Organizational Communication in CMC

By

Theodoros Papadopoulos

Athanasios Mangos

CMC

Stands for Computer Mediated Communication It’s been since mid-1990 because of the growing

popularity of personal computers Many definitions Computer Mediated Communication is a process of

human communication via computers, involving people, situated in particular contexts, engaging in processes to shape media for a variety of purposes (John December, 1997).http://www.december.com/john/

Applications of CMC theory

Health communication Political communication Legal communication Organizational communication Lifespan communication Instructional communication Visual communication

Organization

Organization is a group of people intentionally organized to accomplish an overall, common goal or set of goals.

Organizations members often work to achieve several overall accomplishments

Organizations operate according to overall values (personality of organization)(Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC

Communication

A process by which we assign and convey meaning in an attempt to create shared understanding

Organizations do not exist without communication

Changes in communication affected organizations

http://www.k12.wa.us/

Organizational Communicationin CMC

http://courses.wcupa.edu/foeman/

A story……

Two people have a date. The following day, they have an email conversation, and in one of the messages the woman (whose identity has been protected) refers to the previous evening’s romantic activities in subtle but evidently sexual terms. The man, a lawyer called Bradley Chait, forwards her email to four of his colleagues at the London law firm Norton Rose. The colleagues, in turn, forward the email on again. Hours after Chait forwarded the message, it had spread from Norton Rose to other London law firms, then made its way round the world, travelling as far as New Zealand. Some days later, at least two websites had developed about the story, including reader polls, news updates and chat forums. The woman, who understandably thought that her email was for Bradley Chait only, was forced into hiding to avoid harassment from people contacting her after having read the information online. Chait used his office’s network to forward the email, as did his colleagues, who then forwarded it on again. The management of Norton Rose launched an internal disciplinary hearing during which Chait and his colleagues were threatened with dismissal for misusing company time and space, and for implicating the company in a case of sexual harassment.

Organizational Communicationin CMC

CMC changed communicationOrganizations are based on

communicationCMC’s grown popularity and

availability affected organizations’ workplace

Organizational Communicationin CMC

Web-Conferencing Telecommuting Telework organizations Teleworkers Computer Supported Collaborative Work

(CSCW)

Web-Conferencing

Organizations’ staff meeting via Internet Advantages

Save timeNo need to travelMay attend another conference tooReduced cost

DisadvantagesFacility issuesTechnology issuesPersonal relationships

Telecommuting

A work arrangement in which supervisors direct or permit employees to perform their usual job duties away from their central workplace, in accordance with work agreements

Changed at all the organizations’ rules and conditions

Telecommuting

Employers– Employees’ increased productivity due to fewer

interruptions and distractions, and ability to work during most productive hours

– Fewer unscheduled absences resulting from unforeseen events

– Continuity of operations during weather-related or other emergency situations

– Improved planning ability– Employees’ ability to respond to unforeseen/unscheduled

workload– Better customer service as employees stay longer and

become more proficient

Telecommuting-Teleworkers

Employees– Less, or no, commuting time– Better work/life balance due to more time for family, the

community, and volunteering– Less stress– Increased productivity due to fewer interruptions and distractions– More flexibility to work during most productive hours– Increased ability to respond to unforeseen/unscheduled workload– Ability to design and control work environment– Increased job satisfaction– Reduced commute-related costs – gas, tolls/tickets, parking,

maintenance, and depreciation

Telecommuting-Teleworkers

Telecommuting-Teleworkers

Disadvantages– Fewer career and promotional opportunities– More difficult to work in teams– Reduced professional contact– Reduced social contact, loss of informal

information

Telecommuting Concerns

Implementation– Both employers and employees must be trained

Technology must be adapted to transform its usability to such a different work atmosphere

Supervision of teleworkers– Monitor teleworkers is opposite to privacy issues

Conclusions

In order to avoid invading the privacy of teleworkers– Daily draft of teleworkers’ work

References

ECATT Electronic Commerce and Telework Trends

C. Ess and F. Sudweeks (eds). Proceedings Cultural Attitudes Towards Communication and Technology ’98, University of Sydney, Australia, 321-326.

International Telework Association and Council (ITAC), Work at home grows in past year by 7.5% in U.S. use of broadband for work at home grows by 84%, September 2004.

References

Innovisions, US Telework Scene - stats and facts,

Elizabeth Jones, Bernadette Watson, John Gardner, and Cindy Gallois, 2004 Organizational Communication:Challenges for the New Century

Enrique Canessa, Rick L. Riolo, Computer Mediated Communication and Organizational Culture: An Agent-Based Simulation Model

References

Communication Behavior of Virtual Workforces by Krishna Kandath, Ph.D., John Oetzel, Ph.D., Everett M. Rogers, Ph.D. and Ann M. Mayer-Guell, Ph.D.