chapter 10 flashcards

communication

the process by which information and meaning is transferred from a sender to a receiver

encoding

preparing the message to be sent (ex. writing an email)

decoding

interpreting the message (ex. reading the email)

2 broad categories of interpersonal communication:

1. face-to-face communication (verbal and nonverbal forms)

2. computer-mediated communication (forms are related yet distinct)

face to face communication

the exchange of information and meaning that occurs when two or more people are physically present, without the aid of mediating technology

natural, immediate, and embody a type of comprehensive interdependence

we 'act and react' in real time

rich information source, 'gold standard' of communication

verbal communication

messages are sent and received using written and spoken language

primary way organizational members communicate with each other and groups outside the organization

includes reading, writing, speaking, listening

written messages convey what is important (ex. mission statement, corporate values, short and long term plans) and how/why things are done (ex. job descriptions, training manuals, meeting minutes)

nonverbal communication

sending and receiving thoughts and feelings via nonverbal behaviour rather than spoken or written words

tone, hand gestures, facial expression, posture, eye contact, dress, appearance, etc.

ubiquitous within all forms of social interactions

we tend to judge the quality of our relationships on the basis of nonverbal cues

seen as more credible, believable, and trustworthy

5 functions of nonverbal communication

1. Convey information about who we are in terms of personality, values, intentions, and attitude

2. Communicate dominance and establish hierarchy

3. Facilitate working together

4. Foster high quality relationships

5. Used to display emotional states

computer mediated communication

the exchange of information and meaning using an electronic digital medium

email

the exchange of written digital messages (most common form)

informal, messages can be difficult to interpret, information overload

concerns with email

1. lack of same richness as a face-to-face conversation or telephone call

2. email lacks the nonverbal cues needed to convey feelings

3. likelihood of misunderstandings increases among those limited to email communication

4. information overload

5. all other forms of communication decreased

6. reliance on email can impact personal relationships

ways people can manage email more effectively

1. Staying organized, labelling and using folders

2. Don't forget where your delete button is

3. Unsubscribe to websites that send regular promotional materials, be mindful of copying to many people on ongoing messages

4. Limit your time on email

videoconferencing

permits real-time virtual interaction between remote individuals and individuals or groups via internet

cost-efficient and more task-oriented

when is videoconferencing good and bad

works well for tasks with simple information exchanges, cooperative problem solving, or routine decisions

less effective with tasks with more communication bandwidth (ie. bargaining, conflict resolution, negotiation, getting to know people)

steps to reduce negative effects of online video meetings

1. Avoid multitasking during meetings

2. Build in mental and/or physical breaks

3. Reduce the amount of available information to process

4. Keep virtual social sessions voluntary

5. Consider switching from videoconferencing to phone or email

corporate wiki

an application that allows people to quickly exchange verbal information and collaboratively solve problems, learn, manage projects, and create knowledge

allow anyone to edit or delete content

used in organizations to support communication and collaboration within a defined community of interest

owners and users experience 2 competing motives when deciding how to approach wiki work:

1. Opportunity to collaborate and communicate with others was exciting and engaging and active participation is seen as the way to achieve goals

2. Awareness of the inherent risks associated with participation (ie. looking stupid)

communicator competence

the ability of communicators to encode and interpret messages

skilled communicators should be able to process nonverbal information and extract the intended meaning

examples of issues with communicator competence

- a sender using ambiguous hand gestures

- a receiver not skilled in listening carefully

- a receiver misunderstanding others' emotions

noise

disturbing or distracting stimuli that block or interfere with the transmission of a message

what do the sender and reciever have to do to respond to noise

the sender has to speak louder, more clearly, and use alternative means of communicating

the receiver has to listen more carefully and extrapolate more

if either or both parties don't put in the extra effort the conversation won't last

information richness

the amount and depth of the information transmitted in a message

higher levels of richness are preferrable when the task is complex and hard to understand, lower levels are preferred when the task is simple

levels of information richness

- messages through face-to-face channels have the highest level of richness

- video conferencing has the second highest level of information richness

- a personal written note has a moderate level of richness

- computer-generated reports that are most numbers have the lowest level of richness

gender differences

the different ways men and women process and interpret information and communicate with others

lead to misunderstandings between male and female team members and faulty inferences about each other's confidence and competence (especially for women)

how do men communicate

in a way that helps them achieve and maintain status, power, and independence

how do women communicate

use a style that builds and strengthens their relationships

privacy

a state in which individuals can express themselves freely without being observed, recorded, or disturbed by other, unauthorized, individuals or groups

formal communication

communication that is officially sanctioned by management

informal communication

spontaneous and emergent patterns of communication that result from the choices that individuals make on their own

vertical channels

have information flowing along lines of authority and reporting relationships

horizontal channels

information flowing between people who work at the same level in different functional areas

purposes of horizontal communication

task coordination, problem solving, sharing information, conflict resolution, building rapport.

downward communication

communication that flows from the top to the bottom of the vertical channel, reinforcing hierarchal nature

purpose of downward communication

1. Used to relay directives, decisions, plans, goals, and instructions to subordinates

2. Downward communication via policies, procedures, and rules is used to increase the level of consistency within the organization

3. Top-down approach is used when evaluating their subordinates' job performance

concerns with downward communication

1. The volume of information requires managers to process and filter information at each level

2. Notoriously slow, in part because of filtering

upward communication

communication that flows from the bottom to the top of the vertical channel

purpose of upward communication

1. Inform managers about activities at lower levels

2. Provide suggestions for improvement

3. Say how employees feel about their jobs

concerns with upward communication

1. Risk associated with sending messages to a superior (ie. what if they hate me)

2. Can be politically motivated and used as an influence tactic

horizontal communication

information flows among members of work groups, teams, or functional units who reside at the same level in the organization

communication networks

the ways members of a team or work unit typically interact and exchange messages

all channel network

any member can send and receive messages from any other

all information is shared, members can verify the accuracy of messages received

circle network

where members send and receive messages from individuals who are immediately adjacent to them

all information is shared within the group, like all channel

distorted messages may be passed along, doesn't permit verification from non-adjacent members

chain network

where information is passed from member to member from one end of the chain to the other

typical in hierarchical structures, epitomizes

upward communication is usually facilitated by a chain structure

y network

where one member controls the flow of information between one set of members (who might interact) and another, highly centralized

wheel network

where all communication between members is controlled by a single member

highly centralized, little or no direct formal communication between the "spokes"