Organizational Communication

Darryl Clayton

Leading the Organization I
11/28/2010

To: Dr. James Rairdon

National American University

APA style Certificate of Authorship
I hereby certify that I am the author of this document and any assistance I received in preparing this report is fully acknowledged. I have also cited (in APA format) for all sources that I obtained ideas, data, and works. Sources are properly credited according to the APA writing guidelines.
Signed: Darryl CLayton

Abstract Organization sets itself specific objectives in order to meet the better business success, and to gain comparative advantage over the competition. For these objectives to be achieved, of crucial importance is organizational communication, which implies communication among employees, as well as communication between different hierarchic levels in the same organization. Communication as an element of organizational behavior is seen through the group level as the independent variable. Throughout this paper it shall explain the importance of communication for organization, the communicational process and channels for information flow through the network of small formal groups and the network of informal groups.

An efficient organizational structure can help any business operate and grow in a manner that can be better managed. Efficient structure produces communication that is consistent within the company, a uniform marketing message and a culture that helps encourage cohesiveness and good morale. To achieve this sort of alignment, you first must understand the elements of efficient organizational structure. High morale holds an organizational structure together. With high morale, productivity is elevated, and employees offer new ideas to help increase efficiency. Create incentive plans that offer pay to individuals who perform above expectations. Constantly compare the salaries and pay structures you are offering with other companies in your industry to remain competitive and encourage employee feedback on company issues. Try to hold company gatherings at least once a quarter, and maintain a culture of encouragement and growth that will inspire employees and garner employee loyalty. The structure of an organization is efficient only if it encourages clear communication across company lines, according to the Free Management Library. Departments must be able to speak to each other to ensure that day-to-day operations go smoothly. Employees must feel as though they can speak to managers to help employee development and to help resolve conflict. Managers need to have access to the executive team for clarification on important company policies and issues. Decision makers at all levels need to be clearly identified, according the Bridgespan Group business consultants. More important issues may need the president or chief executive's approval, such as major vendor decisions or product concerns. Managers at all levels must have authority to make decisions on issues that directly affect their departments or groups. A well-defined escalation policy can efficiently move issues up to higher levels of management, if necessary. What Effects Communication Many times the communication is blocked. Noise barriers, last minute communication or a given deadline may put too much pressure on the receiver and may lead to aggrieved feelings and stress. Poor choice of channel can also be causative to the misapprehension of the message. Any physical distractions such as, telephone interruptions or walk-in visitors can close down face-to-face communication process. Communication may be chaotic or blocked if the channels are not clear. Out of the professional jealousy in the closed channels, the messages may be indistinct. Role overload occurs when individuals receive more information than they are capable of processing, the result may be confusion or some important information may be laid aside. Semantic barriers are due to misinterpretations of words and symbols. The wrong choice of words or improper use of punctuation marks in written communication can sometimes alter the meaning and convey different message from what has been intended. In order that a balanced movement of diverse activities as well as a coordinated structure may be formed in the workplace, it is necessary to establish effective communication. Effective communication involves transmitting and understanding the information existed in the atmosphere of openness and conviction. It is very important for a management to recognize and overcome the barriers to effective communication. This would involve diagnosing and analyzing situations, designing proper messages, assisting receivers of messages in correct decoding and providing an efficient feedback system. The receiver should be given the opportunity to ask for clarifications and answers to any questions about the message. Good listening skills lead to better understanding and good relationship amidst colleagues. Elements of Organizational Culture The purpose of communication is to influence the action towards the organizational benefits - linking the employees together for the fulfillment of common goals. The occurrence of behaviors amid employees in the organization is directly allied with the communication process. While it is at all times in the workplace, it is seemingly to transmit the information from one person to another but that which lies in broader sense is who says and what, who is said, through which channel he is said and with what effect. Thus, it is a way of reacting others with ideas, thoughts, feelings and values. For the most part, it is needed in the function of leading and the managerial activities, such as planning, organizing, directing and controlling are exclusively contingent upon the communication. So, it’s rightly to be said that the effective management is functioned alongside by the effective communication. In order that a balanced movement of diverse activities as well as a coordinated structure may be formed in the workplace, it is necessary to establish effective communication. Effective communication involves transmitting and understanding the information existed in the atmosphere of openness and conviction. It is very important for a management to recognize and overcome the barriers to effective communication. This would involve diagnosing and analyzing situations, designing proper messages, assisting receivers of messages in correct decoding and providing an efficient feedback system. The receiver should be given the opportunity to ask for clarifications and answers to any questions about the message. Good listening skills lead to better understanding and good relationship amidst colleagues. Effective communication deals with emotions which are significant to interpersonal relationship. Developed writing skills bring about better understanding on the message sent.
Cox Communications Culture and Values Many outstanding features characterize Cox Communications, but they like to celebrate their entrepreneurial spirit, and commitment to education. Cox Enterprises, Inc., is the parent company of Cox Communications, and it serves as the model from which we derive our vision and focus as a company. Back in 1898, James M. Cox went from being a schoolteacher to founder of the company. He then served three terms as governor of Ohio and eventually ran in the 1920 U.S. presidential election as the Democratic nominee. In that same year, Gov. Cox purchased his first newspaper, the Dayton (OH) Evening News - the first step in creating the company that Cox Enterprises is today – a company with extensive interests in newspapers, television, radio and automobile auctions. As the third-largest cable entertainment and broadband services provider in the country, Cox Communications Inc. is best known for pioneering the bundle of television, Internet and telephone services together, offering consumers the ability to consolidate their services with one provider. For Cox, it’s not about being the biggest; it’s about being the best. Excellence in customer care is another hallmark of Cox Communications. With over 6 million customers and over 22,000 employees, Cox is known as one of the best in the business. In addition to customer care leadership, Cox is also widely lauded for its commitment to diversity and inclusion and overall corporate strategy. And according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Major Provider Business Telecommunications Study, small and midsize businesses are more satisfied with our data solutions than with any other company. In 2006 J.D. Power and Associates gave us their highest honor for cable TV customer satisfaction, and in 2005 they received the same award for our high-speed Internet service. In fact, they have earned awards for each of the services we offer, and we're the only communications company to win top satisfaction honors in video, Internet, phone, and business categories. Issues with Cox’s Internal Communications With all the awards that Cox Communications has been awarded, problems with communication still are present within the internal structure between the technicians and the system operations center. In the mornings techs are giving a daily route that covers a ten hour shift within the city they work and reside in. Through out the day there are times when the routes are change without any notice given to the any of the tech. The system operations center are presuming the tech are in front of there laptops to see those changes. This may not be the case at all the tech could be under house while performing repair work that is necessary in order to provide a reliable service. There are some dead zone areas where the laptop may not pick up any signal. Now keeping this in mind the techs have mapped and decided how to go about on which job to go to first and what equipment they will need for there jobs on hand. Solutions for the Internal Struggle There should be a call to the techs when their route has been change instead of relying on the updates made by the computer. The system operations center should look at what the tech has available on his truck before adding a job that could jeopardize the on time guarantee. A blackberry smart phone should be provided as a backup so the tech can check his or her route while working inside a customer’s house. This tool will have access to the daily route, access to the corporate email account and provide phone service so there will be no excuses about why the tech is not informed of any changes. There should be a data base on which techs who do not take the company truck home and make the first job close at least twenty minutes away for the home base. Conclusion

Culture is so deeply rooted in an organization’s history and collective experience; working to change it requires a major investment of time and resources. Help from a change agent outside the system is often advisable. Without such help, it is difficult for insiders to view their reality as something they have constructed, and to see meaning in things they normally take for granted.

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