Chapter 13 – Communication in Filipino Organizations

Organizational Communication: Convergence between communication processes and organizational

behavior

Lasswell’s model of communication

 Who? (the communicator, or source of information)
 Says what? (the message or content)
 Through which channel? (the medium used to deliver the message)
 To whom? (the receiver of the message)
 With what effect? (the impact of the message to its receiver, eliciting a particular response)

Message content: Information shared in an organization.

 Task-related: Information on anything that achieves the org’s goals (work stuff)
 Innovation-related: About new ideas (brainstorming)
 Maintenance-related: Information used for developing and maintaining human relationships

Direction: How messages are routed through the organization

 Vertical: Between superiors and subordinates
o Downward: Superior to subordinate
o Upward: Subordinate to superior
 Horizontal: Among peers or colleagues of equal rank
o Filipinos more comfortable with this

*Jocano’s (1999) steps to consensus-seeking:

 Pagsasang-guni (consultation)
 Paghihikayat (persuasion)
 Pagka-kasundo (consensus)

Communication Channel: Where information passes

 Face-to-face: Duh
o Filipinos more comfortable with this
 Mediated: technology-assisted communication

Modes of Communication
 Written: When org communicates internally or externally (memo, meeting minutes)
 Oral: presentation, office chats, phone call)

Communication style: Manner, structure, or tone in which communication is performed

 Formal and Informal styles of communication
o Formal: When in meetings, presentation
o Informal: Use of more personal, spontaneous approach (Filipinos prefer this)
 Direct and Indirect
o Direct: Westerners like this more as they are low-context
o Indirect: Asians like this as high in context
 Pahiwatig (Maggay, 1999)
Organizational Communication Theories and Practical Applications

Media Richness Theory: Members should use most appropriate medium based on message complexity
 Complex and sensitive messages require “rich” media (face-to-face, videoconferencing)
 Simple, easy to remember messages can use email, phone call, memo

Adaptive Structuration Theory: Focuses on generation of communication rules and resources as it

affects channels and outcomes of communication
 Rules: Ways to arrive to a decision
 Resources: Money, relationships, expertise of members that can shape group and its decisions

Cultural Approach to Organizations Theory: Members engage in developing shared meanings of aspects
of organizational life
 Physical: Uniforms, Office spaces
 Behavioral: Celebrations, traditions, reward systems
 Verbal: VMV statements, jokes, heroes and villains, corporate metaphor