Chapter 5

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5
C H A P T E R
Steps Three and Four:
Consider the Context
and Select a Channel
of Communication

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What is Organizational Context?
The situation or
setting in which
communication
occurs
The
corporation
The not-for-
profit
The
accounting
firm

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What is Organizational Context?
Dimensions of
Context
Physical
SocialChronological
Cultural

4. Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 4
What is Organizational Context?
Dimensions of
Context
Physical
SocialChronological
Cultural

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Dimensions of Context
Physical
• The actual setting
in which
interactions take
place
Social
• The nature of the
relationship
between
communicators
Chronological
• The ways time
influences
interactions
Example: the
boss’s office vs.
the break room
Example: a long
personal friendship
between co-workers
Example: time of
day in the office
or time of year
for the company

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What is Organizational Context?
Dimensions of
Context
Physical
SocialChronological
Cultural

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Dimensions of Context
Culture
• A system of
shared meanings
and practices
• Patterns of shared
basic assumptions
1. Innovation and risk taking
2. Attention to detail
3. Outcome orientation
4. People orientation
5. Team orientation
6. Aggressiveness
7. Stability

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Communication Climate Description
Problem orientation
Spontaneity
Empathy
Equality
Provisionalism
Defensive
Communication
Climate
Supportive
Communication
Climate
Evaluation
Control
Strategy
Neutrality
Superiority
Certainty

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Manager
Supervisor
1
Worker 1 Worker 2
Supervisor
2
Worker 3
Formal and Informal Networks
Manager
Supervisor
1
Worker 1 Worker 2
Supervisor
2
Worker 3
Informa
l
Formal
Downward flow
Upward flow
Horizontal flow
The “grapevine”

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Choosing a Communication Channel
• Richness versus leanness
• Need for interpretation
• Speed of establishing contact
• Time required for feedback
• Cost
• Amount of information conveyed
• Permanent record
• Control over the message

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Choosing a Communication Channel
Richness versus leanness
• Some channels of communication provide more information than
others
Need for interpretation
• Some channels of communication leave more ambiguity or room
for interpretation of the message than others
Speed of establishing contact
• Channels vary in the amount of time required to deliver a message
Time required for feedback
• Channels vary in conventions around response time

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Choosing a Communication Channel
Cost
• Some channels of communication are more cost effective than
others
Amount of information conveyed
• Written channels are more appropriate for conveying large
amounts of information with great detail
Permanent record
• Many situations in business require records of what occurs during
work activities, and this may impact channel choice
Control over the message
• Written channels of communication are often the best choice for
maintaining control of the message

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Are new media channels good for
business?
Risks Benefits
Minimal cost
Increased speed
Improved dialogue
Exposure of
internal problems
Leakage of
proprietary info
More difficult to
control messages