Eng 102 Prof. Toomer

HW #1: SOAPstone Chart

Analyzing & Interpreting Alexie’s “Superman and Me”

NAME ________________________________________________________________________

S

Who is the

SPEAKER?

Identify and describe him.

Add details.

Sherman Alexie is a Spokane American Indian. He is an avid reader and professional author. He also returns to the reservation to teach young Indians how to write poetry, stories, and novels.

O

Time & Place

OCCASION

What is the situation that prompted the writing?

A

Who is his

AUDIENCE?

Who is this narrative intended for? A single person? Is it a group?

P

What is the

PURPOSE?

What is the purpose of Alexie’s story? What does the author want the audience to think or to do?

S

What is the

SUBJECT?

What is the topic or content of Alexie’s story? What is the author writing about?

T

tone

What is the author’s

TONE?

What is the attitude of the author towards his topic? What is the attitude of the author towards his audience?

PATTON FULLER COMMUNITY 1

PATTON FULLER COMMUNITY 8

Communication: Patton Fuller Community Hospital

University of Phoenix

BSCOM/485

Professor Turner

May 8, 2021

A Brief Overview of the Patton Fuller

Patton Fuller Community Hospital is a health facility that was established in 1975. It offers a range of medical services including radiology, Intensive Care Unit, and labor services. Patton Fuller health facility depends on reliable communication to share information between the workers. A telephony communication network has been adapted for communication between the workers, the management, and the clients. The telephone system is considered the cheapest and accessible means of communication. Further, the organization has developed a seven diagram network system through which communication takes place. In terms of the organization, Patton Fuller uses the functional approach where employees are categorized into departments based on their skills (Grossi, et al., 2007). For instance, those with experience in labor have same skills just like those in the ICU department. I chose the change in leadership as a critical event that could affect communication at Patton Muller.

Impacts of Changing Leadership/Management on Communication at Patton and Fuller

Leadership is core to communication and alteration of the leadership can completely or partially change communication at the organization. One of the ways that leadership can change the communication at the organization is by changing the style and nature of communication. Different leadership styles use different means of communication (Kavanagh and Ashkanasy, 2006). Therefore, if the leadership style is changed, it is apparent that communication at Patton Fuller will also change. The new leadership will look for new communication means that suit its leadership approach. Instead of communication being from top to bottom, it could be turned vertical. Therefore, a change in leadership will shift the nature of communication.

Secondly, a change in leadership will change communication strategies because new leaders come with new strategies. Often, when new leadership is put in place, it comes with new goals, objectives, and visions for the given organization (Kavanagh and Ashkanasy, 2006). At Patton Fuller Community hospital, new leaders will also come with new goals to be worked on at the hospital. The new goals may differ by a small or large margin from the existing goals. Due to the difference, the new leadership has to communicate the new strategies afresh. In the process of communicating the new goals, the communication strategy may be altered to fit the new context (Kavanagh and Ashkanasy, 2006). Consequently, new communication strategies for the new goals will be developed and that will conflict with the traditional communication methods. Hence, since new leadership comes with new goals that need to be communicated to the employees, a change in leadership impacts communication strategies.

Moreover, leaders play the role of motivating employees. Motivation, from a social cognitive theory perspective, is important in enhancing performance in organizations. For instance, reward motivates employees and lack of it demoralizes them. Different leaders have different ways of motivating employees (Kavanagh and Ashkanasy, 2006). Motivation can be done through communication and the new leadership can develop different ways of communicating with employees. As discussed earlier, at Patton Fuller Community Hospital, communication can be achieved through informal means that include face-to-face communication or the use of calls. Maybe, the new leadership does not recognize informal communication and limits organizational communication to formal platforms only. Further, the new leadership could be unwilling to engage the employees in face-to-face conversations to address their problems. The changes in approach define how a change in leadership can alter communication strategies.

Lastly, organizational leadership and management define the interests of organizations. Different leaders are attracted by different prospects which in turn influence their communication strategies. At Patton Fuller Community Hospital, interests can vary from making profits to promoting the workplace environment or providing the best health care services to patients. A change in leadership will shift interest. Say, for instance, the outgoing leadership was intrigued by promoting the health care services delivered to the patients who visit Patton Fuller Community Hospital. After a change in leadership and management, the new CEO is attracted to increasing the revenue made by Patton Fuller Community Hospital. Based on that, it is probable that the communication strategy will change since the focus will shift to profits and not caring for the patient. Therefore, new leadership and management engender a change in communication strategies because the interests of the leadership vary and that different interests are communicated distinctly.

Example of Leadership Crisis in Real World Organizations

For real organizations, I take the National Health Service (NHS) which is part of the executive in England but its non-departmental body. NHS oversees the delivery of healthcare and social services to the citizens in England (Bailey and Burhouse, 2019). It is in charge of planning, budgeting, delivery, and daily operations of health care facilities in the country (The changing role of managers in the NHS, 2010). The body has faced a lot of criticism in the pat. Years back, it was claimed that the doctors at NHS received gifts that affected their work, and the allegations caused divisive public opinions. A change in leadership has taken place at the organization. However, the change has been a unique one, because it has not involved new people assuming leadership roles, but the existing people acquiring additional functions.

With heightening complexity at the organization, managers have assumed leadership roles. Initially, NHS was a small body whose running was not complicated as at present (The changing role of managers in the NHS 2010). Since the size of the organization increased, more leadership positions and roles have been assumed by the people at the organization. Consequently, there has been a crisis in the proper running of the organization. Managers have been torn between managing the organization and leading it. Through different legislations by the government, the crisis at the organization has been solved albeit not fully. Hence, while the change in leadership can alter communication, remedies can be undertaken to mitigate the impacts.

Definition of Concepts

Interpersonal communication ethics is focused on the relationship between individuals. During a crisis, it helps people to work together in solving challenges because they want to maintain a good rapport. Perception of power is when one believes s/he can control certain conditions. It helps to solve the crisis because employees have the feeling that they can solve a given crisis. Communication during conflict is the ability to share information when there is a crisis. Information sharing in crisis encourages sharing out of ideas which leads to solutions of given problems. Intercultural and diversity conflicts happen when employees within an organization believe that their values, ideas, or cultures are incompatible. However, if the vice is eliminated, employees can reach a compromise. The communication climate is created by the feeling employees have towards each other. It can also be expressed through non-verbal forms. A good communication climate binds employees together during a crisis and thus, helps to solve challenges.

Two Communication Theories to Solve Leadership Challenges

One of the communication theories I will use to end the crisis that may result from leadership is adaptive structuration theory (Cobley and Shultz, 2013). The theory suggests that organizations can create rules and theories which evolve into structures (Janicijevic, 2013). Therefore, the organization can create rules which are difficult to change so that when new leadership is brought, it does not alter the normal functioning of an organization. Another theory that will be useful is the communication accommodation theory. The theory states that people should adjust their communication or accommodate others through their communication. If a new leadership is put in place, the way to avoid the crisis that comes with a change in communication is by using the communication accommodation theory.

Communication Strategies

Further, to overcome the challenges caused by a change in leadership, communication strategies can be used. One of the strategies to use is focusing on the idea being communicated and not the person communicating (van Woerkum, and Aarts, 2008). Focus on the message will enhance the communication climate. Also, there should be empathy in the communication. Both sides should try to listen to one another and understand each person's challenges.

Conclusion

Overall, change in leadership and management can impact communication because the new leaders may change policies, laws, cultures, and interests which need to be communicated afresh. However, there are important concepts which when nurtured well can enhance how we adapt to the crisis that happens due to change in leadership. Lastly, some communication theories such as the communication accommodation theory and communication strategies like empathy can help move past crises.

References

The changing role of managers in the NHS. The King's Fund. (2010, October 14). https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/future-leadership-and-management-nhs/changing-role-of-NHS-managers.

Cobley, P., & Schulz, P. (2013). Theories and models of communication. Walter De Gruyter.

Grossi, D., Royakkers, L., & Dignum, F. (2007). Organizational structure and responsibility. Artificial Intelligence and Law, 15(3), 223–249. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10506-007-9054-0

Janicijevic, N. (2013). The mutual impact of organizational culture and structure. Ekonomski Anali, 58(198), 35–60. https://doi.org/10.2298/eka1398035j

Kavanagh, M. H., & Ashkanasy, N. M. (2006). The Impact of Leadership and Change Management Strategy on Organizational Culture and Individual Acceptance of Change during a Merger. British Journal of Management, 17(S1). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8551.2006.00480.x

van Woerkum, C., & Aarts, N. (2008). Staying connected. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 13(2), 197–211. https://doi.org/10.1108/13563280810869613

Running Head: COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATIONS 1

COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATIONS 2

Communication: Patton Fuller Community Hospital

University of Phoenix

BSCOM/485

Professor Turner

May 4, 2021

Descriptive Framework: Organizational Communication Analysis

Good communication is a prerequisite for the success of the companies. From the animated video, the company's success depends on how it communicates its business to investors, consumers, employees, the government, and the media. Further, communication within an organization must be whole-round. The organization should listen, learn, and build a good reputation with everyone because its success depends much on its reputation.

Patton-Community Fuller Hospital

I use Patton community Fuller Hospital as my virtual organization. With increasing technology, organizations are developing the easiest ways to operationalize while using the minimum effort. With increased information technology, and improved communication, numerous virtual organizations have sprouted up, and Patton-Community Fuller Hospital is among these organizations. Patton hospital was established in 1975 and has been successful in providing quality healthcare to its patients.

Description of the different aspects at Patton Fuller

The organization is constituted of different people who have different roles at the organizations. Among the key stakeholders at the company are the employees, clients, medical suppliers, the board directors, and the vendors. The employees at the company are the healthcare professionals who provide healthcare services to the clients who visit the hospital. Other employees work in accounting and finance departments and knowledge management systems. Patton Fuller employees are core to its success since it was founded in 1975. The clients are all the patients who visit the hospital with different healthcare needs. As employees, the clients have been pivotal in marketing the organization through referrals. The suppliers provide key critical medical equipment required to operationalize medical activities at the organization. Lastly, the board of directors is responsible for providing the direction for the company. They stipulate what policies should be used at the organization, which helps create focus and direction at the company.

Structural Characteristics of formal communication

The Patton Fuller communication structure is simplistic. The organizational website hosts seven different network levels: the top view, logical, administrative, radiology and radiology systems, and information technology data center. All these distinct levels of communication facilitate communication between the organizational employees, management, and clients. The communication network is extended to the floors, the operating room, and the ICUs so that the patient information can be fed into the overall Patton Fuller communication network. Each of the seven network levels at the organization has roles it plays. For instance, the Top View communication network defines the structure of the hospital in terms of how the information technology infrastructure is applied. Therefore, the network level has two components that perform clinical and administrative roles. The clinical components are constituted of operational rooms, the pharmacy, radiology, and other clinical essentials. At the same time, the administrative department of the Top View level of network diagram performs administrative roles like admitting the patients to the hospitals.

From the network diagram, one of the characteristics of the communication network diagram at the hospital is that it is hierarchical or functional. The communication duties are assigned at the company based on the roles each employee play at the organization. For example, at the top of communication is the top view level categorized into clinical and administrative roles. In connection to functionalism network structure, the clinicians at the organization share information on patients in labor, ICU, and wards. This illuminates the fact that employees working in the same healthcare department at the Patton Fuller hospital have to share a communication level in the network level diagram.

Apart from the communication network's formal communication processes, communication at the Patton Fuller community can be done informally. The board of directors, the management, and the employees can meet at the organization and discuss the factors that affect the working environment. The employees can hold a face-on-face conversation with clients who visit the hospitals for various services. Also, informal communication can be achieved through the use of text messages and e-mails. The management can communicate with the employees about a particular issue via e-mails or through the use of text messages (van Woerkum and Aarts, 2008). Informal communications often address minor issues which can be better communicated informally. Video conferencing can also be utilized in conducting communication, especially during an emergency that makes face-face-communication difficult. An example of an emergency that can push Patton Fuller to use video conferencing communication is the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Structure of Internal and External Communication at Patton Fuller

Communication within the virtual company gravitates around processing and storing information. Various communication systems are installed at the company to help in processing information that is then secured and stored for future reference (van Woerkum and Aarts, 2008). In terms of the communication infrastructure used at the organization, a telephone communication network is used. The telephony communication system is most preferable because of the ease of communication between the various departments. Also, telephony communication is cost-effective compared to other forms of communication. It is easier to communicate using phone calls to patients and other employees working at the organization, making it possible for Patton Fuller to save time. Not all contemporary information uses telephone communication at the organization. The few that use the telephone system include accounting and finance systems, human resource information systems, customer relationship management, and knowledge management systems.

Patton Fuller Organizational Structure

Organizational structures stipulate the relationship between t the organization, leading to a reliable working relationship (Grossi et al., 2007). There several organizational structures (Janicijevic, 2013). However, the Patton Fuller Community hospital uses the functional organizational structure. At the hospital, employees have different skills regarding treating the patients who visit the hospital facility. The hospital provides a myriad of healthcare services that include labor and delivery, surgery, physical therapy, and radiology for all ages (Sawpan, n.d). The different specialists who work at the organization suit the functional organizational structure (Vanhaverbeke and Torremans, 1999). They are divided into different groups according to their specialties.

Conclusion

Communication drives success in an organization. Upon realizing the importance of communication, the Patton hospital has developed a robust communication system to facilitate information sharing. The hospital facility uses the telephony communication network because of ease of use and the reduced costs. Further, there is a seven-level network communication diagram that defines the formal communication that takes place at the organization. Besides formal communication, informal communication can also occur at the organization through emails, calls, and video conferencing. For continuity in communication, backup communication has to be developed to aid communication during emergencies.

A Recommendation of Back-Up Communication Systems

Communication at hospital facilities is crucial. However, studies have shown that communication between hospitals and employees is greatly destroyed (NLM in Focus, 2013). Consequently, hospitals have to develop a back-communication infrastructure that can be relied upon during an emergency. I would recommend the Patton Fuller community hospital develop an NLM communication infrastructure that can support the exchange of information using the internet through Ethernet or Wi-Fi (NLM in Focus, 2013). Also, an amateur or ham radio can be used to relay information to employees or hospitals beyond the disaster area.

References

Grossi, D., Royakkers, L., & Dignum, F. (2007). Organizational structure and responsibility. Artificial Intelligence and Law, 15(3), 223–249. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10506-007-9054-0

Janicijevic, N. (2013). The mutual impact of organizational culture and structure. Ekonomski Anali, 58(198), 35–60. https://doi.org/10.2298/eka1398035j

NLM in Focus. (2013, January 10). Emergency Backup Communications: The Old Meets the New | NLM in Focus. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://infocus.nlm.nih.gov/2013/01/10/emergency_backup_communication/.

Sawpan. (n.d.). sawpan. Saw Pan. https://sawpan.com/patton-fuller-community-hospitals-structure-and-functional-relationships-contribute-to-its-success/.

Vanhaverbeke, W., & Torremans, H. (1999). Organizational structure in process-based organizations. Knowledge and Process Management, 6(1), 41–52. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1099-1441(199903)6:1<41::aid-kpm47>3.0.co;2-4

van Woerkum, C., & Aarts, N. (2008). Staying connected. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 13(2), 197–211. https://doi.org/10.1108/13563280810869613