Suggests that newcomers need several types of information to reduce uncertainty surrounding organizational entry. Surveys 117 newcomers (recent college graduates) to assess perceived usefulness of 7 types of information and the extent to which they had passively and actively obtained them. Finds information was obtained actively through monitoring…

Studies the activities teams use to manage their organizational environment beyond their teams, using semistructured interviews with 38 new-product team managers in high technology companies. Teams engage in vertical communications aimed at molding top management's views, horizontal communications aimed at coordinating work and obtaining feedback,…

Explores possible influences on diagonal communication (interaction two or more hierarchical levels apart or one hierarchical level apart but outside the direct chain of command). Shows that, for high performing groups, diagonal interactions may be necessary when environmental turbulence makes work-related problems difficult to solve and the…

Examines the relationship between public relations and marketing departments from the perspective of 262 public relations practitioners in the United States. Finds that domain similarity and resource dependence between the two departments was positively associated with the eventual take over of the less powerful department (public relations) by…

Argues that technical communicators cannot afford to ignore collaboration. Discusses eight characteristics of a project and its staff that help determine whether the collaborative effort will be successful. Offers examples of a successful and an unsuccessful collaboration. (SR)

Discusses the focus group, a relatively new method of communication and organizational research. Describes the need for such research, essential ingredients of a quality focus group session, and the advantages and disadvantages of the method. Establishes a theoretical framework and offers examples of focus group research. Suggests methods of focus…

Discusses business communication within the organization, with customers and other organizations, with labor and labor organizations, with government agencies, with the community, and with prospective employees. (PRA)

Describes the ongoing state of change in the domain of public relations, with special attention to model shifts. Defines model struggles and discusses the emergence of international public relations along with other recent trends. (HB)

Examines the absence of a critical feminist perspective in the application of systems theory as a unifying model for public relations. Describes an unacknowledged third system, the infrasystem, that constructs both suprasystem and subsystem interactions. Concludes with a case analysis of sport as illustration. (HB)

Argues that the traditional scientific worldview provides an insufficient foundation for public relations theory development. Proposes reformulating public relations theory based on a model informed by the dynamic worldview of chaos. (HB)

Outlines seven alternative models for public relations theory and practice. Considers the central issues and questions of each model. Calls for an expanded debate on paradigmatic issues. (HB)

Focuses on the issue of generalizability of laboratory studies. Explores the utility of both laboratory and field studies. Maintains that many laboratory studies can have meaningful applied value to managers in spite of their extreme artificiality. Offers a rationale for each approach and criteria for assessing them. (SR)

Responds to an article in the same issue of this journal which defends the applied value of laboratory studies to managers. Agrees that external validity is often irrelevant, and maintains that the problem of making inferences from any subject sample in management communication is one that demands internal, not external, validity. (SR)

Defines and reviews the literature on organizational commitment and identification. Reports an empirical study which found that commitment and identification correlated consistently and similarly with relevant attitudinal, tenure, and demographic variables. Concludes that communication scholars are advised to refer to identification as a process…

Provides suggestions for creating a professional image for camps that includes paying attention to the first impressions of campers and their families, the importance of staff telephone etiquette and public speaking abilities, and the use of directional signs to help campers find their way around the facility. (LP)