Question # 3: Discuss which approach or approaches to Organizational Communication seems most closely connected to the Classical approaches to management and discuss why this so.
Organizational communication is the interaction required to a direct group toward a set of common goals. There are four different approaches to organizational communication.The information-transfer approach views communication as a metaphoric pipeline through which information flows from one person to another. It sees communication as a tool that people use to accomplish their objectives. This version of communication theory rests on the following assumptions: (1) language is capable of transferring thoughts and feelings from one person to another person, (2) speakers and writers insert thoughts and feelings into words, (3) words contain those thoughts and feelings, and (4) listeners or readers extract those thoughts and feelings from the words (Eisenberg, Goodall, et al. p. 29).
The transactional-process model asserts that in actual communication, clear distinctions are not made between senders and receivers. Rather people play both roles simultaneously (Eisenberg, Goodall, et al. p. 30).
The strategic-control perspective regards communication as a tool for controlling the environment. It sees communicators as having multiple goals and recognizes that while people may have reasons for their behavior, they cannot be expected to communicate in ways that consistently maximize others’ understanding (Eisenberg, Goodall, et al. p. 32).
The definition of organizational communication as the balance of creativity and constraint is the moment-to-moment working out of the tension between individual creativity and organizational constraint (Eisenberg, Goodall, et al. p. 36).
Classical management approaches are represented by a collection of theories that share the underlying metaphor of organizations modeled after efficient machines (Eisenberg, Goodall, et al. p. 64). There are five theories that fall under the classical management approach.
Division of labor refers to the separation of tasks into discrete units (Eisenberg, Goodall, et al. p. 71).
Hierarchy refers to the vertical arrangement of power and authority that distinguishes managers from employees (Eisenberg, Goodall, et al. p. 71).
Scientific Management is based on the assumption that management is a true science resting on clearly defined laws, rules and principles (Eisenberg, Goodall, et al. p. 72).
Fayol’s Classical Management articulates the five elements of classical management: planning, organizing, commanding (goal setting), coordinating, and controlling (evaluating) (Eisenberg, Goodall, et al. p. 75-76).
Bureaucracy has the following characteristics: (1) a fixed division of labor among participants, (2) a hierarchy of offices, (3) a set of general rules that govern performances, (4) a rigid separation of personal life from work life, (5) the selection of personnel on the basis of technical qualifications and equal treatment of all employees and (6) the participants’ view of employment as a career; tenure protecting against unfair arbitrary dismissal (Eisenberg, Goodall, et al. p. 77).
After looking at the various Classical Management approaches and comparing them to the approaches to Organizational Communication, I believe that due to the definitions in the book, the two sets are very different and there are no real connections between them. The approaches to Organizational Communication are very fluid with very little to no rules. The Classical Management approaches on the other hand are more structured and rigid.
If you break down the approaches to Organizational Communication however, there are a two Classical Management approaches that might fit. For example, the strategic-control perspective, which states that communication is a tool for controlling the environment, is very similar to the communication in the Hierarchy system. In a hierarchy, tasks and rules travel in a downwards motion from the “top of the pyramid to the bottom.” Thus, communication can control various environmental issues within a company from upper management to the factory workers.
Finally, the balance of creativity and constraint perspective, which states that communication is the moment-to-moment working out of the tension between individual creativity and organizational constraint, is similar to that of the Division of labor. This is true due to numerous reasons. First off, nowadays companies have been getting rid of the traditional single responsibility jobs. Instead, people have their own responsibilities as well as working in a “team” and accomplishing larger goals. Secondly, although these teams are comprised of people with varying personalities, they have to all work toward a single goal, thus balancing creativity and constraint.
If you break down the approaches to Organizational Communication however, there are a two Classical Management approaches that might fit. For example, the strategic-control perspective, which states that communication is a tool for controlling the environment, is very similar to the communication in the Hierarchy system. In a hierarchy, tasks and rules travel in a downwards motion from the “top of the pyramid to the bottom.” Thus, communication can control various environmental issues within a company from upper management to the factory workers.
Finally, the balance of creativity and constraint perspective, which states that communication is the moment-to-moment working out of the tension between individual creativity and organizational constraint, is similar to that of the Division of labor. This is true due to numerous reasons. First off, nowadays companies have been getting rid of the traditional single responsibility jobs. Instead, people have their own responsibilities as well as working in a “team” and accomplishing larger goals. Secondly, although these teams are comprised of people with varying personalities, they have to all work toward a single goal, thus balancing creativity and constraint.
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