Communication & Organisation Lecture 8

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Communication & Organisation

Week 8

Computer Mediated Communication

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Communication in Organisations

Lecture 8

Computer Mediated Communications

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CMC…What Does it Mean?

Using electronic means to assist or enable communication

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Communication between Whom?

1 to 11 to >1>1 to 1>1 to >1

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1 to 1•Telephone•Fax•e-Mail•Video systems

1 to >1•Tele Conference•Video conference•e-mail•FAX>1 to 1

•Tele conference•Video conference•e-mail•Video systems

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>1 to >1•Tele conferencing•Video conferencing•E-mail•FAX•GroupWare•Bulletin Board•Meeting support systems•Decision Support Systems

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FileData

Groupware

User A B

C

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Hierarchy of Richness

•Face to Face•Telephone•cmFTF ( Video )•e-Mail•FAX•Letter•Memo•Circular•Notice Board

richer

leaner

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The Medium to Suit the Purpose

Purpose Medium

ImmediacyAccuracyEquivocacyConfidentialityCapacityAvailability1 to 1 or broadcast

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Face to face

Interactive:

Telephone

Video conference

Personal Memos

e-mail, memos, letters

General broadcast

notice boards, circulars

Routine Complex

Effecti

ve

Communicatio

n

Routine Comm forroutine activities

Too lean or non-personalcomm

Too rich comm Rich comm forcomplex issues

Source: Lengel and Daft 1988

Media/Message Richness

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Helping Meetings •Meeting planning•Scheduling•Decision Support•Records

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Decisions

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Decisions

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Which Medium?

•Breaking bad news to an employee•Reporting your findings on marketing research to

your boss/client•Discussing progress of a new product development

with your world-wide team

•Closing an order for a new aircraft•Informing staff of the Christmas holiday arrangements

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Questions ?

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Group Exercises:

Choose the appropriate medium for the following types of message:1) To discuss personal progress in the organisation with your boss.2) To let the staff know the dates of the Christmas holidays3) To share updated information on the progress of Project X.4) To determine a likely solution for a problem in the Accounts Receivable process via

input from the Accounts team.5) To interview a potential candidate for the post of Finance Director• Who lives locallyWho lives in Scotland Who lives in Hong Kong.

6) To inform a customer that a replacement for a faulty TelephoneWashing MachineCar

Is being arranged, free of charge.