COMMUNICATION BARRIERS IN COMMUNICATION BARRIERS IN ORGANIZATIONSORGANIZATIONS

Lecture 10aLecture 10a

GENERAL BARRIERS TO GENERAL BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION

1. LOSS OR DISTORTION OF 1. LOSS OR DISTORTION OF

INFORMATION (SERIAL)INFORMATION (SERIAL)

Fisher Ch. 3Fisher Ch. 3

5. GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS5. GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS

4. STATUS, POWER AND 4. STATUS, POWER AND AUTHORITY DIFFERENCESAUTHORITY DIFFERENCES

3. TASK SPECIALIZATION3. TASK SPECIALIZATION

2. FAILURE TO CONSULT2. FAILURE TO CONSULT

GENERAL BARRIERS TO GENERAL BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION: STRUCTURALCOMMUNICATION: STRUCTURAL

1. 1. LOSS OR DISTORTION OF LOSS OR DISTORTION OF INFORMATION INFORMATION (SERIAL (SERIAL COMMUNICATION)COMMUNICATION)• MANY STEPS - UP AND DOWN THE MANY STEPS - UP AND DOWN THE

HIERARCHY IN MACHINE AND HIERARCHY IN MACHINE AND DIVISONALIZED BUREAUCRACIESDIVISONALIZED BUREAUCRACIES

LOSS OF INFORMATION DOWN THE LOSS OF INFORMATION DOWN THE HIERARCHYHIERARCHY

ORIGINAL MESSAGE 100% BOARD OF GOVERNORS

63%Vice President

56%56%General ManagerGeneral Manager

40% Plant Manager

30%Supervisor

20%

WorkerWorker

2. 2. TASK SPECIALIZATION TASK SPECIALIZATION (PSYCHOLOGICAL SEPARATION)(PSYCHOLOGICAL SEPARATION)

D.O.L. FOR EFFICIENCY - BY FUNCTION, BY TASK- IN D.O.L. FOR EFFICIENCY - BY FUNCTION, BY TASK- IN MACHINE AND DIVISIONALIZED BUT CERTAINLY IN MACHINE AND DIVISIONALIZED BUT CERTAINLY IN PROFESSIONAL BUREAUCRACIESPROFESSIONAL BUREAUCRACIES

GENERAL BARRIERS TO GENERAL BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION: STRUCTURALCOMMUNICATION: STRUCTURAL

3.3. STATUS, POWER AND AUTHORITY STATUS, POWER AND AUTHORITY DIFFERENCES DIFFERENCES (SOCIAL SEPARATION)(SOCIAL SEPARATION)

ALL FORMS OF BUREAUCRACY (EXCEPT ADHOCRACY) - ALL FORMS OF BUREAUCRACY (EXCEPT ADHOCRACY) - HIERARCHY, DELEGATION OF AUTHORITYHIERARCHY, DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY

4.4. GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS (PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS (PHYSICAL SEPARATION) SEPARATION) IN LARGE MACHINE AND IN LARGE MACHINE AND DIVISONALIZED BUREAUCRACIESDIVISONALIZED BUREAUCRACIES

ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS TO ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION FLOWCOMMUNICATION FLOW

BY DIRECTION OF FLOWBY DIRECTION OF FLOW

1. VERTICAL1. VERTICAL

2. HORIZONTAL 2. HORIZONTAL

BARRIERS TO DOWNWARD BARRIERS TO DOWNWARD COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION

1.1.ONE-WAY ONE-WAY COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION– NO FEEDBACKNO FEEDBACK

2.DIFFERENCES IN 2.DIFFERENCES IN VALUES VALUES AND AND PERCEPTIONSPERCEPTIONS

3.3.MISTRUSTMISTRUST

4.4.PSYCHIC CONFLICTS OF LEADERSHIPPSYCHIC CONFLICTS OF LEADERSHIP

DISAGREEMENTS ABOUT UPWARD DISAGREEMENTS ABOUT UPWARD COMMUNCATIONCOMMUNCATION

• WORKERS SAY ABOUTWORKERS SAY ABOUT FOREMEN SAY THE FOREMEN SAY THE FORMEN FORMEN ABOUT ABOUT THEMSELVESTHEMSELVES

DISAGREEMENTS ABOUT UPWARD DISAGREEMENTS ABOUT UPWARD COMMUNCATIONCOMMUNCATION

• WORKERS SAY ABOUTWORKERS SAY ABOUT FOREMEN SAY THE FOREMEN SAY THE FORMEN FORMEN ABOUT ABOUT THEMSELVESTHEMSELVES

ALWAYS GETS 16% 73%SUB’S. IDEAS

UNDERSTANDS WELL

SUB’S. PROBLEMS 34% 95%