Chapter One

Organizational Communication: A Competency-Based Approach

The Information Society

Information society refers to environment in which more jobs create process or distribute
information than directly produce goods. The environment is characterized by mass
production of information, which requires the constants learning of new activities and
processes.

One of the most important characteristics of the “information” era is the rapid change
associated with mass production of information, change requiring all of us to be constantly
involved in the learning of new activities and processes

Workers in the communications era of microelectronics, computers and telecommunications

have an abundance of information for decision making and a growing concern for
information for information overload. It can be routinely communicate across both geography
and organizational levels.

The communications era places increasing demands on our individual communication

abilities. These demands are best met with the perspective that becoming and staying
competent is an ongoing process requiring lifelong learning.

Communication-The Key to Organizational Excellence

The key to organizational excellence is effective communication. Organizational excellence

is ability of people to utilize technology for the creative solving of increasingly complex
problems. Communication systems within organizations, both human and technological are
responsible for creatively solving increasingly complex problems.

Organizational excellence stems from the dedicated commitment of people who are
motivated to work together and who share similar values and visions about the result of their
efforts.

With more complex decisions, rapid change, more information and less certainty about the
decisions, excellence in the information society depends on the abilities, commitment and
creativity of all organizational members.
Excellence in Communication- Communication Competency

Communication competency comprises knowledge, sensitivity, skills and values.

Competence arises from interaction of theory, practice and analysis. It involves our personal
willingness and ability to communicate, thus the meanings are understood and also
understand the meanings of others.

Regardless of differences in perspectives, organizational communication competency relates

to message encoding and decoding abilities, which is the process of communication initiation
and consumption.

Communication Competency arises out of four basic components, which are process
understanding, interpersonal sensitivity, communication skills and ethical responsibility.

Process understanding refers to the cognitive ability to understand the dynamics of the
communication event. Interpersonal sensitivity is the ability to perceive feelings and
meanings. Communication skill is the ability to develop and interpret message strategies in
specific situations. The ethical component of competency is the attitudinal set that governs
concern for the well-being of all participants in taking responsibility for communication
outcomes.

The competency comes from the interaction of three primary elements, which are theory,
practice and analysis.

Organizational Communication- A Competency- Based Approach

Knowledge is the ability to understand the organizational communication environment.

Knowledge competency will be developed through the exploration of the interactive, process
nature of human communication.

Sensitivity is the ability to sense accurately organizational meanings and feelings. Sensitivity
competency will be developed through the examination of our personal “theories-in-use”
about communication and organizations. Individual preferences for leadership and conflict
will be assessed, as well as the impact of personal differences and similarities within
organizational setting. Emphasis will be placed on how we develop “shared meanings” with
others.

Skills are the ability to analyze accurately organizational situations and to initiate and
consume organizational message effectively. Skills competency will be developed through
analysis and practice opportunities. Specifically, analytical skills will be developed by
applying knowledge and sensitivity to case studies and individual experiences. Problem-
solving and conflict-management skills also will be presented and practiced.

Values are the importance of taking personal responsibility for effective communication,
thereby contributing to organizational excellence. Values competency will be developed
through discussion of personal responsibility for participation in organizational
communication. Ethical dilemmas relating to organizational communication and the
importance of values to organizational culture will be examined.

Chapter Two
Frameworks for Understanding Organizational Communication

Introduction

Framework for understanding organizational communication can be found in descriptions of

human communication and organizations. Human communication process is a construction
of shared realities through social interaction.

Sensitivity competencies are developed through understanding human communication as the

creation of shared realities and distinguishing among interpersonal, small-group and
organizational communication.

Skills are practiced through application of knowledge and sensitivity competencies in

exercises and case analysis. Values are developed through an understanding of the
importance of communication in the process of organizing and an awareness that all
communication is subject to evaluation for ethics and effectiveness.

Basics of Human Communication

Defining Communication

Analyzing the exchange two persons described about human communication. When two
persons are engaged in transferring information, they are eliciting responses from each other
and engaged in social interaction.

An attempt to create shared meaning or mutual understanding by using symbols or words will
give outcome in an effect on the two of them.

An exchange is an example of communication behaviors creating and shaping both

relationships and events through a culturally dependent process of assigning meaning to
symbols.

The Communication Process

When two persons are constructing their shared realities, they are engaged in process of
communication. The two persons serve as sources and receivers of messages.

Both engage in message encoding and decoding and in selecting verbal and nonverbal
channels for message transmission.
Both are influenced by their individual competence and their perception of the competence of
the other.

Each brings to the exchange a different set of experiences and each may view differently the
context of their interaction. Thus, all of the messages are subject to distortion or noise. The
effect, or what happens between two persons, is a result of the complex interaction of all these
elements.

Elements in the Communication Process

Source/Receiver

Individuals send messages as sources and receive messages as receiver. The process is often
so rapid as to appear simultaneous.

Encoding/Decoding

Message encoding is the process of formulating messages, choosing content and symbols to
convey meaning. Message decoding is the process of assigning meaning in the role of
receiver to message symbols generated by the message source.

Message

The message is symbolic attempt to transfer meaning, the signal that serves as a stimulus for
a receiver. Sources send messages consisting of auditory, visual, olfactory, gustatory or
tactile stimuli in any combination of these five senses.

Channel

The channel is the medium through which the message is transmitted. It is link or links
between source and receiver. Channels include the five senses and any technological means
used for message transmission. Channels frequently are used in combination (verbal and
nonverbal, oral and written, face to face and telemediated) with certain channels generally
more credible than others.

Noise

Noise is the distortion or interference that contributes to discrepancies between the meaning
intended by the source and the meaning assigned by the receiver. Noise can be anything such
as physical distractions, channel interference, communicative competence, communication
context or psychological predispositions.

Noise is always present in one form or another and the type or types of noise contribute to the
meanings assigned to messages by receiver and to the encoding of new messages.
Competence

Each individual brings knowledge, sensitivity, skills and values to communication

interactions. Our ability to understand appropriate behaviors, our willingness to engage in
communication and our ability to interact with others to generated shared realities all
contribute to our impression of our own competence.

We continually evaluate and form impression about the competence of those with whom we
are communicating. Our impression of our own competence and the impression we have of
the competence of others contribute to both encoding and decoding of messages.

Ultimately, competence contributes to communication effects and the way we evaluate the
effectiveness of our interactions.

Field of Experience

It is a set of specific experiences or background all parties in communication bring to bear on

the interaction. A person will feel less competent in situation when he or she has little past
experience that impression does not automatically transfer to other circumstances in which he
or she has more background.

Generally, it is believed that more common the field of experience among those
communicating, the easier it is to share similar meaning or to construct shared realities.

Chances are the lack of any prior experience on the part of your receiver (no common field of
experience between you) required you to engage in considerable detail, making it difficult
even to begin to describe the event.

Communication Context

It is the environment for the communication interaction. Context includes not only the
specific time and place of the interaction but also the roles, relationships and the status of
communication participants.

The way of impression of us also reflects the expectations of the particular culture or
environment in which communication process occurs. Therefore, that context is both
culturally and physically influenced and as with other elements in the communication
process, perception of context can differ from one communication participant to another.

Effect

The communication effect is the result, the consequence or the outcome of the
communication exchange. Effects can be observed to be directly related to communication
interactions.
The effect of an interaction is evaluated by communication participants for effectiveness and
ethics. Perceptions of whether past interactions were ethical and effective influence
perceptions of the desirability of future communication.

The Construction of Shared Realities

Human communication is the process of constructing shared realities or creating shared

meanings. It is our attempt to have others understands our world as we do and our efforts to
appreciate the world of those around us.

The process is culturally and contextually influenced with success or failure in individual
communication competencies. As a process for the construction of shared realities, human
communication is dynamic and ever-changing.

Concept of Organizations

The term organization is applied to the results of the process of organizing. Organizing is an
attempt to bring order out of chaos or establish organizations, entities where purposeful and
ordered activity takes place.

Organizations are characterized by divisions of labor for goal achievement. These efforts also
are directed by relatively continuous pattern of authority and leadership. Interdependence
exists both among organizational components and with the external environment.

To remain dynamic, organizations must adapt to continually changing environments, both

internally and externally.

Definitions of Organizational Communication

Organizational is both similar to and distinct from other types of communication.

Organizational communication has source and receiver who are engaged in encoding and
decoding of messages.

Messages are transmitted over channels distorted by noise. Organizational communication is

related to the competencies of individuals, their field of experience, the communicative
context and the effects or results of interactions.

Organizational Communication as Process

The process includes patterns of interactions that develop among organizational members and
how these interactions shape organizations.

The process is ever-changing and can be described as evolutionary and culturally dependent.
The outgoing process of creating and transmitting organizational messages reflects the shared
realities resulting from previous message exchanges and evolves to generate new realities that
create and shape events.
Organizational Communication as People

Individuals bring to organizations sets of characteristics that influence how information is

processed.

Organizational communication contributes to creating relationship and assists both

individuals and organizations in achieving diverse purposes. Organizational communication
occurs between and among people who share both work and interpersonal relationship.

Organizational Communication as Message

It is the creation and exchange of message. It is the movement or transmission of verbal and
nonverbal behaviors and the sharing of information throughout the organization.

Communicators are linked together by channels and messages are described with such terms
as frequency, amount and type.

Organizational Communication as Meaning

Role taking occurs as individuals engage in social interaction within the ever-changing
organizational context.

Organizational communication is the symbolic behavior of individuals and organizations that

when interpreted, affects all organizational activities.

Organizational Communication as purpose

Organizational communication is organizing, decision making, planning, controlling and

coordinating. It is people, messages and meaning.

It is the process through which individuals and organizations attempt goal-oriented behavior
in dealing with their environment.