Topic 6 (Chapt. 16)

Question 1

Define ‘alignment strategy’

Answer 1

Ensuring that all messages communicated to audiences within an organisation are consistent with messages communicated with audiences outside the organisation

Question 2

Define ‘organisation’

Answer 2

A group of people who work together to acheive a common purpose

Question 3

Define ‘synchronous communication’

Answer 3

Commonunication that is sent and received at virtually the same time

Question 4

Define ‘asynchronous communication’

Answer 4

Communication that is sent at one time and received at another

Question 5

Define ‘organisational design’

Answer 5

The structure of an organisation

Question 6

Define ‘hierachy’

Answer 6

A system of organisation involving ranks or levels, witheach level having power or influence over the level immeidately below it

Question 7

Define ‘chain of command’

Answer 7

The system of power, communication and decision making within hierarchies, with people at different levels staying in rigid roles, deferring to those in the next level above them

Question 8

Define ‘formal organisation’

Answer 8

The ‘official’ structure of an organisation, usually represented in an organisational chart, most communicaiton occurs through formally sanctioned channels, and reflects the legitimate or sanctioned chain of command

Question 9

Define ‘informal organisation’

Answer 9

The ‘unofficial’ structure of an organisation, rarely if ever represented on a organisational chart, most communication occurs through unofficial channels, and can reinforce the norms and goals of the official organisation or can work against the norms and goals of the official organisation

Question 10

Define ‘vertical communication’

Answer 10

Sending and receiving messages between the same level or layer of a hierarchy

Question 11

Define ‘horizontal communication’

Answer 11

Sending and receiving messages between individuals at the same level or layer of a hierarchy
- meetings, grapevine, cross-departmental projects, telephone, email, social actitities, textingm, blogs, podcasts, wikis, training programs, messages re silos or rivalries

Question 12

Define ‘downward communication’

Answer 12

Sending messages from upper levels to lower levels or a hierarchy

• job instructions and descriptions, appraisals and performance reviews
• policies and procedure manuals
• new employee info, memos, emails, newsletters, training programs, annual reports, blogs, podcasts
• social activities, nonverbal communication of culture

Question 13

Define ‘upward communication’

Answer 13

Sending messages from lower levels to higher levels of a hierarchy
- meetings, participative decision making, ‘captain table’ lunches, upwards appraisal/360 degree feedback, email, telephone, ombudsman, counsellors, union newsletter, training programs, open-door policies, exit interview, grapvine

Question 14

Define ‘diagonal communication’

Answer 14

Communication that cuts accross existing vertical and horizontal channels
- telephone, email, ‘going over the head of those immediately in chain of command’, social activities, information org, staff personnel, expertise-to-expertise communication

Question 15

Define ‘spain of control’

Answer 15

The number of people who report directly to the person immeidately above them in the hierar0hcy

Question 16

Define ‘flat organisation’

Answer 16

An organisational structure characterised by fewer middle layers, a shift in decision making power to groupsor teams, andincreased workerempowerment
For flat org:
- encourages decentralisation, self-control and autonomy
- simplifies vertical communication by stripping out layers
- useful when subordinates are experienced, needing minimal supervision
- good in turbulent environments

Question 17

Define ‘de-layering’

Answer 17

Reducing the number of layers or levels in an organisaton, especially the middle levels

Question 18

Define ‘downsizing’

Answer 18

Reducing staff numbers in an organisation, especially in the middle levels

Question 19

Define ‘empowerment’

Answer 19

Transferring decision-making power to others, especially teams

Question 20

Define ‘tall organisation’

Answer 20

An organisational structure chracterised by more layers, narrower spans or control and more centralised decision making
For tall org:
- close supervision can be supportive, encourages centralisation, establishes clear lines of communication, useful when work is non-routine, good in placid environments
Against tall orgs:
- Close supervision can be intrusive, encourages centralisation, vertical communication becomes distorted as msg do through many levels, decisions can be slow, promotions can be slow

Question 21

Define ‘placid environment’

Answer 21

A situation, society or market in which the rate of change is low and the future is fairly predictable
- mechanistic

Question 22

Define ‘mechanistic’

Answer 22

Organisational design or structure that depends on tall and centralised structure, with mainly downward vertical communication; flourishes in placid environment
- tall, centralised, many rules, communication is mainly vertical (mainly down), rigid standards, specific roles, little deligation, leadership is autocratic (legitimate, coercive, reward power bases), highly skilled, extrinsic motivated staff, frequent performance appraisals, not so good management of risk, optimal environment is placid

Question 23

Define ‘organic’

Answer 23

Organisation design or structure that depends on flay and decentralised structure, with mainly all-directional communicaitons; flourishes in turbulent environments
- flat, decentralised control, few/broad rules, communicaiton flows from all directions, standards are flexible, roles are broad, a lot of delegation, leadrship is more democratic (expert, referent power bases, tream based), job potential is looked for, intrinsic motivation, infrequent performance review, managment of risk is good (flexible responses), optimal environment is turbulent

Question 24

Define ‘turbulent environment’

Answer 24

A situation, society or market in which the rate of change is high and the future is uncertain
- organic

Question 25

Define ‘small world phenomenon’

Answer 25

The idea that any person on the globe may be seperated from any other person by no more than six steps or ‘steps degrees of seperation’, and we are now only becoming aware that there may be patterns or networks of interconnection

Question 26

Define ‘virtual organisation’

Answer 26

An organisation comprising a network of geographically dispersed workers connected to one another, and sometimes to a central workplace, via computer, phone, video and other links

Question 27

Define ‘telecommuting’

Answer 27

Working from home using computer, phone, video and other links to communicate with fellow workers and/or a central workplace.

Question 28

List some ‘network roles’

Answer 28

Wheel, Chain A (horizontial), Chain B (Vertical), circle, all channel

Question 29

Define ‘network analysis’

Answer 29

A technique for mapping communication roles played by people within organisations

Question 30

Define ‘clique’

Answer 30

A group or individuals at least half of whose work-day contact are with each other

Question 31

Define ‘boundary spanner’

Answer 31

An employee of the organisation who routinely moves between the organisation and the external environment

Question 32

Define ‘networking’

Answer 32

Deliberately cultivating contact with others in your own organisation and in other organisations in order to create an informal system of relationships and the development of your career

• seeking out the kingpin (finding person who is in charge and developing friendship and solidarity)
• matchmaking people to get the right things done (build synergy, good hosts)
• proactively enhancing network access (tirelessly cultivate new connections)
• interacting amiably with others to build positive relationships (work hard at conveying positive emotions and interpersonal support)

Question 33

Define ‘the grapevine’

Answer 33

Informal communication system; flourishesin a knowledge vacuum

Question 34

Define ‘macro-culture’

Answer 34

All the arts, beliefs, social institutions, etc characteristics of a community race etc

Question 35

Define ‘macro-culture’

Answer 35

The predominatring attitudes and behaviour that chracterise te functioning of an organisation or group

Question 36

List some ‘culture types’

Answer 36

Clan: emphasis on loyalty, mutral trust, commitment, like an external family, leaders are mentors, flexible operating procedures
Adhocracy: emphasis on innovation and development, risk-taking valued, leaders are visionary and innovative, focus onunique and new products and services
Hierarchy: emphasis on formal rules and policies, focus on smooth scheduling, low cost, leaders need to be good coordinators and toes the party line, focs on economy, formality, rationality, order
Market: emphasis on achievement, goal, accomplishment, focus on market share and penetration, aggressiveness, personal initiative favoured

Question 37

Define ‘silo culture’

Answer 37

A culture of noncommunication between separate parts of one organisation

Question 38

List some ‘bad cultures’

Answer 38

• Silos

- Silence

Question 39

Define ‘shoot-the-messenger ethos’

Answer 39

The tendency to punish people for communicating bad news about the organisation

Question 40

Define ‘organisational silence’

Answer 40

The tendency of lower levels of staff not to speak out on significant issues

Question 41

Define ‘knowledge mangement’

Answer 41

Tapping into an organisation’s intangible assets to systematically organise the knowledge of all its members so that it can be more effectively used for the organisation’s benefit

Question 42

List some ‘knowledgement management models’

Answer 42

• the knowledge spiral (tacit, explicit, explicit, explicit, tacit, tacit, tacit (p.540)
• the knowledge management technology stage model (person to technology stage, person to person stage, person to information stage, person to system stage (p.541)