The literature reporting research on message distortion in organizations is reviewed in this paper. Topics covered include: definitions of distortion/fidelity; measures of message display; measures of message interpretation; categories of distortion/fidelity derived from laboratory research; definitions of distortion/fidelity in naturalistic…

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)

A study examined the types of communication technologies being used by United States-based corporations with operations in Mexico to determine the challenges these companies face when communicating across the border. A total of 703 U.S. corporations doing business with Mexico (culled from lists in two professional directories) were chosen for the…

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…

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…

Indicates the recognition on the part of chief executive officers that they are the company spokespersons and must have good communication skills in order to communicate effectively to the media and special interest groups. (EL)

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)

The communication activities and problems of 383 business and professional people in Hawaii were surveyed. The respondents reported spending the bulk of a typical work week engaged in giving instructions and making assignments, listening, talking face-to-face with employees, and conferring with clients. These interpersonal activities were related…

The research audit is an effective means for providing undergraduate students with relevant organizational experience through which they can integrate theory and practice. A course was designed to teach students to apply basic concepts in the field of organizational communication to "real life" communication problems in organizations.…

Determined types of behavior occurring most often in campus interviews and to which types interviewers react negatively. Lack of confidence, failure to ask key questions, nervous mannerisms, talkativeness, and failure to elaborate on answers were the most common behaviors. Poor attitude and dishonesty were among traits viewed most negatively.(SKC)

The complex set of economic problems facing Black families can best be understood from a communication perspective. Corporate America historically has taken advantage of its access to information and use of communication media to control the economic conditions of Black families. Through research and communication technology Black families can…

A study investigated relationships between subordinate perceptions of the communication competence of self and supervisor, and subordinate perceptions of supervisor and work satisfaction. The hypotheses were the following: (1) subordinates' satisfaction with their supervisors will vary as a function of their perceptions of their supervisors'…

Communication skills are important in every part of organizational life. However, a number of people are unable to realize their organizational potential because of communication apprehension (CA). Its pervasiveness has ranked it as the single most severe handicap facing Americans today. The Intraview Communication Intervention Strategy may be a…

Examines how various cultural communication practices and perceptions affected the way in which individuals from different cultures perceived the same negotiation process. Demonstrates that culture affected how Dutch and Chinese observers perceived and interpreted the same videotaped Chinese-Dutch negotiation. (SR)

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 16 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) the delivery of bad news in organizations; (2) the diffusion of judicial innovations; (3) speech action in organizational socialization; (4) differential…