CMN 136 Exam #2 Study Guide: Key Concepts and Strategies

Constitutive approach

Organizations get created from the daily interactions of the organization's members, based on 4 flows (circulating fields of messages that constitute organizations).

Membership Negotiation (4 flows)

Joining and learning the ropes.

Structuring (4 flows)

Deciding who does what in the organization.

Activity Coordination (4 flows)

Getting the job done.

Institutional Positioning (4 flows)

Dealing with external people and organizations.

Assimilation

Those ongoing behavioral and cognitive processes by which individuals join, become integrated into, and exit organizations.

Dual processes involved in assimilation

Socialization and individuation.

Anticipatory Socialization (four phases of socialization)

This occurs before entry into the organization (family, education, peers, previous experiences, and the media).

Encounter (four phases of socialization)

The 'sensemaking' stage that occurs when a new employee enters the organization, requiring the newcomer to let go of old roles and values in adapting to the expectations of the new organization.

Metamorphosis (four phases of socialization)

The state reached at the 'completion' of the socialization process, where the new employee is recognized and accepted as an organizational insider and contributor.

Exit (four phases of socialization)

The time when an employee leaves voluntarily or involuntarily from an organization.

Causes of negative emotions in the workplace

Change, tension (work vs. home), conflicting alliances, differences in values and ethics, not getting needs met.

Flaming

CMC where you use name-calling, sarcasm, obscene language, emotional outbursts, open display of hostility, and personal insults.

Why are people more inclined to "flame" over computer-mediated communication?

People are more polite in FTF vs. CMC.

Workplace conflict benefits

Consideration of different ideas, increased participation, produces new ideas, and a breakthrough in thinking occurs with opposing ideas.

What has occurred over time to make workplaces more diverse and inclusive?

Civil rights act, women's rights movement, focus on diversity training, expanding the definition of diversity to include LGBTQ+ and disability.

Challenges of a diverse workforce

Representation at leadership levels, inclusion practices, tokenism, implicit biases.

Advantages of a diverse workforce

Creates a more diverse way of thinking, is more creative, can solve harder problems, and attracts top talent.

Steven Covey's relational habits

1. Be Proactive: Take responsibility for your actions and reactions. 2. Begin with the End in Mind: Define clear goals for your relationships. 3. Put First Things First: Prioritize what matters most in your relationships. 4. Think Win-Win: Seek solutions that benefit everyone involved. 5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood: Listen with empathy before expressing yourself. 6. Synergize: Collaborate to create better outcomes through teamwork. 7. Sharpen the Saw: Renew yourself regularly to maintain strong relationships.

Communication approaches that provoke defensiveness

Certainty, superiority, neutrality, evaluation, control.

What is the "continuum of reactions" regarding employee resistance to change? Know the flow from the least resistant to the most resistant.

Ambivalence, peer-focused dissent, upward dissent, activism, Refusal, exit

IT (Workplace Trends)

Information technology that makes information available to all, democratizing management.

Flexible Schedules (Workplace Trends)

Work arrangements that allow employees to work from anywhere.

Increase in Visual/Remote Workers (Workplace Trends)

A rise in employees working remotely or using visual communication tools.

Vendors as Partners (Workplace Trends)

Companies outsourcing tasks to businesses that specialize in those tasks.

Global Marketplace (Workplace Trends)

A market that transcends national borders, allowing for international trade and commerce. 2025 tariffs challenge this.

Consumer Demand (Workplace Trends)

The increasing expectation for higher quality and faster service from consumers.

Product Differentiation (Workplace Trends)

The process of distinguishing a product from others to make it more attractive to a specific target market.

Cross-Functional Teams (Workplace Trends)

Groups composed of members from different departments working towards a common goal.

Self-Managing Teams (Workplace Trends)

Teams that operate without a traditional manager, with members taking on leadership roles as needed. (manager is a supporter not an enforcer)

Flatter Hierarchies (Workplace Trends)

Organizational structures with fewer levels of management, promoting a more collaborative environment.

Health Orientation (Workplace Trends)

A focus on promoting health and wellness within the workplace.

Concern for the Environment (Workplace Trends)

An organizational commitment to sustainable practices and environmental responsibility.

Lifelong Education (Workplace Trends)

The ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for personal or professional development. ex. retraining

Multi-Generational Workplaces (Workplace Trends)

Work environments that include employees from multiple generations, each with different values and work styles.

"four basic factors" employers are looking for when interviewing

Competence, integrity, likeability, and dynamism

Workplace Competencies

Enduring characteristics of individuals that are essential for specific types of work and resist becoming obsolete.

Competency-Based Interviewing

An interview process where candidates prepare by knowing required competencies and providing behavioral examples.

Behavioral Example

very specific, true stories from your past (work or non-work situations) that serve as evidence of a desired workplace competency. The assumption is that one's past behavior is the best predictor of one's future behavior. What you have been successfully able to do in the past will likely be something that would be able to do again in the future.

Must-Fit Competencies

Motivation to influence, problem solving, sociability, self-confidence, stamina, pace of work

Job negotiation tips

Everything is negotiable, consider the whole job, not just the $$$, be likeable when asking, negotiate multiple issues simultaneously, what is negotiable today may be negotiable tomorrow as interests change, do your homework, you are both on the same team, don't be afraid.

Career Management Tips

Be a team player, acknowledge other's help publicly, do what needs doing, think like a top manager, conduct yourself with integrity, avoid office politics, volunteer for high-profile projects, project a "can-do" attitude, do things that help the organization, improve and stretch yourself, always be loyal to your boss.

What were the suggestions for ways to develop oneself in one's career?

Join professional organizations, read books in your area of expertise, attend conferences, accept criticism, expand your network, synergize

Group Dynamics Variables

Presence, belief, structure, involvement, progress, and care are key factors that influence group effectiveness.

Belief

having a clear purpose, vision, and direction (apathy, negativity and loss of motivation)

Structure

having a clear plan and timeline (confusion and conflict)

Involvement

everyone shares their knowledge, opinions, evaluations and concerns (members stop participating)

Progress

moving forward by making decisions (members feel frustrated and stuck)

Care

inspires members to work together cooperatively (members feel defensive, isolated, and vulnerable)

Presence

the heart of working in a group (there isn't a group)

According to McGregor, what are the qualities of effective groups?

Members listen to each other, they are creative, there is disagreement, criticism of ideas is frequent, most decisions are reached in a consensus, leadership shifts, self-conscious

When should group participants speak up?

Information, point of view, evaluation, process, understanding, agreement

What were the "linguistic" indicators the study looked for?

The study looked for things like the frequency with which the words "I" and "we" were used relative to each other, how often language associated with negation was expressed, how commonly words like "would" and "should" appeared, and how much cursing took place

Cultural embeddedness

The extent to which a person is integrated into and influenced by the values, norms, and behaviors of an organization or group.

Enculturation trajectory

The process and direction through which someone gradually adopts and adapts to a group's culture over time.

Structural embeddedness

The degree to which a person is connected within the social networks of an organization, such as through relationships, communication patterns, or group membership.

Internalization

The process of accepting organizational values and norms as one's own, leading to genuine belief and alignment in behavior.

Acting on the surface

Displaying outward behaviors that conform to expectations or norms without truly believing in or accepting them internally.

Self-regulation

The ability to control one's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to meet external standards or goals, especially in social or organizational contexts.

Value congruence

The alignment between an individual's personal values and the values of the organization or group they belong to.

Perceptual accuracy

The ability to accurately understand or interpret the values, norms, and expectations of a group or organization.

Assimilated brokers: Good

High cultural fit and weak network ties

Strength: They fit in culturally, so they're trusted and accepted, but also bridge disconnected groups, giving them access to unique ideas and innovations.

Why they succeed: Their cultural alignment makes their brokerage role effective without being seen as outsiders, and their structural position allows them to bring in fresh ideas.

Integrated nonconformists: Good

Low cultural fit and strong network integration

Strength: They are well-connected structurally, which lends credibility to their unconventional thinking.

Why they succeed: Their strong network means their new or disruptive ideas are more likely to be accepted as innovative rather than threatening.

Assimilated brokers: Good

Good: High cultural fit and weak network ties. Strength: They fit in culturally, so they're trusted and accepted, but also bridge disconnected groups, giving them access to unique ideas and innovations. Why they succeed: Their cultural alignment makes their brokerage role effective without being seen as trusted and accepted, but also bridge disconnected groups, giving them access to unique ideas and innovations. Why they succeed: Their cultural alignment makes their brokerage role effective without being seen as outsiders, and their structural position allows them to bring in fresh ideas.outsiders, and their structural position allows them to bring in fresh ideas.

Disembedded actors: Bad

Low cultural fit and weak network ties

Weakness: They have neither the social connections nor cultural alignment to gain trust or influence.

Why they fail: Lacking both anchors (culture and structure), they are isolated and vulnerable, often leading to early dismissal.

Doubly embedded actors: Bad

High cultural fit and strong network integration

Weakness: They are too embedded-culturally conformist and structurally limited-making them less likely to stand out or innovate.

Why they fail: Their conformity and tight integration stifle creativity and exposure to new ideas, making them blend in too much to be seen as valuable contributors.

Conflict in the workplace

Conflict can be both positive and negative, and can lead to serious consequences or positive change in the workplace.

Benefits of conflict

Forces goal analysis, creates dialogue among employees, fosters creative solutions, stimulates organizational learning, prevents stagnation, improves performance and productivity.

Sources of conflict

The organization's hierarchy, ways of doing business, built-in opposition between units, highly standardized jobs, large number of workers, distribution of limited resources, diverse goals.

Avoidance: managing conflict with the boss

Result: leads to dissatisfaction and conflict in later times

When to use: With a boss, it may seem better in stressful moments, but leads to dissatisfaction

Accommodate: boss and peers

Result: leads to you not winning and the other person winning, makes you feel worse and hurts you in the long run

When to use: may be an easy way out of conflict

Compromise: boss and peers

Result: negotiating, everyone wins

Force: subordinates

Result: you will win, no matter the cost, but it will cause hurt to suboridates and will cause later conflicts

Collaborate: anyone

Win-win situation for everyone involved, best strategy.

Steps in the Collaboration Process

Define the problem, analyze the problem, brainstorm alternatives, develop criteria for a good solution, evaluate the brainstormed alternatives using the criteria.

Define the problem (Collaboration Process)

Clearly state the issue without jumping to solutions, described in a way everyone agrees on, preferably as a group goal or question.

Analyze the problem (Collaboration Process)

Explore the root causes, history, and impact of the problem to understand it deeply.

Brainstorm alternatives (Collaboration Process)

Invite everyone to suggest possible solutions in a judgment-free environment.

Develop criteria for a good solution (Collaboration Process)

Set standards that a successful solution must meet, such as low cost, easy implementation, use of available resources, legality, and alignment with company values.

Evaluate the brainstormed alternatives (Collaboration Process)

Compare ideas against the agreed criteria; the best option usually becomes clear as the one that best fits the standards.

What is required for the collaboration approach to work

Mutual trust, open communication, commitment to shared goal, willingness to spend time, problem-solving mindset

Mutual trust

People must feel safe to share ideas without fear of judgment.

Open communication

All voices should be heard and respected throughout the process.

Commitment to shared goals

Focus on solving the problem, not defeating each other.

Willingness to spend time

Collaboration takes effort and cannot be rushed.

Problem-solving mindset

All participants must believe a win-win outcome is possible.