Organized action need not depend on group consensus. Karl Weick's theory argues that only minimal shared understanding is needed and that common ends and shared meanings may be outcomes of organized action, not prerequisites. This paper reveals four communication mechanisms that generate and sustain equifinal meaning (multiple routes to a single…

The exit interview, while widely practiced, has been largely ignored as an instrument for organizational change. A review of the literature reveals that eight out of ten firms in the United States use exit interviews to control attrition and identify areas where changes need to be instituted. Persuading an employee to tell the truth about why he…

A study investigated how the attribution of a problem solution to an individual or group affects the consumer's perception of the solution's quality. Based on the tendency to support group decision-making (Hydra phenomenon) it was predicted that decisions attributed to groups would be perceived as higher in quality than those made by individuals,…

Improving communications between administration and staff members is an urgent, ongoing need. Schools should adopt a communications philosophy in conjunction with continuing communication effectiveness. These evaluations must have clear and understandable objectives, mainly to pinpoint communication strengths and weaknesses. All essential…

Surveys communications theory and discusses its application to educational organizations. Topics examined include definitions of communication, the evolution of communication models, concepts of language and semantics, interpersonal communication, and organizational communication. Finally, analytic techniques and conceptual frameworks are…

Describes a typology of communication dimensions used by academic chairpersons in the early stages of the socialization process. Four new chairpersons were interviewed, and four functions of communication (informative, integrative, regulative, and innovative) guided data gathering in researching the link between communicator and role…

Divided into two sections, this report describes research on the range and degree of assessment of students' communication skills in colleges and universities and includes the following findings: (1) of the 384 respondents from college speech communication departments, 45 reported using large-scale, uniform testing of students; (2) these…

Prepared as part of a series applying recent research in oral and written communication instruction to classroom practice, this booklet presents a holistic view of learning focused on the development of oral communication. The first section of the booklet provides a rationale for increasing oral communication skills instruction, and discusses the…

Intended for researchers, policy makers, and planners, the studies in this volume examine issues in communication policy and planning in developing nations. The five studies discuss the following: (1) the organizational and methodological aspects of communication planning, including structure and organization, methods and models; (2) the economics…

A three-phase study spanned five areas of interest: (1) the school as organization and social system, (2) roles and role behavior in organizations, (3) communication structure in organizations, (4) network analysis concepts, and (5) Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior (FIRO-B). In phase one of the study, staff members listed…

To help with the curriculum development of college broadcasting programs, a survey was administered to 375 radio station managers in major, medium, and small midwest markets. Designed to establish the vocational needs of radio stations, determine and prioritize entry level broadcasting skills, and identify characteristics of success for long-term…

Prepared as part of a series applying recent research in oral and written communication instruction to classroom practice, this booklet reviews research and presents suggestions designed to improve the classroom communication climate. The first section of the booklet describes the process of building a supportive environment to reflect a range of…

Before there can be an understanding of politics, policy, and action in education, there must be an understanding of the value systems of policymakers. Policymakers, in their talk, in their choices of symbols and metaphors, in their choices of strategies for dealing with conflict, reveal their own needs, their role orientations, their group…

The speech communication department chair's most important function involves creating a healthy departmental climate for professional growth and development. While the department chair must be able to recognize and accept the fact that some faculty members cannot or will not improve their performance, there are still four principles he or she can…

Prepared as part of a series applying recent research in oral and written communication instruction to classroom practice, this booklet provides teachers, administrators, and curriculum planners with suggestions for ways to develop more effective oral communication instruction in the content areas as well as speech classes. Following a brief…