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The impact of trust in the superior, perceived influence of the superior, and mobility aspirations of subordinates on upward communication behavior was examined. While the importance of trust as a facilitator of open information exchange was supported, this was less true of influence of the superior and mobility aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationships between influence methods of project managers and their project performance are investigated. Findings indicate that influence methods emphasizing work challenge and expertise are postively and significantly associated with the performance ratings of the project managers, with the openness of upward communication, with project involvement, and with project support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the measurement of return on marketing investments in industrial companies. The author believes the recent trend of an increase in the concern of management stems from three factors; the increasing importance of marketing in industrial companies, the importance of marketing communication, and the consequences of communications failures in marketing. A systems approach, he believes, should consist of 12 stages, some of which include; establishing the company's mission, pinpointing the market situation, creating a competitive edge, defining the role of communications, selecting communications objectives, establishing benchmarks for measuring effectiveness, and developing a marketing strategy.

Believing that most companies do not go after new products effectively, the author deals with what is wrong and what to do about it. Of special interest is the theme that the responsibility for new products should not rest with the marketing function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management has had to endorse huge investment spending programs on new product development to insure market position and profits for the future. This places a tremendous burden upon the New Product Department. This article shows why the responsibilities for communicating and administering the technical development phases should be assigned to the central Marketing Research Department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distortion of upward communication by subordinates is viewed as instrumental for attainment of need-goals. The study investigates relationships between distortion of upward communication, needs of subordinates, and aspects of organizational climate. Distortion of upward communication is negatively related to level of security and positively related to achievement needs; also positively related to a "heteronomous" organizational climate and negatively related to an "autonomous" climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses Berlo's model of communication and applies it to behavioral theories of Maslow, Herzberg, and McGregor. Berlo's model of communication is outlined into six stages: the communications source, the encoding of the message, the message, the delivery method of the message, the decoding of the message, and the message receiver. According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, once lower-level needs have been satisfied, they become ineffective as a motivator and higher needs take over. The author illustrates this idea with a situation of an employer with problem employees whose lower-level needs have been met. She also applies this situation to Herzberg's "Motivators and Maintenance Needs" and McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y.

The proposition that open two-way communication is associated with a satisfying and effective superior-subordinate work relationship is examined. Different patterns and degrees of openness were related to five areas of subordinate work satisfaction. The results indicated that greater openness of communication by one or both members of the relationship was associated with increased satisfaction. In addition, openness of one member of the pair was significantly related to openness of the other members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article comments on the paper "The Impact on Managers of Frequency of Feedback," by Doris M. Cook. The article is believed to be an example of over reliance on the obvious and a failure to control or test for relevant variables. For a long time, management theorists have argued that frequent feedback has a positive impact on the communication process and the effectiveness of an organization. Cook's findings may be significant because they correlate with several external variable. However, correlation only implies a relationship and not causality.

Oral chain-of-command communication in a manufacturing management group was surveyed using ecco analysis. Routine information was blocked by operating management, but production information was effectively communicated, it is suggested that in a manufacturing environment certain information is more appropriate for written communication than for oral communication, because oral communication in these instances requires uneconomic use of valuable management time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary purpose of this paper is to facilitate a more systematic approach to development of a single theory of administration from the present formal and informal theories, it limits its focus to determining when the use of formal communication channels, informal channels or some combination thereof contributes to the effectiveness of the administrator and when verbal, written or some combination of these methods facilitate an administrator's effectiveness when using the formal and informal networks. Clarification of the alternatives available to the administrator is attained by the specification of channels and methods of using them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the managerial style and effective communication of Sir Winston Spencer Churchill as evidenced through the broadcasts that he made throughout 1940, when Great Britain faced air attacks and a threatened invasion by Germany. The article focuses particularly on the language used by Churchill in his speeches, which was succinct, simple, and yet inspiring to the British people. The author draws a parallel to the necessities of business communications, which have become increasingly complex and more difficult to understand. The author encourages teachers of business to teach their students to write simply and clearly in order to communicate valuable ideas which do not necessitate dressing of complex terminology.

"Two-way communication" has become an administrative cliche. And, as with many other apparent truisms, it is blandly preached and infrequently (and imperfectly) practiced. The issue, nonetheless, is quite important, bound up as it is with the nature of leadership and administrative philosophy. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the relative efficacies and limitations of unilateral and of bilateral communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which examined the extent to which information, particularly the unsolicited type, flows freely and accurately within a business firm. The experiment was conducted in a highly diversified multi-product electrical manufacturing company which was decentralized along product lines. The study used six items of information that were subsequently transmitted to the company's various units. A discussion is presented about the possible distortion of information found during the process of transmission. The experiment appeared to have value beyond showing how unsolicited information is handled. It indicates that there is not a free flow of unsolicited information within the test company.

Current discussions of union-management relations frequently seem to suggest that industrial relations problems largely could be solved if only there existed adequate arrangements for communication between the respective parties. Emphasis is placed on the desirability of "getting together to talk things over." It is the conclusion of this article, however, that union-management communication may produce as much or more harm than good, unless based on mutual understanding and implemented by constructive action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for coding messages in a communication network is presented for the identification and analysis of control mechanisms in an administrative system. Messages can be categorized as routine reports, memoranda, inquiries, queries, proposals and decisions. Definitions for these categories are suggested and their role in written and verbal communications are discussed. A communication chart is suggested as a means of recording coded messages in chronological order when a particular task is traced, and a method is described of using the proposed definitions for evaluating roles in an administrative system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on experimental research conducted with small groups performing under three different organization structures--tight, loose-written, and loose-oral. The purpose of this experiment was to examine the effects of structure on groups required to make decisions on relatively complex problems. Further refinements were made on work previously done on the effects of structure. The refinements consisted of an organizational structure and a problem which were more complex and more representative of industrial organizations. Another objective was to investigate and compare the performance of groups organized under a highly restricted (tight) structure against groups organized under loose (loose-written and loose-oral) structures. The evidence indicates that different structures will initially have different effects on groups exposed to the same problem. Eventually, however, all groups, regardless of structure will reach a level of performance that is approximately the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a report and discussion of an inquiry concerning change in thirty companies in southern California. The two special subjects of interest are the extent of administrative adaptations to growth in operations and the extent to which associated changes were explicitly introduced. The results indicate a high incidence of "paper" changes in administrative arrangements. Of greater interest is the suggestion that adaptation was not clearly better in the case of companies which explicitly introduced organization changes than it was for companies which did not. A number of implications of both theoretical and practical significance follow, among them the notion of relying in the future more on "built-in" mechanisms for organizational change rather than on ad hoc solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a series of small-group communication network studies using the Bavelas-Leavitt procedure the following observations were made: (1) Groups continued to learn over longer periods than previous studies of periods of shorter duration had revealed. (2) Differences in antecedent network experiences led to differences in efficiency, organization, and satisfaction in identical subsequent networks. (3) More efficient problem-solving systems were developed, the more groups tried to understand their network structure, and the more they eliminated redundant organizational planning behavior; changes in satisfactions occurred when changes in positions involved issues of promotion and demotion. (4) The opportunity to have elections led to greater continuity of leadership when networks were changed. (5) A model comprising assertions about human response tendencies and network properties was useful for predicting the effects of changes. (6) A prediction regarding the effects of past experience based on the model was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a government research organization, data were obtained from 300 scientists on how adequate they considered a variety of auxiliary services, from 500 auxiliary personnel on how considerate or appreciative they found the scientists they served, and from both on the frequency and type of channels used to obtain the services. In the first of two articles the author deals with data from auxiliary staff on how their attitudes toward scientists are related to the communication channels used by the latter. The results bear both on practical problems such as centralization of services and on the theory of interaction in organized groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although concepts derived from communications engineering have begun to influence social science, students of administration have not attempted to apply such concepts. The author suggests some possibilities for adapting communication theory. Administration is defined as decision making, and decisions are viewed essentially as communication phenomena. Organization is posited as an elaborate communication system, which suggests the possibility of a "learning net" type of model for studying organization. The concepts of feedback and homeostasis give such a model a dynamic quality. Finally, the elements of such a model and some uses to which it might be put are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents comments on the June 1956 article entitled "Notes on a General Theory of Administration" by Dr. Edward H. Litchfield. The article uses outlines of Litchfield's article to add to and argue his ideas. The article argues that the administrative process is a progression of specific and general activities, using the verb 'progression' instead of 'cycle,' as Litchfield does, because the author believes the term 'cycle' presents conceptual limitations. Litchfield stated that there are three primary responsibilities to administrative communication, and the author argues that there are four, adding that it is important for administrators to ensure channels of communication are kept open to provide employees with information to correctly perform job functions.

A method is set forth by which a firm may measure and monitor, on a continuing basis, the priorities that different groups and individuals place upon a prespecified set of social goals. The article shows how the firm may then combine the differing viewpoints of these groups into a single set of priorities as a usable guide for decision-making.A method is set forth by which a firm may measure and monitor, on a continuing basis, the priorities that different groups and individuals place upon a prespecified set of social goals. The article shows how the firm may then combine the differing viewpoints of these groups into a single set of priorities as a usable guide for decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A logical classification of management work is presented, setting forth its universal functions and activities. Consistent use of this or a similar system will eliminate many current semantic problems and facilitate both the theory and practice of management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important, although often neglected, organizational process is that of bringing new people into an organization (the "joining-up process"). Research focused on the concept of the "psychological contract" found that the more a new employee's expectations match his organization's, the greater his productivity and satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication dilemmas cited by people are not communication problems at all: they are symptoms of difficulties at more basic and fundamental levels of corporate life. After describing various interpersonal styles, the author analyses them and makes appropriate suggestions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines various steps that need to be taken, in the business world, in order to ensure the survival of arts in the United States. The author discusses the role that boards of directors need to play in this process which includes raising money in order to promote artistic activity. The author adds that artistic organizations often have a disconnect between their administrative and creative departments, noting that this gap needs to be bridged. The author discusses some of the problems these organizations face in raising funds which include, but are not limited to, effective planning, ineffective communication and budgeting.

The literature of conflict in organizations has dealt mainly with industry and politics, somewhat with industrial research, but has almost ignored organizations in conflict within academia. It is highly unlikely that academic theorists are unaware of organizational conflict on their home playing fields. Although the spirit of collegiality may inhibit academic discussion of conflict, conflictful academic discussions take place every day. Virginal academicians are probably scarcer than innocent undergrads. The models examined herein must not be regarded as prescriptions or ideal patterns for conflict resolution but as characterizations of behavior by less-than-rational humans in competitive and conflict-laden environments. Norms for dealing with conflicts are at best somewhat fugitive, and no theorist hypothesizes consistent rationality as a factor in the resolution of conflicts or in the making of organizational decisions. The purpose here is to examine the phenomena of conflict and conflict resolution in the field of higher education administration and in other administrative settings and to determine by analysis and case examination how conflict in academia conforms to certain conceptual models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article shows that in many companies supervisory ineffectiveness is a result of wide discrepancies in role perception, and offers a training program aimed at developing a more realistic conception of the supervisory role and eliminating the perceptual gap between the first-line supervisors and their immediate superiors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the qualities of clarity, brevity, and directness in business writing. In order to communicate clearly and write concisely, executives must be conscious of their purpose and avoid vague writing that is characterized by the passive voice, impersonality, and stilted wording. Unknowns that contribute to ineffective communication include: diversity of technical information, range of readers having access to the document, and uncertainty about the timing of a message and choice of media. The situational relationship of the reader and writer and the deductive approach of starting with the key point are mentioned. Indirectness, or an inductive approach, may be useful when resistance to a message is expected. Examples of ineffective writing are given.

The article discusses Management by Objectives (MBO), a management system which is used in complex organizations, is based on statements of purpose that direct the activities of organizations, organizational units, or individuals, and emphasizes change and future goals. Phases in implementing the MBO process include the development of goal statements, performance and personal objectives, procedures for participation in decision making, and action plans. Seven characteristics of MBO, means-end analysis in MBO, three sources of management problems, three areas for developing personal objectives, and ten points to consider in developing criteria for evaluation, appraisal, and feedback are mentioned.

The article discusses the analytical tool called the Management Responsibility Matrix (MRM) designed by the Douglas Aircraft Company to help design or streamline industrial and corporate operations easily. The MRM offers three aspects of usefulness: it highlights potential difficulties within the managerial process, clarifies issues relating to conflicts of responsibilities, and it serves as a guideline for operations and administration. The organizational chart offers both an internal and external understanding of management responsibilities.

This article focuses on understanding and increasing effective management behavior, especially in the industrial sector. The author feels that the majority of managers are effective leaders with a good understanding of their organizations' and departments' needs. However, he feels that most managers lack the ability to understand and pinpoint their own behaviors that make them successful. He feels the study of management focuses mainly upon organizational structure and how managers initiate change within such organizations.

The article refers to studies by B. F. Skinner and Mary Parker Follett and discusses a behavioristic view of coordination in management. Four basic stages in organizational coordination are planning the use of resources, organizing the physical and human resources needed to achieve the firm's goals, executing the plan, and distributing rewards to "the cooperators." Examples relate to Skinner's concept of intermittent reinforcement and Follett's concept of integration in the coordination process. The communication function of management, verbal behavior and conditioning tools, deus ex machina in "Walden Two," the organization as an organism, 12 types of coordination, and ten forms of coordinating actions that are related to government are mentioned.

The article refers to a business-educator-student communications triangle and explains communications management at International Telephone and Telegraph. Quality management depends on knowing, understanding, and communicating the facts. Five rules for effective communication in organizations include: limiting the number of people between the problem and decision levels; communicating common goals; encouraging feedback; and constantly reviewing the process to maintain a flow of information. Characteristics of the "superior communicator," reasons why the relationship between business and education is not working, the lack of interest in business careers that results in a leadership gap, and the need for business-oriented motivation in education are mentioned.

The article discusses the upward communication which occurs at an organization from the viewpoint of a subordinate. The way in which the article views a subordinate, as someone who is working within an organization to achieve their and the company's goals, is discussed. According to the article, communication between a subordinate and their manager should occur directly. The benefits of subordinates and managers communicating directly are mentioned, including communication control and directness. Difficulties which exists regarding upward communication are also discussed.

The article discusses aspects of U.S. corporate leadership in the 1960's. Leadership has developed into a social rather than individual experience. Corporate leadership in the 1960's encompasses elements of democracy, organizational justice, and communication. A focus on industrial relations is also evident. Among the attributes associated with effective leaders are an unqualified commitment to democracy, an unusually strong sense of human justice, and a well-developed skill for open interpersonal communications.

Here is a criticism of management definitions and a method to solve communication problems that plague the modem business world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study conducted by the University of California Research Institute for Business and Economics. The study analyzed the communication practices of an aerospace company in the U.S. Top managers at the aerospace firm identified communication practices at the lower organizational levels among the biggest problems as well as a lack of speed in communication, both vertically and horizontally. They also expressed concern over the lack of accuracy in communications and the need for each executive to have extensive amounts of information immediately available.

Offers advice to executives in the United States whose companies are facing a union organizing campaign. Mistake that comes with inaction; Focus of management's communications with employees; Union's tactics; Questions employees should ask union organizers; Rules on face-to-face meetings; Election.

Explains how multinational corporations (MNC) should manage their public relations to profit from their domestic mistakes and avoid on the international plane the kind of conflict and debilitating acrimony that besets them at home. Belief that MNC is the economic wave of the future; Need to curb the autonomy of the multinational through some system of regulation; Audit of public relations assets and liabilities.

Explains the major facets of communication and how managers can communicate well. Verbalization; Definitions and conventions; Communication for control; Silent or body language; Communication that leads to sharing, cross-verifying and filling out experience; Development of listening skills and self-confidence; Preparation for new or stressful situations; Variation of style.

The article focuses on the effects of role relationships, managerial orientation and personality traits on interpersonal processes. High on the diagnostic checklist of corporate health is communication, and the life signs are less than encouraging. In a recent cross-cultural study, roughly 74% of the managers sampled from organizations in Japan, Great Britain, and the U.S. cited communication breakdown as the single greatest barrier to corporate excellence. Just what constitutes a problem of communication is not easily agreed upon, however. The dilemma has been studied by cyberneticists in terms of the number of information bits comprising a message. and by psychologists and sociologists focusing on positions of centrality and peripherality and directional flows of corporate data, while the goals of communication the achievement of clarity, understanding, commitment, and creativity become more and more elusive. Yet another tack is that many of the communication dilemmas cited by people are not communication problems at all.

In the Machine Age science not only took the world apart, but it took itself apart, dividing itself into narrower and narrower disciplines. Each discipline represented a different way of looking at the same world. Shortly before World War II science began to put itself back together again so that it could study phenomena as a whole, from all points of view. As a result, a host of new interdisciplines emerged such as Operations Research, Cybernetics, Systems Engineering, Communications Sciences, and Environmental Sciences, Unlike earlier scientific disciplines which sought to separate themselves from each other and to subdivide; the new interdisciplines seek to enlarge themselves, to combine to take into account more and more aspects of reality. Systems Science is the limit of this process, an amalgamation of all the parts of science into an integrated whole. Thus, Systems Science is not a science, but is science taken as a whole and applied to the study of wholes [1, p. 41] - Russell L. Ackoff [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the effect of technological change on the employment of workers on the lower status levels of military, industrial, and other large-scale organizations. With reference to the increasing tempo of technological change, the measure is not only the tremendous flood of patent applications but also the increased emphasis on research and development in all largescale organizations. "Accelerating change" and "bureaucratic organization" are two key factors in the conceptualization of our research problem. It is the fact that career commitments to these large-scale organizations appear to be on the increase. More and more of the middle class is becoming committed to military careers, civil service careers, telephone company careers, or careers in some other large-scale organization. The considerable amount of writing in the field of management contains much background material for any such new study of the people who do the managing. Technological change usually brings to mind images of automated machinery, or perhaps a vastly improved method of manufacturing some product due to a break-through in the physical or biological sciences.

Participators in Farm and Home Development in three states are compared with samples of nonparticipating families of similar ages on characteristics considered indirect indicators of managerial ability to determine if there is selectivity in the recruitment of families and whether such selectivity is likely to influence the effects of Farm and Home Development. Data concerning prior educational and occupational experience, tenure and financial status, communication and information-seeking behavior, and attitudes and values functionally related to management are analyzed. These lead to the conclusion that the process which has occurred in the recruitment of participators in all three states resulted in a group which is above average in managerial ability. This paper is therefore designed to explore the problem of the managerial selectivity of Farm and Home Development. In the absence of direct measures of managerial ability this will be done by examining those aspects of the experience, behavior, and attitudes of participators in Farm and Home Development which are indirect indicators of managerial ability.

The article examines the instruments used to measure and gather data in the field of industrial communications. A 1953 summary of communication-measuring techniques only cited mathematical formulae for describing and predicting interaction patterns and use of media-channels. The study was done to demonstrate the contributions of the speech field to industrial communications, to provide researchers with a guideline for measuring and data-gathering, and to provide objective references.

The article discusses a study which compares the communication effectiveness between superior-subordinate and management pairs wherein the superior had the job of his or her subordinates and was promoted from different position. The study involves an individual interview of the 58 subordinate and superior pairs. The study employs two independent set of ratings based on the job responsibilities of the subordinate, the job requirements, and the changes in the job. The results reveal that managers who had the job of his or her subordinates has no better communication with her or his subordinates, as compared to those managers who did not held the jobs of her or his subordinates.

The article presents a study which aimed to compare the management practices in the U.S. and England. The study considered the problem on whether differing reactions to group decision leaders type are produced by cultural differences. Comparison of group decisions' outcomes between the groups in England and the U.S. was carried out. Results suggested that the chance provided by group decision in participating in the decision making that affect lives is appealing to all people, despite of the cultural differences.

The article offers the author's insights on his experience of investigating how top executives address labor-management problems within the automotive parts manufacturing company in the Middle West. The author says that he conducts interview with top management executives, attends grievance committee meetings, and foremen training sessions to gather impartial overview as a consultant. He states that unstructured, open-ended, psychotherapeutic-type of sessions are used to determine areas of differences as well as feelings and attitudes. He argues that labor-management conflicts arise from ineffective communication, mutual distrust, and differing perceptions. He suggests that more effective communication and human relationships are needed in the company to avoid conflicting ideas.