21129 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Corporate Communication, Cybernetics, No Logo
UTS 2014 – Managing People and Organisations
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Lecture 9 – Managing communication
INTRODUCTION
Communication is the exchange of ideas, emotions, messages, stories and
information through different means including writing, speech, signals, objects or
actions.
Communication may be either:
Intentional – e.g. carefully phrased letter
Unintentional – e.g. inferences another person makes about one’s body
language
THEORIES OF COMMUNICATION
THE COMMUNICATION CHANNEL
Cybernetics can be defined as studying feedback and other communication
mechanisms in machines, living organisms, and organisations.
- First theories of communication from cybernetics (understanding of feedback loops).
- Communication is about transmitting a message…
Figure – Adapted from Dwyer (1993)
DISTORTION
- Multiple meanings (other than one intended) – different interpretations by receiver.
Distortion depends on media richness – more richness = less distortion
A message comes with a meta-message
Discourses and acts
One cannot not communicate – this means that when you don’t communicate, a
message is still being sent…
Ernst & Young Case Study of COMMUNICATIONS AND MISCOMMUNICATIONS
A few global comments…
UTS 2014 – Managing People and Organisations
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CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE: POWER AND COMMUNICATION
The power perspective of communication
Power as discourse – power is structured by discourse.
Storytelling – telling the truth in a way that is in favour of the organisation.
RHETORIC
Rhetoric – the technology or method of persuasion.
Management accomplished through ‘talk’ (Watson 1995)
Not just the validity of the argument… but also the credibility of the speaker.
The 3 core technical means of persuasion from ARISTOTLE
1. The character of the speaker – good or bad character?
2. The emotional state of the hearer – stubborn = block out messages regardless.
3. The argument itself.
Two elements – how the argument is constructed/put and whether it is true or
not.
HAS TRUTH GOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT?
Presenting a version of the truth.
Adapted from Ed Wry Bliss
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION
DYADIC COMMUNICATION
Dyadic communication means two-party communications.
Dyadic communication can be impersonal when two people interact without direct
personal contact, as well as face to face and unmediated.
Interpersonal communication refers to direct interaction between two or more
people.
Between two individuals
Interpersonal or impersonal
Formal or informal
As in any exchange
Affect/rationality
Social cues
GROUP COMMUNICATION
- Small group – group-level dynamics differ from those in dyadic communication.
Communication and group dynamics
Has an impact on group think
Document Summary
Communication is the exchange of ideas, emotions, messages, stories and information through different means including writing, speech, signals, objects or actions. Unintentional e. g. inferences another person makes about one"s body language. Cybernetics can be defined as studying feedback and other communication mechanisms in machines, living organisms, and organisations. First theories of communication from cybernetics (understanding of feedback loops). Multiple meanings (other than one intended) different interpretations by receiver. Distortion depends on media richness more richness = less distortion. One cannot not communicate this means that when you don"t communicate, a message is still being sent . Ernst & young case study of communications and miscommunications. Power as discourse power is structured by discourse. Storytelling telling the truth in a way that is in favour of the organisation. Rhetoric the technology or method of persuasion. Not just the validity of the argument but also the credibility of the speaker.
