Organizational Communication: Linking Key Processes to Effective Development

"Understanding the world as communication provides an analytical framework that alters our sense of policy alternatives from those considered in a more traditional definition."

In this book chapter, the author, John Parrish-Sprowl, conceptualises organisational communication as a perspective in an analysis of the issues related to the development of a thriving business community. "The purpose of this chapter is to suggest ways in which communication theory and concepts focused upon both development and organizational activity might assist in the formulation of policies and strategies which foster thriving commercial enterprises, and in turn, industrial development...."

Parrish-Sprowl analyses communication as "processual" in nature and cites the advantages of a diversity of discourses as a foundation of policy initiatives. "One of the most important components of a diversity policy is a strong education system, accessible to all and capable of providing lifelong learning opportunities....Education will not suffice without opportunity. Policy strategists need to create an environment that unleashes people to create and nurture businesses of all types." He then describes other policy-based principles for nurturing businesses including micro-loans for access to capital, ease of establishing a business or declaring bankruptcy to end a business, and the fostering of diverse new businesses.

Examples of counter-productive patterns of behaviour related to communication are enumerated. "An important key to development is to situate people in organizing patterns where conversation leads to greater productivity while enhancing life values for those participating." The example of an approach to organising work activities known as total quality management (TQM) developed by manufacturers in Japan is offered to show shifts in management theory that include new styles of discourse and positioning of communication: "TQM's strength lay in its promotion of diversity pursuant to quality and the implicit recognition of process both in the flow of work and the marketplace.....Driven by customer wants and needs, post-bureaucratic organizations are constantly adapting to the demands of the marketplace....Understood from a conversational level, post-bureaucratic organizations achieve their superior performance over traditional bureaucracies by encouraging interaction patterns such as the following:

1. Cooperative relationships among all workers, including those performing managerial functions.
2. Constant upgrading of skills and abilities, not only those specific to task performance but negotiation and group interaction skills as well.
3. The tendency to maximize the range of interactions deemed permissible, implicitly promoting diversity of talk, and by implication people, to facilitate creativity and continuous improvement.
4. Admitting to errors and correcting them is not only encouraged, it is considered essential.
5. Managers and workers discuss work frequently, creating an accessible leadership.
6. Leadership, intelligence, and skill shift from being treated as traits to that of functions creating an environment where the capabilities of all people are more fully utilized and appreciated.
7. Spontaneous human input is encouraged.
8. Rewards are distributed more in relation to performance than role position creating greater incentive to work diligently a d intelligently.
9. Less hierarchy creates incentives to do productive work rather than spend time establishing status.
10. Learning and self improvement are valued activities which are rewarded
11. Worker involvement tends to lead to worker pride and self esteem."

In order to succeed in disrupting patterns of communication, some retraining or rethinking is described as necessary, particularly in the domains of worker relations and participation in a global economy. The author conduces that for industrial growth to occur: "From a communication perspective, this entails a collective of people engaged in conversations that generate goods and services in a manner that facilitates economic gain....A communication perspective offers insight into the potential ways and means of initiating and sustaining industrial development that differs from traditional frameworks of analysis in important and functional ways...."