Organizational Communication Overview

The most visible and superficial elements of an organization's culture, such as dress codes, office design, and logos.

The shared beliefs and values that guide an organization's behavior.

Unconscious, taken-for-granted beliefs and assumptions about how things should be done.

The way members of an organization interact and behave with each other, influenced by artifacts, values, and assumptions.

The inseparable link between an organization's culture and its members.

The influence of competing values and assumptions on an organization's culture.

The ability of culture to change over time, influenced by factors like leadership, events, and external environment.

The emotional significance of cultural artifacts and how they influence our perception of work environments.

The general idea that organizational theory can provide useful insights to improve effectiveness, efficiency, and performance.

A type of organizational culture where authority and decision-making are concentrated at the top.

A culture characterized by clear lines of authority, well-defined roles, and strict adherence to procedures.

A type of organizational culture focused on innovation, adaptability, and taking risks.

A type of organizational culture that prioritizes collaboration, shared decision-making, and flexibility.

A type of organizational culture where individual performance and achievement are highly valued.

A type of organizational culture that focuses on customer satisfaction, responsiveness, and service excellence.

The constant flow of ideas, behaviors, and interactions that shape and change an organization's culture.

An organization's culture is not something that is static and unchangeable. It's a dynamic construct shaped by the actions of its members and the context it operates within.

The members of an organization collectively create its social and symbolic reality. Their communication and interactions shape the organizational culture.

Organizations can adapt, evolve, and respond to internal and external factors that impact their culture, like challenges or opportunities.

A culture that focuses on results and achievements, emphasizing external success and often having distinct layers of leadership.

The communication patterns and practices within an organization contribute to and maintain its culture. It's how individuals interact and share information within the organization.

Having multiple supervisors can create a more efficient workflow, but it can also create conflict and confusion. It’s important to find a balance.

When setting up a new job, consider the type of organization you want to create and how much freedom or control you want to give employees. This plays a key role in company culture and efficiency.

Clear expectations and roles within the company prevent miscommunication and conflicts. It also helps employees feel more confident and empowered.

Making sure the number of employees reporting to each supervisor is manageable, is crucial for effective control. It’s important to consider team structure and experience level of employees.

Creating smaller, self-sufficient teams can encourage collaboration, problem-solving, and independence. Each team focuses on delivering a specific service or product.

Decisions are made by top managers - employees are grouped by job specialization.

Lower-level employees make decisions - teams are responsible for managing their own workload.

A visual representation of the structure of an organization, showing relationships between individuals, teams and departments.

A written plan outlining the goals, responsibilities and structure of an organization.

A process of moving an organization from one structure to another.

Bringing together multiple organizations to deliver a single product or service.

Hiring independent contractors or vendors to complete specific tasks.

Combining full-time employees with freelancers to create specialist teams.

The most common organizational structure, where authority flows directly from top management to the lowest levels.

A clear path for how decisions are made and who has the power to make them in a hierarchical structure.

Process of evaluating internal operations and finding potential areas for improvement during organizational structure design.

Creating a long-term roadmap for the company's future, including goals and strategic direction.

The individuals or groups that will be affected by the changes to the organizational structure.

The initial step in implementing a new organizational structure, often involving a clear communication plan.

The process of adapting teams to new roles, skills, and reporting structures after a change in organizational structure.

Monitoring the success of the new organizational structure and identifying areas for improvement.