Sorry, this page is no longer available
We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

Organizational Communication

Save
May 1, 2024 Updated May 9, 2025 18 minute read

Organizational communication is the intricate web of messages and interactions that enable groups of people to work towards common goals. It encompasses everything from a formal CEO announcement to a casual chat by the water cooler, and from internal employee training modules to external public relations campaigns. Essentially, it's the lifeblood of any organization, be it a multinational corporation, a government agency, or a local non-profit. This field explores how communication shapes, maintains, and transforms organizations, influencing their overall effectiveness and the experiences of everyone involved.

Working in organizational communication can be dynamic and impactful. Imagine shaping a company's public image through strategic messaging, fostering a positive and productive work environment for employees, or guiding an organization through a challenging crisis with clear and empathetic communication. These are just a few of the engaging aspects of this field. Professionals in this area often find themselves at the intersection of business strategy, psychology, and sociology, making it a continuously evolving and intellectually stimulating domain.

Introduction to Organizational Communication

This section will lay the groundwork for understanding organizational communication, exploring its definition, historical roots, and profound impact on how organizations function and thrive.

Definition and Scope of Organizational Communication

Organizational communication, at its core, is the sending and receiving of messages among individuals within a specific environment or setting to achieve both individual and shared objectives. It's a broad field that covers all forms of communication that allow organizations to function, grow, connect with stakeholders, and contribute to society. This includes internal communication, such as team meetings, training programs, and the dissemination of company values, as well as external communication, like press releases, marketing materials, and customer interactions.

Share

Help others find this page about Organizational Communication: by sharing it with your friends and followers:

Reading list

We've selected 14 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Organizational Communication.
Is an excellent introduction to organizational communication and provides a comprehensive overview of the field. It covers a wide range of topics, including communication strategies, employee engagement, and public relations. Welch leading expert on organizational communication and former CEO of General Electric with over 40 years of leadership experience.
Explores the relationship between leadership and organizational culture. It provides a framework for understanding how culture can be used to drive performance. Quinn and Cameron are leading experts on organizational culture and their work has had a significant impact on the field.
Provides a framework for having difficult conversations in a productive way. It offers practical tips and tools that can help you to manage conflict, build trust, and achieve your goals.
Provides a fascinating look at the cultural differences that can impact business communication. It offers practical advice on how to bridge cultural gaps and build effective relationships with people from different cultures. Meyer leading expert on cross-cultural communication and her work has had a significant impact on the field.
Provides practical advice on how to communicate effectively in both personal and professional settings. It draws on the teachings of Buddhism and offers a unique perspective on the role of communication in our lives.
Provides a framework for understanding how innovation can lead to sustained growth. It offers practical advice on how to create and sustain a competitive advantage. Christensen and Raynor are leading experts on innovation and their work has had a significant impact on the field.
Provides a practical guide to the Lean Analytics Playbook methodology. It offers a step-by-step process for using data to build a better startup faster. Croll and Yoskovitz are leading experts on the Lean Analytics Playbook methodology and their work has had a significant impact on the field.
Classic in the field of self-help and leadership. It offers a set of principles that can help you to improve your personal and professional life. While not specifically about organizational communication, the principles in this book can be applied to any area of your life.
Provides a practical guide to getting customers for your startup. It offers a step-by-step process for developing and executing a traction strategy. Weinberg and Mares are leading experts on startup growth and their work has had a significant impact on the field.
Provides a practical guide to the Lean Product Playbook methodology. It offers a step-by-step process for developing and launching successful products with minimum viable products and rapid customer feedback. Olsen leading expert on the Lean Product Playbook methodology and his work has had a significant impact on the field.
Table of Contents
Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2025 OpenCourser