CHAPTER FOUR

Dynamics of
Organizational
Behavior
Dynamics of Behavior in Organizations

Managers need to understand the way individuals & groups act

 Employees and managers bring their individual
differences to work each day
 Differences in attitudes, values, personality, and
behavior influence
 how people interpret an assignment,
 whether they like to be told what to do
 how they handle challenges
 how they interact with others

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Communication and Management
 Communication
 The sharing of information
between two or more individuals
or groups to reach a common
understanding.

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Importance of Good Communication

 Increased efficiency in new

technologies and skills
 Improved quality of products and
services
 Increased responsiveness to
customers
 More innovation through
communication
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The Communication Process
 Phases of the Communication
Process:
 Transmission phase in which information
is shared by two or more people.
 Feedback phase in which a common
understanding is assured.

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The Communication Process
The Communication Process
 Sender – person wishing to share
information with some other person
 Message – what information to
communicate
 Encoding – sender translates the
message into symbols or language
 Noise – refers to anything that
hampers any stage of the
communication process
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The Communication Process
 Receiver – person or group for which
the message is intended
 Medium – pathway through which an
encoded message is transmitted to a
receiver
 Decoding - critical point where the
receiver interprets and tries to make
sense of the message

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The Communication Process

 Feedback phase is initiated by the

receiver
 Receiver decides what message to
send to the original sender
 Feedback eliminates
misunderstandings, ensures that
messages are correctly interpreted

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Communication Barriers
Filtering

Selective
Apprehension/fear Perception

Information
Language Overload

Emotions

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Formal & informal Communication

Includes 3 types of communication Inside the organization. . .

Horizontal
Downward Upward
Messages flow Messages flow Messages flow
downward through the upward through the laterally between
chain of command—i.e., chain of command— people of the same
from manager to i.e., from employee to rank.
employee. boss.
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 Downward Communication

 Employee performance appraisals

 Job instructions
 Job rationale
 Policy & procedures
 Motivational appeals

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 Upward Communication

 Employee work, achievements &

progress
 Employee opinions & feelings
 Outlines of work problems
 Ideas for improvement

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 Communication Styles
Informal Communication… Formal Communication…
 Is less rigidly structured  Is more rigidly structured

 Has a more relaxed tone  Has a more formal tone

 Uses more casual  Uses more standard

language language

 Places less emphasis on  Places higher importance on

correct grammar and correct grammar and
spelling spelling

 Is used mainly with peers  Is used mainly with non-

and other people you peers & people you don’t
know well know well

 Is more likely to be  Is more likely to be needed

in business, career, or
needed in personal
educational situations
 Informal Communication
 This is commonly known as The
Grapevine
 Indicates the health of the organization
 Adds to employee satisfaction &
commitment
 Indicates employee concerns >

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 Informal Communication
 Is 75-95% accurate
 Travels fast
 Effective managers use The Grapevine

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 Informal Communication
Information carried by the “Grapevine” . . .

Indicates the health of the organization

Adds to employee satisfaction & commitment
Indicates employee concerns
Is 75-95% accurate

Thomas Perdew/Focus Group/PictureQuest

Travels fast

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Verbal & Nonverbal Communication

 Verbal Communication
 The encoding of messages into words,
either written or spoken
 Nonverbal
 The encoding of messages by means of
facial expressions, body language, and
styles of dress.

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Nonverbal Messages
 Present in all communications
 Mean different things
 May be intentional or unintentional
 Provide information
 May contradict verbal message
 May outweigh verbal message
 Depends on the total environment
 May have positive or negative effects
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By:Abdissa Desalegn Gudeta(Asst.Professor)