COM 680: Exam I (25% of your final grade)
Instructions: “lecture videos will Be at the bottom to help you write the paper and a PDF that will help you answer question # 4
Number your answers (including numbers/letters; e.g., 3a, 3b).
Do not repeat the exam questions. This needlessly fills space on the page you’ll need for your answers. Some students initially cut-and-paste the questions into a Word document as they begin answering them. If you do this initially, edit these questions out of the final document you submit!
No cover page. State “Exam I” and your name at the top of page one then start question #1.
Thoroughly answer the questions, but be judicious and wise in utilizing the allotted space (11 pages). Some essay questions will require more space than others. Carefully read each question and the answers you create to ensure you are answering the questions I asked. Edit accordingly and carefully!
Any direct quotes from the textbook should include page numbers; such as, The text states, “The organization is a living organism that communicates to survive” (p. 39). No need to add formal citations for quotes from lecture notes; it’s understood I was the source.
11-page maximum, double-spaced. Use Calibri or Times New Romans 10-12 point font.
One-inch margins. Caution: Auto-numbering will throw off your one-inch margins by indenting answers to the right. Fix this accordingly to maintain one-inch margins.
Your answers will be evaluated on depth of insight, conceptual/theoretical accuracy, clarity of explanations/illustrations/applications, quality of expression, and mechanical/grammatical quality.
1. In the lectures, I provided two definitions of “organizational communication”. The first stated what organizational communication is as an academic discipline: “It is the study of how messages, meanings, and information function in the maintenance of complex organizations”. The second definition defined organizational communication as a process. State this second definition at the start of question 1.a. Utilize this definition and related notes to explain the following:
a) Why is all organizational communication “strategic” and what “tensions” is it attempting to “negotiate”? Be specific!
b) Briefly explain why “dialogue” is the best communication strategy to achieve of these “negotiations”.
c) Drawing specifics from lecture notes about “organizations in the 21st century”, illustrate why these “negotiations” are more critical and must occur more frequently in today’s globalized, hyper-competitive environment.
d) How have these insights expanded your organizational communication philosophy as a manager/leader/coworker?
2. Although Ch. 1-3 of the textbook only implies this framework, the class lectures introduced “The four dimensions/discourses of organizational communication”. Briefly explain each discourse as “communication”:
How did Taylor conceptualize “effective communication”; how did Weber?
b) Next, explain and illustrate how you will apply these 10 principles to help “structure”, strengthen, and improve communication at work (Note for answer b and c: While you do not have to do this for each of the 10 principles, do provide a few different examples in your answer to thoroughly support it).
c) Explain and illustrate how/why these Taylor and Weber principles can become “vices” that block, weaken, or breakdown communication at work.
d) Conclude by briefly describing how these insights have expanded your philosophy of organizational communication.
5. In traditional strategies of organizing, managers utilize clearly documented and stated rules/policies to motivate and control employees. Employees will view these rules and policies to be “legitimate” if certain criteria are met.
a) Based on lecture content, list in paragraph form the key criteria that must be met to ensure all organizational members view the rules/policies as “legitimate” and are motivated to follow them.
b) The rules/policies are not automatically viewed as “legitimate” simply because they are formally documented and stated at work! As a manager/leader, explain how you will guide conversation (dialogue) about these “criteria” to improve workplace rules/policies. In your answer, describe how will you apply each “criteria” to guide these conversations (dialogue) so the rules/policies are viewed by all as being “legitimate” and motivating.
c) Conclude by briefly describing how these insights have expanded your philosophy of organizational communication.
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