CRITICAL APPROACHCRITICAL APPROACHto organizationsto organizations

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brought to you by... Brian OMalleyBrian OMalley

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Poses important questions about power & controlPoses important questions about power & control

Challenges the unfair exercise of powerChallenges the unfair exercise of power

It is a fresh look at modern trends in the officeIt is a fresh look at modern trends in the officeBelieves that an employees level of involvement with an organization is critical for success

Believes that an employees level of involvement with an organization is critical for success

Lets break it down...

LET’S KEEP MOVINGLET’S KEEP MOVING

CENTRALITY OF POWERCENTRALITY OF POWER

REWARD POWER - A can give B a rewardREWARD POWER - A can give B a rewardCOERSIVE POWER - B can be held accountable by ACOERSIVE POWER - B can be held accountable by AREFERENT POWER - B completes work given by AREFERENT POWER - B completes work given by AEXPERT POWER - B respects A and does what A saysEXPERT POWER - B respects A and does what A saysLEGITIMATE POWER - B complies with A due to rankLEGITIMATE POWER - B complies with A due to rank

*(A = Person A - B = Person B)**(A = Person A - B = Person B)*

MOVING ONMOVING ON

CRITICAL COMM THEORYCRITICAL COMM THEORY

Make the business successful, while supporting the employee’s interests & ideasMake the business successful, while supporting the employee’s interests & ideas

Stanley Deetz...Stanley Deetz...

There is a difference between what employers say and what employees sayThere is a difference between what employers say and what employees say

Two models used : INFORMATION MODEL & COMMUNICATION MODELTwo models used : INFORMATION MODEL & COMMUNICATION MODEL

***”Stanley Deetz specializes in the study of organizational communication from a critical/cultural/philosophic perspective”******”Stanley Deetz specializes in the study of organizational communication from a critical/cultural/philosophic perspective”***

Communication is ongoing and reflects on reality.Communication is ongoing and reflects on reality.

LET’S CONTINUELET’S CONTINUE

3 TYPES OF ASSUMPTIONS3 TYPES OF ASSUMPTIONSContinuing Deetz’s theory...ONTOLOGICAL ASSUMPTION - Deriving from the fact that “human beings have free will”. Shows the relationship between management and everyone else

ONTOLOGICAL ASSUMPTION - Deriving from the fact that “human beings have free will”. Shows the relationship between management and everyone else

EPISTEMOLOGICAL ASSUMPTION - “There is a multiple reality created when more than one individuals brings their ides to the table”.

EPISTEMOLOGICAL ASSUMPTION - “There is a multiple reality created when more than one individuals brings their ides to the table”.

AXIOLOGICAL ASSUMPTION - “The humanistic look at the roles people play show us that we all have the ability to be influential”.

AXIOLOGICAL ASSUMPTION - “The humanistic look at the roles people play show us that we all have the ability to be influential”.

STAYING WITH ME?STAYING WITH ME?

CRITICAL COMM THEORYCRITICAL COMM THEORY

Grouping of Professors from Frankfurt University originally created the critical Communication Theory. Stanley Deetz furthered this theory

Grouping of Professors from Frankfurt University originally created the critical Communication Theory. Stanley Deetz furthered this theory

Gained popularity in the U.S.A in the 1980’s and is still practiced todayGained popularity in the U.S.A in the 1980’s and is still practiced today

Seeks to expose the underbelly of organizational life by questioning the hierarchy of corporate businessSeeks to expose the underbelly of organizational life by questioning the hierarchy of corporate business

Continued...

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT A VIDEOLET’S TAKE A LOOK AT A VIDEO

However, if more companies used this approach, there would ultimatly be better job satisfaction within the economy today.However, if more companies used this approach, there would ultimatly be better job satisfaction within the economy today.

LINK TO THE NWSFLINK TO THE NWSFCould have helped with the following...

Major breakdowns in communication between leaders and forum membersMajor breakdowns in communication between leaders and forum members

Forum members believed that the leaders did not give another members perspective a chance before deciding upon a decisionForum members believed that the leaders did not give another members perspective a chance before deciding upon a decision

“It would have helped if the organizing committee had shared what they were doing, minutes of meetings, periodic requests for input, advise...anything to make those of us on the fringes feel involved and needed. I...was never given an inkling of what I could do” - NWSF

“It would have helped if the organizing committee had shared what they were doing, minutes of meetings, periodic requests for input, advise...anything to make those of us on the fringes feel involved and needed. I...was never given an inkling of what I could do” - NWSF

“There was no communication between staff and planning committee” - NWSF“There was no communication between staff and planning committee” - NWSF

“Yes, a Social Forum can come about if people are truly brought together and agree on a common cause, but this was not the case” - NWSF“Yes, a Social Forum can come about if people are truly brought together and agree on a common cause, but this was not the case” - NWSF

LET’S LOOK AT SOME MORE EXAMPLES

LET’S LOOK AT SOME MORE EXAMPLES

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKYUNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKYMakes the following statement...

“If more organizations took a critical approach there would be greater liklihood of job satisfaction. Rather than having a traditional bureaucracy, the organization should seek to improve its relations with the individuals that actually do the work. Like Japanese Management styles, critical theory’s goal is to increase the feeling amongst employees that they have a stake in the company”.

“If more organizations took a critical approach there would be greater liklihood of job satisfaction. Rather than having a traditional bureaucracy, the organization should seek to improve its relations with the individuals that actually do the work. Like Japanese Management styles, critical theory’s goal is to increase the feeling amongst employees that they have a stake in the company”.

ONE MORE EXAMPLEONE MORE EXAMPLE

MINI CASE STUDYMINI CASE STUDYI asked 25 retail workers the following question...

DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR IDEAS AND THOUGHTS ARE VALUED AT YOUR WORKPLACE?

YESYES NONOTHINK YOU KNOW THE RESULTS?THINK YOU KNOW THE RESULTS?

35%35%

WHICH ONE WILL HAVE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE?WHICH ONE WILL HAVE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE?

65%65%

LOOKS LIKE A CRITICAL APPROACH COULD HELPLOOKS LIKE A CRITICAL APPROACH COULD HELP

READY FOR ANOTHER VIDEO?READY FOR ANOTHER VIDEO?

WHAT DID WE LEARNWHAT DID WE LEARNFrom the Case Study?

A critical approach could help in the workplaceA critical approach could help in the workplaceSeveral business have teams that are focused on the viewpoint of their employees

Several business have teams that are focused on the viewpoint of their employeesThe importance of innovation from employees is not a top concern from the leaders of the sample

The importance of innovation from employees is not a top concern from the leaders of the sampleThe sample store that had the highest “YES” percentage is ranked as the #1ELECTRONICS RETAILER in the U.S.A currently, coincidence?

The sample store that had the highest “YES” percentage is ranked as the #1ELECTRONICS RETAILER in the U.S.A currently, coincidence?

INTERESTINGINTERESTING

THE CLOSING REMARKSTHE CLOSING REMARKSKey take aways...

A critical approach at communication could help several businesses as well as the NWSF

A critical approach at communication could help several businesses as well as the NWSFTwo models used : INFORMATION MODEL & COMMUNICATION MODELTwo models used : INFORMATION MODEL & COMMUNICATION MODEL

Five types of power : REWARD, COERSIVE, REFERENT, EXPERT and LEGITIMATEFive types of power : REWARD, COERSIVE, REFERENT, EXPERT and LEGITIMATEA critical approach to organizations challenges the unfair exercise of power, poses important questions regarding control and believes that communication is ongoing and reflects reality

A critical approach to organizations challenges the unfair exercise of power, poses important questions regarding control and believes that communication is ongoing and reflects reality

ON TO THE THANK YOU’SON TO THE THANK YOU’S

Three types of Assumptions : ONTOLOGICAL, EPISTEMOLOGICAL and AXIOLOGICALThree types of Assumptions : ONTOLOGICAL, EPISTEMOLOGICAL and AXIOLOGICAL

A FEW THANK YOU’SA FEW THANK YOU’SCommunications 303

Stanley Deetz - for his amazing researchStanley Deetz - for his amazing researchBest Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, and Sears for surveysBest Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, and Sears for surveysOrganization Comm Balancing Creativity & ConstraintOrganization Comm Balancing Creativity & Constraint

And of course, all of you for your time!And of course, all of you for your time!

Brian O’MalleyBrian O’MalleyTwitter Name =

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TAKE CARE EVERYONETAKE CARE EVERYONE