Sassy Scholar learns Comm

Managing the Boss

2009-07-03T07:18:00.001-07:00

This is a concept from Chapter 9 that I found particularly relevant because I just started a new job. The four ways listed for employees to interact with their supervisors were interesting because I have used all four in the past and am now working on the best way to integrate myself with my new supervisors. As an outgoing person I am more prone to use the Ingratiation method because I enjoy having a friendship with my superiors, but some managers do not approve of these types of friendships, so I am moving slowly, trying to feel out which will be the best method with each of my supervisors at my new office!

Democracy

2009-07-02T15:06:00.000-07:00

This concept comes from the web lecture from this week. I thought the idea of dialogue in democracy was interesting because I have never applied it to organizational communication. True democracy thrives on conversation and discussion, and so does a well-functioning organization. People who are running any sort of democratic organization must be open to dialogue in order not to alienate their workers, or constituents. These types of democratic dialogues help workers and management comfortably co-exist.

Workplace Loyalty

2009-06-27T21:20:00.000-07:00

This idea is from Chapter 8 and I found it interesting because I was recently discussing the concept with my little brother. He wants to follow in our grandfather and uncle's footsteps and become a firefighter. Both men were in the California Department of Forestry for over 30 years and have a deep seated loyalty toward the organization, a loyalty that my brother is working on as well. It drastically differs from my idea of workplace loyalty, because in my field - PR - it is rare for someone to stay at a company more than five years. I just think it will be interesting to see if this trend of declining company loyalty continues, or if the idea re-surges in the next decade with the economic turmoil that has taken a grip on the world.

Globalization

2009-06-27T08:14:00.000-07:00

This concept is from chapter 7. I thought the example of how BMW has globalized its production line was great, how employees are recruited from around the world to ensure cars are manufactured to the right specifications for each country or region of the world. I also thought it was interesting that the authors mentioned how GM refused to make cares with right side steering in the 1960s, and today GM has had to completely reinvent itself and file for bankruptcy while BMW seems to be doing much better in this economic downturn. Its a great example of how adapting to the times and the "global village" will really help any organization.

Pervasive Communication Environment

2009-06-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

This blog also comes from the web lecture, and I thought it was particularly interesting because I see this type of constant integration of audio, visual and print communication around me everyday. In my job I have to compile a daily news clipping of all news about my clients. This includes blogs, print articles, photos and podcasts. In today's information overload, we are constantly communicating with people. I constantly wonder how people lived without cell phones because mine is attached to me. I dont use a landline because everything I could need is included in my cell phone. A person in today's world would have to work very hard to become "uncommunicated" with the rest of the world, as opposed to just 30 years ago when it was nearly impossible for people to be as constantly connected as we are today.

Real vs. Virtual Communication

2009-06-24T15:43:00.000-07:00

This concept is from the web lecture this week, and I was particularly drawn to the concept because I have often interacted with others virtually during my life, both personally and professionally, and I have found those interactions to be just as meaningful as a face-to-face communication. During my work with a PR agency we had co-workers who were scattered around the country. Most of our daily interactions with them was done by email, with the occasional phone call as well. The work we did with them was very real, and very useful in our daily account work. I believe that in this day in age virtual communication is just as real and important as face-to-face communication.

Ideology

2009-06-20T08:42:00.001-07:00

This concept is from chapter six and I really started thinking about it on a business level. While the book gives examples of nationalistic ideology, I think we can see examples of ideology in all kinds of organizations. Schools have a certain ideology, from perceiving themselves as smarter if they are an Ivy League, or better at basketball if you are North Carolina. This can also be seen in the business world, where high-tech companies perceive themselves as more forward and innovative than perhaps a financial corporation, which sees itself as more vital to the inner workings of the nation. This ideology that is bred into each corporate or organizational culture helps keep that culture alive and functioning.

Historical Background of Organizational Culture

2009-06-19T18:30:00.000-07:00

The concept of historical and cultural background comes from Chapter 5. I was very interested in this because the first time this concept was referenced was in 1979, and I would have expected that the idea would have been tossed around much earlier than the late 70s. I thought it was interesting that the idea of an organizational culture began with the end of the second World War when the U.S. was the "economic lord" while Europe and Japan were struggling from the effects of the war. I think that the idea of organizational culture is very interesting.

Culture as an Organizational Metaphor

2009-06-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

This concept is taken from this week's Web Lecture and I chose it because I have witnessed first-hand the difference that a culture can have on an organization. I have worked for a variety of newspapers and news wires in the United States and they are all basically organized in the same way, with a few variations for differing types of news coverage. The change I saw was when I traveled to Santiago, Chile for a semester abroad and had an internship at a newspaper there. The way the paper was organized was completely different than what I had experience before and their communication outlets were also different than what I was expecting. I learned quickly, but that cultural variable can have important meanings for people that does not translate across language and country borders.

Metaphors and Culture post

2009-06-17T16:46:00.000-07:00

I was very intrigued by the idea of the conduit metaphor. Communication is never described as a perfect message, or a simple conversation between two people. The idea that as long as the writer or speaker uses the perfect words the message is crystal clear is a little sketchy to me because the person's background always influences they way they interpret and understand the message. As a former journalist I know how hard it often is to find the perfect word or turn of phrase to express myself. However, conversely, I wish that the conduit metaphor was more apt to be correct because it would make all communication much simpler if there were never understandings.

System Perspective

2009-06-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

I was very intrigued by the idea of organizations being part of a larger system. I usually associate the word system with computers, because they are inherently a system of parts that make the machine work. However, it makes sense to apply the word and meaning of a system to organizational communication, because not only does a company operate as a system, each company comprises one part of the market, which is another system.
Breaking down companies into system-like models enables communication scholars to study human interactions at a a quantifiable level. This is rare, because communication between people is so hard to quantify.

Human Resources Approach

2009-06-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

The human resources approach is the modern version of bureaucracy, it combines the concern for employees from the human relations approach with an overall concern with with the organization as a whole.
I was most entranced with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs because of the idea of self-actualization. The idea of humans achieving organizational prosperity through individual health is intriguing because it really emphasizes the idea that workers need to enjoy and feel good about their working environment, as well as their personal life, to be truly prosperous. I thought this was more interesting that McGregor's Theory Y management because I don't believe that the average employee dislikes work, because in my experience many of my co-workers have been very motivated, and do not avoid their work on a regular basis. I thought Likert's principle of supportive relationships was interesting because participative organization has been a large part of my professional work, but he does not look very deeply into classical management which I do think can be very important in the workplace.

Partial, Partisan and Problematic

2009-06-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

This post relates to the "Three P's" from chapter 3. The reason that I think these three concepts are so important are because as a former journalist I feel that partial, partisan, and problematic are three things that are infused throughout every part of the communication field. Communication is a very hard field to quantify because it deals entirely with people's emotions, which are apt to change, and are not easily calculated. Any sort of historical context or writing is subject to people's interpretations and calculations, which can be partial, partisan or flawed in some way. However, even though theories may be flawed through each of the three P's, I still think its important for scholars and writers to continue pushing forward organizational communication theories through the historical context so that future scholars can learn from earlier mistakes in theories. Human nature is evolving over time, as is society, and communication theories of all kinds need to adapt with the times.

My first post!

2009-06-05T15:45:00.000-07:00

This is the beginning of my blog for Comm 144, ill be updating it throughout the semester!
- Caitlin