Understanding Organizational Definitions

Defining Organization

• A dictionary definition describes "organization" as the act of being organized, a structured entity, a united business, a body of administrative officials, or an order/system.
• In general business terms, an organization is a system of consciously coordinated activities involving two or more people.
• Another definition describes it as a social unit of people who are systematically structured and managed to meet needs or pursue collective goals continuously.
• Another definition describes it as a body of individuals working with defined rules, assignments, and relationships to achieve objectives and goals.

Organizational Behavior Definitions

• An organization can be defined as a social unit where people have stable relationships to achieve objectives or goals, not necessarily face-to-face.

Organizational Communication Definitions

• An organization is an organized collection of interdependent individuals within a structured, open system, achieving common goals
• An organization is a group of people arranged in predetermined relationships to accomplish stated objectives

Organizational Structures

• The structure of an organization is related to how it functions internally and in its external environment.

External Environment

• When considering an organization, the external environment is a key factor
• This external environment consists of vendors, competitors, customers, and stakeholders who influence the organization from outside.
• Organizations with open boundaries can adapt to environmental changes due to free information flow.
• Organizations with closed boundaries insulate themselves from the external environment, which can lead to problems and obsolescence.

Input

• Resources from the external environment are required so the organization can achieve its goals
• These resources fall into three categories:
  • physical materials
  • people
  • information

Throughput

• Throughput refers to what an organization does with inputs within its confines, i.e. how organizations structure themselves internally to achieve goals

Tall Hierarchies

• Tall hierarchies have many layers between the bottom and the top.
• The Catholic Church and the US military are examples.
• Communication between the bottom and top is limited

Flat Hierarchies

• Flat hierarchies have very few layers
• Small businesses like mom and pop restaurants are examples
• Communication between the bottom and top is easy

Output

• Output is the final product or service the organization disseminates back to the external environment.
• All organizations, including nonprofits like the American Red Cross, provide some kind of service or product

History of Organizational Communication

• The Industrial Revolution in the 1750's and its introduction of steam-powered machinery led to the modern corporation
• Some key events after this:
• The University of Denver held the first graduate-level seminar in communication, 1945
• The Journal of Business Communication was started by the American Business Communication Association, 1963
• Division IV, organizational communication, became an officially recognized group by NSCC, 1968

Understanding Organizational Communication

• Stanley Deetz describes three ways to understand in organizational communication:
  • As a Discipline
  • As a Descriptor
  • As a Phenomenon within organizations
• Organizational Communication:
  • Communication is a unique discipline with courses, books, and degrees.
  • Communication describes and explains how organizations function.
  • People interact, creating organizational communication and the organization itself.
  • Communication is a specific phenomenon or set of phenomena within an organization.
  • Conflicts, presentations, and ad campaigns are examples of organizational communication.

Defining Organizational Communication

• "Organizational Communication” is a process. Stakeholders communicate intentionally using verbal, nonverbal, and/or mediated messages to convey meaning to another stakeholders
• Stakeholders include workers, managers, shareholders, competitors, community members and governmental agencies

Nature of Ethics

• Ethics are concerned with moral principles that govern human behavior
• Examined in context of:
  • Truth
  • Justice
  • The relation to God/a god
• Ethical decisions are influenced by perceptions of goodness and excellence
• The study of ethics focuses on cultural value systems and good intentions

Identifying Ethics

• The four scenarios show that ethical situations can be broken down into means and ends
• Good means and ends equal ethical behavior
• Bad means and ends equals unethical behavior
• Bad means and good ends equals a Machiavellian ethic
• Good means and bad ends equals subjective ethic

Ethical Perspectives

• Altruism = The standard is based on doing what is best or good for others.
• Categorical Imperative / Deontology = The standard is based on the notion that moral duties should be obeyed without exception.
• Communitarianism = The standard is based on whether behavior helps to restore the social fabric of society.
• Cultural Relativism = The standard is an individual's cultural or legal system of values.
• Ethical Egoism = The standard is an individual's self-interest.
• Justice = The standard is based on three principles of justice: each person has a right to basic liberties; everyone ought to be given the same chance to qualify for offices and jobs; and when inequalities exist, a priority should be given to meeting the needs of the disadvantaged.
• Nihilism Ethics innately prevent individuals from creating new ideas and values that challenge the status quo
• Psychological Egoism = The standard is an individual's self-interest.
• Social Relativism = The standard is the interests of my friends, group, or community.
• Subjectivism = The standard is based on an individual's personal opinion of moral judgment.
• Utilitarianism The standard is the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

Business Ethics: Typology of Ethical Lapses

• Cherrington research found organizational issues shared in common across orgs
• Key issues across businesses can include:
  • Stealing
  • Lying
  • False Impressions (Fraud and Deceit)
  • Conflict of interest
  • Hiding information
  • Unfair Advantage
  • Personal Decadence
  • Interpersonal Abuse
  • Organizational abuse
  • Rule violations

Communication Ethics

• Johannesen, Valde, and Whedbee (2008) state three factors that may cause ethical issues in human communication:
• The communicative behavior impacts those it affects
• There is a conscious choice of means and ends
• The communicative behavior can be judged right or wrong

Common Sense

• Arnett et al. (2009) defines common-sense as universally understood communicative behaviors
• Common-sense can be historically/culturally based assumptions, varies greatly
• Ethical communicators must learn different cultures' perceptions

Learning

• Ethical communicators must learn and analyze
• Communication ethics are not the end-all-be-all
• The National Communication Association (NCA) Credo for Ethical Communication approved in 1999 helps explore.

Key Components of Ethical Communication

• Truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason
• Freedom of expression, diversity of perspective, and tolerance of dissent
• Understanding and respect for other communicators
• Access to communication resources and opportunities
• Communication climates of caring and mutual understanding
• Condemnation of communication through distortion, intimidation, coercion, and violence
• Courageous expression of personal convictions
• Sharing information, opinions, and feelings while respecting privacy/confidentiality
• Accepting responsibility for short- and long-term consequences of our own communication

Further Considerations

• Ethical communication is conveying honest information without intending to mislead.
• Ethical communicators treat people fairly, communicate honestly, and avoid immoral or unethical behavior.
• Ethical behavior is doing the right thing given the circumstances.
• Ethics are principles used to judge right from wrong.
• Unethical language behaviors to avoid are:
  • Coercive language
  • Destructive language
  • Deceptive langue
  • Intrusive language
  • Secretive language
  • Manipulative language

Redding's Typology of Unethical Organizational Communication

• Coercive: power abuses, intolerance of dissent, restrictions of speech, etc.
• Destructive: attacks on self-esteem; insults, derogatory jokes, put-downs, back-stabbing.
• Deceptive: willful perversion of truth; misleading messages, euphemisms to cover up defects.
• Intrusive: surveillance and infringement of privacy rights.
• Secretive: nonverbal communication, silence, withholding information.
• Manipulative-Exploitative: source prevents receiver from knowing actual intentions.

International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Code of Ethics

Principles

• The Code includes principles:
  • Professional communication is legal
  • Professional communication is ethical
  • Professional communication is in good taste

Further Actions

• Communication should:
• Be legal, ethical, and sensitive
• Be truthful, accurate, and fair
• Uphold credibility and dignity through honesty and candor
• Disseminate accurate information and correct errors
• Support free speech and access to ideas
• Be sensitive to cultural values
• Refrain from unethical actions
• Obey all laws
• Give credit to others' work
• Protect confidential data
• Avoid using confidential data for personal gain
• Not accept undisclosed gifts
• Not guarantee results
• Be honest with others and themselves