Argues that organizations are becoming increasingly complex as a response to diverse environmental demands. Describes how information technology can be employed to simplify organizations and reverse this trend. Also describes the federated organizational structure, analogous to the United States. Considers the potential contribution of…

Argues that although "plain English" (or "readability") is important, more compelling imperatives, such as a genuine belief in honest, responsive communication, need to be central to a company's values and culture. States that a company needs to implement policies to insure that plain English is the mainstay of healthy…

Asserts that computer-mediated communication systems not only process information about innovation but are also an innovation that organizations should process, a circumstance that provides organizations with opportunities and challenges for enhancing their resourcefulness and responsiveness. (MM)

A California school district has developed a unique public relations (PR) network that has overcome the traditional "bottleneck" design and increased communication among schools, students, parents, and community. It is based on the PR department coordinating a circular network that uses trained school-site coordinators to feed…

Indicates support for the Theory "Y" assumption that workers care about their jobs and the organization's needs. Determines four significant statements made by the employees regarding company profits, policies and procedures, working conditions, and benefits. Underscores the usefulness of employee feedback and verifies company…

Despite time restraints and lack of training, principals are responsible for mounting some kind of public relations effort in their schools. This article provides a checklist for building a successful campaign, including polling staff talents, reaching out to the community, obtaining district assistance, and making the right approach. (MLH)

Suggests applying an intergroup conflict management strategy to the processing of a case study as a method of teaching conflict management skills in organizational training workshops. (MS)

Discusses how culture drives an organization and suggests steps to strengthen the positive cultural ties that bind a company, including distributing internal newsletters and showing employees that excellence and creativity will be recognized. (DF)

Explores the relationships between employee satisfaction with various types of organizational communication, employee job satisfaction, and job performance as evaluated by supervisors, in a field study of 327 hospital nurses. Correlates results with results of other studies. (MS)

Concludes that Japanese managers tend to rely more often on altruism-based strategies to gain compliance, while American managers tend to rely more often on reward- or punishment-based strategies. (MS)

Among the administrative strategies principals can use are time management techniques for limiting the day's activities and providing early warning of upcoming events, communication strategies for keeping teachers informed and involved, and problem-solving strategies that encourage the principal to focus on problems worthy of serious attention.…

Tests the appropriateness of the Grunig models of public relations for describing and predicting current public relations practices in the state government of Louisiana. (FL)

Argues that traditional views of organizational communication have fallen short because they misapprehended and oversimplified the realities of rhetorical behavior in organizations and because they offered weak theoretical underpinnings for the study of business communication. (FL)

Surveyed civil service personnel (N=246) and undergraduates enrolled in upper level communications courses (N=227) to develop single dimension scales that measure dyadic and normative supervisor accessibility. Analyses yielded a clear two dimension measure of supervisor accessibility. (LLL)

Examines the effects of communication distortion on the task perceptions of subordinates working in goal-setting programs. Concludes that (1) effective superiors who communicate openly, supportively, and with little distortion are better able to clarify their subordinates' work environment, and (2) distortion negates a goal-setting program. (PD)