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Explores processes of social change initiated by an entertainment-education radio soap opera by studying its effects in an observational case study in one rural village in India. Investigates the paradoxes, contradictions, and audience members' struggles in the process of media-stimulated change, a process involving parasocial interaction, peer communication, and collective efficacy. (SR)

Uses concertive control theory to examine why members and workers identify so strongly with the Grameen ("rural") Bank, how the organization offers opportunities for empowerment, and how control systems operate within the bank account for its success. Examines how identification with the Grameen influences member and worker evaluation of disciplinary techniques. Identifies paradoxes associated with democratic practices in organizations. (SR)

Evaluates an organizational diagnosis program that assesses managerial communication skills and provides the frame for follow-up training programs. Finds that managers participating in follow-up communication skills training performed significantly higher on interpersonal skills, problem-solving ability, and productivity over three long-term assessments. Discusses implications for corporate training programs and instructional development. (SR)

Investigates the relationship between employee performance with new technology and perceptual and communication factors. Finds strong correlational evidence that three aspects of employees' perceptions of a new technology's attributes and two types of messages affect their productivity levels with that technology. (MG)

Investigates the relationship between employee performance, new technology, employee communication network variables (activity, size, diversity, and integrativeness), and productivity at two corporate offices. Reports significant positive relationships between three of the network variables and employee productivity with new technology. Discusses other post hoc analyses of the data. (SG)

In 1999 former President Carter and The Carter Center (TCC) negotiated the Nairobi Agreement restoring diplomatic relations between Sudan and Uganda. This study examined the track-two diplomatic activities undertaken by TCC to implement the Nairobi Agreement from 2000 to 2004. We seek to stimulate new thinking about the communicative dimensions of peacemaking in complicated hostile environments. Based on our analysis of TCC's involvement in the peace implementation process in Sudan and Uganda, we found that the implementation of a peace agreement required significant use of improvisational action, which was displayed in six ways: (a) organizational renewal, (b) reworking precomposed materials, (c) acting on uncharted ground, (d) orchestrating activities of multiple organizations, (e) negation of past practices, and (f) organizationally mandated. DOI: 10.1080/1041794x.2010.504447

A study of the social change processes that result from an entertainment-education program found that parasocial relationships facilitate behavioral change. The study focuses on ehtical concerns in entertainment-education programs.

This essay examines the communicative processes associated with organizational assimilation within blue-collar work groups in a manufacturing company. The study hinges on a heretofore unidentified variation to traditional assimilation models, labeled as organizational osmosis. Organizational osmosis refers to the seemingly effortless adoption of the ideas, values, and culture of an organization on the basis of preexisting socialization experiences. The study explores how a common ideological grounding and anticipatory socialization experiences increase identification mechanisms among work group members. This ideological grounding is influenced by interaction with family, friends, and peers during anticipatory stages and results in organizational osmosis. Because these newcomers strongly identify with the values and goals of the organization, these members submit to mechanisms of control and discipline in their work group. The essay concludes with implications for the future study of communication within blue-collar work populations. KEY WORDS: Blue-collar workers, concertive control, organizational assimilation, ideology, organizational osmosis, identification

The present article investigates a communication, education, and training intervention program intended to initiate a sense of empowerment among women dairy farmers in India. A conceptualization of communication and empowerment is offered. The empowering and disempowering dimensions of women's communication are highlighted through the participants' own words and experiences. Our analysis of the communicative dimensions of women's empowerment yields 3 important insights. First, women's empowerment is displayed through different forms of communication and feminist action, particularly when women organize to accomplish social change within their families and communities. Second, empowerment is embedded in democratic practices, especially when women discuss issues and make decisions that improve their quality of life. Third, paradox and contradiction are an important part of the empowerment process.

The Grameen ('rural') Bank organizes grassroots micro-enterprises for productive self-employment and social change among the poorest of the poor in Bangladesh. It provides collateral-free loans and various social services for the poor, but maintains a 99 percent loan recovery rate. Many of the bank's more than two million members, 94 percent of whom are women, attribute their present well-being to its ameliorative qualities. Using the theory of concertive control, we gained insight into why members and workers identify so strongly with the Grameen, how participation within this organization offers opportunities for empowerment, and how control systems operative within the bank account for its success. This theory also enabled us to examine how member and worker identification with the Grameen influences their evaluation of the disciplinary techniques that are part of the system. By examining the Grameen's organizational processes in terms of the theory of concertive control, we identify some of the paradoxes associated with democratic practices in organizations, and we draw insights about theory and praxis in organizing for social change. Key words: Grameen Bank, Organizational Identification, Worker Empowerment

The purpose of this study was to test the validity of the functional communication perspective on small group decision-making in an applied context. Six task-achievement functions were examined: (a) establishment of operating procedures, (b) analysis of the problem, (c) establishment of evaluation criteria, (d) generation of alternative solutions, (e) positive evaluations of alternative solutions, and (f) negative evaluations of alternative solutions. Seventeen seven-person groups from a corporate setting were selected for the analysis. One discussion of each group was recorded and coded for the presence of task-achievement functions. The decisions of the seventeen groups were evaluated by experts, and two categories were formed: effective decision-making and ineffective decision-making groups. The results indicate that effective groups employed significantly more statements that functioned to establish evaluation criteria and more statements that positively evaluated alternative solutions were found in ineffective groups. These findings provide support for a modified version of the functional communication perspective of small group decision-making effectiveness.

In recent years, the Grameen (rural) Bank of Bangladesh gained international fame for successfully organizing grassroots microenterprises for productive self-employment and social change. The Grameen Bank provides collateral-free loans and various social services for the poor, charging 20% interest on capital and yet maintaining a 99% loan recovery rate. Many of the bank's 1.9 million members, of whom 94% are women, attribute their present well-being to its ameliorative qualities. Using multiple theories (coorientation, concertive control, and critical feminist theories), we analyze the Grameen Bank's programs to explicate the dialectic between control and emancipation in organizing for social change. By examining the Grameen Bank's organizational processes from multiple theoretical perspectives, we draw insights about theory and praxis in organizing for social change.

The purpose of this research was to explore humor from a functional perspective. Twenty-four functions of humor were derived from prior literature. Items representing these 24 functions were subjected to factor analysis resulting in an 11-item 'Uses of Humor Index.' Three primary factors emerged from this analysis: positive affect, expressiveness, and negative affect. Initial validation of the Uses of Humor Index was achieved via a peer evaluation, a measure of sense of humor, and assessment of interpersonal competence in naturalistic conversations. The implications of this study for future research concerning the use of humor in social interaction and the influence of humor on perceptions of interpersonal competence are discussed.

The relationship between employee performance with new technology and employee communication network variables (activity, size, diversity, and integrativeness) was investigated in a field study of 301 employees from two corporate offices. Comparisons were also made with individual levels of past productivity. In both offices (A and B) multiple regression analysis revealed significant positive relationships between three network factors (diversity, size, and activity) and employee productivity with new technology. In Office B past productivity also emerged as a significant predictor of productivity with new technology. A post hoc analysis revealed that all four network factors in Office A, three network factors in Office B (diversity, size, and activity), and past productivity (both offices) were significant predictors of the speed with which employees increased their productivity ratings. Finally, in Office A one employee discovered an improved method (a reinvention) for using the new technology. A second post hoc analysis revealed that network diversity, network integrativeness, and network size were significant predictors of how quickly the employees implemented the reinvention.

The relationship between employee performance with new technology and perceptual and communicative factors was investigated in a field study of 157 employees from a large corporation. Multiple regression analysis revealed that three perceptual factors (relative advantage, complexity, and trialability) and two communication factors (receiving task-related messages and receiving negative evaluations of the new technology) explained a significant amount of the variance in employee productivity with a new computer system. Post hoc analyses revealed that two communication factors (receiving task-related messages and receiving negative evaluations of the new technology), and two perceptual factors (relative advantage and complexity), were predictors of two additional performance measures: (1) the productivity decrease which occurred the first week the new technology was used, and (2) the speed with which the employees returned to previous productivity levels using the new technology.

In this article, we analyze the use of #MeToo and #HimToo in response to the hearings on sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. We explore the use of these hashtags within the context of popular feminism and employ a qualitative thematic analysis of a purposeful sample of Tweets that include the hashtags #MeToo (n = 730) and #HimToo (n = 124) collected between September 23 and 27, 2018. We find that four themes are mirrored in both #MeToo and #HimToo tweets: personal experience; identification and disidentification; calls to action; and discursive appropriation. Although the sample size was limited and the relative popularity of these oppositional hashtags must be considered, these findings offer support for Banet-Weiser's suggestion that popular feminism is structurally mirrored by popular misogyny. Thus, although there is evidence that individuals link their deployment of these two hashtags to explicit political calls to action, we suggest that the ease with which popular feminist discourse can be rhetorically inverted is a limitation of popular feminist hashtag activism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the relationship between coorientational accuracy (CA) and two dimensions of conflict (tactic selection and interaction satisfaction). Indicates that CA has an impact on interactants' levels of discussion satisfaction. (JK)

Investigates the relationship between employee productivity with new technology and listening ability. Data entry employees from two divisions of a large corporation were given a standardized test to assess their listening ability. Results reveal that employees who received listening training performed at significantly higher levels than those who did not. (RAE)

Examines gender-related similarities and differences regarding conflict strategies and satisfaction with conflict interaction in a corporate setting. Reports that gender significantly affected the selection of influence strategies: male-male dyads used assertiveness and reason consistently, while female-female dyads shifted from high levels of assertiveness and reason to bargaining. (MM)

Investigates the relationship between communicator competence and employee productivity with new technology. Finds that employee communicator competence significantly affects employee performance with new technology; that employees receiving communicator competence training perform at significantly higher levels; and that past productivity also affects productivity with the new computer system. (SR)

Examines the relationships between communicator competence, listening ability, and frequency of task-related talk and employee performance with technology. Finds correlational evidence that these communicative abilities are related to employee productivity levels with new computer systems. (SR)

Investigates the relationship between coorientational accuracy and differentiation time and two dimensions of conflict (interaction satisfaction and assertiveness of influence strategies). Suggests that entering a conflict with high coorientational accuracy leads to less differentiation and fewer assertive strategies during the confrontation and greater overall satisfaction with the conflict. (SR)

The effect of gender on strategy selection and satisfaction with conflict was investigated in a field study of 108 employees from a large corporation. Subjects were grouped into dyads and discussed a topic of personal relevance. Results indicated that the gender composition of the dyad had a significant effect on the selection of influence strategies over three time periods. Male-male dyads used assertiveness and reason consistently over time, while female-female dyads shifted from high levels of assertiveness and reason to bargaining. Male-female dyads used reason and bargaining throughout their interactions. Friendliness was a strategy selected frequently across time by all of the dyads. There were no reported satisfaction differences among the three dyad types.

The relationship between employee productivity with new technology and communicator competence was investigated in a field study of 289 claims adjustors from two divisions of a large insurance company. Comparisons were also made with individual levels of past productivity. Each employee's communicator competence was assessed using a standardized instrument before they began to operate a new computer system. Employees from one of the divisions were provided with a 45-hour training program that focused on three aspects of communicator competence (message clarity, listening, and interpersonal skills) one month before the new sy stem was implemented. An analysis of covariance revealed three noteworthly findings. First, employee communicator competence had the most significant effect on employee performance with the new computer. Second, employees who received the communicator competence training program performed at significantly higher levels with the new technology than employees who did not receive training. Finally, past productivity also had a significant effect on how prodcutive the employees were with the new computer system.

Investigates a communication, education and training intervention program intended to initiate a sense of empowerment among women dairy farmers in India. Discussion on communication and empowerment; Feminist perspectives on empowerment; Cooperative development programs for women's empowerment.

This study compared employment interviews with communication-based assessment centers as managerial selection tools. During a three-year period all job applicant finalists for midlevel management positions in a large corporation were placed in one of two selection settings, employment interviews or assessment centers. In the employment interview setting applicant finalists (N = 174) interviewed with one personnel representative and two managers. In the assessment center setting applicant finalists (N = 174) performed in simulations that were judged by trained assessors. In all, 29 midlevel managers were selected on the basis of interview performance; 27 as a result of assessment center performance. After one year of employment the midlevel managers were evaluated by their superiors and subordinates using standardized job performance scales. The managers selected by communication-based assessment centers received higher interpersonal, productivity, and problem-solving ratings than did managers selected by the interview method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between employee performance and communicative abilities was investigated in afield study of 128 claims adjusters from two insurance company offices. The study examines the relationships between communicator competence, listening ability, and frequency of task-related talk and employee performance with new technology. Comparisons are also made with individual levels of past productivity. Multiple regression analysis reveals significant positive relationships between each of the communication variables and employee productivity with new technology. Post hoc analyses reveal that two of the communication factors (communicator competence and frequency of task-related talk), and general level of past task productivity are significant predictors of two additional performance measures: (a) the productivity decrease that occurred during the first week in which the new technology was used and (b) the speed with which the employees returned to their average previous productivity levels using the new technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between coorientational accuracy and differentiation time and two dimensions of conflict (interaction satisfaction and assertiveness of influence strategies) was investigated in an experimental study of 108 employees from a national insurance company office. The employees were placed in dyads in one of two settings, low or high coorientational accuracy (CA), and were videotaped while discussing a topic of personal and organizational relevance. The results yielded three major observations. First, high-CA dyads engaged in significantly less differentiation than did low-CA dyads. Second, low-differentiation-time dyads were significantly more satisfied with the conflict process than were high-differentiation-time dyads. Third, high-differentiation-time dyads used significantly more assertive influence strategies than low-differentiation-time dyads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between coorientational accuracy and two dimensions of conflict (tactic selection and interaction satisfaction) was investigated in an experimental study of 80 employees from a large corporation. The employees were placed in dyads in one of two settings, low or high coorientational accuracy (CA), and were videotaped while discussing a topic of personal and organizational relevance. In the high-CA setting, the employees were more likely to be satisfied with the process of discussion and with the decision outcome. Although employees in both groups selected reason as their primary conflict tactic, those in the high-CA setting chose friendliness and bargaining more frequently, while those in the low-CA setting chose assertiveness more frequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]