Case Study on Organisational Communication
120
Business Intelligence Journal
July
ORGANISATIONAL COMMUNICATION: A CASE STUDY
By Thomas A. Booth
Introduction
The organization chosen for this case study on organizational communication is a small political activists’ organization for which the writer of this paper once volunteered. The organizational communication problem encountered was that the volunteer supervisor did not have projects ready during the scheduled volunteer time slots, and despite a thorough interview process to determine skill-need matches and prior verbal scheduling of volunteer times, this problem persisted for months. With the lack of a communication plan, the consequence was a diminished enthusiasm for the cause and growing level of frustration causing this writer to cease volunteering for the organization despite having a true belief in its mission. volunteer work was so different than the other volunteers, there was no real value to vertical communication. In Organizational Communication, Kathryn Baker, contends many communication theories are not so relevant in today’s service world as well as today’s technologically globalized world. (Baker, 2002) While many organizational communication principals would apply, this organization operates locally and nationally, and falls into Baker’s description of ‘the service’ organization. What the supervisor could have done was implement time saving communication systems, such as writing memos, e-mails, and other written communication methods to delegate tasks to be done within that specific time frame. If this was done, the task(s) often were so simple that they did not take all the volunteer time, and she was left scrambling to find another volunteer project.
Knowledge
The major problem in this case study was that the volunteer supervisor was engaged in so many projects that she did not invest the time to communicate projects to delegate to the volunteer. Most volunteers for this organization worked on updating databases,
Business Intelligence Journal
July
ORGANISATIONAL COMMUNICATION: A CASE STUDY
By Thomas A. Booth
Introduction
The organization chosen for this case study on organizational communication is a small political activists’ organization for which the writer of this paper once volunteered. The organizational communication problem encountered was that the volunteer supervisor did not have projects ready during the scheduled volunteer time slots, and despite a thorough interview process to determine skill-need matches and prior verbal scheduling of volunteer times, this problem persisted for months. With the lack of a communication plan, the consequence was a diminished enthusiasm for the cause and growing level of frustration causing this writer to cease volunteering for the organization despite having a true belief in its mission. volunteer work was so different than the other volunteers, there was no real value to vertical communication. In Organizational Communication, Kathryn Baker, contends many communication theories are not so relevant in today’s service world as well as today’s technologically globalized world. (Baker, 2002) While many organizational communication principals would apply, this organization operates locally and nationally, and falls into Baker’s description of ‘the service’ organization. What the supervisor could have done was implement time saving communication systems, such as writing memos, e-mails, and other written communication methods to delegate tasks to be done within that specific time frame. If this was done, the task(s) often were so simple that they did not take all the volunteer time, and she was left scrambling to find another volunteer project.
Knowledge
The major problem in this case study was that the volunteer supervisor was engaged in so many projects that she did not invest the time to communicate projects to delegate to the volunteer. Most volunteers for this organization worked on updating databases,
References: Baker, K. 2002. Organizational Communication, Chapter 13. Retrieved from the world wide web on July 11, 2007 from http://www.wren- Booth, T. A. - Case Study 1: Organisational Communication 122 Business Intelligence Journal July network.net/resources/benchmark/13OrganizationalCommunication.pdf McNamara, C. MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC., 1997-2007 Basics in Internal Organizational Communications. Free Management Library Website. Retrieved from the world wide web on July 12, 2007 from http://www.managementhelp.org/mrktng/o rg_cmm.htm Booth, T. A. - Case Study 1: Organisational Communication