Untitled Flashcards Set
Adverse Impact
Explanation: When a seemingly fair practice has a negative effect on a certain group of people.
Example: A hiring test for a job that unintentionally disadvantages older applicants due to physical requirements.
Arbitration
Explanation: A process where a neutral third party helps resolve disputes between two parties.
Example: A company and a union use an arbitrator to settle a disagreement over employee wages.
Assessment Center
Explanation: A testing process where candidates perform different tasks to evaluate their skills.
Example: Candidates for a management position participate in group exercises, role-playing, and problem-solving tasks.
Cafeteria Benefit Programs
Explanation: A system where employees choose their benefits from a menu of options.
Example: An employee selects from health insurance, dental plans, or extra vacation days as part of their benefits package.
Comparable Worth
Explanation: Equal pay for jobs that are different but require similar skill levels and responsibility.
Example: A nurse and a teacher are paid equally because their jobs require similar education and skills.
Development
Explanation: Helping employees improve their skills for current and future roles.
Example: Offering leadership training for employees who show potential for higher-level positions.
Diversity Training
Explanation: Training to help employees understand and work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
Example: A company conducts workshops on cultural awareness and bias reduction.
Employment-at-Will
Explanation: The idea that an employer can fire an employee at any time, for any legal reason.
Example: A company lets an employee go without cause or prior warning.
Flexible Benefit Programs
Explanation: Employees get a certain amount of credits to choose benefits that meet their needs.
Example: An employee chooses to use their credits for a gym membership or additional health insurance.
Human Capital
Explanation: The knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees that have value for the organization.
Example: An employee's expertise in programming is valuable to a tech company.
Human Resources Management (HRM)
Explanation: Systems and practices that manage employees within an organization.
Example: HRM includes hiring, training, and evaluating employees.
Job Analysis
Explanation: A process to determine what a job requires in terms of skills, duties, and responsibilities.
Example: An HR team studies the tasks, qualifications, and skills needed for a software developer role.
Labor Relations
Explanation: The relationship between employees (often through unions) and employers.
Example: Negotiating contracts and resolving disputes between a company and its workers.
Management by Objectives (MBO)
Explanation: A process where managers and employees set goals together, which are then achieved within a set time.
Example: A manager and employee agree to meet a sales target by the end of the quarter.
Needs Assessment
Explanation: Identifying which jobs or departments need training.
Example: A company assesses which teams need training on new software.
Orientation Training
Explanation: Training to help new employees understand their role, company policies, and culture.
Example: A new employee learns about company values, benefits, and their specific responsibilities.
Outplacement
Explanation: Helping employees find new jobs after they leave a company.
Example: A company provides resume assistance and job search support to employees who are laid off.
Performance Appraisal (PA)
Explanation: An assessment of an employee's job performance.
Example: A manager reviews an employee's performance in a meeting and discusses strengths and areas for improvement.
Recruitment
Explanation: The process of attracting and hiring candidates for job openings.
Example: A company posts job ads to attract candidates for a marketing position.
Reliability
Explanation: The consistency of results from a test or measurement over time.
Example: A job test gives the same result when taken by the same person at different times.
Right-to-Work
Explanation: Laws that allow people to work without joining a union.
Example: An employee in a right-to-work state is not required to join a union to get a job.
Selection
Explanation: The process of choosing the best candidates for a job.
Example: A hiring manager interviews applicants and selects the best fit for a position.
Structured Interview
Explanation: An interview where all candidates are asked the same questions in the same order.
Example: Every applicant for a customer service role is asked the same questions about their experience.
360-Degree Appraisal
Explanation: A performance review method where feedback is gathered from multiple sources, including peers, managers, and subordinates.
Example: A manager gets feedback from their team, colleagues, and their own manager.
Team Training
Explanation: Training to help employees work together more effectively.
Example: A team takes a course to improve collaboration and communication skills.
Termination Interview
Explanation: A meeting where an employee is informed about their dismissal and the reasons behind it.
Example: A manager explains to an employee why they are being let go and discusses the next steps.
Training
Explanation: Teaching employees the skills they need to perform their current job.
Example: A new employee is taught how to use the company’s software system.
Union Shop
Explanation: A workplace where employees must join the union after a certain period.
Example: A new employee has 30 days to join the union after being hired.
Validity
Explanation: The degree to which a test measures what it is supposed to measure.
Example: A math test is valid if it accurately tests a candidate’s math skills.
Affirmative Action
Explanation: Efforts to recruit and hire individuals from groups that have been historically discriminated against.
Example: A company implements policies to hire more women and minorities in leadership roles.
Managing Diversity
Explanation: Recognizing and leveraging the differences in employees to benefit the organization.
Example: A company values and supports the contributions of employees from various cultural backgrounds.
Mentors
Explanation: Experienced individuals who help guide and support others, usually less experienced employees.
Example: A senior manager advises a junior employee on how to navigate their career and develop leadership skills.
Monolithic Organization
Explanation: An organization with a very homogeneous workforce, typically with few employees from diverse backgrounds.
Example: A small company with only a few employees from one cultural group and no efforts to hire a more diverse workforce.
Multicultural Organization
Explanation: An organization that values and promotes cultural diversity, using it to its advantage.
Example: A company with employees from different countries, celebrating cultural differences and integrating them into the workplace.
Pluralistic Organization
Explanation: An organization that actively works to have a diverse workforce and involves employees from various backgrounds.
Example: A company has policies that promote inclusion and actively seeks to include people from different genders, races, and ethnicities in leadership positions.
Reasonable Accommodation
Explanation: Adjustments made to the work environment or processes to help employees with disabilities perform their jobs.
Example: Providing a special chair or ramp for an employee with a physical disability.
Sexual Harassment
Explanation: Unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that creates a hostile or offensive work environment.
Example: A coworker repeatedly makes inappropriate comments about another employee's appearance.
Authentic Leadership
Explanation: Leadership style where the leader is true to themselves and their values while leading others.
Example: A manager openly admits when they make mistakes and encourages honesty and transparency from their team.
Autocratic Leadership
Explanation: A leadership style where the leader makes decisions without consulting others.
Example: A manager gives orders to employees and expects them to follow without discussion.
Behavioral Approach
Explanation: A perspective on leadership that focuses on the behaviors and actions of effective leaders.
Example: Identifying that good leaders communicate well and show empathy toward their teams.
Charismatic Leader
Explanation: A leader who inspires and excites followers with their personality and vision.
Example: A CEO who motivates employees with passionate speeches and leads by example.
Democratic Leadership
Explanation: A leadership style where the leader involves subordinates in the decision-making process.
Example: A manager asks employees for their opinions before making a final decision on a new project.
Fiedler’s Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness
Explanation: A theory stating that leadership effectiveness depends on the leader’s style and the situation.
Example: A task-focused leader is more effective in situations requiring quick decisions, while a relationship-oriented leader excels in situations that require team-building.
Group Maintenance Behaviors
Explanation: Actions that help maintain a harmonious and satisfied group.
Example: A leader mediating conflicts and ensuring team members are happy with their roles and relationships.
Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Theory
Explanation: A theory suggesting that a leader should adjust their style based on the maturity of the employee.
Example: A manager who gives clear instructions to a new employee but offers more freedom to an experienced one.
Intergroup Leader
Explanation: A leader who manages collaborations between different groups or organizations.
Example: A project manager coordinating between the marketing and design teams to work on a new product launch.
Job Maturity
Explanation: The level of skill and knowledge an employee has for a specific task.
Example: A skilled carpenter having high job maturity, while a new apprentice would have lower job maturity.
Laissez-Faire Leadership
Explanation: A leadership style where the leader takes a hands-off approach and allows employees to make decisions on their own.
Example: A manager who gives employees autonomy to decide how to approach their tasks without offering much direction.
Lateral Leadership
Explanation: Leadership among peers at the same hierarchical level, encouraging collaboration and joint problem-solving.
Example: Colleagues working together to solve a complex issue without any one person being in charge.
Leader-Member Exchange (LMX)
Explanation: A theory focusing on the relationship between leaders and individual team members, emphasizing personalized interactions.
Example: A leader offering a high level of support and trust to certain team members, creating stronger relationships with those individuals.
Level 5 Leadership
Explanation: A leadership style that combines determination and humility to build lasting organizational success.
Example: A leader who is very determined to succeed but remains humble and focused on the team's achievements rather than their own.
Participation in Decision Making
Explanation: The process where a leader involves employees in making decisions.
Example: A manager asks team members for their opinions when making a decision about a new project.
Path-Goal Theory
Explanation: A theory that suggests leaders help employees achieve their goals by clarifying the path and removing obstacles.
Example: A manager providing resources and guidance to help employees reach their targets more easily.
Power
Explanation: The ability to influence or control the behavior of others.
Example: A manager using their authority to delegate tasks and ensure their completion.
Pseudotransformational Leaders
Explanation: Leaders who focus on their self-interest rather than the needs of their followers, despite claiming to want positive change.
Example: A leader who promotes a cause but makes decisions that mainly benefit themselves or their close associates.
Psychological Maturity
Explanation: The self-confidence and respect an employee has for themselves.
Example: An employee who can handle constructive criticism without losing confidence in their abilities.
Relationship-Motivated Leadership
Explanation: A leadership style focused on building positive relationships with others.
Example: A manager who spends time supporting and mentoring employees to help them grow.
Servant-Leader
Explanation: A leader who prioritizes the needs of others and helps them develop and perform to the best of their ability.
Example: A manager who focuses on supporting their team’s well-being and helping them succeed.
Shared Leadership
Explanation: A leadership style where leadership roles are rotated among team members based on expertise.
Example: In a project team, each member takes turns leading based on their skills and knowledge relevant to the task at hand.
Situational Approach
Explanation: A leadership theory suggesting that there is no single best way to lead, and that leadership styles should change according to the situation.
Example: A manager adjusting their approach based on whether the team needs guidance, motivation, or autonomy.
Strategic Leadership
Explanation: A leadership style that focuses on providing direction and vision to achieve long-term goals.
Example: A CEO creating a vision for the company’s future growth and inspiring employees to follow that direction.
Substitutes for Leadership
Explanation: Factors that reduce the need for leadership by influencing employees in the same way leaders would.
Example: Strong work norms or a highly skilled team that needs little direction from leaders.
Supervisory Leadership
Explanation: Leadership focused on overseeing and providing feedback on employees' day-to-day tasks.
Example: A supervisor providing guidance on how to improve the quality of work and offering corrective feedback.
Task-Motivated Leadership
Explanation: A leadership style focused primarily on completing tasks and achieving goals.
Example: A leader who emphasizes meeting deadlines and ensuring tasks are completed efficiently.
Task Performance Behaviors
Explanation: Actions taken to ensure a team or organization meets its goals.
Example: A team working together to meet a sales target through coordinated efforts.
Trait Approach
Explanation: A leadership theory focusing on identifying personal traits that great leaders share.
Example: Looking for qualities like confidence and decisiveness in potential leaders.
Transactional Leaders
Explanation: Leaders who manage through rewards and punishments based on performance.
Example: A leader who rewards employees with bonuses for meeting targets and reprimands them for failing to meet goals.
Transformational Leader
Explanation: A leader who inspires and motivates others to go beyond their self-interests for the good of the organization.
Example: A leader who encourages employees to work together to achieve a vision and inspires them with a sense of purpose.
Vision
Explanation: A clear and compelling picture of the future state of an organization.
Example: A company aiming to become the leader in sustainable energy within the next decade.
Vroom Model
Explanation: A leadership model that focuses on how leaders involve others in decision-making processes.
Example: A manager who adjusts their level of involvement in decisions based on the importance of the decision and the experience of the team.
Alderfer’s ERG Theory
Explanation: A human needs theory that suggests people have three core needs: Existence (basic material needs), Relatedness (social relationships), and Growth (personal development). Unlike Maslow’s hierarchy, these needs can operate simultaneously, and individuals can move back and forth between them.
Example: An employee might have their basic needs (existence) satisfied but still seek stronger social relationships (relatedness) or more opportunities for personal growth (growth).
Empowerment
Explanation: The process of sharing power with employees, enhancing their confidence in their abilities, and making them feel that they are influential contributors to the organization.
Example: A company empowers its employees by involving them in decision-making processes, giving them the authority to manage their tasks and influence outcomes.
Equity Theory
Explanation: A theory that states people assess how fairly they have been treated based on two key factors: outcomes (what they receive) and inputs (what they contribute). Employees seek a balance between what they give and what they get compared to others.
Example: An employee feels demotivated if they see a coworker with similar input (effort, experience) receiving a higher outcome (pay, benefits).
Expectancy
Explanation: Employees’ perception of the likelihood that their efforts will enable them to achieve their performance goals. It’s the belief that effort leads to performance.
Example: An employee believes that working extra hours on a project will result in completing it successfully and achieving the desired outcome.
Expectancy Theory
Explanation: A motivation theory proposing that people will behave based on their perceived likelihood that their effort will lead to a certain outcome and how much they value that outcome. The theory includes three components: expectancy (effort leads to performance), instrumentality (performance leads to outcomes), and valence (the value of those outcomes).
Example: An employee will work harder if they believe their effort will result in a promotion (expectancy), that promotion will bring a raise (instrumentality), and they value the financial reward (valence).
Extinction
Explanation: The process of withdrawing or failing to provide a reinforcing consequence, thereby reducing or eliminating a behavior.
Example: An employee’s disruptive behavior is ignored (no reinforcement), leading to a decrease in the behavior over time.
Extrinsic Rewards
Explanation: Rewards given to a person by the boss, the company, or another external party, such as bonuses, promotions, or praise.
Example: An employee receives a monetary bonus for exceeding sales targets.
Goal-Setting Theory
Explanation: A motivation theory stating that specific, challenging, and attainable goals can energize individuals and direct their efforts toward achieving those goals.
Example: A manager sets a specific goal for their team to increase sales by 10% within the next quarter, providing clarity and motivation to achieve it.
Growth Need Strength
Explanation: The degree to which individuals want personal and psychological development. People with high growth need strength desire to take on challenges and achieve personal growth.
Example: An employee with high growth need strength may seek opportunities for learning and taking on more complex tasks at work.
Hygiene Factors
Explanation: Characteristics of the workplace, such as company policies, working conditions, pay, and supervision, that can cause dissatisfaction if not managed well, but don’t necessarily motivate employees if handled correctly.
Example: Poor working conditions or low pay can lead to dissatisfaction, but improving these factors won’t necessarily increase motivation.
Instrumentality
Explanation: The perceived likelihood that performance will lead to a particular outcome. It reflects the belief that performance is connected to rewards or outcomes.
Example: An employee believes that delivering excellent performance will result in a bonus or promotion.
Intrinsic Reward
Explanation: A reward that comes from within, such as the satisfaction or pleasure derived directly from performing the job itself, not from external sources.
Example: An employee enjoys the challenge and sense of achievement from completing a difficult project.
Job Enlargement
Explanation: Increasing the number of tasks or responsibilities given to an employee to alleviate boredom and create variety in their work.
Example: A customer service representative is given additional tasks such as handling customer complaints, in addition to answering calls.
Job Enrichment
Explanation: Modifying a job to make it inherently more rewarding, motivating, and satisfying by adding opportunities for growth, recognition, or achievement.
Example: An employee is given more control over their work schedule and responsibilities, allowing them to make decisions that affect their role.
Job Rotation
Explanation: A technique where employees rotate between different tasks or roles within the organization to alleviate monotony and provide variety.
Example: A factory worker rotates between assembly line tasks every few weeks to avoid burnout from repetitive tasks.
Law of Effect
Explanation: A law formulated by Edward Thorndike, stating that behaviors followed by positive consequences are more likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by negative consequences are less likely to occur.
Example: An employee who receives praise for meeting a deadline is more likely to meet deadlines in the future.
Maslow’s Need Hierarchy
Explanation: A theory proposing that human needs are organized in a hierarchical order, starting from physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, to self-actualization. People must satisfy lower-level needs before moving to higher-level needs.
Example: A worker seeks financial security (safety needs) before focusing on relationships (social needs) or personal growth (self-actualization).
Motivation
Explanation: The forces that energize, direct, and sustain a person’s efforts toward achieving a goal or completing a task.
Example: An employee’s motivation to improve performance might stem from the desire for a promotion.
Motivators
Explanation: Factors that make a job more motivating and satisfying, such as additional responsibilities, opportunities for personal growth, recognition, and achievement.
Example: An employee is motivated by the opportunity to lead a new project and gain recognition for its success.
Negative Reinforcement
Explanation: The process of removing or withholding an undesirable consequence to encourage a desired behavior.
Example: A manager stops criticizing an employee once they improve their punctuality, reinforcing the behavior of being on time.
Organizational Behavior Modification (OB Mod)
Explanation: The application of reinforcement theory in organizational settings to influence employee behavior through rewards and punishments.
Example: A company uses OB Mod by rewarding employees for consistent performance and imposing penalties for poor attendance.
Outcome
Explanation: The consequence a person receives for their performance, which can influence future behavior.
Example: An employee’s outcome might be a promotion after successfully completing a challenging project.
Positive Reinforcement
Explanation: The application of consequences that increase the likelihood that a person will repeat a behavior by providing rewards or praise.
Example: An employee receives a bonus for achieving their performance goals, motivating them to continue performing at a high level.
Procedural Justice
Explanation: The fairness of the processes used to make decisions and resolve disputes. People are more likely to accept outcomes if they believe the process was fair.
Example: A company ensures that all employees have an equal opportunity to present their case before making a decision on promotions.
Psychological Contract
Explanation: A set of perceptions about what employees owe their employers and what employers owe their employees, often involving unwritten expectations.
Example: An employee may believe they are entitled to job security and career advancement in exchange for their loyalty and hard work.
Punishment
Explanation: The administration of an aversive consequence to discourage undesirable behavior.
Example: An employee is reprimanded for repeated tardiness to discourage lateness.
Quality of Work Life (QWL) Programs
Explanation: Programs designed to create a work environment that enhances employee well-being, job satisfaction, and overall quality of life.
Example: A company implements flexible working hours and wellness programs to improve employees' work-life balance.
Reinforcers
Explanation: Positive consequences that motivate or encourage specific behaviors, either through rewards or recognition.
Example: A manager rewards an employee with a gift card for consistently exceeding sales targets.
Stretch Goals
Explanation: Ambitious targets set to challenge individuals and teams beyond their current capabilities, often thought to be difficult or seemingly impossible.
Example: A company sets a stretch goal to double its revenue in two years, encouraging teams to push beyond their usual performance levels.
Two-Factor Theory
Explanation: Herzberg’s theory suggesting that there are two factors affecting motivation: hygiene factors (which can cause dissatisfaction) and motivators (which drive satisfaction).
Example: While adequate pay (hygiene factor) may prevent dissatisfaction, the opportunity for achievement (motivator) is what truly drives job satisfaction.
Valence
Explanation: The value an individual places on the outcomes or rewards that result from their actions. It reflects how much someone desires a particular outcome.
Example: An employee places high valence on a monetary bonus and works harder to achieve performance goals to earn it.
Autonomous Work Group
Explanation: A group that has full control over its decisions and the execution of tasks, managing a wide range of activities independently.
Example: A self-managed team in a company decides on its own work schedule, task assignments, and problem-solving strategies without supervision.
Avoidance
Explanation: A conflict-handling style where an individual ignores the issue or minimizes the disagreement, often to avoid confrontation.
Example: A team member refuses to address a disagreement in a meeting and hopes the issue resolves itself.
Cohesiveness
Explanation: The degree to which members of a group are attracted to the group, motivated to remain in it, and influence each other.
Example: A work team where members enjoy working together, trust each other, and feel a strong sense of belonging.
Collaboration
Explanation: A conflict resolution style that emphasizes both cooperation and assertiveness to meet the needs of both parties.
Example: Two departments work together to resolve a conflict by brainstorming solutions that satisfy both groups' needs.
Competing
Explanation: A conflict resolution style where one party prioritizes their own goals over the needs or concerns of the other party.
Example: A manager insists on implementing a new policy even though it negatively impacts employees, focusing solely on company objectives.
Compromise
Explanation: A conflict resolution style that involves giving up something to meet both parties’ concerns halfway.
Example: Two team members disagree on how to split a project, so they agree to divide the work based on each person’s strengths.
Gatekeeper
Explanation: A team member responsible for staying informed about relevant developments and ensuring the team has the necessary information.
Example: A gatekeeper keeps track of industry news and shares relevant updates with the team to keep them aligned with market trends.
Informing
Explanation: A team strategy that involves making decisions internally and then communicating those decisions to outsiders.
Example: A product development team makes a decision on a new product feature and then informs marketing and sales about it.
Management Teams
Explanation: Teams that coordinate and provide direction to subunits within an organization, integrating their work and setting overall goals.
Example: A management team at a large corporation oversees different departments like marketing, finance, and operations, ensuring they work together toward common goals.
Mediator
Explanation: A neutral third party who helps manage and resolve conflict between two or more parties.
Example: A human resources professional mediates a conflict between two team members to find a fair resolution.
Norms
Explanation: Shared expectations and standards about how people should behave within a group.
Example: In a team, a norm could be arriving on time for meetings, as it is expected by everyone.
Parading
Explanation: A team strategy that emphasizes both internal team-building and increasing external visibility at the same time.
Example: A team working on a project showcases their progress at external events while also strengthening internal communication and cohesion.
Parallel Teams
Explanation: Teams that operate outside of the regular work structure and exist temporarily to address specific issues or tasks.
Example: A parallel team is formed to develop a new software system and disbands once the project is completed.
Probing
Explanation: A team strategy where members frequently interact with outsiders, assess their needs, and experiment with potential solutions.
Example: A product team conducts market research, regularly interacting with customers to gather feedback and improve the product.
Project and Development Teams
Explanation: Teams that focus on long-term projects or developments but dissolve once the project is completed.
Example: A software development team that works on creating a new app and disbands once the app is launched.
Roles
Explanation: The specific expectations and behaviors assigned to different individuals in a group, which guide how they should act within the team.
Example: A team may have roles such as a leader, coordinator, and task specialist, each with different responsibilities.
Self-Designing Teams
Explanation: Teams with autonomy to manage all aspects of their function, including hiring, firing, and task allocation.
Example: A self-designing team in a startup hires new team members and determines their roles and responsibilities without input from upper management.
Social Facilitation Effect
Explanation: The phenomenon where people work harder and perform better when in a group compared to when working alone.
Example: An employee tends to work more efficiently during team meetings because of the energy and accountability of being with others.
Social Loafing
Explanation: The tendency for people to exert less effort when working in a group compared to working alone, often due to perceived reduced accountability.
Example: In a team project, one member contributes little because they assume others will pick up the slack.
Superordinate Goals
Explanation: Higher-level goals that are more important than individual or group-specific goals, which can unite individuals or groups toward a common purpose.
Example: Two competing departments agree to collaborate on a superordinate goal, like improving customer satisfaction, which benefits the entire organization.
Task Specialist
Explanation: A team member who has advanced job-related skills or abilities, often helping the group by performing technical or specialized tasks.
Example: A team includes a task specialist who is an expert in data analysis, helping the group with detailed statistical work.
Team
Explanation: A small group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, share performance goals, and hold themselves mutually accountable.
Example: A cross-functional team works together to design a new product, each bringing their own expertise to the project.
Teaming
Explanation: A strategy for creating temporary teams quickly to address specific issues, with teams being reconfigured as necessary.
Example: In a dynamic project environment, individuals are rapidly assigned to different teams based on evolving needs and expertise.
Team Maintenance Roles
Explanation: Roles within a team that focus on maintaining harmony, morale, and the social cohesion of the group.
Example: A team member who encourages others, resolves conflicts, and helps create a positive group atmosphere.
Transnational Teams
Explanation: Teams composed of members from multiple countries, with activities that span across borders.
Example: A global marketing team includes members from the U.S., Europe, and Asia, coordinating marketing strategies for different regions.
Virtual Teams
Explanation: Teams whose members are geographically dispersed and primarily communicate through electronic means, such as email, video calls, or messaging.
Example: A project team composed of members from different countries that communicates and collaborates mainly through digital platforms.
Work Teams
Explanation: Teams that are formed to accomplish specific tasks such as manufacturing, assembly, sales, or providing service.
Example: A factory team that assembles products or a customer service team that handles client inquiries.
Boundaryless Organization
Explanation: An organization where there are no barriers to the flow of information, promoting open communication across all levels and departments.
Example: A tech startup where everyone, from entry-level employees to executives, has access to all company data and communicates freely without traditional hierarchical constraints.
Coaching
Explanation: A process of providing guidance through a dialogue, with the goal of helping someone become more effective and reach their full potential in their job.
Example: A manager regularly meets with an employee to provide advice, feedback, and support for their career growth and performance.
Communication
Explanation: The act of transmitting information and meaning from one party to another using shared symbols, such as words, gestures, or electronic signals.
Example: A team holds a meeting to discuss project progress, ensuring that everyone understands the next steps and goals.
Downward Communication
Explanation: Information that flows from higher levels in the organizational hierarchy to lower levels, such as from managers to employees.
Example: A CEO sends an email to all employees outlining the company’s new strategic goals for the upcoming year.
Filtering
Explanation: The process of withholding, ignoring, or distorting information as it passes through communication channels.
Example: A middle manager only communicates positive feedback to higher management while ignoring or filtering out issues faced by employees.
Grapevine
Explanation: An informal communication network, often consisting of rumors or unofficial news shared among employees.
Example: Employees discussing upcoming layoffs or promotions through casual conversations rather than through official channels.
Horizontal Communication
Explanation: Communication that occurs between people at the same hierarchical level within an organization.
Example: Two department heads discussing a cross-departmental project to ensure smooth collaboration and information sharing.
Media Richness
Explanation: The ability of a communication channel to convey information effectively. Channels that can handle complex messages or rich interactions are considered to have high media richness.
Example: Face-to-face communication has high media richness because it allows for verbal and non-verbal cues, while an email has lower media richness.
One-way Communication
Explanation: A communication process where information flows in only one direction, from the sender to the receiver, with no feedback loop.
Example: A manager sends out an announcement about a new policy, and employees simply read it without responding or providing feedback.
Open-book Management
Explanation: A practice where organizations share key information, such as financial data, with employees at all levels, helping them understand how their work impacts the company’s success.
Example: A company shares quarterly earnings and budget breakdowns with all staff, enabling them to make more informed decisions and take ownership of company goals.
Perception
Explanation: The process through which individuals receive and interpret information based on their experiences, biases, and perspectives.
Example: Two employees may perceive the same meeting differently: one sees it as informative, while the other feels it was a waste of time.
Reflection
Explanation: A communication technique where a person repeats or paraphrases what they believe another person has said to ensure understanding.
Example: In a meeting, one person says, “So, you’re suggesting that we change the project deadline to next Friday, is that right?”
Two-way Communication
Explanation: A communication process where information flows in both directions—feedback from the receiver is given to the sender, creating a loop.
Example: During a team meeting, the manager explains a new strategy, and employees ask questions and provide their opinions, allowing for a discussion.
Upward Communication
Explanation: Information that flows from lower levels of the organizational hierarchy to higher levels, such as feedback or reporting from employees to management.
Example: An employee submits a weekly report to their manager detailing their progress on tasks and any challenges they face.
Virtual Office
Explanation: A mobile work setup where employees can work from anywhere, as long as they have the necessary tools to communicate and collaborate with customers and colleagues.
Example: A freelance consultant uses a laptop, video conferencing tools, and cloud-based software to work with clients and team members from different locations.