Communicating Effectively in

Organizations

Chapter 14
Sixth Edition
Jennifer M. George & Gareth R. Jones

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-1

 Learning Objectives

 Describe the four main functions of communication

and differentiate between different kinds of
communications networks
 Discuss the steps in the communications process and
the requirements for successful communication to
take place
 Differentiate between the main kinds of barriers to
communication and explain how they can reduce the
effectiveness of communication

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-2

 Learning Objectives

 Identify the main kinds of communication media

and explain how they vary along the dimension of

information richness

 Appreciate the importance of persuasive

communication and describe how to create

persuasive messages to influence others

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-3

 Communicating to Customers

 Why is communication so important?

 Company can face lawsuits

 Faulty parts result in numerous recalls

 Lose of customer support

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-4

 What Is Communication?

 Sharing of information

with other people

 Reaching of a common

understanding

 Accuracy, not agreement

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-5

 Functions of Communication
Exhibit 14.1

Providing
knowledge

Controlling/
Functions Motivating
coordinating

Expressing
feelings

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-6

Communication at J. Crew

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-7

 Motivating Organizational Members

Expectancy theory suggests that managers should

 Determine what outcome subordinates seek
 Link outcomes to good performance
 Reassure employees of the potential for good
performance

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-8

 Communication Networks

A communication network is a set of

pathways through which information
flows within a group or organization

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-9

 Wheel Network
Exhibit 14.2a

Leader

Member

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-10

 Chain Network
Exhibit 14.2b

Assembly-
Line Worker

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-11

 Circle Network
Exhibit 14.2c

Task Force Member

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-12

 All-Channel Network
Exhibit 14.2d

Top Management Team

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-13

 Simple Organizational Chart
Exhibit 14.3

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-14

 An Example of Actual Communication
Patterns
Exhibit 14.4

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-15

 Informal Communication Networks

 Advice network

 Trust network

 Communication network

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-16

 The Communication Process
Exhibit 14.5

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-17

 Media for Message Transmission

Nonverbal Communication Verbal Communication

 Facial expressions  Face-to-face oral

 Body language  Oral via telephone

 Mode of dress  Written via memo, letter,

report, e-mail, fax

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-18

 Dressing for Success

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-19

 Barriers to Effective Communication
Exhibit 14.6

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-20

 Linguistic Style

 Choice of words  Tone of voice

 Use of questions  Volume

 Use of jokes  Speed

 Willingness to take  Use of pauses

credit for ideas  Directness or indirectness

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-21

 Approaches to Diversity Training

 Panel of minority members

describe/share personal
experiences

 Members of organization

work with people who are

different from themselves

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-22

 Improving Listening

 Give sender undivided attention

 Look sender in the eye

 Do not interrupt

 Focus on understanding what you are hearing

 Ask questions

 Rephrase key points

 Avoid distracting sender

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-23

 Information Richness

Information richness is the amount of

information a medium of communication
can carry and the extent to which it enables
senders and receivers to reach a common
understanding

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-24

 Information Richness
Exhibit 14.7

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-25

 OB Today: Telemarketing Turns-Off
Customers

• Phone selling caused increasing conflict.

• Despite the fact that we are in a “wired world”,

organizations have gone back to door-to-door selling.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 26

Trade-Offs in Choice of Media

Information Amount of
Richness Time

Information Need for Paper

Richness Trail

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-27

 Intranets

 Directories

 Manuals

 Product specifications

 Delivery schedules

 Minutes of meetings

 Current financial performance

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-28

 . This work is protected by United States copyright laws and is provided solely for
the use of instructors in teaching their courses and assessing student learning.
Dissemination or sale of any part of this work (including on the WorldWideWeb)
will destroy the integrity of the work and is not permitted. The work and
materials from it should never be made available to students except by
instructors using the accompanying text in their classes. All recipients of this
work are expected to abide by these restrictions and to honor the intended pedagogical
purposes and the needs of other instructors who rely on these materials.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the
United States of America.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14-29