Organizational Communication 5337
Spring 2005
Instructor: Dr. Larry Erbert
Office: Quinn Hall, Rm 207
Office Phone: 747-5913
Office Hours: Tuesday & Wednesday, 2-4 p.m.
E-mail: lerbert@utep.edu
Reading Packet:
A reading packet is available in the library for the incredibly low cost of about $25. As I
previewed the packet, I realize that some of the articles are copied in the reverse order—
perhaps that is why we are getting a 20% discount from the copy center. What a great
opportunity to discuss organizational competence and management of organizational
image. The bibliography for all articles and chapters found in the reading list is located at
the end of this document.
Supplemental Reading List:
DeSanctis, G., & Fulk (Eds.). (1999). Shaping organizational form: Communication,
connection, and community. Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA.
Denning S. (2001). The springboard. Butterworth Heinemann: Boston, MA
Dixon, N. M. (2000) Common knowledge: How companies thrive by sharing what they
know. Harvard Business School Press: Boston, MA.
Ruggles, R., & Holtshouse, D. (1999). The knowledge advantage. Capstone US, Dover,
NH.
Clegg, S. R., Hardy, C., & Nord, W. R. (Eds.). (1997). Handbook of organization studies.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Eisenberg, E. M., & Goodall, H. L. (2004). Organizational communication (4th. Ed.). St.
Martin’s Press: New York.
Jablin, F. M., & Putnam, L. L. (Eds.). (2001). The new handbook of organizational
communication. Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA.
Course Description:
This course is designed to explore organizational communication from a theoretical
perspective. We will examine a number of major theoretical perspectives in
organizational communication, with particular focus on communication theory,
organizational history, organizational ethnography (narratives and storytelling),
“progressive” systems theory, dialectical theory, critical and cultural approaches to
organizations, organizational change, and sensemaking and symbolism. The purpose of
this course is to provide graduate students with a broad introduction in organizational
theory and thus will not involve extensive reading of empirical work. However, all
theories will be discussed with an applied focus in mind. In addition, this course will be
treated as a seminar where the goal of each class period is a collaborative dialogue
between and among students and the professor.
Course Requirements:
1. Attendance and Participation (10%). It is assumed that all graduate students will
attend all class sessions and participate regularly in discussions over assigned readings.
10% of the final grade will be determined by the quality of in-class participation. Since
there are no exams in the course, students must demonstrate their knowledge of assigned
material in discussions. The instructor reserves the right to implement a series of quizzes
or exams if it becomes clear that students are not reading assigned material.
2. Response Papers (20%)students are required to write four (4) response papers that are
3-4 pages in length. The purpose of a response paper is to engage in a discussion and
analysis of central ideas in the readings. Summaries of the reading material are not what
this assignment is about. Students should expect to engage the ideas and to elaborate on
issues, explore questions that arise within the theory or concepts, and examine the
implications and consequences of these issues for organizational communication theory.
This is a difficult series of assignments because I will not provide the structure; students
should know that the types and number of concepts chosen to discuss is entirely up to the
student. Thus, each student has individual initiative in exploring concepts that are
particularly interesting to them. Rough drafts will not be accepted but I strongly
encourage students to share their writing with other graduate students before the due date
of each response paper.
3. Annotated Bibliography (15%). This assigned requires students to annotate the
articles used for the critical analysis paper. Essentially, each student will write a one- to
two-page paragraph summarizing each article (alphabetical order) that will then be given
to each student in class. The minimum number of articles to be annotated is 15. An
example of an annotated bibliography will be given early in the semester. All students are
required to give a copy of their annotated bibliography to all other students in class.
4. Critical Analysis Paper (55%). This final paper is an opportunity for students to
explore an organizational theory/concept/issue in greater detail. Students should submit
their topic or theory to the professor before starting the project. A critical analysis paper
requires that students: a) discuss theoretical development and research approaches to the
topic, b) identify the strengths and weaknesses of the theory and research, and c) explore
avenues for new thinking, new research, or new theory development. Rough drafts are
welcome and should be given to the instructor no later than March 30th. Students will be
assigned to one of three groups the purpose of which is to give a short 10-15 minute
presentation on the topic of the final paper. Students who present in Groups A and B will
have an opportunity for revision before the final due date. Students in Group C will not
because they have a longer time for preparing the final paper. Students should consider
this assignment an opportunity for creativity and innovation based on individual
goals and interests.
Requirements for this paper are:
1. The minimum number of articles is 15 from approved academic journals.
2. The minimum number of pages for this assignment is 20 (excluding cover page,
bibliography, and any tables, figures, or graphs).
3. Students must use APA style unless the student is not a candidate for the M.A. in
Communication.
4. I would prefer a Times New Roman font, but you can choose the font based on your
own preference. This paper requires the use of either 11- or 12-point type.
5. Do not use folders, notebooks or any other type of envelope for the paper.
6. Critical analysis paper deadline: April 27th.
Course Policies:
1. All papers must follow APA (American Psychological Association) style, 5th edition.
Not following APA style will result in a rejection of the assignment for grading.
2. Response papers must be on time—no extensions will be given.
a. Response paper #1, due by February 2nd.
b. Response paper #2, due by February 16th.
c. Response paper #3, due by March 2nd.
d. Response paper #4, due by March 16th.
3. Policy on cheating and plagiarism:
“Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional presentation of another person's
ideas, work, or words, as one's own.” Cases of cheating or plagiarism will be
documented and reported to the Associate Dean of the Arts and Humanities Department.
The penalty for plagiarism is an "F" for the assignment and possible "F" in the course.
(We will discuss ways to avoid plagiarizing material later in class.)
4. Please turn off pagers and cell phones; do not take calls during class time.
5. The Internet may not be used as a source for research unless you are working with a
legitimate on-line journal.
6. All sources for the annotated bibliography and the critical analysis paper must be
approved in advance.
7. Copies of all articles used for the bibliography and analysis paper will be handed-in
with the final paper.
Total points possible 1,000
Grading scale: 900-1000 A
800-899 B
700-799 C
600-699 D
Course Calendar
Jan.
Feb.
12
Introduction to Organizational Communication; Philosophy of Science
19
The Changing Nature of Work—Video Series
Learning Organizations—Video Series
26
Deetz—Conceptual Foundations
Conrad & Haynes—Development of Key Constructs
2
Clegg & Hardy—Organizations, Organization and Organizing
Putnam, Phillips, & Chapman—Metaphors of Communication and Organization
9
Miller—Quantitative Research Methods
Taylor & Trujillo—Qualitative Research Methods
16
Weick & Ashford—Learning in Organizations
McPhee & Poole—Organizational Structures and Configurations
23
Sewell—A Theory of Structure: Duality, Agency, and Transformation
Zorn, Page, & Cheney—Nuts About Change
March 2
April
Vancouver—Living Systems Theory as a Paradigm for Organizational Behavior
9
Tracy—Dialectic, Contradiction, or Double Bind? Analyzing and Theorizing
Employee Reactions to Organizational Tension
Stohl, & Cheney—Participatory Processes/Paradoxical Practices
16
Carr & Zanetti—Metatheorizing the Dialectic of Self and Other
Calori—Organizational Development and the Ontology of Creative Dialectical
Evolution
23
SPRING BREAK!!
30
Cameron & Quinn—Organizational Paradox and Transformation
Ford & Backoff—Organizational Change in and out of Dualities and Paradox
Bartunek—The Dynamics of Personal and Organizational Framing
6
Morrill & Thomas—Organizational Conflict Management as Disputing Process
Oetzel et al.—Face and Facework in Conflict
Rahim—Toward a Theory of Managing Organizational Conflict
13
Research Paper Presentations—Group A
20
Research Paper Presentations—Group B
27
Research Paper Presentations—Group C
Final Class; Course Evaluations
Final grades due May 11, 2005
Bibliography for Organizational Communication Reading List
(Listed in the order found in the reading packet.)
Deetz, S. (2001). Conceptual foundations. In F. M. Jablin & L. L. Putnam (Eds.) The new
handbook of organizational communication (pp. 3-46). Thousand oaks, CA: Sage
Publications.
Conrad, C, & Haynes, J. (2001). Development of key constructs. In F. M. Jablin & L. L.
Putnam (Eds.) The new handbook of organizational communication (pp. 47-77).
Thousand oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Clegg, S. R., & Hardy, C. (1997). Organizations, organization and organizing. In S. R.
Clegg, C. Hardy & W. R. Nord (Eds.) Handbook of organization studies (pp. 128). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Putnam, L. L., Phillips, N, & Chapman, P. (1997). Metaphors of communication and
organization. In S. R. Clegg, C. Hardy & W. R. Nord (Eds.) Handbook of
organization studies (pp. 375-408). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Miller, K. (2001). Quantitative research methods. In F. M. Jablin & L. L. Putnam (Eds.)
The new handbook of organizational communication (pp. 137-160). Thousand
oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Taylor, B. C., & Trujillo, N. (2001). Qualitative research methods. In F. M. Jablin & L.
L. Putnam (Eds.) The new handbook of organizational communication (pp. 161194). Thousand oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Weick, K. E., & Ashford, S. J. (2001). Learning in organizations. In F. M. Jablin & L. L.
Putnam (Eds.) The new handbook of organizational communication (pp. 704731). Thousand oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
McPhee, R. D., Poole M. S. (2001). Organizational structures and configurations. In F.
M. Jablin & L. L. Putnam (Eds.) The new handbook of organizational
communication (pp. 503-543). Thousand oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Sewell, W. H. (1992). A theory of structure: Duality, agency, and transformation.
American Journal of Sociology, 1-29.
Zorn, T. E., Page, D. J., & Cheney, G. (2000). Nuts about change. Management
Communication Quarterly, 13, 515-567.
Vancouver, J. B. (1996). Living systems theory as a paradigm for organizational
behavior: Understanding humans, organizations, and social processes. Behavioral
Science, 41, 165-205.
Tracy, S. T. (2004). Dialectic, contradiction, or double bind? Analyzing and theorizing
employee reactions to organizational tension. Journal of Applied Communication
Research, 32, 119-146.
Stohl, C., & Cheney, G. (2001). Participatory processes/paradoxical practices.
Management Communication Quarterly, 14, 349-407.
Carr, A., & Zanetti, (1999). Metatheorizing the dialectic of self and other. American
Behavioral Scientist, 43, 324-345.
Calori, R. (2002). Organizational development and the ontology of creative dialectical
evolution. Organization, 9, 127-150.
Cameron, K. S., & Quinn, R. E. (1988). Organizational paradox and transformation. In R.
E. Quinn & K. S. Cameron (Eds.) Paradox and transformation: Toward a theory
of change in organization and management (pp. 1-63). Cambridge, MA:
Ballinger.
Ford, J. D., Backoff, R. W. (1988). Organizational change in and out of dualities and
paradox. In R. E. Quinn & K. S. Cameron (Eds.) Paradox and transformation:
Toward a theory of change in organization and management (pp. 81-121).
Cambridge, MA: Ballinger.
Bartunek, J. M. (1988). The dynamics of personal and organizational framing. In R. E.
Quinn & K. S. Cameron (Eds.) Paradox and transformation: Toward a theory of
change in organization and management (pp. 137-162). Cambridge, MA:
Ballinger
Morrill, C., & Thomas, C. K. (1992). Organizational conflict management as disputing
process: The problem of social escalation. Human Communication Research, 18,
400-428.
Oetzel, J., Ting-Toomey, S., Masumoto, T., Yokochi, Y., Pan, X., Takai, J., & Wilcox, R.
(2001). Face and facework in conflict: A cross-cultural comparison of china,
germany, japan, and the united states. Communication Monographs, 68, 235-258.
Rahim, M. A. (2002). Toward a theory of managing organizational conflict. International
Journal of Conflict Management, 13, 206-236.