JT 560 Managing Communication Systems

Four Organizational Communication Variables
For Assessing Communication Effectiveness

Four key variables can be used to analyze the nature of communication in an organization. However, the impact of the variables listed below can be moderated or influenced by other situational factors as well, including:

• Environment -- Uncertainty, nature of work routines, whether people work alone or in groups, spatial arrangements, similiarities among people.
• Culture-- Organization-specific beliefs and values, rituals and traditions, etc.
• Ability -- Capabilities of individual people to process information
• Motivation -- How relevant and instrumental information is made to appear

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Variable	Description	Measurement	Scope of Explanatory Power	Possible Solutions or Recommendations
Communication Climate Valence of organizational mood	Includes openness, trust, availability of feedback channels, quality of message flow	Nature of supervisor/subordinate relations (status barriers) Types and uses of feedback channels Relationship of climate to social/structure variables Attitudes of people toward the organization as a place to work (positive versus negative)	Does the climate fit the type of organization? Is feedback sufficient? Does feedback occur at right levels? Do managers convey trust and openness? Do messages reflect the sought-after climate?	Encourage feedback Minimize status barriers Support openness
Communication Networks Actual and potential patterns of relationships	Includes natures of links (symmetric or assymetric--i.e. equal or unequal), strength of link, interaction frequency, reciprocity (agreement on nature of the link)	Balance or equality of interactions Frequency of interaction (and for what content types) Co-orientation measures (accuracy, congruency and agreement of viewpoints)	Which types of networks are functional or dysfunctional? Are some networks used for only certain types of content? What norms or rules govern use of different networks? Can these rules be changed? Are some messages given but not received because of network type? Is the degree of interaction appropriate?	Identify additional networks needed Change existing networks Examine whether current networks are appropriate to nature of information being transmitted
Communication Load How much information can people handle and in what form or channel?	Concept applies to individuals, dyads, work groups and whole organizations	Process Measures: Rate and number of communication demands received and acted upon in a given time period Number of judgments that must be taken into account when processing. Outcome Measures: Quality of processing: message awareness, comprehension, elaboration and retention Predictability of load effects by channel Predictability of load effects by content type.	Overload versus underload. What is appropriate for different people, units and types of information? Which channels heighten and lessen load for different types of information?	Enhance ability of people to process information Suggest changes in channels used and types of messages based upon channel capacity and characteristics.
Flow Matching of the direction of communication with the nature of the information and the goals of the organization	Downward--follows organizational chart. Horizontal--functional, but too often developed on an ad-hoc basis and leaves to chance who works together Upward--Provides for subordinate feedback, thus increasing involvement, satisfaction, ownership. Resulting sense of empowerment leads to improved production effectiveness.	Number and type of messages going each way Participants in each type Uses of information with each type People's desires to have access to additional information	Downward communication is good indication of management skills. Upward communication demonstrates feedback, trust and other dimensions of communication climate. Quality of horizontal communicaiton indicates degree to which people work effectively outside the chain of command.	Change communication channel Modify management style Alter levels of information Match message type to flow.