Communications Assignment
100 POINTS
Your paper should build upon your literature review. Specifically, you will describe how you will test the hypothesis proposed in the second paper. Your paper should have all of the sections described herein.
1. Method Description:
Describe your research method using the appropriate terms such as experiment or survey (questionnaire or interview). Also explain why this type of method is being used (i.e., why the specific method is appropriate for this topic in terms of why exploratory or descriptive research is more appropriate than correlational or experimental – or vice-versa. You must use a quantitative method for this project. Please make sure to write in future tense as you will not actually conduct the study.
2. Procedures
a. Participants. The section describes, in detail, how the participants will be sampled, the characteristics of the sample which will be relevant to the study, the desired size of the sample, and a logical rationale that justifies this sample choice and size.
b. Procedures. Include your description of how your research will proceed (remember- we may want to actually conduct this study). Discuss where your participants will be studied, what will happen to them when they immediately arrive, the instructions you will give participants, etc. Describe how the data will be gathered, including specific procedures to be followed. Provide a brief rationale for why these procedures and measures are appropriate for the study, including how reliability and validity will be determined.
3. Instrumentation
Describe how you will operationalize the independent and dependent variables. That is, explain how the variables will be observed, measured, and/or manipulated in relation to all questionnaires, physical observations, and any other applicable measures.
You must use pre-existing measures or procedures. If the instruments that you will use have been previously validated, report that information here, long with the reliability coefficient that other researchers have found that instrument to have.
Be sure to include examples here. If you are using any kind of instrument (if you are doing a survey), include the instrument in the appendix (at the end of the paper). If the actual instrument has not been published, then include the examples of the items that other researchers have described when they used that instrument. If you are using a pre-existing procedure (doing an experiment) then please thoroughly explain the experiment.
5. Limitations and Conclusion
Discuss some potential threats to internal and external validity, and these threats will be (a) thwarted by your procedures, or (b) may impact the conclusions. It should not be difficult to be specific and accurate here, since your book discusses all of these issues in chapters that we have read. Conclude with a brief summary of your report.
6. References (add any new articles used in your methods paper)
7. Appendix
Please include all relevant study materials here. This could include survey instruments, experimental manipulation, coding sheets, etc.
Additional Notes
· The method section should be written in future tense since you have not completed the study (e.g., “Undergraduate students from ASU will be recruited to participate in this study.” versus “Undergraduate students from ASU participated in this study”).
Since you will not actually be conducting the study, you will not have “real” research participants. For the purposes of this paper, you should “make up” the numbers for the research participants section. What I will be looking for is whether you pick numbers that make sense. For example, if your target population is college students, I would expect to see a mean age of about 20 not 35.
Your operationalization (how you will measure) of your variables must correspond to the conceptualization you provided in the literature review. Hence, even if your operationalization is structurally correct, if it does not align with your conceptualization, you will lose points.
COM 308 Building Block II: Focused Literature Review
Writing Check List
Introduction & Rationale
_____ Includes an appropriate attention-getter, and introduction is grounded in scholarly literature
_____ Clearly introduces variables and/or theory
_____ Provides a quality and convincing rationale for exploring the topic of study
_____ Includes an effective thesis statement that clearly and explicitly previews the main points (i.e., the themes) of the paper
Literature Review/Hypotheses
_____ Literature review contains a logical flow (good/logical organizational structure)
_____ Synthesizes scholarship together logically (in themes)
_____ Follows a Ñ format (information is broad to narrow)
_____ Includes appropriate literature (for the variables explored)
_____ Uses unambiguous and descriptive headings throughout paper
_____ Defines and explains relevant concepts
_____ Clear connection among research, theory (when applicable), and proposed hypotheses and/or research questions (i.e., argument provided)
_____ Presents at least one logical research question/hypothesis (in proper format)
Overall
_____ Grammar, spelling, and writing quality
_____ Writing is clear, focused, and organized – writing avoids contractions and ambiguous pronouns (e.g., these, those, this)
_____ Correct use of APA format (in-text citations, headings, reference page, title page)
_____ Follows formatting requirements (1-inch margins, Times New Roman 12pt. font, stapled, double-spaced, etc.)
_____ Overall paper quality
Deductions (Pay Attention to During Editing):
_____ Topic is inappropriate for the assignment; that is, it is a communication topic (i.e., it is not a communication topic and/or does not focus on communication variables) (up to 15 point deduction)
_____ Inappropriate number of and/or type of references (minus 5 points per infraction)
_____ Overuse of direct quotations (5 quotations allowed; 5 point deduction per infraction)
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Abstract
As described by Mehrabian (2017), communication is a process that entails the sharing of ideas, messages and information with others, in any given time or place. It includes writing and talking in addition to other non-verbal cues such as use of gestures, body language and facial expressions, visual communication including the use of painting, photographs, video and electronic communication which is mainly the use of information technology infrastructure to convey a message. Burke, Dailey and Zhu (2017) explain that communication is a significant aspect of people lives and is also vital in education, business and several other situations where people interact with each other.
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether communication gap exists may exist in an organization between the senior and junior staff as well as the supervisors and customer care representatives in an organization.
Introduction
Communication can be described as an adhesive responsible for holding the society together.
The capability to communicate allows people to create and maintain relationships with the quality of such relationships being totally dependent on the level of communication between the parties (Mehrabian, 2017).
Communication is that process that entails the sharing of ideas, messages and information with others in a given time or place. It includes writing and talking in addition to other non-verbal cues such as use of gestures, body language and facial expressions, visual communication including the use of painting, photographs, video and electronic communication which is mainly the use of information technology infrastructure to convey a message. Burke, Dailey and Zhu (2017) explain that communication is a significant aspect of people lives and is also vital in education, business and several other situations where people interact with each other.
In organizations that have an internal communication gap, there is usually a breakdown in how information is channeled across departments. This is standard in firms with a top down hierarchy. In this type of organizational structure it can be very much challenging for bottom level employees to obtain information regarding changes within the organization as their exists several communication barriers.
IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
We reside in a world filled with people of different backgrounds. We live, work and play together as it is essential for our personal lives to have people around us for friendship, comfort, love and sense of security. In our work settings, we need each other so as to achieve set goals. None of these would be possible without communication. Even animals themselves do communicate, say either when hunting or looking for a mating partner.
Communication is the fundamental piece that ties people together. Through communication, A person is able to know and understand the needs, wants, ideas and feelings of others over and above those of his/herself. The better a person is at communication, the more effective they are to achieving their hopes and dreams notes Karanges et al (2015).
Based upon research study and surveys among customer service representatives, this study is important since there appears to be a lack of communication within many organizations. Some of the employees feel as though their seniors have daily meetings, but no information is shared regarding the company changes and/or procedures. With gap in internal communication, it becomes difficult for anyone to effectively achieve goals. The unit leaders and the customer service representative main responsibility is to relay information to the customers with whom the organization serve.
If changes are not shared with the employees than they may risk the chance of giving the customers incorrect information. There will also be inconsistencies among the representatives when handling telephone and/or written inquiries.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this research work is to determine whether or not there’s an internal communication gap that exist between the junior staff and their seniors. The three objectives of this study are to:
1) Find out if or not there is an internal communication gap between junior and senior staff in an organization.
2) Find out the junior employees perception of their immediate supervisors level of communication.
3) Determine the ways in which employees usually receive most of their information.
Research Hypothesis
1. A communication gap exist between junior and senior staff in the work place?
2. Junior employees generally have a negative perception towards level of communication with their seniors.
3. Employees receive most of their communication using verbal communication.
Literature Review
In each society, people have come up with spoken and written language as a method for sharing messages and implications. The most widely recognized daily communication is interpersonal that is, face to face, at the same time and in a similar place (Karanges et al., 2015).
Barriers to communication can fly up at each phase of the communication process (which comprises of sender, receiver, message, channel, criticism and setting) and can possibly make misconception and perplexity. To be a viable communicator and to express what is on your mind without misconception and disarray, your objective ought to be to decrease the recurrence of these obstructions at each phase of this process with clear, brief, exact, very much arranged correspondences (Burke, Dailey, & Zhu, 2017).
Burke, Daile and Zhu (2017) further explain that communication, the core of any business, is the most critical of every single entrepreneurial ability. The destiny of the business relies upon the nature of a person’s/manager or business leader connections. A person’s capacity to transmit information enables the clients and workers to feel they can speak with and at last trust the person.
On the other hand Barnlund (2017) talks about internal communication explaining that it is more critical today than in earlier years partly in light of the fact that the business and economic situations are more mind boggling. There is a considerable measure of information in the market place and it’s crucial that workers comprehend it. The improvement of a vital internal communication process and its usage can give various advantages to company’s, for example, keeping workers inspired and connected with, and sharing clear, steady messages with representatives in an auspicious way
Internal communication does not need to be extensive to be helpful. The vital factor seems, by all accounts, to be a consistent stream of information, regardless of whether every one of the appropriate responses are not in yet-simply report advance. One should think of his/her workers as open speakers for the business, since they are. Regardless of whether they are talking with clients or their neighbor at home, they are passing on a picture of the organization and how it is getting along. The more they are educated, the better they can speak to the organization in the more extensive community (Barnlund, 2017).
As for Goutam (2013), he describes individual relationship as the thing that organizations are about – or ought to be. A company, whatever its size, mission, or intention is only a gathering of individuals amassed to seek after a typical goal. An organization capacity through its kin, who thusly work through communication.
Employees have their own particular sources, their own particular communication framework, different from the administration channels. These more often than not convey the news in front of communications from administration. Not that the worker network is faultless. That framework transmits information unpredictably. It may not generally work to the greatest advantage of the company; however it provides a registration when administration dreams are disguised as information. Besides, it empowers workers to take an interest in the communication process, and it fills their requirement for data which in any event appears to originate from a believable source: another representative (Goutam, 2013).
Oetzel (2017) goes to explain that workers, similar to all individuals, require outlets for their thoughts and sentiments. What’s more, they discover them. So one should not discretionarily accept that the relative nonappearance of representative dissensions is a positive sign. Representatives might convey what needs be through different channels: meetings with fellow workers, union representatives, government agents; or through uninvolved forceful conduct, for example, work slowdowns, recklessness, lateness, truancy, and lack of care. These can be side effects that workers feel different methods for cooperation are inaccessible to them.
The skill of listening turns out to be critical when it entails “upward communication.” There are numerous roads through which administration can send messages descending through a business organization, yet there are couple of roads for development of information the upward way (Oetzel, 2017).
According to Colbert, Yee and George (2016), gifted communicators can fabricate compatibility with colleagues and business partners, which can help move projects along more effectively. They know whose ability to tap when they require help and are capable at settling clashes and building agreement among colleagues .One’s adequacy in utilizing the characteristics of management and the qualities of an organization is improved by one’s aptitude for communication. Whenever the director and leaders are better understood and acknowledged, they are taken after and supported.
Numerous well known hypotheses on working environment communication center around the difference amongst people, proposing that the sexual difference makes communication distinct. Woman are viewed as being more empathetic and oblique than men. Different factors that can cause individuals to mix their messages include difference in age, culture, and financial foundation. A few hints to enable supervisors to bridge the communication gap include (Dwyer & Boyd, 2003).
1) Listening effectively for the subtext of individuals’ words.
2) Persuade as opposed to order.
3) Targeting of words to the audience.
4) Reacting to content, not to individuals’ way of conveying everything that needs to be conveyed.
5) Letting individuals realize that feedback is welcome.
6) Making aims clear before acting.
7) Assuming that individuals assume liability for what they say.
In further explaining about communication, include Dwyer and Boyd (2003) point out that vague communication brings about blunders and missed due dates, as well as lies at the foundation of many different genuine work environment issues, for example, low worker morale and poor job performance. Managers ought to contribute the vital time to guarantee that project objectives and guidelines are free of communication and cultivate a situation that enhances the open trade of thoughts
By effectively communicating as the needed, one can pass on their considerations and thoughts adequately. At the point when not effective, the contemplations and thoughts that one passes on do not really mirror their own, causing an communication breakdown and making detours that hinder an individual’s objectives both personally and professionally
Communicating as the need should arise is vital to advancing. To do this, you should comprehend what your message is, the thing that gathering of people you are sending it to and how it will be seen. You should likewise say something the conditions encompassing your interchanges, for example, situational and social setting (Dwyer & Boyd, 2003).
As for Colbert, Yee and George (2016), they describe that reliable absentmindedness to communication, its capacities and glitches, hampers the effectiveness and benefit of our associations and smothers the improvement of the individuals who occupy them. For whatever length of time that a person disregards, justify, or deny their weaknesses as communicators, for that long they tend to shrivel from obligation instead of developing toward a learned person, enthusiastic and contributive potential (Colbert, Yee & George, 2016).
Lastly, Barnlund (2017) in his research work explain that in the work environment, supervisors and their representatives have chances to create non-debilitating, commonly remunerating connections. These can be very helpful for individual and corporate wellbeing. They are likened to what in our own life is called significant connections. Supervisors who accomplish such associations with workers are said to hone “positive human relations.” True. In any case, it’s done through communication (Barnlund, 2017).
Reference
Barnlund, D. C. (2017). A transactional model of communication. In Communication theory (pp. 47-57). Routledge.
Burgoon, J. K., Guerrero, L. K., & Floyd, K. (2016). Nonverbal communication. Routledge.
Colbert, A., Yee, N., & George, G. (2016). The digital workforce and the workplace of the future.
Dwyer, J., & Boyd, A. (2003). The business communication handbook. Prentice Hall.
Goetsch, D. L., & Davis, S. B. (2014). Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson.
Goutam, A. (2013). Effective communication at workplace. IRC’S INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH IN SOCIAL & MANAGEMENT SCIENCES.
J. Burke, T., L. Dailey, S., & Zhu, Y. (2017). Let’s work out: communication in workplace wellness programs. International Journal of Workplace Health Management, 10(2), 101-115.
Karanges, E., Johnston, K., Beatson, A., & Lings, I. (2015). The influence of internal communication on employee engagement: A pilot study. Public Relations Review, 41(1), 129-131.
Mehrabian, A. (2017). Nonverbal communication. Routledge.
Oetzel, J. G. (2017). Effective intercultural workgroup communication theory. The International Encyclopedia of Intercultural Communication, 1-5.
Teachers notes on the paper and how it could be improved*
-Your APA was off in a number of important places. This in and of itself does not turn a good paper into a bad one, but it doesn’t help your case. It is not that there were a few minor issues – they were flooded throughout the paper, making readability quite difficult. I really recommend consulting the writing center or purchasing a copy of the APA manual.
-My biggest issue with your paper can be summed up in my comment on page 7: “this paper comes in two seperate parts. First there is your introduction, which tells the reader next to nothing about what you’re actually studying. Then there is this thick, rich, research which reads almost like an annotated bibliography. You need to combine these to elements to form one comprehensive document.” The comments above that one make my issues well known. I am happy to work with you on revisions as you move forward toward the final portion of the assignment.
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