Week 14: The Changing Landscape of Organizations

Throughout this course, we have acknowledged that we are living in the world of challenges and complexities. And, we learned that communication is served as an effective tools to tackle the issues in our postmodern world. This final chapter, represent the globalization, global economy resulted from our shifting society.

Miller (2012) stated that the landscape of the work world has shifted substantially in the last twenty years, and the changing is on-going. Organization landscape has become worldwide and industries is globalized. 

For instance, Bubble Tea industry today has cultivate the tea drinking into global food culture. Thanks to the globalization, taiwanese bubble tea popularization has been spreading across the globe, giving raise in cultural exchange and diversity. 

Bubble Tea, also known as pearl milk tea, a Taiwanese-based beverage invented in Tai Chung, Taiwan since 1980s. Today, this unique Taiwanese's beverage is being consumed worldwide, and become an 'Eastern Starbucks' in the international market. As we can see, Bubble Tea industry has increasingly symbolized global, multinational and multicultural performances in countries with various context, practices different cultures and beliefs. 

References:

Miller, K 2012, Organization Communication, 6^th edn, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, Boston.

Teo, R 2012, ‘Chatime rides on increasing spending power, tea culture in Malaysia,’ Borneo Post 2 July, viewed 5 November 2013, <http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/07/02/chatime-rides-on-increasing-spending-power-tea-culture-in-malaysia/>.

Week 13: Technological Processses

Thanks to the technology innovations, it has largely impact on the communication in organizations. Information technology such as Internet, smart phones and social networking has effects on the communication content, patterns and structure (Miller, 2012).

New advance electronic mails, video calls, social networks and so forth are replacing traditional communication channels such as face-to-face interactions. 

It is becoming obvious that technology forces shaping the work world (Gray, 2013). The amount of data and information is proliferating, workers are being sourced globally and international business are more easier to establish compare to the past, and people are getting globally connected through social media and smart phones. This can be seen as a beneficial invention for business and human relationships across the country.

However, web technologies have tremendously change organizations communication patterns and influence human daily life as well. Skinner (2013) emphasized that researches have found that employees are now checking emails before breakfast, outside working hours, and even during their holidays. This means that individuals are spending more time on their jobs and being “interrupt” by work tasks during their day-off. This can be consider as a negative impact on individual’s lifestyle.

Also, social networking has become a hazardous communication channel for workers and the organizations. For example, a worker can post a status talking bad about the manager, complain about the working issues on Facebook and Twitter, there is high possibility that the information will flow to the manager or boss, which will result conflicts in the company. Another example is photos selecting to be post on social network are important. Because, for instance, an employee took an emergency leave, but friends on Facebook tagged party photos last night, it will result in undesirable outcome.

Clearly, the expansion of web technology has led to incredible levels of access to information as well as personal information, which will have negative and positive outcomes in organizations today.

References:

Gray, J 2013,’Workplace skill for a technology focused future,’ Financial Review 03 June, viewed 01 November 2013, < http://www.afr.com/p/national/work_space/workplace_skills_for_technology_jKpeXjQEDPeBFWrL9jtP6H>.

Miller, K 2012, Organization Communication, 6^th edn, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, Boston.

Skinner, N 2013, ‘Technology: Freedom from the workplace or a curse for work/life balance?, Womens Agenda 03 June, viewed 01 November 2013, <http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/opinions/technology-freedom-from-the-workplace-or-a-curse-for-work/life-balance/201306022250>.

Week 12: Organizational Diversity Processes

In this chapter, I have learned that organizations are made up from different backgrounds. Whether in small company or big multinational company, individuals working in it most of the time will be diverse in different categories, for instance the ethnicity, gender, race, sexual preferences and physical and mental ability. Hence, discrimination occurs due to diversity in organization.

For a long time, women have been experienced stereotyping that they are less or not competent in some jobs. In recent time, pregnant women in workplace are being discriminated as well.

(Virgin Blue HQ)

According to the Marx (2011), an employee who is pregnant claim alleges that she received discrimination in Virgin Blue Company. Managers think that she is unable to handle many jobs. The employee said that the company given her junior tasks, limited working hours, excluded from her usual management meetings and removed her from the company website as a media contact, even suggest her to take another maternity leave.

In this case, it is obvious that Virgin Blue management discriminate pregnant employee in the workplace. Virgin Blue Company did not share the same core value of productivity and performances, and lack of communication to avoid negative effects of diversity management. As Miller (2012) suggested, in organization diversity theory, civil workplace is to ensure equal opportunity in to workplace and ‘aim to remedy discrimination and increase the representation of designated disadvantaged groups, namely, women and ethnic minorities.’

If Virgin Blue concerned about the heavy work task for the pregnant women condition, the manager should have communicate before the made decision to reduce her tasks. For example, talk to the employees to ensure that if they can handle or need helps from other co-workers. Furthermore, responsibility such as meetings and website media contact are not heavy tasks for pregnant women, however, the manager reduce such tasks for her.

I believe it is a prejudice and stereotypical behavior against pregnant women in organization today.

References:

Marx, A 2011, ‘Lawyers says Virgin Blue displayed ‘unhealthy work culture’ in city office,’ Courier Mail 14 March, viewed 26 October 2013, <http://www.couriermail.com.au/business/lawyer-says-virgin-blue-displayed-unhealthy-work-culture-in-city-office/story-e6freqmx-1226020707484>.

Miller, K 2012, Organization Communication, 6^th edn, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, Boston.

Week 11: Emotion Processes

Throughout this chapter, although I belief that emotional should not disrupt one’s professional constitution; in other words, we should always ‘paste a smile’ when at work, no matter how bad the day is.

Campbell observed scapegoating in a therapy company, she said that senior staffs blamed and criticize new hire for poor performances. These negative behavior causing negative culture that ignited the new employee anger (Culp, 2013). This can be seen as a burnout cause by inadequate communication.

Miller (2012) defined that workplace emotion such as ‘burnout’ is cause by work pressures. For example, when a waiter is being humiliate by boss or customers, he/she still need to continue serve other customers with decent emotion. However, as time goes by, it can lead to burnout such as facing physical and psychological pressures.

I think, as human beings, it is impossible to impress everyone also impossible that we can like everyone. Similarly to job; in extreme conditions, your performance can be overly criticized and judged. This can be seen as an inadequate socialization process in organizations, which can cause individual burnout.

In this case, communication between supervisors, coworkers, friends and family members can serve as savior to cope with the burnout. For instance, letting the person to know they are being concerned, provide support information and suggestion for them to deal with the burnout or stress.

References:

Culp, ML 2013, 'Scapegoating sours workplace and often leads to upheaval,' Review Journal, 27 October, viewed 27 October 2013, <http://www.reviewjournal.com/workwise/scapegoating-sours-workplace-and-often-leads-upheaval>.

Miller, K 2012, Organization Communication, 6^th edn, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, Boston.

Week 10: Organizational Change and Leadership Processes

This topic covers the importance of organization change and leadership processes. Organization change simply means that organization life cycle changes, which means when a company merge with other business, the management can change. Hence, effective leadership communication is require in order to manage the transformation of a company.

‘Effective leaders begin the framing process by having a clear understanding of their own view of reality and their own goal for the organisation and for communication’ (Miller, 2012).

For example, when a manager feels that a company needs re-arrangement, changes occur. This is when leadership processes take place. Managers must be the leader to manage the changes and direct employees so that they can understand and do what is required to fit the changes. As we can see, communication is important in order transmit the messages and information to the staffs.

Zenger (2013) said that, a succeed leadership is who able to manage the communication effectively in the organizations. For instance, discussion, feedbacks, follow-up and coaching sessions, to monitor and advance the progressions.

However, due to the changes, the communication in the organizations will be affected as well. Thus, regardless of those changes challenges, effective leader should have strong delivery style, great time management and skills training. Tactics can be implemented to cope with changes include: presentations, face to face meetings, Email and newsletters.

References:

Miller, K 2012, Organization Communication, 6^th edn, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, Boston.

Zenger, J 2013, ‘In One Step: How to Ensure Leadership Development Works,’ Forbes 17 October, viewed 19 October 2013, <http://www.forbes.com/sites/jackzenger/2013/10/17/in-one-step-how-to-ensure-leadership-development-works/>.