The document discusses four key organizational communication interventions: networking and collaboration, information systems, suggestion and grievance systems, and conflict resolution. It describes each intervention in 1-2 paragraphs, noting that effective communication is important for organizational success and these interventions can improve information sharing, coordination, and conflict management within an organization.

1. Diversity
Diversity is an element of organizational culture.

2. Diversity means differences; differences in
employees' ethnic, cultural, and religious
backgrounds; education; values; attitudes; and
gender. A diverse workforce enhances creative
output because people are able to contribute from
their varied experiences.

3. A diversity commitment is especially important
when dealing with international markets because
it prepares an organization to better understand
and serve its customers' needs.

4. TABLE 5—12 ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN AND
DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTIONS
COMPONENT OF THE HPT MODEL
• Strategic Planning and Management
(Vision, Mission)
• Environmental Scanning
• Globalization
• Benchmarking
• Reengineering, Realignment, Restructuring
• Team-building Strategies
• Problem Solving and Decision Making
• Culture and Diversity
• Ethics
• Spirituality in the Workplace

5. Ethics
Ethics define good and bad standards of conduct.

6. Standards are cultural. They vary among
countries, companies, incidents, and situations.
Ethical standards provide a basis for exercising
judgment in day-to-day business operations.

7. They support and help define the culture of an
organization. Successful implementation of
ethical standards requires that they be applied to
every person within a group or organization, as
wells outside individuals or groups that do
business with the organization.

8. TABLE 5—12 ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN AND
DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTIONS
COMPONENT OF THE HPT MODEL
• Strategic Planning and Management
(Vision, Mission)
• Environmental Scanning
• Globalization
• Benchmarking
• Reengineering, Realignment, Restructuring
• Team-building Strategies
• Problem Solving and Decision Making
• Culture and Diversity
• Ethics
• Spirituality in the Workplace

9. Spirituality in the Workplace
Work can be not only a place where we go to do a
specific job, but also a place where we can
experience and express our soul and spirit.
Spirituality in the workplace encourages
organizations to recognize people's needs and to
promote their involvement.

10. Many companies are finally beginning to realize
that their employees come to work with a full
range of needs and desires, all of which affect the
quality of employee efforts and therefore
organizational success.

11. Federal Express and Southwest Airlines are two
companies integrating workplace spirituality as a
performance intervention.

12. Soul Committees," where employees meet
regularly to share experiences and provide mutual
support, and "Spirit Awards," which honor
employees who practice and encourage creativity,
are forms of spirituality practiced in the
workplace. "

13. The benefits are many: improved
communications, increased creativity, enhance
partnerships, greater self-respect, deepened
respect for others, and higher morale all emanate
from spirituality in the workplace.

14. In today's marketplace, organizations that wish to
remain competitive must re-examine and
restructure their operations and implement the
changes necessary to ensure continued efficiency
and effectiveness.

15. Employee satisfaction, contribution, and
ownership are key ingredients to the success of
any organization. When consideration for people
and the individual pursuit of excellence becomes
the standard, organizational excellence blossoms.

16. ORGANIZATIONAL
COMMUNICATION
INTERVENTIONS

17. Although the word communication has many
meanings, it is defined here is a transfer of
meaning between sender and receiver.

18. The sender has an idea that is put into a letter,
memo, or conversation so that it can be sent. The
transmitted idea is then received, whereupon the
receiver interprets the message. The receiver then
provides feedback.

19. More broadly, communication is a process
through which people, acting together, create,
sustain, and manage meanings through the use of
verbal and non—verbal signs and symbols within
a particular context

20. An organization's success depends on the
effectiveness of its people working together,
supporting common goals and understanding
critical issues, all of which is dependent on
effective communication.

21. Gibson and Hodgetts define organizational
communication as "the transfer of information
and knowledge among organizational members
for the purpose of achieving organizational
efficiency and effectiveness."

22. This session examines the impact of four
organizational communication interventions on
employee behavior: networking and
collaboration, information systems, suggestion
and grievance systems, and conflict resolution
(see Table 5-13).
ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION
TABLE 5—13
INTERVENTIONS COMPONENT OF
THE HPT MODEL
• Networking and Collaboration
• Information Systems
• Suggestion and Grievance Systems
• Conflict Resolution

23. TABLE 5—13
ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION
INTERVENTIONS COMPONENT OF
THE HPT MODEL
• Networking and Collaboration
• Information Systems
• Suggestion and Grievance Systems
• Conflict Resolution

24. Networking and Collaboration
Networks are patterns of communication
interactions.

25. They are defined channels within an organization
that expedite the time transmission of messages to
their intended receivers. Defined network
channels add predictability to an organization by
directing the access of information.

26. Communication networks facilitate the
dissemination and collection of information, the
coordination of work effort, and the achievement
of goals. Many smaller networks exist within the
larger organizational networking system.

27. For example, there are personal and individual
networks, and there are departmental networks.
Researchers have studied network structures,
formal and informal networks, communication
roles of networks, descriptive properties, and
network analysis.

28. Collaboration is cooperating in the
communication process by working together for
an improved quality of work life. The
organizational culture has a dramatic impact on
how people communicate.

29. Communication patterns should be matched to the
organizational culture because each reinforces the
other.
Positive organizational communication exists in
the collaborative setting; a competitive setting
often fosters negative organizational
communication.

30. TABLE 5—13
ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION
INTERVENTIONS COMPONENT OF
THE HPT MODEL
• Networking and Collaboration
• Information Systems
• Suggestion and Grievance Systems
• Conflict Resolution

31. Information Systems
Information systems refer to the various manual
or automated communication mechanisms within
an organization that store, process, disseminate
and sometimes even analyze information for those
who need it.

32. Computer hardware, networks, and software are
most commonly associated with this
communication mechanism. Their increased use
over the past decade is due to the fact that, if used
correctly, information systems offer many
advantages over other organizational
communication devices.

33. TABLE 5—14 ADVANTAGES OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS

34. The introduction of information systems as an
organizational communication mechanism carries
with it many implementation considerations.

35. Security. Sensitive information made available
by and transmitted through information systems
must be protected with passwords, encryption,
firewalls, and antivirus protection.

36. Integration. Information systems should ideally
be integrated. However, when this is not
possible, consideration should be given to making
the various systems, as much as possible,
compatible with other departments as well as with
suppliers and customers.

37. Consistency. An important consideration,
especially in nonintegrated systems, is
maintaining consistency to avoid the use of
inaccurate or out-of-date information.

38. Policies. Consideration must be given to ensure
that information systems are used in a manner
compliant with company policies, code of ethics,
and governmental regulations.

39. Ease-of-use in training. Information systems
bring with them new and sometimes more
complicated methods of use and thus require
development of user-friendly interfaces and, when
necessary, the appropriate training on their use.

40. Dehumanization. Finally, information systems
should only be used as an organizational
communication instrument when face-to-face
communication is not possible or necessary.
Examples where information systems, in
isolation, are not advisable include employee
terminations, diversity or safety training, and
labor relations.

41. TABLE 5—13
ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION
INTERVENTIONS COMPONENT OF
THE HPT MODEL
• Networking and Collaboration
• Information Systems
• Suggestion and Grievance Systems
• Conflict Resolution

42. Suggestion and Grievance Systems
Communication is at the heart of all employee
involvement efforts.

43. Companies that support employee involvement
strategies allow workers more responsibility and
accountability for preparing products or offering
services. A suggestion system is one of the
employee's involvement strategies.

44. Others are empowerment efforts, ownership and
the firm, and total quality management. With a
suggestion box format, people are encouraged to
participate. Identity is anonymous until he
suggestion is implemented and an award is
presented.

45. The Consolidated Edison Company of New York,
for example, requested that employees who work
directly with customers suggest ways to improve
service. Ideas earned $50 and a write-up in the
company newsletter. This public recognition for
a winning entry can boost self-esteem.

46. Grievance systems,
on the other hand,
provide a mechanism
for the employee or
union to dispute a
decision that is
believed to be in
violation of the
contract.

47. Grievances have several causes, with the primary
being a misunderstanding or misinterpretation.
Whatever the cause, grievances are organizational
communication issues.

48. TABLE 5—13
ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION
INTERVENTIONS COMPONENT OF
THE HPT MODEL
• Networking and Collaboration
• Information Systems
• Suggestion and Grievance Systems
• Conflict Resolution

49. Conflict Resolution
Conflict is generally
defined as
disagreement between
two or more people
who share differing
views.

50. Conflict may be caused by either
miscommunication or a lack of communication.
However, the conflict can only be resolved
through open, honest, direct communication
channels.

51. The U.S. Postal Service has established a variety
of conflict resolution programs to address
violence-prone employees. Other organizations
are similarly engaging their employees in a
variety of conflict resolution programs

52. Because the goal of conflict resolution should be
to resolve, rather than win, communication should
be neither hostile nor negative. It should be clear,
direct, and as open as possible.

53. TABLE 5—15

54. In the end, be sure to evaluate the solution by
asking if everyone is satisfied with the outcome.
If the problem remains unsolved, decide on the
reason. Perhaps the wrong problem was
discussed.

55. If so, reconsider possible solutions. Perhaps the
solution was inadequately implemented. If so,
rethink the plan to carry out the solution. And
finally, if conflict cannot be avoided, minimize
the negative effects of hurt feelings, anger,
resentment, grudges, and blame.