Activities

Lesson 2 Discussion

Post Initial Response

Compose and post a thoughtful, well-considered answer to the discussion question below.

How do you define organizational communication? Consider the discussion concerning definitions of organizational communication on pp. 17–19 in Shockley-Zalabak. Develop your own one- or two-sentence definition of “organizational communication” and explain which of the different perspectives on organizational communication your definition emphasizes or does not account for (terms for you to consider when creating your definition: process, people, messages, meaning, constitutive of organizations).

Reply to Peers

Reply to at least two of your classmates’ postings. Provide a thoughtful response to your classmates’ posts by engaging the following questions:

• Where do your definitions share similarities?
• Where do they differ?
• How has her/his definition expanded your definition or helped you think of it differently?

Individual Essay

Read the case at the end of Shockley-Zalabak, Chapter 1 (p. 22). In a thoughtful, well-considered essay, answer the following questions:

• What does this case illustrate about messages and meanings? Consider this question in the context of Human Communication: Messages and Constitutive Processes (pp. 11–14).
• What factors contributed to the outcome of the communication process in this case?
• What could Jane have done differently (think about the communication process) to better influence the outcome of this interaction?

The essay should be no shorter than 500 words, but no longer than about 750 words. In any case, it should be complete, reasonably free from errors, clearly organized, and well thought out.