Presented by

Anjana Banerjee
EIILM

What is Organizational
Communication?

A sub-field of communication studies

Consideration, analysis , and criticism of the
role of communication in the organizational
context
Study of the role of communication in
improving organizational life and output
Study of the role of communication in
organizing
Possibility of communication to liberate or
oppress organizational members

Assumptions underlying
early
organizational
1. Humans are rational and will act in rational ways
when information is available and communication
communication
process does not break down
2. Understanding organizational communication

depends on a) observable & replicable behaviour

transformed into measurable variables, b)formal
replicable syllogism can extend theory from
observed data to other groups
3. Communication is primarily a mechanical process &
organizations are mechanical entities
4. Organizations function as containers within which
communication happens

Challenges to the
assumptions
Herbert Simons concept of bounded
rationality that maintains decision makers
seldom have all available information & that
they tend to pick the first acceptable option
rather than explore further
Peter Senges theories on organizational
communication- learning organizations

Learning Organizations
An organization that facilitates the learning of

its members and continuously transforms

itself
It develops as a result of the pressures
modern organizations face
Helps organizations to stay competitive
Has five main features- systems thinking,
personal mastery, mental models, shared
vision, and team learning

Senges definition
Organizations were people continually expand
their capacity to create the results they truly
desire, where new and expansive patterns of
thing are nurtured, where collective aspiration
is set free, and where people are continually
learning to learn together.

Factors that prompt

change
With growth organizational structures and individual

thinking become rigid leading to loss of capacity to

learn
To remain competitive some organizations restructure
with fewer people in the company(downsize)
When problems arise on single loop or short term
solutions are proposed
To create competitive advantage, organizations need
to learn faster than competitors & develop customer
responsive culture
All these require co-operation between individuals &
groups, free & reliable communication, and a culture
of trust

Benefits of Learning
Organizations
Maintaining levels of innovation and remaining

competitive
Being better placed to respond to external
pressures
Having the knowledge to better link resources to
customer needs
Improving quality of outputs at all levels
Improving corporate image by becoming more
people oriented
Increasing the pace of change within the
organization

Characteristic 1- Systems
thinking

Process of understanding how things influence

one another within a whole
Viewing problems as a part of an over all
system rather than reacting to a specific part
alone
A set of habits & practices based on the belief
that component parts are best understood in
context of relationship
A community situated within an environment

Characteristics II- Personal

Mastery

Individuals commitment to the process of

learning
A quick learning workforce gives competitive
edge to an organization
Individual learning is acquired through training
& development
Needs culture that fosters personal mastery &
mechanism to transfer individual learning to
organizational learning

Characteristics III- Mental

Model
Assumptions held by individuals and

organizations
Need to replace confrontational attitudes with
open culture of trust and inquiry
Unwanted values need to be discarded
through the process of unlearning

Characteristics IV- Shared

Vision

Creates common identity that provides focus

and energy to learn
Shared vision works best when it is not
imposed from above but is built on individual
visions of organizational members
It gives learning organizations a flat structure
Helps in succeeding against competitors

Characteristics V- Team
Learning

Accumulation of individual learning

Helps members to grow quickly
Problem solving capability is enhanced
through better access to knowledge &
expertise
Requires engagement in dialogue and
discussion
Develops open communication, shared
meaning & shared understanding

Direction of Organizational
Communication
Vertical upward and downward
Horizontal- sideways or lateral
Diagonal including upward, downward and

sideways direction

Vertical Communication
Merits
Follows hierarchical chain strictly
Used for formal official communication
Is authentic and accountable
Has great impact
Demerits
Has numerous transfer points
Is most prone to distortion, deletion & filtration
Inhibits free communication

Horizontal
Communication
Merits
Increases co operation and co ordination
Builds relationships
Helps in information sharing and idea building
Is essential for organizational health

Demerits
Ego and status problems crop up
A tendency to pass the buck is a danger

Communication Networks
An aspect of the direction and flow of

communication
Communication patterns & networks influence
groups in different ways
There are five major patterns or networks of
organizational communication:
1.Chain
2.Wheel
3. Y network
4. All chain
5.Circle

Chain network
Represents hierarchical pattern that

characterizes strict formal information flow

Comprises pure vertical direction
A
B

Wheel network
Followed in autocratic organizations
Has single point of command and control
Limited employee participation

Y network
Combination of vertical and horizontal chain
Multi-level hierarchical combination

Circle network
Increased cooperation and departmental

exchange
Creates organizational cohesion and
interdependence
A vertical horizontal combination
Interaction between adjacent members

All chain network

Free flow of communication in a group
Encourages member participation
Is an informal network within an organization
Has no fixed direction