The terms "globalization" and "workforce diversity" are commonly used in today's business world. What is the importance of knowing about these terms?
Globalization is an effort that in today's increasingly reach across international borders to market their products, partner, with other businesses, and employ workers and executives. It is important to know this term because many U.S companies rely on exports for a significant portion of their sales, sometimes up to 50% or more, and managers, and employees in these firms need to communicate with many other cultures.
Workforce diversity refers to all of the differences among the people who work together, including differences in age, gender, sexual orientation, education, cultural background, religion, ability, and life experience. It is important to know this term because successful companies realize that a diverse workforce can yield a significant competitive advantage, but it also requires a more conscientious approach to communication.
What are the three directions that information can "flow" in a formal communication network? Explain how each direction of flow is useful.
Downward communication flows, which goes from higher level employee to a lower level employee. That is from executives to employees, passing on executive decisions and providing information that helps employees do their job properly.
Upward communication flows, which goes from a lower level employee to a higher level employee. That is from employees to executives, passing on insight into problems, trends, opportunities, and performance hence allowing executives to solve problems and make smart decisions.
Horizontal communication flows between the departments to help employees share some information, coordinate tasks, and solve difficult problems.
There are many communication "barriers" that can disrupt communication. Give example of such barriers within any communication environment.
Some communication "barriers" that can disrupt communication includes noise and distractions, competing messages, filters, and channel breakdowns.
An example of such barriers within any communication environment could be a channel breakdown. Sometimes the channel simply breaks down and fails to deliver your message at all. A colleague you were counting on to deliver a message to your boss might have forgotten to do so, or a computer server might have crashed and prevented your blog from updating.
Another example could be that when someone sends too many messages, which will lead to having information overload. This will make it harder for the receiver to distinguish between the very important messages and the less important ones.
To make sure that you reach your audience and that your messages get noticed, the book suggests following five principles. Name these.
Consider audience expectations.
Ensure ease of use.
Emphasize familiarity.
Practice empathy.
Design for compatibility.
What is the "grapevine," and how can it be useful to managers?
Grapevine is when employees do not receive some information they want or need. Grapevine comes when two or more employees are in contact, but it is an informal communication network. Having an active grapevine makes intelligent managers notice that the formal communication network is not providing what it needs to provide for employees from information and needs.
List the six phases in the communication process discussed in your text. Which phase requires the sender to choose a "channel" (or form) for the message? Which phase often initiates another cycle of the process?
The sender has an idea.
The sender encodes the idea as a message.
The sender produces the message in a transmittable medium, and this is the phase where the sender chooses a channel for the message.
The sender transmits the message through a channel.
The audience receives the messages.
The audience decodes the message, and this is the phase that initiates another cycle of the process.
Explain how and why technology can sometimes "hinder communication more than it helps."
Communicating in today's business environment requires at least a basic level of technological competence. So we need not to rely too much on technology or let it overwhelm the communication process. Also, information overload results when people receive more information than they can effectively process. Moreover, managers need to help ensure that employees can productively use the communication tools at their disposal. Also, if the technology wasn't used efficiently it may waste more time and money. Moreover, the level of technical knowledge should be the same or at least quit close to all of the employees, so that no complications will appear with the communication process. In conclusion, communication tools can sometimes waste more time than they save.
Explain the "audience centered approach".
The audience centered approach involves understanding and respecting the members of your audience and making every effort to get your message across in a way that is meaningful to them. This approach is also known as adopting the "you" attitude, in contrast to messages that are about "me". Learn as much as possible about the biases, education, age, status, style, and personal and professional concerns of your receivers. If you're addressing people you don't know and you're unable to find out more about them, try to project yourself into their position by using common sense and imagination. This ability to relate to the needs of others is a key part of emotional intelligence, which is widely considered to be a vital characteristic of successful managers and leaders. The more you know about the people you are communicating with, the easier it will be to be to concentrate on their needs, which in turn, will make it easier for them to hear your message, understand it, and respond positively.
Recognizing and adapting to the diverse styles of all the audiences you'll encounter on the job will improve not only the effectiveness of your communication but also the quality of your working relationships.
ETHICAL COMMUNICATION:
Imagine you have been working for Company A for more than two years. You have just accepted a great job offer from Company B to begin one month from today, but you have not told your boss yet. You had planned to give the company two weeks notice as required by your contract. Can you find any examples of an "ethical dilemma" or an "ethical lapse" in the following situations? Briefly Explain.
Situation 1: You heard through the grapevine today that the company plans to send you and another employee to Honolulu next week to attend a training seminar, partly as a reward for your excellent job performance. This would be a wonderful opportunity for you to learn something useful for your career, and you feel you have earned the chance to go to the seminar. You expect your boss to ask you later today if you would like to go.
Situation 2: Your boss asks you if you would be willing to attend a training seminar in Honolulu next week. She tells you that what you learn at the seminar will be vital to the future of the company, and you would be responsible for training other employees in the same techniques over the next six months. You agree to attend the seminar.
Situation1: is ethical dilemma, because it is a choice between alternatives that may all be ethical and valid. And because you haven't been asked yet from your boss plus it is not completely wrong nor completely right choice, in fact it is somewhere in the gray area between clearly right and clearly wrong. Also, it's my right to have the choice whether to go or not to go. Because the reward I got is due to my excellent job performance, so I deserve it. Although I didn't tell my boss yet about my new job offer in Company B, but I still must give Company A a two week notice before I leave as I signed earlier in the contract. That's why it would be ethical for me to go as a reward for me and in order to learn something useful for my career.
Situation2: is ethical lapse, because it is clearly unethical choice. Because you agreed to attend the seminar and train other employees for the next six month, when you are planning to leave the job in a month.
Writing Assignment 1:
Look at the "Message for Analysis" on page 67, under the title "Practice Your Knowledge". Analyze the message in terms of its effectiveness and /or ineffectiveness. Write your analysis of this message in an email format and address it to me (Dr. Ahmed). There are more guidelines for formatting and writing emails in Appendix A at the end of your text. We will have a group discussion on this and I will collect the assignment at the end of our discussion.
The message is ineffective communication, for those reasons:
There was no subject line
There is no opening line or greeting
Puts readers on a defense with a negative tone
It specifies the day, but not the date which might lead to some confusions
Fails to provide alternative contact information or invite questions about any concerns
Lacks a close line such as "thank you", which contributes to the harsh, abrupt tone
It is too general rather than clear and specific
The language wasn't used in a right way
Remember all your assignments, including this one, must be typed, and follow the guidelines studied in your chapters.
