Effective Organisational Communication: Perspectives, Principles & Practices (3rd edition)

Citation

Simmons, P. and Schoenmaker, S. (2010), "Effective Organisational Communication: Perspectives, Principles & Practices (3rd edition)", Journal of Communication Management, Vol. 14 No. 4, pp. 390-392. https://doi.org/10.1108/13632541011090482

Can one organisational communication text book meet the needs of communication students, and students from management and marketing who are taking a course in communication, and people in the workforce wanting to improve their knowledge and skills? It appears one can.

There are many criteria guiding lecturers' choice of text, including the extent to which the text meets the subject aims, the age of the text (and the likelihood that it will be replaced by a similar new edition in the future), the worldview advanced, its reader‐friendliness in terms of presentation and engagement, utility of case studies, and practical concerns such as the affordability and accessibility. Whether students would nominate the same criteria is a question that can be discussed elsewhere.

There is something refreshing about the Blundel and Ippolito text that derives from the breadth of the issues and perspectives addressed in the first half of the book, the worldview advanced through a willingness to engage with the complexity of organisations and communication, and the authors' rich yet succinct style of writing. They have managed to create a comprehensive text that addresses both the conceptual and the practical requirements of students, and even make topics like “meetings”, “email”, and “report writing” both instructive and engaging.

Although the focus is distinctly British, the principles and reflective attitudes encouraged by the authors have a much broader relevance for students and people working in organisations. Some of the insights that resonated include: “.. a common error in report writing is to confuse the executive summary with the introduction..” (p. 238); “…it is important to assess ‘negative feedback’ in as objective a manner as possible … however it is generally difficult for individuals and organisations to avoid taking criticisim personally” (p. 50); “… the key to avoiding communication failure is increased self‐awareness on the part of the sender, supported by feedback” (p. 28); “… converting long pieces of text into concise yet accurate summaries has become a vital art … it is also an essential skill for anyone making their career in a large organisation” (p. 247); “Many presenters find it difficult [to engage in an active dialogue with their audiences] … In part, this is due to a lack of self‐confidence on the part of the presenter who feels a need to retain control … ” (p. 340). Each of these seemingly simple gems is qualified appropriately in the context of the book.

The book is written for a market that includes communication students as well as students of management and organisational behaviour, and this holistic approach benefits all readers. The authors unselfconsciously discuss a wide range of intentional and unintentional communicative organisational phenomena, and related issues such as knowledge management (p. 155), emotional intelligence (p. 156), organisational structure (pp. 167‐171) and remote workforces (pp. 183‐187). They cover important communicative dimensions of organisations that can be overlooked by communication specialists, and are not often included in communication texts. For example the section on sources of organisational feedback (p. 146) lists sales data, customer complaints, staff turnover rates, analyst reports, training evaluation reports and informal contacts, in addition to more conventional communicator concerns such as media coverage, employee appraisal processes and the grapevine.

All strands of management are rife with communication issues, but they are often not labelled as such. In broadening the scope of phenomena and concepts related to “communication”, the authors very sensibly and legitimately show management students the way communication is integral to organisational and management effectiveness. They provide communication students with an appropriately broad and complex view of organisations and organisational communication, through insight into the concerns of the rest of the organisation.

The book is presented in ways that are reader‐friendly, without dumbing down. For example, in the introduction to the section on “Modern”, “Interpretive”, “Critical” and “Postmodern” perspectives, the authors anticipate that some students may not be prepared and say: “If the next section seems too demanding.. we suggest that you reread [it] when you have completed Chapters 7 and 14” (p. 12).

The structure of the book is clear and logical, and the layout and aesthetic are easy on the eye. The book has 14 chapters divided into two parts. Part I is “Principles of communication”, Part II is “Communication in practice”. The anticipated learning outcomes introducing each chapter provide useful signposting, while key concepts and definitions in each chapter are highlighted in the margins of the text. Each chapter ends with a summary of the key points and a set of practical exercises and further reading and websites to help embed and extend learning.

A highlight of the text is the extensive use of case studies – four in each chapter – which, along with the practical exercises, promise interesting tutorial activities and discussion. The cases are vivid and pertinent, and will be particularly believable and useful for students with some experience of working in organisations. Communication of the book's ideas is aided by numerous tables and diagrams. The guide to using the book, contained in the preface, is a particularly useful overview for students undertaking study in this area for the first time.

The authors say that the aim of the book is “… to combine the development of relevant skills with an opportunity to reflect on the wider challenges of organisational communication” (p. 12). They have more than adequately accomplished this aim and made a valuable contribution to the field. It will best serve the needs of managers and management students as a guide to better understanding and practice of communication. For organisational communication students, we would be pleased to use it as the text for an introductory subject on both our undergraduate and postgraduate programs, with the understanding that specialist subjects subsequently explore research methods, program planning, public relations, employee communication and issues and crisis management in greater depth.

The book is rich with valuable insights into the patterns, unpredictability and nuances of organisational communication. It is surprisingly thorough in its coverage of the topics one might expect, as well as many that come as a pleasing surprise. It avoids an instrumental focus and didacticism, but continuously provides guidance for effective practice.

About the reviewers

Peter Simmons is Senior Lecturer, Public Relations and Organisational Communication, School of Communication and Creative Industries, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, Australia, and course coordinator for the postgraduate program.

Sharon Schoenmaker is Lecturer, Public Relations and Organisational Communication, School of Communication and Creative Industries, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, Australia.