Perspectives of Strategic Communication

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Developing efficient and effective communications throughout an organization is not an easy proposition. It requires information to flow both laterally and vertically through the chain of command and in a myriad of other directions across departments and through teams. Many companies utilize a system of rule and reward programs to streamline communication and motivate workers. According to Conrad & Poole (2012, pg. 89), this type of system assumes that “all employees work to achieve goals, primarily economic ones, and a system that rewards them for following established rules and procedures and maximizing their own productivity would be in everyone’s self-interest”. However, as Conrad & Poole (2012) also point out, the ultimate success of rule and reward programs is dependent upon the company’s ability to communicate effectively with employees.
This week’s assignment looks at case studies of two different companies. The first case study, The Power of Rewards at Industry International (Conrad & Poole, 2012, pg. 92), explores a company’s use of a reward system and the fundamental problems that arose. The second case study, Empowerment, or Iron Cage? (Conrad & Poole, 2012, pg. 133), examines a company’s use of self-managed teams and rule making as a means of employee motivation, while discussing some of the associated problems encountered by one of three teams. Both cases personify the importance of communication and highlights both ends of the spectrum, too few rules and little communication is as detrimental as too many rules and too much communication.
In the first case study, The Power of Rewards at Industry International, the company is a non-union company that remains competitive and profitable in the global market by motivat...

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... produce a quality product. If at any point in the production process, an employee is lacking, those up the production line suffer the consequences. Thus, either through peer pressure or mentoring, other employees must team up and step in to earn the bonus’ they believe they deserve. The demise of the white team in the Xel Communications case study is, in part, due to the organization’s failure to consider the different personalities of its team members when it transitioned. Overall, these two case studies exemplify the importance of communication within an organization and demonstrate how significant the consequences can be when a company fails to monitor and adjust its organizational communication on an ongoing basis.

Works Cited

Conrad, C. R., & Poole, M. S. (2012). Strategic organizational communication in a global economy. Chichester, U.K: Wiley-Blackwell.

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