COM4807 - Organisational Communication Theory ASSIGNMENT 1.

COM4807 - Organisational Communication Theory ASSIGNMENT 1. ASSIGNMENT 1: INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AND THE ORGANISATIONAL ENVIRONMENT 1. Introduction Success of companies is solemnly reliant in embracing change based on visionary leadership, improved technologies and increased competition. The key characteristic of successful company transitions is a systematic approach to move the organization from the current to the envisioned state. Change is important in organizations as it allows employees to learn new skills, explore new opportunities and exercise their creativity in ways that ultimately benefit the organization through new ideas and increased commitment as a result of the rapid change in the rise of interactive communication technologies, globalisation, social movements and unrest, among others, which are contributing to changing the landscape of organisational communication. Changes within the economy have moved from knowledge-based exercises towards inventiveness, business enterprise and creative ability. The concept of imagination is getting to be progressively more vital whereas the information economy is experiencing a change to an imaginative economy. The inventive economy concept draws consideration to the inventive and social assets of the nation, and joins with the plausibility of financial development, job creation and inclusion within the worldwide economy. Information and human capital are not the only aspects that are playing a significant part within the imaginative economy, advancement and imagination as well as mental property law are major disobedient of financial development. The competitiveness of this modern economy is driven by item development and administrations (the so-called “new competition”), i.e. in order to end up inventive, both information and inventiveness stay vital components. Hence, the key address is how to amplify imagination and advancement in economic environment. Variables Unplanned emergent crisis, The Corona virus Crisis COVID-19 crisis effectively impacts not only businesses’ market values and sales, but it also changes the entities’ organizational structures and the way thing are run. Most town globally have been placed under lockdown since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak and it’s difficult for entities to maintain the sooth running of their communications activities. Fluctuating Rand Inconstancy in rand value impede business to embark on long term budgets which at some point hinders adequate planning where strategies has to be altered form time to time where it affects the measure of profitability and creates uncertainties in future planning. 3 Electricity shortage Load shedding has been a major concern for business as it disrupts production proficiencies and increases production cost for companies has to employ generators which need maintenance and fuel to run. 2. How interactive communication technologies have influenced organisational communication pertaining to the micro, meso and macro organisational environments; Interactive communication is a two way process where ideas are transferred from one participant to another (people or machinery) actively and effecting on one another. It is deemed a two-way flow of information. 2.1 Organisational environment  The trade balance is one of the major instruments that calculates a country’s exports minus its imports. When a country’s imports exceeds exports, the subsequent bad range is called a trade deficit. When the exports exceed the imports it’s called a trade surplus. The trade balance assists understanding how strong a country’s economy is compared to its counterparts.  Another factor is the political environment of the country, it is of crucial importance to have Political stability in emerging economies for obvious reasons. But not just in emerging economies also developed countries like the 4 UK also experience an economic bump when it decided to leave the European Union, saw them ending up with huge consequences on the pound.  Inflation is also important, if a country’s inflation rate is very high, then the value of the currency is going to crumble. South Africa’s inflation rate is higher than that of the US, which resulted in the rand is weaker than the dollar. Organizational environment brings about forces or institutions surrounding an organization that will effectively affect performance, resources and the running of the company. This is inclusive all of the instruments that exist outside of the organization's boundaries and have the potential to affect a portion or all of the organization. Example: government regulatory agencies, competitors, customers, suppliers, and pressure from the public. 2.2.1 Internal Environment This involves the instruments, circumstances, developments, and components within the organization that influence changes and activities. It exposes the strengths and weaknesses found within the organization, aspects which are considered part of the internal environment include the employee actions, the organizational climate, mission statement, and management styles. Factors Employee behaviour - employees' reactions is paramount as they are the driving force for the survival of the organisation, their concerns and fears must not be discounted, explanations should be communicated if there are changes that affect them, and their concerns must be recognised. Including employees gives them time to get used to the idea and adjust accordingly.  Changing an organization's culture is one of the most difficult leadership challenges. An organization's culture comprises an interlocking set of goals which greatly affect the running of the company. Employees are more willing to support change if they believe the changes will ultimately be beneficial to them.  Mission statement – change is naturally met with some form of resistance as a normal human behaviour which may affect the general productivity of any organization. It can form an element of doubt and uncertainty to some elements of the organization hence adequate measures has to be taken into consideration when effecting such changes. 2.2.2 External Environment 5 An organization's external environment or an operating environment consists of the entities surroundings, circumstances and aspects around the entity that influence changes and activities and expose it to opportunities and threats. Examples of factors affecting an organization's external environment include customers, public opinion, economic conditions, government regulations, and competition. Directly interactive: This environment has an immediate and first hand impact upon the organization for example: new competitor entering the market. 2.3 Types of External Environments The micro environment consists of factors that directly affect the operation of a company which includes the mission, vision, policies, objectives, organisational strategies, resources etc. These include the employees, organisational culture, climate etc. It is the immediate surroundings of the organisation, it is what the management almost has complete control of on a daily basis. It is therefore imperative that management and the micro environment create a synergy in order for the organisation to have smooth relations with the other two environments. The meso/task environment includes the suppliers, competitors, consumers, mediators and labour unions (variables of meso environment), these are the people that are directly linked with the organisation one way or another and they deal with the organisation most of the time. They are part of the organisation’s immediate environment. These variables can create opportunities or treats for the organisation, management will have to do a SWOT analysis in order to effectively manage this environment since they have no control over them but can structure their strategies accordingly to favour the organisation. Example: Market research, environmental scanning, research etc. The macro environment consists of components that a company cannot control, the company simply needs to be able accept them and adapt accordingly in order to emerge victorious. Each type of environment has factors to take into account. We will review factors for both micro and macro environments, as well as how they relate.