Proposes a definition of uncertainty useful in organizational communication and demonstrates the applicability of the concept in managing communication problems in a selected manufacturing firm. (MS)

Examines the interdependent relationships between organizational climate and communication climate. Six critical dimensions of organizational climate are discussed in terms of their perceived impact on dual typologies of the communication climate. Concludes with an analysis of the suggested relationship between organizational climate and…

Describes three issues involved in communication research and consulting for multinational companies, particularly those in Germany: qualifications for doing international consulting and research, problems of American scholar-researchers in those firms, and suggestions for dealing with those issues. (JMF)

Presents a study to determine characteristic oral and written business communication problems of selected managerial trainees and to assess whether the problems defined by these trainees were those recognized by their immediate supervisors and secretaries. (JMF)

Investigates the perceptual congruence of superiors and subordinates concerning both upward and downward communication between the two groups. Finds that managers perceived themselves to be much more adequate in communication than did their own subordinates. Suggests that several factors may influence the perceptual incongruence, including…

Examines the role of communication directors involved in internal communication activities in business organizations. Indicates that directors perform a variety of roles ranging from journalistic to advisory/support work. Proposes a functional role involved in determining major policies for communications systems. (JMF)

Conducts a factor analysis to determine listening barriers perceived as most frequently affecting the listening effectiveness among business college students. Finds the presence of six listening barriers, with the barrier "listen primarily for details or facts" as the most frequently encountered barrier perceived by students. (MM)

Reports the findings of programmatic research on the perceived seriousness of communication barriers to learning across five pedagogies, which uncovered a generalized ordering of specific concerns as well as dimensionality of learning barriers. Suggests that pedagogical research bound by discipline or university may be more generalizable than…

Investigates the effectiveness of the prose communication in contemporary corporate annual reports. Indicates that a sample of 65 Canadian annual reports for 1984 were classified as "difficult" to "very difficult" and beyond the fluent comprehension ease of 92 percent of the adult population and 56 percent of the investor…

Different concepts of profit may lead to communication problems in business negotiations. A study of Japanese and American business students' concepts of profit revealed Japanese unidimensional and American multidimensional conceptualizing of profit. (PD)

Considers the role functions and general competencies of communication trainers. Focuses on the way trainers execute two principal tasks: 1) selecting topics, teaching, and evaluating communication seminars; and 2) diagnosing and managing communication problems which occur within the organization. (JMF)

Analyzes defensiveness in communication as caused by an unwillingness to acknowledge and tolerate differences in others, a fear of change in ourselves, and a desire to avoid mental imbalance. It causes a deteriorating cycle between communicators but can be reduced by empathy, treatment of fellow communicators as equals, and genuineness. (JMF)

Evaluates the Nominal Group Technique as a method for structuring a problem solving group's communication. The technique is evaluated in terms of its ability to produce more potential solutions to a problem than an interacting group and in terms of the perceived satisfaction of the participants. (JMF)

Surveys experts to establish the importance of 87 content areas for an intercultural business communication course. Finds 22 of the content areas to be essential, 65 to be important, and none to be unimportant. (RS)

Examines various ways of reducing upward communication distortion and concludes that the communication channel used is a significant variable in the upward communication process. (MH)