1CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCING ORGANIZATIONAL

COMMUNICATION
Effective communication is a building block of successful
organizations, In other words, communication acts as organizational
blood.

All managers and employees need to be aware of how people behave in

order to provide the best working environment. Organizational behavior
is about how people may be motivated to work together in more effective
ways. The interaction required to direct a group toward a set of common
goals is called organizational communication.

In each of these interactions, we are occasionally satisfied but sometimes

frustrated by incompetence, insensitivity, lack of coordination, and red
tape, all of which result from ineffective organizational communication. A
deeper understanding of communication permits us to better comprehend
the factors that contribute to a successful organization.

It is difficult to come across a job advertisement which does not mention

eligibility criteria such as “communicativeness” or “communication
skills.” Concepts such as “organizational communication,” “corporate
communication” or “business communication” long ago became key terms
for management, entrepreneurship and human resources.

What is meant by “organizational communication”? What are its major

functions and types? What are the most important communication skills
in the workplace? What are the most common barriers and obstacles to
contemporary organizational communication? The answers to these and
other questions throughout this course will give you a better
understanding of the phenomenon and process of organizational
communication.

The importance of communication in an organization can be

summarized as follows:

1. Communication promotes motivation by informing and clarifying

the employees about the task to be done, the manner they are
performing the task, and how to improve their performance if it is
not up to the mark.
2. Communication is a source of information to the organizational
members for decision-making process as it helps identifying and
assessing alternative course of actions.
3. Communication also plays a crucial role in altering individual’s
attitudes, i.e., a well informed individual will have better attitude
than a less-informed individual. Organizational magazines, journals,
meetings and various other forms of oral and written
communication help in molding employee’s attitudes.
 4. Communication also helps in socializing. One cannot survive
without communication.
5. Communication also assists in controlling process. It helps
controlling organizational member’s behavior in various ways.
There are various levels of hierarchy and certain principles and
guidelines that employees must follow in an organization. They
must comply with organizational policies, perform their job role
efficiently and communicate any work problem and grievance to
their superiors. Thus, communication helps in controlling function
of management.

An effective and efficient communication system requires managerial

proficiency in delivering and receiving messages. A manager must
discover various barriers to communication, analyze the reasons for their
occurrence and take preventive steps to avoid those barriers. Thus, the
primary responsibility of a manager is to develop and maintain an
effective communication system in the organization.

So, organizational communication refers to the forms and channels of

communication among members of organizations such as corporations,
nonprofits or small businesses. Studies have found a strong relationship
between the levels of communication in an organization and job
performance and satisfaction. Organizational communication can be
formal or informal, flow in various directions and make use of various
media.

Directions of Communication

Organizational communication takes place upward, downward and

horizontally. Downward communication flows from the managerial and
executive levels to the staff through formal channels such as policy
manuals, rules and regulations and organizational charts. Upward
communication is initiated by staff and directed at executives; it
frequently takes the form of a complaint or a request. Horizontal
communication occurs when colleagues meet to discuss issues of common
interest, resolve problems and share information.

Leading

In the book “Organizational Communication: Challenges of Change,

Diversity, and Continuity,” William Neher (1997) identifies the five
primary functions of business communication as leading, rationalizing,
problem-solving, conflict management and compliance gaining. The
function of leading is important to enable management to issue
instructions in a clear, specific manner so that workers are able to follow
them without difficulty. This is generally downward communication.

Rationalizing
This function enables management to explain the reasons for instructions
in a way that workers can understand. In this context, it is downward
communication; however, rationalizing is also important for enabling
workers to bring issues to the attention of management, using upward
communication to do so. If a worker identifies a motivation problem, for
example, he may communicate this upward formally to management and
use rationalization to highlight the potential impact of the problem on
profitability.

Problem-Solving

Most companies hold regular meetings to discuss issues such as

production cycles, delivery times, price margins and other areas where
unusual situations could arise that may affect the performance of a
business. In these meetings, organizational communication plays an
important role in tabling problems, brainstorming potential responses
and finalizing solutions. In this way, a company obtains maximum benefit
from the abilities of those involved in the communication, which flows
horizontally and often informally.

Conflict Management

Conflict in the workplace can lead to the loss of talented employees, the
lodging of grievances and possibly lawsuits. Managing conflict by
bringing all parties together to discuss their differences in a safe,
moderated environment is an important function of organizational
communications. This type of communication usually involves all three
directions of communication, and, although discussions may be informal,
the final decisions are usually communicated formally.

Gaining Compliance

Gaining the compliance of employees is necessary for them to adhere

fully to instructions. To do this, management needs to listen to feedback
from the staff and to take account of their ideas and comments. Feedback
or two-way communication can be both upward and downward or
horizontal and may be formal or informal, but it is important for a
company to enable open communication channels to motivate and achieve
the best performance from employees.

Our actions affect not only ourselves, but also those around us. Many of
our professional decisions involve ethics. If we tell a lie, we can lose
someone’s trust and undermine our own integrity. If we use shoddy
materials or workmanship on the job, we can jeopardize the safety of
others.

Questions of morality and ethics can be found at all levels of society.

Ethical behavior is equally important in the workplace as it is in our
personal lives. Everywhere business is conducted, ethics matters.
A successful business depends on the trust of various parties—employees,
managers, executives, customers, suppliers, and even competitors. Six
ethical terms form the foundation of trust upon which ethical business
practice is built:

 Ethics
 Values
 Morals
 Integrity
 Character
 Laws

Ethics

Ethics refers to a set of rules that describes acceptable conduct in

society. Ethics serve as a guide to moral daily living and helps us judge
whether our behavior can be justified.

Ethics refers to society’s sense of the right way of living our daily lives. It
does this by establishing rules, principles, and values on which we can
base our conduct. The concepts most directly associated with ethics are
truth, honesty, fairness, and equity.

While ethics is a societal concern, it is of critical importance to the

professions that serve society. Because professionals such as physicians,
attorneys, engineers, and property and facility managers provide services
that affect our welfare, they develop professional codes of ethics that
establish professional standards for behavior.

Examples of the types of standards found in professional codes of ethics

include:

 An attorney or physician maintaining client-patient confidentiality

 An accountant not using client information for personal gain

Values

Values are defined as the acts, customs, and institutions that a group of
people regard in a favorable way. Statements of value typically contain
words of approval, disapproval, and obligation. Some of these words
might be good, bad, should, and should not. However, value judgments do
not have to contain specific value words. “That is a lie” does not contain a
particular word of disapproval, but the implication that a lie is wrong is
understood.

Values are what really matter to us most—what we care about. For

instance, family devotion, respect for the environment, and working hard
for a day’s pay are three values that can evoke a response in many
people.
Morals

Morals are a set of rules or mode of conduct on which society is based.

Certain moral elements are universal, such as the laws forbidding
homicide and the basic duties of doing good and furthering the well-being
of others. With morals serving as the underpinning of society, there are
four points we should remember, says philosopher Robert C. Solomon.

 Moral rules are important: In general, moral rules are rules that help
society function in a civilized way.
 Morality consists of universal rules: They apply to everyone,
everywhere, and are recognized by everyone as being necessary.
 Morals are objective: They do not consider personal preferences.
Right is right and wrong is wrong.
 Morality affects other people: Morality involves considering the well-
being of others as reflected by the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you
would have them do unto you.

Integrity

To have integrity is to be honest and sincere. Integrity is defined as

adhering to a moral code in daily decision making. When people and
businesses possess integrity, it means they can be trusted. On the other
hand, companies that lack this quality and mislead customers with
inferior products or false advertising will suffer the consequences.

Character

Ethics is not just how we think and act. It is also about character.
Character drives what we do when no one is looking. Each person has the
ability to build, change, or even destroy his or her own character. We can
build our character through the way we live—by thinking good thoughts
and performing good acts. Similarly, bad thoughts and behavior can
destroy our character.

A person with character has high morals and will act morally in all
situations by choice, not force. A person with character will honor his or
her commitments. Character pertains to organizations, as well. A
company with high character is worthy of trust and respect, acts
honestly, and stands by its promises.

Laws

The law is a series of rules and regulations designed to express the needs
of the people. Laws protect people from the most blatant and despicable
affront to morality, such as murder, rape, and theft.

Laws frequently provide us with a sense of right and wrong and guide our
behavior, but not always. While murder is against the law, the law does
not always stop someone from killing another out of hatred, anger, or in
defense of a personal philosophy.

Laws are instituted as notions of justice and tend to be specific, yet

diverse within different societies. Laws have always had a strong
connection to morality, ethics, and values. But, not all laws are ethical.

Laws have legalized slavery, segregation, sexism, and apartheid.

Although these laws might have reflected society’s values at the time they
were enacted, they could not nor will they ever justify immoral behavior.
Likewise in business, it is not unlawful to lie to a coworker or on a job
application, but both are ethically wrong.

These six concepts—ethics, values, morals, integrity, character, and laws

—form the foundation of trust upon which ethical business practice is
built.

Professional Codes of Ethics

Many professions and corporations have developed codes of ethics to

address their unique business situations. In fact, 90 percent of Fortune
500 companies and nearly half of all corporations have codes of ethics
that can be applied to all employees. By developing a code of ethics, an
organization makes it clear that employees and members cannot claim
ignorance as a defense for unethical conduct.

Benefits of a Corporate Code of Ethics

Codes of ethics help employees strike a balance between the ends and
the means used to obtain them. This balance may be one of the most
challenging aspects of being an ethical organization.

The Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations provide an

additional incentive for having corporate codes of ethics and ethics
training. Companies that have made a strong effort to prevent unethical
and illegal behavior are likely to receive less severe punishment should
an employee be found guilty of breaking the law. The unethical conduct of
just a few employees can affect an entire corporation.

Benefits of a Professional Code of Ethics

A professional code of ethics sets a standard for which each member of

the profession can be expected to meet. It is a promise to act in a manner
that protects the public’s well-being. A professional code of ethics informs
the public what to expect of one’s doctor, lawyer, accountant, or property
manager. As long as professionals adhere to these standards, the public is
willing to have their professional associations create and enforce their
ethical codes.
In cases where these codes are repeatedly and grossly violated, the
public’s likely response is to demand protective legislation. The Sarbanes-
Oxley Act of 2002 was enacted in response to such violations and the
ensuing public outcry. Most professionals would prefer to police
themselves, rather than have an externally imposed set of regulations.
That is a major reason why they create codes of ethics in the first place.

Successful Implementation of a Code of Ethics

Within a corporation, top-down support is critical. If senior management

does not act ethically and support others who do, an organization’s
ethical code will have little meaning. It is critical for managers and
executives to:

 act consistently with the company’s ethical standards

 apply those standards in dealing with employees

Acknowledging and rewarding those whose behaviors are consistent with

a company’s code of ethics proclaims to all that ethical behavior is truly
valued. On the other hand, promoting and providing bonuses to
employees whose successes are due in part to unethical behavior sends
an unwanted message.

Remaining ethical is not a static issue. It requires review and evaluation.

Companies need to periodically review their priorities and make
necessary adjustments. Otherwise, their standards and training become
outdated.

Ethics are the principles and values an individual uses to govern his
activities and decisions. In an organization, a code of ethics is a set of
principles that guide the organization in its programs, policies and
decisions for the business. The ethical philosophy an organization uses to
conduct business can affect the reputation, productivity and bottom line
of the business.

Creating ethical cultures in business: Brooke Deterline at TEDxPresidio

References

Andrews, K. (1989). Ethics in practice. Harvard Business Review (Sept-

Oct): 99-104.

Lau, C. (2010). A step forward: Ethics education matters! Journal of

Business Ethics, 92(4), 565-584. doi:10.1007/s10551-009-0173-2

TED Talk: Dan Ariely: What makes us feel good about our work?

This course will cover these areas and more as we move through each
module. Looking forward to it!
References

Balzer, W. K. & Gillespie, J. Z. (2007). Job satisfaction. In Rogelberg, S. G.

(Ed.). Encyclopedia

of industrial and organizational psychology Vol. 1 (pp. 406-413).

Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Barnlund, D. C. (2008). A transactional model of communication. In. C. D.

Mortensen (Eds.),

Communication theory (2nd ed., pp47-57). New Brunswick, New Jersey:

Transaction.

Gatti, Maria (2011). “The Language Of Competence In Corporate

Histories For Company

Websites”. Journal of Business Communication: 482–502.

Miller, Katherine (2005). Communication Theories: Perspectives,

Processes, and Contexts (2nd

ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

GSC Library Article:

Treviño, L. K., Weaver, G. R., & Brown, M. E. (2008). It’s lovely at the top:
Hierarchical levels, identities, and perceptions of organizational
ethics. Business Ethics Quarterly, 18(2), 233-252.

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=bth&AN=31883734&site=eds-live