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BEFORE

YOU READ
- Mentally revisit the
CRITICAL
classical, humanist,
systems, and
THEORY
cultural concepts
- Examine and
(CHAPTER 6)
reflect upon your Dr. Lora Helvie-Mason, COMS
understanding of 404
POWER in
organizations and
in our society
ROOTS OF CRITICAL THEORY
Frankfurt School philosophy
Karl Marx
Knowledge in society is NOT objective

Organizational communication scholars


operating from a critical theory attempt to
reveal how social and technological
structures within organizations serve to
oppress workers
DOMINATION
Critical theorists view an organization as a site of domination
where the interests of the dominant group (typically owners and
managerspeople with power) are elevated above the interests of
subordinate groups (typically the workerspeople with less
power).

It is all about POWERwho has it, who doesnt, what they do


with/without it
Mumby (2000) notes two levels of concern
with power in critical theory


Individual/group social relations
Interests and values upon which knowledge
P WER
claims are made
DIMENSIONAL VIEWS
POWER: TWO
Power: One Dimensional DIMENSIONAL VIEW
View Power MUST consider

A has power over B to


both decision making and
non-decision making
the extent that A can get
(Bachrach & Baratz,
B to do something B
1970)
would not otherwise do.
Focuses on the fact that

(Dahl, 1957)
power is present in both
Focuses on decision-making covert and overt
behavior and conflict
Power: Three Dimensional communication
View
Power may be present in situations where there is no
conflict on the surface and at times OTHER than when
a decision is being made (Lukes, 1974)
Focuses on political agenda, issues and potential issues, and
observable (overt or covert) and latent conflict
IDEOLOGY AND HEGEMONY
Ideology is the value and beliefs held by the dominant group.
Ideology represents values, ideals, and understandings about a part of social
reality.
Ideology can function in the following ways: to represent sectional interests as
Think
universal, to deny or transmute contradictions, to naturalize the present through
reification, to use ideology as a means of control. about
it!
Hegemony is the enactment of these values and beliefs by the
subordinate group
How is
this
The key to the concept of hegemony is the idea that the subordinated
group actively supports the interests of the dominant group, often critical
unknowingly, a situation resulting in oppressive circumstances. view
The subordinated group is actively participating in the maintenance of actually
the dominant groups ideology; hence, its means of control. critical

conside
r the
term.
CONCERTIVE CONTROL

Technically, this is the idea of adhering to socially


constructed norms and values that are developed by the
organizational members themselves as they strive to
construct their environment

What does that REALLY mean?


Org. members develop the
values
so they are more likely to
follow them.
COMMUNICATION IN CRITICAL
THEORY
Jurgen Habermas
Ideal Speech Situation participant and interaction are balanced.
Validity claims
Utterances are truthful
Legitimate relationship has been established between the participants
The utterances are sincere
The utterances are comprehensible

Think about it!


When, if ever, did you feel these validity
claims were in place in an organization
you were in?
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Read pages 119-120 of your text. What do you think about


the monitoring of technology use described? Have you
experienced anything similar?
USING CRITICAL THEORY
Create a more human(e) workplace
Feminist organizational communication theorizing
Organizational spirituality
Organizational codes of ethics
HUMAN(E) WORKPLACE
Critical organizational theorists are dedicated to
uncovering oppressive structural, technological, and
communicative practices in organizations that most
people accept as a natural part of work life.
The reality is that the oppression and oppressive
circumstances exist often as a by-product of the manner
in which organizations have classically been run.
Cheneys democracy in the workplace

Think about it:


Workers tend to think that oppression is
just a part of working it just is a part
of how work functions.
Have you ever felt this way?
FEMINIST ORGANIZATIONAL
THEORY
Feminist organizational theory is a form of critical theory that is
dedicated to examining the oppressive circumstances experienced
by women in the workplace.
Liberal feminists people are differentiated on basis of sex and exist in a male-
dominated structure where women are oppressed
Overcome by working with existing structure to gain equal opportunity for women
Materialist feminists advance the idea that gender differences are socially
constructed
Overcome by uprooting existing male-dominated power structure and equally
distribute resources
Radical feminists men and women should be separated as a way to resolve the
imbalance between the sexes
Women hold superior biological and cultural qualities they should separate
themselves because they can operate at a higher level without male counterparts in
the system

These
These are
are COMPLEX
COMPLEX ideas
ideas that
that are
are
rather simplified here explore more
rather simplified here explore more
examples
examples and
and details
details in
in your
your text
text
EQUITABLE POWER SHARING
Mattson and Buzzanell (1999) posit that feminist ethical approaches differ from
others by focusing on "equitable power sharing and decision making" and
insisting that "doing ethics" involves being an active participant in the struggle
to maintain an ethical community (p. 62).
1. This perspective seeks to define the situation through examination of
organizational members language choices, behaviors, and various aspects of
the context to determine the (un)ethical nature of the situation.
2. Second, values and ideals serve to identify communicative action that violates
the values of voice, community, and fairness.
3. Third, the value of fairness implies the equitable balance of power and
resources.

=
4. Fourth, the ethical principle recognizes the importance of emotion in
communicative behavior.

= =
5. The final phase, development of a solution points to the need to constantly
reevaluate options and solutions until an acceptable one is reached.
ORGANIZATIONAL SPIRITUALITY
In an effort to more fully embrace or endure their
organizational lives, many members have begun to
approach their work with a sense of spirituality.

Milliman et al. (2003) suggest three dimensions that make


up organizational spirituality.
1. meaningful work (individual level)
2. Interconnection, community (group level)
3. The organization's mission, values, and goals. (organizational
level)
ORGANIZATIONAL ETHICS
Encourage members to have a voice in the development
of a code of ethics
Usually a response to unethical behavior
May be coercive
Tries to standardize behavior

Think about it:


Please consider your MAJOR. Does your major area have
a code of ethics? What do you know about it? Why
does/doesnt your area have a code of ethics? Where do
you find a code of ethics?
CRITICAL THEORY

Apply these concepts to the organization you are


studying this semester.

How do you feel about critical theory?

What are some limitations of the critical


perspective?

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