Organizational Communication - Form of Knowing the Subordinates

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 content

SECTION II: CURRENT STAGE OF RESEARCH ....................................................3

SECTION III: IN-DEPTH DEVELOPMENT OF TOPIC ..........................................3
SECTION IV: CONCLUSIONS .....................................................................................6
SECTION V: BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES ..................................................7

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 SECTION I: REASON FOR CHOOSING THE TOPIC

In the elaboration of the theme "Organizational communication - form of knowledge of

subordinates" we will start by presenting the functions and dynamics of organizational
communication, where practical examples and case studies will be added, as well as in the part
dedicated to managerial communication and types of internal communication. Particular attention is
paid to the organization and planning of communication in the company, the need to develop
communication strategies in large organizations and the importance of the department/employee
responsible for internal communication. The evaluation of internal communications is an essential
premise in determining its quality and the role it plays in maximizing organizational performance.
The internal communication audit is the fundamental method of identifying the best practices but
also of communication problems in companies, analyzing them and proposing solutions to solve
them.

SECTION II: CURRENT STAGE OF RESEARCH

The present research aims, as a general purpose, to analyze how internal communication in
organizations influences the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization or the performance of
the organization. By studying the specialized literature, we aim to show the importance given to this
topic by professionals. As we will show in the methods section, organizational communication is a
relatively new field of research;\
Lately there have been many studies in this field, but in our country their number is limited.
However, there is growing concern as it is a hot topic, given the increasing number of multinational
companies that have opened offices in Romania and the growing influence of information
technology on the media. Communication, unlike other components of management and the
organization as a whole, has specificities that do not allow it to be explored in the same way as
other organizational or managerial issues. First, communication is ubiquitous in all company
activities; Your studies cannot be done in isolation, but in an organizational context and through
integration into management functions. Second, the degree of generalizability in organizational
communication research is lower than in other fields. Communication is company specific; every
company has its own communication system depending on its profile, size and, above all, its
organizational culture. There are common elements, but elements specific to each organization
determine the communication climate.

SECTION III: IN-DEPTH DEVELOPMENT OF THE THEME

1. Definition. APPROACH
In simple terms, internal communication represents the exchange of messages between the
members of an organization, taking into account the tools used, the channels of information
circulation and the purpose of transmitting this information. It seems like an easy process to
understand, in which, according to pre-established rules, individuals receive instructions and put
them into practice, without being influenced in any way. The most important thing that must be
analyzed is the fact that at the center of internal communication are people, with their own ideas and
ways of interpreting the exchange of information .

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 "Internal communication is not the lubricant of an organization - it is its nervous and
circulatory system. Internal communication is not man's tactical tool, it is man himself"1
Organizational communication, as it also appears in the specialized meaning, actually
represents the invisible facade of the organizations' image from the outside. The uniqueness of
individuals, their values and beliefs, the need for feedback, the need to belong to the group, etc.,
make internal communication a complex process that must be given increased attention by the
management of an organization. "Petru, to understand the communication between several social
actors, we must take into account the communication situations, their context, the staging and the
objectives of each participant (...)"2
The approaches regarding the activity of the employees had several directions in the 20th
century. These approaches show the essential role of communication in the organization for
effective leadership management.
If at the beginning of the last century there was talk, among other things, of the existence of
a managerial system of organizations in which man was seen as a simple tool for achieving results,
which can be motivated mainly by the "money" factor, in the following decades, theorists such as
Barnard and Elton Mayo 3introduced the motivational level, in the perspective of the relationship
between managers and employees.
Barnard argued that it is absolutely necessary for a leader to ensure the existence of a
communication system. Elton Mayo drew attention to the harmony that must exist between
subordinates and management, criticizing the authoritarian way of leaders who promoted
"obedience" to orders and directives. Communication intervenes, thus, precisely to attract
employees to an active participation in the life of the organization and to give them, in this way,
appreciation.
Organizations are not amalgams of buildings, offices and technological equipment; they are
primarily made up of people who communicate effectively, or not, and who need information, both
to fulfill their tasks, but also to feel an integrated part of the existing culture in the organization.
Employees need to feel appreciated, while managers need their instructions to be understood
and put into practice to achieve the expected results. That is why the success of the organization and
the echo caught by it in the media, or among the competition, first pass through "own household".
Thus, organizational communication is one of the basic pillars for the success of an organization.
The internal public also intervenes in supporting the external image or in attributing
negative aspects to it. If the employees are well informed about the plans or projects initiated by the
organization, they can transmit valuable information to stakeholders from various public categories.
Otherwise, the messages sent will have a distorted form compared to the real one and any carefully
thought out public relations plan can become a failure. That's why Shel Holz describes the staff of
an organization as " the most important audience " 4and at the same time " brand ambassador " of
the organization.
What is the route of information between departments, what tools and channels are used,
how effectively they communicate, you will find out in the following pages.

2. Approaches to communication.

Over time, two approaches to communication within an institution/organization have been

noted.5
a) The instrumental approach - based on the canonical model, Shannonalso substantiated by
Weaver in 1949 (see figure 1). In the case of internal communication, this linear model
highlights the importance of the sender, who in the context of public order and safety structures
1
Veen, Ton, " Public relations: codes, practices, interferences" , Timisoara, Mirton, 2004, p.137
2
Cabine, Philippe, Dortier, Jean, Francois, Communication , Iasi, Polirom, 2010, p. 177
3
Ritt, Adriana, Communication II. Course notes , Timişoara, West University of Timişoara, Faculty of Mathematics,
Office College, 1998, p. 54
4
Holz, Shel, " Public relations on NET.Second edition" , New York, Amacom , 2002, pp.269-273
5
Veen, Ton, " Public relations: codes, practices, interferences" , Timisoara, Mirton, 2004

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 is usually the manager, head of department, etc. Thus, communication is top-down. The
question to be asked is whether the instructions are correctly received by the employees
(receivers) and then implemented accordingly. This type of communication is effective in
situations where unexpected changes occur within ongoing projects; changes that require the
fastest transmission of indications.

Figure 1 Shannon and Weaver's communication model6

b) The interactive approach – the receiver becomes from a simple recipient of the message to an
active receiver, which in turn transmits messages. Communication now means more than
sending and receiving messages; an important element being the context in which this
interaction of the issuers takes place 7. Thus, communication represents the establishment of a
continuous flow of information between the employees of a company, without omitting the
elements of clarity and understanding, for good cooperation. This perspective was supported by
the emergence of concepts such as the theory of utility and reward, according to which the
needs of the receiver are valued, or the interactive approach (Gerbner, 1956), in which equal
importance is given to the sender and the receiver.
Comparing these two perspectives, we observe the transition from a simple transfer of
information to a multilateral process of message transmission, in which psychological, sociological
or cultural elements existing in interpersonal relationships also intervene.

2. Types of internal communication

Employees communicate with each other regardless of their position in the hierarchical
structure, in official situations or during coffee breaks, during or outside the program. Depending on
these situations, there are several types of the communication act 8:
1. Vertical communication
1.a Downward communication (from top to bottom) is carried out on the route of higher
levels - employees and appears especially in situations where managers want to transmit valuable
information, to be put into practice: announcements, decisions, orders, new
rules, directives. And so on Downward communication can be written or oral; preferably the first
variant, so that the message is perceived in its original form. A plus of the written form is brought
by e-mail, which allows feedback for the receiver.
Oral communication occurs in a formal setting, at meetings, gatherings, etc., and is usually
recorded through minutes.
1.b Upward communication (from bottom to top) is achieved by sending messages by
employees to the higher level. It appears in the form of written reports, or discussions during
analysis sessions. The problem encountered in this case is that the messages do not always reach the
recipient, therefore the modern form of e-mail is gaining more and more ground, due to the degree
of interaction offered and the possibility of storing messages.
(horizontal) 9communication is represented by the exchange of messages that takes place at the
same hierarchical level and ensures a favorable climate for collaboration between
departments or sections .
3. Cross communication (diagonally) is established between the members of different levels of
public order and safety structures. It usually appears at training sessions, general meetings, or

6
Fiske, John, Introduction to communication sciences, Iasi, Polirom, 2003, p.22
7
Burduş, E., Căprărescu G., Fundamentals of organizational management , Economic Ed., Bucharest, 1999
8
Paus, Viorica, Aura, " Communication and human resources ", Iasi, Polirom, 2006, pp.125-126
9
Costică Voicu, Ştefan Prună, Police Management , Media Uno Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, p.156

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celebrations and events of the organization. Leaders with a liberal vision see in this type of
communication a solution for interpersonal knowledge and, thus, for establishing a favorable
workplace climate.
Depending on the importance of the information circulating in public order and security
structures, internal communication can be formal, or official, and informal.
4. Formal communication ensures the circulation of information considered important for the
achievement of objectives and the proper functioning of public order and safety structures:
decisions, rules, indications on hierarchical lines. A very important role in these situations is played
by the manager, who must ensure that the employees comply with the requirements 10.
5. Informal communication occurs within groups and is centered around an informal leader. The
positive aspect of this type of communication is that it creates a climate favorable to the promotion
of values in public order and safety structures. It is also in this framework that rumors appear that
create tension within the organization and that can give a negative image to the institution,
externally. I will return to the rumors in the last chapter.
The existence of this informal framework leads to the emergence of informal communication
channels for employees.
Depending on the way in which the exchange of information is carried out, we have the
following classification:
6. Direct communication - is achieved when the message carriers are face to face and can be
unidirectional, in the case of downward communication, or bidirectional, in which case the receiver
will use feedback.
7. Indirect communication - can be mutual when it takes place on a channel that allows feedback
(telephone, e-mail, intranet, etc.) or unilateral, when the form of communication does not allow
feedback (documents, written announcements, directives) 11.
Management must find an effective mix of these types of communication to maintain a
balance, in this " continuous exchange of messages between people who are part of the organization
"12

SECTION IV: CONCLUSIONS

The study of organizational communication is not a recent concern, but it has only recently
begun to be recognized in the academic environment, coming to respond more and more to the
needs and concerns of the business environment.
The field of organizational communication is very diverse and fragmented. It covers
communication at the micro, medium and macro level, formal and informal, and internal
communication practices (newsletters, presentations, strategic communications, meetings, etc.) as
well as external communication (public, media, inter-organizational). Innovation, organizational
learning, knowledge management, conflict management, diversity and communication technologies
are also covered by this vast field. Communication could be improved in the following way:
- Improving the Intranet network and adding a discussion forum. Here could be posted the
messages that would target any field of internal interest. However, the administration of this forum
remains an obstacle, due to the lack of specialized staff;
- Offering introductory courses in communication to coordinators. They are not specialists in
internal communication issues, and in some cases they choose the method of communication that
seems effective to them, without it producing results.
- Increasing the degree of complementarity in the use of forms of communication. Face-to-
face communication is frequently used, but at least during some meetings it should be recorded in
writing, so as not to lose the essence of the information;

10
Burduş, E., Căprărescu G., Fundamentals of organizational management, Economic Ed., Bucharest, 1999, p.174
11
Constantinescu, Dan Anghel, Management, vol I and II , National Ed., Bucharest, 1998, p.153
12
Veen, Ton, " Public relations: codes, practices, interferences" , Timisoara, Mirton, 2004 , p.143

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- Increasing CD transparency - in the absence of a forum, decisions could be sent in electronic
format through the existence of a database containing the identification elements of employees or
collaborators.
The relationships established between employees even outside the professional sphere are
also evident, which shows that lateral communication is well represented, as well as oblique
(diagonal) communication.
The passivity of certain members in receiving messages may cause a task not to be
completed properly. This is a risk that can be easily removed. An effective way is to set up
mechanisms that generate permanent feedback. Man feels much more open to communication when
he understands its context and is stimulated to get more involved in this way.
Another dimension that requires improvement is that of informal channels and interaction in
this sense. "Meetings under the willow tree" are cultural elements of public office, and cannot
always be taken as a factor for welding relationships. New members, for example, are less receptive
to this event. In this sense, the following can be organized:
- teambuildings
- workshops
- channels generated by social networks that can be a factor of motivation and support for the
establishment of collegial relationships.

SECTION V: BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

1. BURDUŞ, E., Căprărescu G., Fundamentals of organizational management , Publishing

House. Economica, Bucharest, 1999.
2. CABINE, Philippe, DORTIER, Jean, Francois, Communication , Iasi, Polirom, 2010.
3. CONSTANTINESCU, Dan Anghel, Management, vol I and II , National Publishing House,
Bucharest, 1998.
4. COSTICĂ Voicu, PRUNĂ Ştefan, Police Management , Media Uno Publishing House,
Bucharest, 2007.
5. FISKE, John, Introduction to communication sciences , Iasi, Polirom, 2003.
6. HOLZ, Shel, " Public relations on NET. Second edition ", New York, Amacom, 2002.
7. PĂUŞ, Viorica, Aura, " Communication and human resources ", Iasi, Polirom, 2006.
8. RITT, Adriana, Communication II. Course notes , Timişoara, West University of Timişoara,
Faculty of Mathematics, Office College, 1998.
9. VEEN, Ton, "Public relations: codes, practices, interferences", Timisoara, Mirton, 2004.