Communication in organizations
PROF. PATRIZIA MILESI
COURSE AIMS
The course aims at providing students with an interpretative perspective that
enables to communicate efficaciously with employees in organizational contexts
where teams are given more and more autonomy in decision making and
managing. The course aims at providing the knowledge required to manage
communication as a mean to increase employees’ commitment to their team /
organization and to support their willing to behave in its favour.
COURSE CONTENT
First, the course will take an in-depth look at the psychological processes linked
with perceived membership in organizational contexts. It will highlight how social
identification with various organizational groups both satisfies the basic human
need for belonging and meets the organizational necessity to motivate employees
for team work. In that approach, the course will explore issues related to
cooperation, group decision-making and leadership. Secondly, the course will deal
with the close link between communication and group membership and it will
tackle issues related with leader – follower communication: direct and indirect
effects of immediate supervisor’s communication on followers’ organizational
commitment as well as psychological processes linked with employees’ voice and
silence behaviours will be discussed.
Group Membership in Organizations
– Organizational commitment and identification with organization
– Group membership, cooperation and organizational citizenship behaviour
– Group dynamics (group socialization, conformity, group decision-making)
– Group membership in contexts of organizational change (mergers and
restructuring)
Communication in Work Groups and Organizations
– Communication and group membership
– Leader – follower communication
– Leader – followers relationship
– Leader’s communication
– Employees’ communication
READING LIST
R. KREITNER-A. KINICKI, Comportamento organizzativo. Dalla teoria all’esperienza, Apogeo,
Milano, 2008.
TEACHING METHOD
Lectures, discussion of empirical researches, use of online teaching aids on Blackboard
platform.
Special lectures by psychologists who work as counselors in management of human
resources.
ASSESSMENT METHOD
By written examination.
For students who attend lectures the examination will centre on lecture notes and online
teaching material.
For students who do not attend lectures the examination will centre on the set text.
NOTES
Further information can be found on the lecturer's webpage at
http://docenti.unicatt.it/web/searchByName.do?language=ENG or on the Faculty notice
board.