Communication Contexts

Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Group
Mass
Organizational

Health
Public Relations
Public

Communication Characteristics
Process
Source
Transmission
Source
Receiver
Message
Encode
Decode

Channel
Feedback
Noise
Environment
Context
FOE
Ethics
Competency

Ethics

Principles of conduct that help govern

behaviors of individuals and groups that
often arise from a communitys perspective
of good or bad behaviors (Martin &
Nakayama)
Decision of Points (Kreps)
1. Tell the truth.
2. Do no harm
3. Treat people

ORGANIZATION

A living, open system connected by the flow

of information between and among people
who occupy various roles and positions.
(Goldhaber)
The planned coordination of the collective
activities of two or more people who,
functioning on a relatively continuous basis
and through division of labor and a hierarchy
of authority, seek to achieve a common goal
or set of goals. (Robins )

Organizational Changes
Organizational Structure
Management Style
Information Technology
Competition
Communication

Organizational Changes

Organizational Structure
Hierarchal & Tall to PDM, Flat, & Matrix
(Team)

Hierarchy (Greek meaning sacred rule)

system of ranking & organizing things &
people, creating division of labor land
centralized control

Organizational Changes

Management Styles
Authoritative to Coaching or Empowered
Classical to Human Resources

Information Technology
Limited, Static to Pervasive, Essential

Competition
Local, National to Global

Communication
Top Down to Multi-directional

Types of Organizations
Profit vs. non profit
Small business vs. corporate
Commercial vs. education

Organizational vs. Group

Complexity
Structure/hierarchy
Multiple voices
Multiple goals
Nature of relationships ([im] personal)
Culture (history, tradition,& shared exp.)

Common Definitional
Points
OC occurs w/in a complex open system
which is influenced by and influences its
environments, both internal & external.
OC involves messages & their flow,
purpose, direction, and media.
OC involves people & their attitudes,
feelings, relationships, behaviors, &
skills.

Organizational Communication
The process of creating and exchanging
messages within a network of
interdependent relationships to cope
with environmental uncertainty
(Goldhaber)

Components Definition

Process-ongoing (continuous)
Message (consider)
Participants
Modality
Method of diffusion (channel)
F2F, oral, written, technology
Purpose (function)
Task
Maintenance
Human-relational
Innovative-creativity

Modality-Nonverbal

Nonverbal communication includes all

aspects of communication other than
spoken or written words themselves
(expressed by other than linguistic
means).

Nonverbal Communication
Verbal+Vocal+Bodied=Total Message
Words+Paralinguistic+Kinesics
7% +

38% + 55%
=
(Mehrabian Equation)

100%

Nonverbal Communication
One cannot, not communicate.
Nonverbal communication can be
ambiguous.

Meanings vary over time.

Meanings vary according to context.
Meanings vary according to relationships.
Nonverbal communication is guided by
rules particular to a culture.

Nonverbal Communication

NV communication can interact with

verbal com
Can repeat
May highlight
May complement
May contradict
Can substitute
Sometimes more believable

Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communicative behavior can
regulate interaction.
Nonverbal communicative behavior can
establish relationship level meanings.
Nonverbal communication reflects
culture values and is culture bound.

Categories of Nonverbal Com

Kinesics-posture, gestures, facial expressions,
eye contact (oculesics)
Paralanguage-pitch, rate, volume, inflection,
Haptics-touch (appropriate and inappropriate)
Proxemics-space (personal and public)
Environment-room shape, arrangement, access,
lighting, noise, color, seating arrangement
Presentation-physical appearance and clothing
choice
Artifacts-personal objects that reflect and
announce identity; how we personalize our
space

Definition Components

Network-creation & exchange of messages

among individuals that takes place over set
pathways

Roles
Formality
Direction (horizontal, upward, downward)
Serial process-efficiency

Interdependence-interrelated parts
Relationships-connected by people &
comm.
Environment-internal & external
Uncertainty-equivocality/ambiguity-coping

Organizational Communication
The process of creating and exchanging
messages within a network of
interdependent relationships to cope
with environmental uncertainty
(Goldhaber)

WIIOS LAWS OF
COMMUNICATION
Communication usually fails, except by
chance.
If a message can be understood in different
ways, it will be understood in just that way
which does the most harm.
There is always somebody who knows better
than you what you meant by your message.
The more communication there is, the more
difficult it is for communication succeed.

Reasons for Comm Failure

Inadequate information
Information overload
Poor quality information
Poor timing
Lack of feedback or follow-up
Problems with channel choice

Reasons for Comm Failure

Incompetent communication
Ineffective goal setting
Communication anxiety
Lack of retention
Language barriers
Noise
Unethical communication