Communication studies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Communication studies - Assignment Example A variety of definitions have been produced, yet the attempts to establish a single one seem to be not fruitful (Littlejohn and Foss 3). Thus, considering a few of existing definitions is the best way to understand the essence of the phenomenon. In scholarly literature, communication is considered within three major dimensions: level of observation or, in other words, abstractness, intentionality, and judgment. Within the first dimension, definitions of communication are viewed as broad (for example, communication is a process which relates discontinuous parts of the existing world) or restrictive (communication is a system used to communicate information and orders, through telegraph or telephones). Within the second dimension, the definition includes the dimension of intentionality. For example, communication is a term used to describe situations in which a source transmits a certain message to some receiver with a conscious intent to influence the behavior of the latter. Definitio ns that include judgment present communication within concepts of success, accuracy, effective outcome, etc. For instance, communication is a verbal interchange of some idea or thought (Littlejohn and Foss 4). ... The organizational structure includes employees, departments, their responsibilities, relations, resources, etc (Filipowska et al. 4). Organizational structures may be formal and informal. Virtually every company possesses a formal structure even if it is not strictly adhered to. Most companies also have an informal structure. It suggested that both structures are important for a company’s successful functioning, so it is necessary to learn their intricate characteristics. Formal structure is above all concerned with the existing relationship between authority and the junior. This is known as organizational hierarchy which starts with the most senior person at the top and ends with subordinate employees who are junior to managers of various levels. Informal structure is the one that develops around some project groups or some social groups. It is often grounded on camaraderie, which means people respond immediately and it is easier to continue working (Schatz, n.p.). The struc tures interact with each other in different situations: for instance, when the formal structure ceased to be effective people tend to rely more on the informal one, also working within formal structures, people may complete some tasks within informal structures, which saves time and effort. While communication in any organization is upward, downward, or horizontal (Lunenburg 2), there exist clear differences between the three. Upward communication takes place when the staffs communicate their ideas to a leader with the purpose of inform about some difficulties, clarify some tasks, complain about something etc. Downward communication encompasses communication which goes from higher levels to lower levels of an organization. It is