The purpose of this paper is for you to apply TWO of the organizational communication theories from the first part of the semester to analyzing an organization that you are involved with. In doing so, your purpose is to assess that organization’s communication and to identify strengths, areas for improvement, and specific guidelines for improvement. Your paper should focus on a specific thesis (e.g., “Organization X illustrates classic scientific management principles but could reduce employee dissatisfaction by implementing a human relations approach.”)
Please select one of the following theories to apply:
• Taylor’s Management perspective
• Weber’s bureaucratic approach
• Human relations perspective
• Systems perspective
• Weick’s model of organizing
• Pragmatist Organizational Culture approach
• Purist Organizational Culture approach
• Critical Perspective of Organizational Communication
The organization that you select should be one that you have had or currently have direct experience with their communication by being a current or past employee or by having the ability to observe communication among employees or by being able to interview employees of the organization.
Your midterm paper should be approximately 7-8 pages in length (typed, double-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins on all sides), excluding title page and references. Please number your pages in the upper right-hand corner. Please include a title page with the title of your paper, your name, this course number (COMM 303), instructor name, and semester (Fall 2018). You should use section headers in between each main section. Section headers should be centered and bolded. You should use American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines for citing any sources used and for creating your reference list.
You should explain the perspectives that you are applying, identify and define some key concepts that you will apply, and explain how communication is viewed or defined from within each perspective. When you apply the perspectives, you should provide specific examples of communication from the organization you are analyzing to relate to concepts from each perspective. You do not have to apply all of the concepts, but rather should be strategic in identifying concepts that best relate to the focus you have chosen for your paper.
Your paper should consist of the following sections:
a) Introduction: (~1/2 page) Introduce reader to purpose of paper and topic of paper. States your thesis. Provides an explicit preview of the key sections of your paper.
b) Organizational Background: (~1/2 page) Describe the background of your organization or site of analysis. Also should explain your relationship to the organization. I.e., What is it? What does it do? What is its structure? What is its recent history? Who are the key people or groups to your study?
c) Method of Data Gathering: (~1/2 page) Describe how you gathered the data on your organization. If you observed, how many hours did you observe? How did you take notes? If you interviewed, how many people did you interview and why did you select those specific people to interview? (Note: If you conducted interviews or distributed surveys, those questions should be attached to the back of your paper as an appendix.) Also should explain what pre-cautions you took to ensure that your research was conducted in an ethical manner that was respectful of your research participants and their rights to privacy and anonymity.
d) Overview of Perspective 1: (~1 page) Define and explain the perspective that you are applying and its key concepts. You may rely on your text book for explaining the perspectives. You may also incorporate additional resources, but that is not a requirement of the paper. Please also make sure that you discuss how the perspective defines or views communication.
e) Application of Perspective 1: (~1.5 pages) Apply key concepts from the perspective to communication within the organization. Provides an overall assessment of communication in the organization by relating to the explanations of communication described by the perspective. Specific examples of communication should be provided throughout and how the concepts relate to the examples should be directly and explicitly explained.
f) Overview of Perspective 2: (~1 page) Define and explain the perspective that you are applying and its key concepts. You may rely on your text book for explaining the perspectives. You may also incorporate additional resources, but that is not a requirement of the paper. Please also make sure that you discuss how the perspective defines or views communication.
g) Application of Perspective 2: (~1.5 pages) Apply key concepts from the perspective to communication within the organization. Provides an overall assessment of communication in the organization by relating to the explanations of communication described by the perspective. Specific examples of communication should be provided throughout and how the concepts relate to the examples should be directly and explicitly explained.
h) Conclusion: (~1 page) Summarize paper. And:
• Compare and contrast each perspective in terms of their advantages and drawbacks in being applied to organizational communication.
• Reiterate your overall assessment of the organization’s communication in light of the perspective you applied.
• Provide and explain at least 3 recommendations to help that organization improve its communication and/or highlight best practices from that organization that provide a model for other organizations. The key here is to hit a total of 3, whether it is all recommendations, all best practices, or a combination of the two. As you explain your recommendations and/or best practices, make sure that you explicitly relate them to your preceding application of the organizational communication concepts.
• Reflect on what you learned about organizational communication from your project.
i) References: Provide a list of the sources of information you utilized. Minimally, I expect that your text book will be cited in your reference list. You are not required to use any other sources, but if you do, they should be cited and placed in your reference list.
Grading Criteria
Excellent Passing Inadequate
Structure of Paper Clear introduction, main sections, and conclusion with distinct transitions in between each; body of paper previewed in introduction; thesis presented clearly in introduction; theoretical perspectives to be applied are identified (5 pts.) Clear introduction, main sections, and conclusion; thesis presented clearly in introduction; theoretical perspectives to be applied are identified (3-4 pts.) Structure of paper may be difficult to figure out; thesis and preview unclearly presented (0-2 pts.)
Organizational Background Thoroughly describes the background of organization; explains student’s relationship to the organization. (5 pts.) Describes the organization and its purpose, but may lead out relevant details about the recent history of the organization or student’s connection to the organization (3-4 pt.) Missing important background information about the organization and/or relationship to the organization (0-2 pts.)
Methods Describes how primary data was gathered, including number of hours of observation or number of interviews, how field notes were taken (if applicable) or how many people were interviewed and how they were selected; for interviews, describes what questions were asked; addresses what pre-cautions were taken to ensure that research was conducted ethically (5 pts.) Addresses most of the criteria for excellent (3-4 pts.) May be vague in describing data collection and/or does not address ethical considerations in conducting research (0-2 pts.)
Overview of Perspectives Accurately defines and explains selected perspective and concepts from the theoretical perspective; explains the perspective’s view of communication (9-10 pts.) Accurately defines key theory or concepts from the theoretical perspective; explains the perspective’s view of communication; some explanations may be unclear or missing (7-8 pts.) Does not meet at least one of the criteria described for passing (0-6 pts.)
Application Accurately applies specific concepts from the theoretical perspective to specific examples of communication; explains how the concepts relate to the key concepts identified; relates application to paper thesis (11-12 pts.) Meets most of the criteria for excellent (9-10 pts.) Analysis may be unclearly organized; may not address communication; data non-specific or based on personal memories (0-8 pts.)
Conclusion Summarizes key ideas of paper; compares and contrasts the two perspectives; provides and explains 3 recommendations or best practices that have clear connections to the application section of the paper; provides thoughtful reflection of what student individually learned from project (5 pts.) Meets most of the criteria for excellent (3-4 pts.) Barely meets one of the criteria for excellent (0-2 pts.)
References (uses a point deduction scale) Scholarly sources are cited using APA formatting—no points deducted Sources are cited, but APA formatting guidelines may not be strictly used—a deduction of 3-6 points Sources not cited—this can result in a failing grade on the assignment.
Writing (uses a point deduction scale) Nearly or completely free of spelling and grammatical errors; paper structure is clear and follows assignment guidelines; writing flows well and smoothly–no points deducted A few spelling or grammatical errors per page; structure discernible; some areas of awkward writing—1-3 points deducted Frequent spelling or grammatical errors; did not follow structure guidelines for assignment; several areas of awkward writing—4-12 points deducted
