comm 122: micro/macro organizational communication lecture 1 9/28/09

COMM 122:

Micro/Macro Organizational Communication

Lecture 1 9/28/09

Dave Seibold

Professor, Department of Communication

Division of Social Sciences (L&S)

Co-Director, Graduate Program in Management Practice

Technology Management Program (CoE)

Organizational Characteristics: Cornerstones of Organizational Theory (OT)

1. Goals:

Unrealized state that org members deem desirable

-- mission, products, services . . .

OT: Challenge for orgs = Multiple goals (especially when they are at cross-purposes)

Organizational Characteristics: Cornerstones of Organizational Theory

1. Goals: Unrealized state that members deem desirable -- mission, products, services . . .

Challenge = Multiple goals (esp when at cross-purposes)

Resolution: Top management must (a) achieve balance between competing goals (b) clearly define and communicate goals

Why? Design and maintenance of the organization Coordination Motivate members, increase identification w/the organization


1. Goals

2. Work

Type(s) of activity needed to accomplish goals (jobs)

Primary (line) versus secondary (staff) work

OT: How should these functions relate?


1. Goals2. Work

3. Power and Authority

Power = ability to influence successfully through individual factorsknowledge, skills, money, personality . . .

Authority = influence through official recognition by/role in organization

OT: What is relationship between these for organizational effectiveness?(e.g., leadership versus ‘managership’)


1. Goals 2. Work3. Power and Authority

4. Size and Complexity

Success/opportunities --> org growth (including size of org)More members --> assigned to subunits & tasks (delegation)Delegation --> role elaboration (variance in jobs) Increased size and role elaboration --> org complexity

(formalization in written rules, policies, procedures)


1. Goals

2. Work



5. Design

Role elaboration --> how units to be formed/fit together

Decisions about form/fit --> org design (structure/process)

Structure - e.g., hierarchical work arrangements

Process - e.g., deciding work flow

Design decisions --> work and unit differentiation

Differentiation must be balanced by integration


1. Goals

2. Work



5. Design (con’t)

OT: What are the structures and processes

that organizations utilize to promote integration?


1. Goals

2. Work



5. Design (con’t)

OT Integration mechanisms?

mission, power & authority, control systems, job design, selection & training, reward systems, performance appraisal & feedback, job rotation, CFTs, site visits, socialization processes, retreats, strategic planning,

communication (meetings, f-to-f, org wide strategic)


1. Goals

2. Work



5. Design

6. Environment

= all groups, norms, and conditions w/which org must deal

-- critical to org’s inputs and for org’s outputs

-- must have boundaries though which inputs/outputs pass


1. Goals

2. Work



5. Design

6. Environment

-- critical to org’s inputs and for org’s outputs

-- must have boundaries though which inputs/outputs pass

MANAGING INPUTS: market research, IS security, sales reports, legal counsel, planners’ & analysts’ activities

MANAGING OUTPUTS: PR releases, distributions systems, trade agreements, non-compete clauses/contracts


1. Goals

2. Work



5. Design

6. Environment

7. Adaptation and Change

Orgs exist in turbulent environments w/ discontinuous change

OT: How do orgs build in flexibility to deal

w/ actual and potential environments?

Mechanisms?


1. Goals

2. Work



5. Design

6. Environment


Mechanisms to deal w/ actual and potential environments?

strategic planning, internal task forces, consultants,

philosophy, human resources, diversity initiatives, new product development, globalization, marketing plans, strategic internal and external communication


1. Goals

2. Work



5. Design

6. Boundary/Environment


8. Technology

= The art and science employed in production/distribution

of the organization’s goods and services

Examples?


1. Goals

2. Work



5. Design



8. Technology

Examples?

QWL, CPI, 360 Feedback, Six Sigma, Change Mngt,

Plant Optimization, Inventory Controls, Tracking systems


1. Goals

2. Work



5. Design



8. Technology

9. Communication

a) Often treated only as information transmission in OT

b) Or as integration mechanism (coordination, cooperation)

c) But also is symbolic exchange and sense making


1. Goals

2. Work



5. Design



8. Technology

9. Communication

Types of Organizations

Service Production Governmental/Regulatory Professional Advocacy Fund Raising Religious Communal Total

Types of Organizations

Reasons to distinguish among types of organizations …

1. Reduces tendency to reify organizations2. Have different environments3. Contingency theory (environment x org type --> performance)4. Practical implications re:orgs as employers, customers, etc.

Schools of Organizational Theory as Paradigms

Thomas Kuhn (The Structure of Scientific Revolutions)ParadigmParadigm shift

Examples Why study ‘old’ paradigms?

1. For understanding - old ones embedded in new(er) ones2. So do not reproduce same limitations3. Practical reasons - proponents of past still in present

Schools of Organizational Theory as Paradigms

Classical/Traditional School Human Relations/Human Resources School Systems School Interpretive/Cultural School Critical School

These “schools” or traditions or perspectivesare not theories,

but are metatheoretical orientations

Schools of Organizational Theory

Classical/Traditional School Historical roots Theorists

Max Weber – Bureaucratic/Administrative PerspectiveHenri Fayol – Industrial Management PerspectiveFredrick Taylor – Scientific Management Perspective

Classical/Traditional School

Historical rootsIndustrial Revolution of 19th century brought traditional structures into new arenas (hierarchy, division of labor, role specialization).

In US, IR marked time of hope (growing business, capital expansion, successful industrialists, technological advances via science and engineering).

It also was a period of great worry (compulsory supervision, suppression of labor rights, nepotism, no long-range planning)


Max Weber – Bureaucratic TheoryBackground and foci…Major German sociologist/social theorist (1864-1920)

of society, institutions, and organizationsof religion(s) and religious institutions

The Theory of Social and Economic Organization(treatise on bureaucracy as fundamental structure of

organizing)


Max Weber – Bureaucratic Theory

Studied Chinese civilization over 3000 years, Prussian Army, Roman Catholic Church, European monarchies…

Probs w/ existing forms of organization (patriarchy, feudalism)

as models for contemporary industrial organizations:

Unity of command - too much power in central roles

Authority based on tradition or force - too abusive


Max Weber – Bureaucratic Theory (con’t)

Features of Bureaucacy - Hierarchy of offices and positionsCentralization of powerRational-legal authority enacted via rules that are

exhaustive, stable, ordered Positions filled via expert qualifications/trainingManagement via written documentation (archived)Roles = duties and job descriptions, division of laborResources belong to the office not office holderTenure (as opposed to employment at whim of leader)


Max Weber – Bureaucratic Theory (con’t)Bureaucracy as “ideal type” of organization:

Based on rational-legal authority (rather than traditional authority or charisma)

Based in positions whose function is to maintain the org

Implies existence of specialized administrative staff

Epitome of administrative rationality (hierarchical arrangement of “offices,” not of individuals)

Bureaucratization = ratio of admin to production members


Henri Fayol – Industrial Management Theory

French industrialist (owned and managed large coal and steel companies for more than 30 years in early 1900s)

Like Weber, concerned with structure of organization

and with large-scale structure

Unlike Weber, organization-centered (not societal),

& as practitioner (not as academic/theorist)


Henri Fayol – Industrial Management TheoryCredited w/ rise of Administrative Theory and Industrial Management

Coordination (via control) & specialization (via division of labor)= the major activities of managment

‘14 Principles’ as guidelines for managing . . . (see Miller text)

Scalar principle - single pyramidal structure of control relationshipsUnity of command principle - orders from only one superiorSpan of control principle - not more subs than sup can manageException principle - Departmentalization principle - Line-staff principle -


Henri Fayol – Industrial Management Theory

He also introduced a footnote in OT history, but w/ major impact on how orgs conceptualized thereafter AND w/ implications for communication…

His concept = “the gangplank” (also know in OT as “Fayol’s bridge”)

Employees could violate chain of command and could communicate with others at same level of hierarchy:

when supervisors have given prior approvalwhen a crisis exists (even if without prior approval)

Implications: Underscored need for coordination in orgs & among membersIntroduced possibility of lateral communication in organizations


Fredrick Taylor – Scientific Management (Taylorism)1. “Bottom up” approach to organizational structure2. Focus on individually-centered structure via job study3. Response to workers’ “soldiering”/managers’ incompetence4. Goals

Reduce inefficiencies of poorly designed organizations Increase workers’ motivation

5. Components “Complete Mental Revolution” Scientific procedures


Scientific Management (Taylorism)

3 “Attitudes” Underlying Taylor’s Mental Revolution

1. Scientific design of organizations

2. Motivation through increased economic rewards

3. Cooperation between labor & management


Scientific Management (Taylorism)

4 “Principles” for Implementing Scientific Management

1. Scientific job design – time-motion studies

2. Scientific selection of workers – match abilities to job

3. Adequate training & rewards – pay person/not job

4. Division of labor & responsibilities – functional forepersons

Communication in Classical/Traditional School

Emphasizes written channels primarily Direction downward primarily, often distorted Little opportunity for input/upward influence “Trained communication incapacity”

comm 122: micro/macro organizational communication lecture 1 9/28/09

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