Lecture On Organizational Communication

Question 1

What were the components of identity discussed?

Answer 1

Identity-is a sense of self of who we are in a specific situation; we have different identities in different situations.
-Sense of self is based on sets of social expectations.
-Identity is performed-we have to perform our identity, acting like it.
Function:
1. Personal-ways about thinking about ourselves
2. Relational-identities that only makes sense in a relationship (teacher/student).
3. Communal-organizational identities, national identities, religious, ethnic, we are Aggies.
–Social expectations-these roles have expectations and must be performed

Question 2

Be able to distinguish role expectations from role performance.

Answer 2

1. Role expectations- expectations about what a role should entail. For example we all have expectations of how a student should act.
2. Role performance-enacting the role. Actually performing the role behaviors that are expected of us.

Question 3

Know the definition of an organization.

Answer 3

A group of individuals brought together to achieve specific goals.

Question 4

Know what organizational communication is.

Answer 4

The messages sent and received within the organization’s formal and informal groups:
1. Formal-COMM265-talking in labs and during class.
2. Informal-COMM265-talking outside of class.
As organizations become more complex so does the communication.
–book–Organizational communication is the process of creating, exchanging, interpreting, and storing messages inside a system of human relationships and interactions.

Question 5

Be able to recognize key aspects of Schein’s definition of organizational culture.

Answer 5

1. Culture is a pattern of basic assumptions-We assume that education is very important in our culture.
2. Culture is invented, discovered, or developed by a given group-everybody contributes.
3. Helps deal with internal integration and external adaptation:
   -internal integration-assimilation; helps integrate members into the organization itself.
   -external adaptation-Organizational culture helps deal with the external changing environment that may affect the internal organizational culture
4. These patterns are considered the correct way to do things, and therefore, should be taught to others.
   3.

Question 6

What are artifacts? Values? Assumptions?

Answer 6

1. Artifacts Level 1: Physical and social environments that group members create: things-furniture, cubicles, dress; behaviors-first names or calling your professor by Dr. whatever, decision-making styles.
2. Values level 2: What people ought to do if they have certain assumptions–Starbucks uses first names because they value friendship, on a personal level; Organizations don’t have values, people do.
3. Assumptions level 3: The core assumptions the group has about the world and how it works: E.G. the nature of human relationships-people should be cooperative.

Question 7

Be familiar with Hofstede’s dimensions of individualism/collectivism and power distance.

Answer 7

1. Individualism/collectivism: Some see the world as individuals others see it more in a collectivistic way. Individualists have friendly competition within an organization, Collectivists emphasize teamwork within an organization.
2. Power distance (high-low): The extent to which you accept power discrepancies. In some places people readily accept differences in power. Acting in ways that increase power for example calling Eric, Dr. Morgan. Acting in ways that decrease power, Calling an officer of the law a pig.