COMM 325 Midterm || All Answers are Valid.
Charles Perrow correct answers "The problems advanced by social scientists have been primarily
the problems of human relations in an authoritarian setting."
Communication correct answers the dynamic, ongoing process of creating and negotiating
meanings through interactional symbolic (verbal and nonverbal) practices, including
conversation, metaphors, ritals, stories, dress, and space.
Crisis of Representation correct answers a challenge to the idea that knowledge consists of a
body of facts that represent an objectively existing reality, independent from human perception
and experience.
Organizational Communication correct answers the process of creating and negotiating
collective, coordinated systems of meaning through symbolic practices oriented toward the
achievement of organizational goals
Organizational Control correct answers the dynamic communication process through which
different organizational interest groups struggle to maximize their stake in an organization, the
collective bending of wills to a common purpose.
Theme of Control correct answers Must coordinate the members to work collectively - i.e.
control. This can only be done by resolving the conflict between the goals of the organization
and the goals of its members - usually by subordinating the goals of the members. Control as a
dialectical process - not linear or cause/effect. Organization implies control.
W. Charles Redding correct answers Found of Organizational Communication
Types of control mechanisms correct answers Direct, technological, bureaucratic, Ideological,
Disciplinary
,Direction Control correct answers direct in explicit ways and then monitor their behavior to
make sure they are performing adequately. Often functions in superior - subordinate relations.
Most coercive.
Technological Control correct answers slightly less direct, technology controls the kinds of work
people do and the speed at which they can do it - Henry Ford, production line, McDonalds,
electronic surveillance.
Bureaucratic Control correct answers central/defining feature of Western democratic societies,
enables organization members to advance based on merit rather than connections, exists as a
form of rules, formal structures, and roles that both enable and constrain activities of
organization members.
Ideological Control correct answers the development of a system of values and beliefs with
which employees are expected to identify strongly. Ex. Corporate culture movement in '80s. Can
be oppressive to some organization members as it asks the self to invest their identity in the
company. Top-down
Disciplinary Control correct answers emerged recently as organizations shifted from
bureaucratic, hierarchical to flatter and decentralized. Bottom-up control, focuses on employees
production of a particular sense of self and work identity. The relationship between organizations
and employees has shifted away from the post-World War II social contract of stable, life-time
employment and toward "free agency" and a climate of much greater instability in the job
market. Self discipline to improve the "entrepreneurial self". The individual is both the subject
(makes decisions) and the object ( target of control). The least coercive
Pyramid of Control correct answers The levels of control mechanisms going from most
sophisticated (involving the most consent/least coercion_ to most basic/coercive. From Top to
bottom - Disciplinary control, ideological, bureaucratic, technological, direct. The higher it is in
the pyramid, the more agency and autonomy members have. Bottom levels more about physical
control, top about internalized/self control.
Key Features of Organization correct answers o Interdependence - no member can function
without affecting and being affected by other members. "Webs" of interconnected activities.
, o Differentiation of Tasks and Functions - all organizations operate based on division of labor,
members specialize in a specific task and the organization is divided into various departments
(major in late 19th, 20th century with scientific management).
o Goal Orientation - all organizations oriented towards goals. Goals provide organization with
character.
o Control Mechanisms - direct control, technological control,
Container/flat earth perspective of organizational comm correct answers o Container -
organizations as physical containers in which people communicate - communication flows
through it, is shaped by it, communication is separate from the organization. Informative view of
communication. About communication as information transmission - communication in terms of
processes of distortion - send/receiver - noise.
shaped by structure of organization
organization separately from communication
getting right info to right people
transmission of information-sender and receiver
different people interpret the exact same message differently
if there is miscommunication it's because there was some form of noise not because different
interpretations of message, its a technical problem.
informational view, flat earth approach, fails to count for complexity
Constitutive/round earth perspective or organizational comm correct answers - communication
between people forms complex systems - communicate constitutes organization, communication
as the fundamental process of social reality, the building blocks of an organization, allows
questions of organizational reality and its complexities, takes interpretive processes into account,
Charles Perrow correct answers "The problems advanced by social scientists have been primarily
the problems of human relations in an authoritarian setting."
Communication correct answers the dynamic, ongoing process of creating and negotiating
meanings through interactional symbolic (verbal and nonverbal) practices, including
conversation, metaphors, ritals, stories, dress, and space.
Crisis of Representation correct answers a challenge to the idea that knowledge consists of a
body of facts that represent an objectively existing reality, independent from human perception
and experience.
Organizational Communication correct answers the process of creating and negotiating
collective, coordinated systems of meaning through symbolic practices oriented toward the
achievement of organizational goals
Organizational Control correct answers the dynamic communication process through which
different organizational interest groups struggle to maximize their stake in an organization, the
collective bending of wills to a common purpose.
Theme of Control correct answers Must coordinate the members to work collectively - i.e.
control. This can only be done by resolving the conflict between the goals of the organization
and the goals of its members - usually by subordinating the goals of the members. Control as a
dialectical process - not linear or cause/effect. Organization implies control.
W. Charles Redding correct answers Found of Organizational Communication
Types of control mechanisms correct answers Direct, technological, bureaucratic, Ideological,
Disciplinary
,Direction Control correct answers direct in explicit ways and then monitor their behavior to
make sure they are performing adequately. Often functions in superior - subordinate relations.
Most coercive.
Technological Control correct answers slightly less direct, technology controls the kinds of work
people do and the speed at which they can do it - Henry Ford, production line, McDonalds,
electronic surveillance.
Bureaucratic Control correct answers central/defining feature of Western democratic societies,
enables organization members to advance based on merit rather than connections, exists as a
form of rules, formal structures, and roles that both enable and constrain activities of
organization members.
Ideological Control correct answers the development of a system of values and beliefs with
which employees are expected to identify strongly. Ex. Corporate culture movement in '80s. Can
be oppressive to some organization members as it asks the self to invest their identity in the
company. Top-down
Disciplinary Control correct answers emerged recently as organizations shifted from
bureaucratic, hierarchical to flatter and decentralized. Bottom-up control, focuses on employees
production of a particular sense of self and work identity. The relationship between organizations
and employees has shifted away from the post-World War II social contract of stable, life-time
employment and toward "free agency" and a climate of much greater instability in the job
market. Self discipline to improve the "entrepreneurial self". The individual is both the subject
(makes decisions) and the object ( target of control). The least coercive
Pyramid of Control correct answers The levels of control mechanisms going from most
sophisticated (involving the most consent/least coercion_ to most basic/coercive. From Top to
bottom - Disciplinary control, ideological, bureaucratic, technological, direct. The higher it is in
the pyramid, the more agency and autonomy members have. Bottom levels more about physical
control, top about internalized/self control.
Key Features of Organization correct answers o Interdependence - no member can function
without affecting and being affected by other members. "Webs" of interconnected activities.
, o Differentiation of Tasks and Functions - all organizations operate based on division of labor,
members specialize in a specific task and the organization is divided into various departments
(major in late 19th, 20th century with scientific management).
o Goal Orientation - all organizations oriented towards goals. Goals provide organization with
character.
o Control Mechanisms - direct control, technological control,
Container/flat earth perspective of organizational comm correct answers o Container -
organizations as physical containers in which people communicate - communication flows
through it, is shaped by it, communication is separate from the organization. Informative view of
communication. About communication as information transmission - communication in terms of
processes of distortion - send/receiver - noise.
shaped by structure of organization
organization separately from communication
getting right info to right people
transmission of information-sender and receiver
different people interpret the exact same message differently
if there is miscommunication it's because there was some form of noise not because different
interpretations of message, its a technical problem.
informational view, flat earth approach, fails to count for complexity
Constitutive/round earth perspective or organizational comm correct answers - communication
between people forms complex systems - communicate constitutes organization, communication
as the fundamental process of social reality, the building blocks of an organization, allows
questions of organizational reality and its complexities, takes interpretive processes into account,
