The document discusses the critical approach to organizational communication, which challenges unfair exercises of power and prioritizes employee involvement. It outlines Stanley Deetz's communication model and three assumptions: ontological (free will), epistemological (multiple realities), and axiological (humanistic roles). A case study found only 35% of retail workers felt their ideas were valued, showing critical approaches could improve job satisfaction.
2. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? Poses important questions about power & control Challenges the unfair exercise of power It is a fresh look at modern trends in the office Believes that an employees level of involvement with an organization is critical for success Lets break it down... LET’S KEEP MOVING
3. CENTRALITY OF POWER REWARD POWER - A can give B a reward COERSIVE POWER - B can be held accountable by A REFERENT POWER - B completes work given by A EXPERT POWER - B respects A and does what A says LEGITIMATE POWER - B complies with A due to rank *( A = Person A - B = Person B )* MOVING ON
4. CRITICAL COMM THEORY Make the business successful, while supporting the employee’s interests & ideas Stanley Deetz... There is a difference between what employers say and what employees say Two models used : INFORMATION MODEL & COMMUNICATION MODEL *** ”Stanley Deetz specializes in the study of organizational communication from a critical/cultural/philosophic perspective” *** Communication is ongoing and reflects on reality. LET’S CONTINUE
5. 3 TYPES OF ASSUMPTIONS Continuing Deetz’s theory... ONTOLOGICAL ASSUMPTION - Deriving from the fact that “human beings have free will”. Shows the relationship between management and everyone else EPISTEMOLOGICAL ASSUMPTION - “There is a multiple reality created when more than one individuals brings their ides to the table”. AXIOLOGICAL ASSUMPTION - “The humanistic look at the roles people play show us that we all have the ability to be influential”. STAYING WITH ME?
6. CRITICAL COMM THEORY Grouping of Professors from Frankfurt University originally created the critical Communication Theory. Stanley Deetz furthered this theory Gained popularity in the U.S.A in the 1980’s and is still practiced today Seeks to expose the underbelly of organizational life by questioning the hierarchy of corporate business Continued... LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT A VIDEO However, if more companies used this approach, there would ultimatly be better job satisfaction within the economy today.
7. LINK TO THE NWSF Could have helped with the following... Major breakdowns in communication between leaders and forum members Forum members believed that the leaders did not give another members perspective a chance before deciding upon a decision “ It would have helped if the organizing committee had shared what they were doing, minutes of meetings, periodic requests for input, advise...anything to make those of us on the fringes feel involved and needed. I...was never given an inkling of what I could do” - NWSF “ There was no communication between staff and planning committee” - NWSF “ Yes, a Social Forum can come about if people are truly brought together and agree on a common cause, but this was not the case” - NWSF LET’S LOOK AT SOME MORE EXAMPLES
8. UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY Makes the following statement... “ If more organizations took a critical approach there would be greater liklihood of job satisfaction. Rather than having a traditional bureaucracy, the organization should seek to improve its relations with the individuals that actually do the work. Like Japanese Management styles, critical theory’s goal is to increase the feeling amongst employees that they have a stake in the company”. ONE MORE EXAMPLE
9. MINI CASE STUDY I asked 25 retail workers the following question... DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR IDEAS AND THOUGHTS ARE VALUED AT YOUR WORKPLACE? YES NO THINK YOU KNOW THE RESULTS? 35% WHICH ONE WILL HAVE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE? 65% LOOKS LIKE A CRITICAL APPROACH COULD HELP READY FOR ANOTHER VIDEO?
10. WHAT DID WE LEARN From the Case Study? A critical approach could help in the workplace Several business have teams that are focused on the viewpoint of their employees The importance of innovation from employees is not a top concern from the leaders of the sample The sample store that had the highest “YES” percentage is ranked as the # 1 ELECTRONICS RETAILER in the U.S.A currently, coincidence? INTERESTING
11. THE CLOSING REMARKS Key take aways... A critical approach at communication could help several businesses as well as the NWSF Two models used : INFORMATION MODEL & COMMUNICATION MODEL Five types of power : REWARD, COERSIVE, REFERENT, EXPERT and LEGITIMATE A critical approach to organizations challenges the unfair exercise of power, poses important questions regarding control and believes that communication is ongoing and reflects reality ON TO THE THANK YOU’S Three types of Assumptions : ONTOLOGICAL, EPISTEMOLOGICAL and AXIOLOGICAL
12. A FEW THANK YOU’S Communications 303 Stanley Deetz - for his amazing research Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, and Sears for surveys Organization Comm Balancing Creativity & Constraint And of course, all of you for your time! Brian O’Malley Twitter Name = BRIANOMALLEY32 gmail = [email_address] TAKE CARE EVERYONE
