisition and handling of raw materials and other supplies needed for
operations

50) Organizational change-the intentional attempt by management to improve

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the overall performance of individuals, groups, and the organization as a

whole by altering the organizations structure, behavior, and technology
Management of change-the concept of organizational development in its
broadest sense
Change management is part science and part art. The science part comes
from knowing what techniques to apply to create effective, lasting,
organizational change. The art part comes from knowing which technique to
use in which situation.
Forces for Change:
1. External change forces-forces for change outside the organization, such
as the pricing strategies of competitors, the available supply of resources,
and government regulations
2. Internal change forces-forces for change that occur within the
organization, such as communication problems, morale problems, and
decision-making breakdowns
Structural change-a planned change of the formally prescribed task and
authority relationships in an organizations design
Behavior change techniques-attempts to change employees behavior to
redirect and increase their motivation, skills, and knowledge bases
Technological change-a planned change in the machinery, equipment, or
techniques used to accomplish organizational goals
Trends in Organizational Change:
Downsizing-an organizational response to declining revenues and
increasing costs that involves reducing the workforce and often closing
and/or consolidating operations
Empowerment-the practice of delegating authority and responsibility to
employees
Why People Resist Change:
Parochial self-interest-some people resist organizational change out of
fear of losing something they value
Misunderstanding and Lack of Trust-when individuals do not fully
understand why the change is occurring, and what its implications are,
they will resist it
Different Assessments-since individuals view change differently its
intent, potential consequences, and personal impact they often assess
situations quite differently
Low Tolerance for Change-people resist change because they fear they
will not be able to develop the new skills necessary to perform well
Learning organization-an organization in which employees are engaged in
problem solving, learning, and education so that continuous improvement in
effectiveness is the result
Knowledge management-refers to the many techniques managers can
employ to capture and use the knowledge that is generated within the
organization