SCiO Notes
Fall 2018
LM01 - Approaches to Organizational Communication
1. Understand the historical context out of which systems theory emerged;
Shift from mechanical to biological/organic metaphor for viewing
organizations; determinism (all events, including human action, are
ultimately determined by causes external to the will) and reductionism (he
practice of analyzing and describing a complex phenomenon in terms of
phenomena that are held to represent a simpler or more fundamental level)
characterized knowledge prior to systems perspective.
Systems thinking shifts science away from studying objects to studying
processes and transformations. shift to indeterminacy and perspectivism
(knowledge of a subject is inevitably partial and limited by the individual
perspective from which it is viewed), not certainty and absolutism
2. Know the basic principles of the systems perspective;
a. Interrelationships and inderdependence
b. Holism
c. Input, transformation, and output of energy
d. Negative entropy
e. Equilibrium, Homeostasis & feedback
f. Hierarchy
g. Goal orientation
h. Equifinality and Multifinality
1
,3. Understand how a systems view conceptualizes organizational
communication;
■ Organizations function as communication systems by selectively coding
and interpreting inputs. Collections of people trying to make sense of
what’s happening around them. Shift from conduit, information transfer
model to view of communication focusing on meaning and sense-making
(Also see Putnam & Boys)
■ Watzlawick et al.’s systems view of communication:
A. All behavior is communicative
B. Intent is not necessary for communication to occur
C. Communication is relational and contextual
D. Punctuation of communication is key to the sense-making
process
4. Understand the historical context for the emergence of the cultural
approach
The lens of “culture” focuses on ways that people communicatively construct
systems of meaning that shape and embody these beliefs and values
(remember the spider and web metaphor). From the cultural perspective,
organizations are systems of beliefs, values, and taken-for-granted norms
that guide everyday behavior. There are two different perspectives on how to
examine organizational culture; the pragmatist (orgs have culture) and the
purist approach (orgs are culture). Neither the pragmatist or purist approach
is more correct; each perspective provide a different lens on organizational
life.
5. Understand the idea of culture as a metaphor for analyzing organizations;
2
, A metaphor that helps us understand organizational communication
processes. Communication is the medium through which organizations are
created by humans.
6. Understand the evolution of organizational communication according to
the analogy of organizational communication metaphors
★ Semiotics; the study of the ways in which sign systems, or systems of
representation, come to create social reality for people.
★ Culture has specific functions in the organization;
○ Creating a shared identity
○ Generating employee commitment
○ Enhancing organizational stability
○ Serving as a sense-making device
3
, LM02 - Organizational Culture/Climate
Schein (1990)
Culture levels
1. Understand what comprises organizational culture
From the cultural perspective, organizations are systems of beliefs, values,
and taken-for-granted norms that guide everyday behavior. The lens of
“culture” focuses on ways that people communicatively construct systems
of meaning that shape and embody these beliefs and values. There are
two different perspectives on how to examine organizational culture;
pragmatist & purist approach.
2. Understand Schein’s definition and model of organizational culture and
be able to use that model to analyze cultural factors in organizational
communication.
Culture has three levels, according to
Schein (1990);
Artifacts &
Products
what do you see? ● observable artifacts
Norms & Values ● values
what is
acceptable ● basic underlying assumptions
behavior?
Basic
Assumptions Schein (1990); Culture is a pattern of
why is this behavior shared basic assumptions, invented,
desirable? discovered, or developed by a given
group, as it learns to cope with its
problems of external adaptation and
internal integration, that worked well
enough to be considered valid, and therefore, is to be taught to new member
of the group as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those
4
Fall 2018
LM01 - Approaches to Organizational Communication
1. Understand the historical context out of which systems theory emerged;
Shift from mechanical to biological/organic metaphor for viewing
organizations; determinism (all events, including human action, are
ultimately determined by causes external to the will) and reductionism (he
practice of analyzing and describing a complex phenomenon in terms of
phenomena that are held to represent a simpler or more fundamental level)
characterized knowledge prior to systems perspective.
Systems thinking shifts science away from studying objects to studying
processes and transformations. shift to indeterminacy and perspectivism
(knowledge of a subject is inevitably partial and limited by the individual
perspective from which it is viewed), not certainty and absolutism
2. Know the basic principles of the systems perspective;
a. Interrelationships and inderdependence
b. Holism
c. Input, transformation, and output of energy
d. Negative entropy
e. Equilibrium, Homeostasis & feedback
f. Hierarchy
g. Goal orientation
h. Equifinality and Multifinality
1
,3. Understand how a systems view conceptualizes organizational
communication;
■ Organizations function as communication systems by selectively coding
and interpreting inputs. Collections of people trying to make sense of
what’s happening around them. Shift from conduit, information transfer
model to view of communication focusing on meaning and sense-making
(Also see Putnam & Boys)
■ Watzlawick et al.’s systems view of communication:
A. All behavior is communicative
B. Intent is not necessary for communication to occur
C. Communication is relational and contextual
D. Punctuation of communication is key to the sense-making
process
4. Understand the historical context for the emergence of the cultural
approach
The lens of “culture” focuses on ways that people communicatively construct
systems of meaning that shape and embody these beliefs and values
(remember the spider and web metaphor). From the cultural perspective,
organizations are systems of beliefs, values, and taken-for-granted norms
that guide everyday behavior. There are two different perspectives on how to
examine organizational culture; the pragmatist (orgs have culture) and the
purist approach (orgs are culture). Neither the pragmatist or purist approach
is more correct; each perspective provide a different lens on organizational
life.
5. Understand the idea of culture as a metaphor for analyzing organizations;
2
, A metaphor that helps us understand organizational communication
processes. Communication is the medium through which organizations are
created by humans.
6. Understand the evolution of organizational communication according to
the analogy of organizational communication metaphors
★ Semiotics; the study of the ways in which sign systems, or systems of
representation, come to create social reality for people.
★ Culture has specific functions in the organization;
○ Creating a shared identity
○ Generating employee commitment
○ Enhancing organizational stability
○ Serving as a sense-making device
3
, LM02 - Organizational Culture/Climate
Schein (1990)
Culture levels
1. Understand what comprises organizational culture
From the cultural perspective, organizations are systems of beliefs, values,
and taken-for-granted norms that guide everyday behavior. The lens of
“culture” focuses on ways that people communicatively construct systems
of meaning that shape and embody these beliefs and values. There are
two different perspectives on how to examine organizational culture;
pragmatist & purist approach.
2. Understand Schein’s definition and model of organizational culture and
be able to use that model to analyze cultural factors in organizational
communication.
Culture has three levels, according to
Schein (1990);
Artifacts &
Products
what do you see? ● observable artifacts
Norms & Values ● values
what is
acceptable ● basic underlying assumptions
behavior?
Basic
Assumptions Schein (1990); Culture is a pattern of
why is this behavior shared basic assumptions, invented,
desirable? discovered, or developed by a given
group, as it learns to cope with its
problems of external adaptation and
internal integration, that worked well
enough to be considered valid, and therefore, is to be taught to new member
of the group as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those
4
