"Within the realm of communication studies, organizational communication is a field of study surrounding all areas of communication and information flow that contribute to the functioning of an organization."
Different models that explain how communication works within an organization, from classical to contemporary models.
Theories of Organizational Communication: Understanding the different theoretical frameworks behind organizational communication helps in understanding how people communicate within an organization and the factors that influence communication.
Types of Organizational Communication: Understanding the different types of organizational communication, such as formal and informal communication, upward and downward communication, and horizontal communication, helps in analyzing communication patterns in an organization.
Organizational Culture: Understanding the culture of an organization helps in understanding the communication patterns and behaviors of individuals within an organization.
Communication Networks: Understanding communication networks within an organization helps in analyzing the flow of communication within the organization.
Organizational Climate: Understanding the mood or atmosphere of an organization helps in analyzing the communication patterns and efficacy of individuals within the organization.
Organizational Communication Channels: Understanding the different communication channels within an organization helps in analyzing the appropriateness and effectiveness of different communication methods.
Communication Strategies: Understanding the strategies that organizations use to communicate, such as rhetoric and persuasive communication, helps in analyzing the effectiveness of communication efforts.
Technology and Communication: Understanding how technology influences communication within an organization helps in analyzing the appropriateness and effectiveness of different technological tools.
Communication Climate: Understanding how communication climates are established within an organization helps in analyzing how communication goals can be achieved.
Communication Flow: Understanding the flow of communication within an organization helps in analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of communication patterns within an organization.
Barriers and Distortions: Understanding the communication barriers and distortions that can arise within an organization helps in analyzing how to overcome these communication challenges.
Feedback and Evaluation: Understanding the role of feedback and evaluation in organizational communication helps in analyzing the effectiveness and appropriateness of communication methods.
Social Media and Communication: Understanding how social media platforms can be used to communicate within an organization helps in analyzing the appropriateness and effectiveness of social media platforms.
Crisis Communication: Understanding how to communicate during a crisis within an organization helps in analyzing the efficacy of crisis communication efforts.
Intercultural Communication: Understanding how culture influences communication within an organization helps in analyzing the appropriateness and effectiveness of communication efforts in a multicultural organization.
Conflict Resolution: Understanding how to effectively resolve conflicts within an organization through communication helps in analyzing the effectiveness of communication efforts in resolving conflicts.
Diversity and Inclusion: Understanding how diversity and inclusion strategies are integrated into organizational communication helps in analyzing the appropriateness and effectiveness of communication efforts within a diverse organization.
Linear Model: This model of communication consists of a sender transmitting a message through the channel to a receiver. This model views communication as a one-way process.
Interactive Model: This model is more complex, and it involves feedback from the receiver. It considers two-way communication in the process.
Transactional Model: This model is considered a more sophisticated version of the interactive model. It involves communication being an ongoing process between the sender and receiver and the mutual influence the parties have on each other.
Cultural Model: This model views communication as cultural products, shaped by the shared beliefs, values, meanings, norms, and artifacts that distinguish one group from another.
Critical Model: This model addresses the power dynamics in communication and how messages can reinforce or challenge social inequality, oppression, and exploitation.
Constitutive Model: In this model, communication and organization are viewed as interdependent and mutually constitutive. Communication creates, sustains, and transforms organizational reality.
Discursive Model: This model views discourse as the fundamental unit of communication and considers how linguistic interactions create, maintain or challenge organizational culture, identity, and politics.
Cybernetic Model: This model views communication and feedback as a system in which individuals and organizations adjust and adapt to their environment.
Chaos Model: This model of communication views the process as unpredictable and uncertain, reflecting the complexity, ambiguity, and paradoxes of organizational life.
"The scope of organizations included in this field of research have also shifted over time."
"Now both traditionally profitable companies, as well as NGOs and non-profit organizations, are points of interest for scholars focused on the field of organizational communication."
"Organizations are formed and sustained through continuous communication between members of the organization and both internal and external sub-groups who possess shared objectives for the organization."
"The flow of communication encompasses internal and external stakeholders."
"The flow of communication encompasses internal and external stakeholders and can be formal or informal."