Organizational CommunicationOrganizational CommunicationChapter 4 Outline

Systems ApproachesSystems Approaches

• Organizations are complex organisms that must interact with their environment to survive.

• We should not look at how we should behave in organizations, rather wee need to look at how we should study them.

• Organizations are complex organisms that must interact with their environment to survive.

• We should not look at how we should behave in organizations, rather wee need to look at how we should study them.

3 Components of a System

3 Components of a System

• Hierarchical Ordering - Example: General Manager, Manager, Employees

• Interdependence - Parts of a system and people will depend on each other in order for a system to work.

• Permeability- Allows material to flow in and out of a system.

• Hierarchical Ordering - Example: General Manager, Manager, Employees

• Interdependence - Parts of a system and people will depend on each other in order for a system to work.

• Permeability- Allows material to flow in and out of a system.

System ProcessesSystem Processes

Input --->Throughput ---> OutputInput --->Throughput ---> Output

Example: Humans eat, digest, and produce waste…

System PropertiesSystem Properties

• Holism - The system needs to be looked at as a whole

• Equifinality - in order to reach a goal there is more than on way to get there.

• Negative Entropy - When new pieces are added to a system or taken away it will not shut down.

• Requisite Variety- The process that needs to be used and is used to a degree and level of difficulty as the system itself.

• Holism - The system needs to be looked at as a whole

• Equifinality - in order to reach a goal there is more than on way to get there.

• Negative Entropy - When new pieces are added to a system or taken away it will not shut down.

• Requisite Variety- The process that needs to be used and is used to a degree and level of difficulty as the system itself.

Cybernetics TheoryCybernetics Theory

• Currently there are four different goals that are found in this theory.

1. System Goal - Is the actual goal2. Mechanisms - Different companies will

use different methods and mechanisms to help reach the company goal.

• Currently there are four different goals that are found in this theory.

1. System Goal - Is the actual goal2. Mechanisms - Different companies will

use different methods and mechanisms to help reach the company goal.

Cont.Cont.

1. Feedback - Receiving positive and/or negative feed back - which can and does include friends, advisors and many others.

2. New Mechanism - If the individual or the organism is not completing the goal then it is possible that a new mechanism may be needed to complete the task.

1. Feedback - Receiving positive and/or negative feed back - which can and does include friends, advisors and many others.

2. New Mechanism - If the individual or the organism is not completing the goal then it is possible that a new mechanism may be needed to complete the task.

Cybernetics ProcessCybernetics Process

Example #1System Goal -------->Feedback-------> New Mechanism

(Mechanisms)

Example #2Ecological Change -------->Enactment------->Selection(Assembly

rules and communication styles)--------> Retention

Example #1System Goal -------->Feedback-------> New Mechanism

(Mechanisms)

Example #2Ecological Change -------->Enactment------->Selection(Assembly

rules and communication styles)--------> Retention

Karl Weick’s Theory of Organizing

Karl Weick’s Theory of Organizing

• Goal of organizing = Reduction of uncertainty

• Ecological Changes = Changes that will happened within the organization

• Enactment = People will process the information differently.

• Goal of organizing = Reduction of uncertainty

• Ecological Changes = Changes that will happened within the organization

• Enactment = People will process the information differently.

Weick Cont.Weick Cont.

• Selection = The person/people will decide how to handle the problem

• Retention = Remembering the problem and taking it into consideration if encountered again.

• Assembly Rules = The Rules of a corporation; Handbook, company policies

• Selection = The person/people will decide how to handle the problem

• Retention = Remembering the problem and taking it into consideration if encountered again.

• Assembly Rules = The Rules of a corporation; Handbook, company policies

Henry Taylor's Theory of Classical

Management

Henry Taylor's Theory of Classical

Management• Elements of Planning

1. Plan2. Organize3. Command4. Coordination5. Control

• Elements of Planning1. Plan2. Organize3. Command4. Coordination5. Control

Taylor’s Theory Cont.Taylor’s Theory Cont.

• Principals of Management 1. Scalar Chain 2. Unity of Command3. Division of Labor4. Order5. Span of Control

• Principals of Management 1. Scalar Chain 2. Unity of Command3. Division of Labor4. Order5. Span of Control

• http://www.ccmconnection.com• http://www.ccmconnection.com

Council of Communication Management

Council of Communication Management

ReferencesReferences

• Miller, Katharine; Organizational Communication. Approaches and Processes; Chapter 4. 2004

• Miller, Katharine; Organizational Communication. Approaches and Processes; Chapter 4. 2004