Organizational Communication Commons^™

Genre In Social Process : The Executive Secretary In Business Environment, Suseela Nair

Student Works (2000-2009)

This is a study on genre as a social process in relation to the role of the executive secretary in the business environment. The study examines the way in which linguistics, drawn into the realm of the social sciences, serves as a 'tool' for the analysis of the role of the executive secretary in a business organization. The study provides evidence on how language, emerging from the context and linguistic symbols, shapes persons and behaviour in the work environment of the executive secretary. The focus is on talk interactions of the executive secretary in naturally occurring circumstances. The main talk …

Why Didn’T You Tell Me?: Toward Building A Model Of Why Information Is Not Shared Well In Organizations, Robert C. Kitchen

Theses and Dissertations

The effective use of information in an organization is vital to its success. One of the biggest investments being made today by companies is in their information infrastructures. However, with all of the resources being dedicated to improving information flows, evidence shows that organizations still do not share information as widely as they could or should be. Many studies have been conducted to learn the reasons why people in organizations do not share information as well as would be good. However, no study was found that reported the relative frequency of reported reasons for not sharing information. This paper gathers …

An Assessment Of Mentoring Functions And Barriers To Mentoring, Kristopher A. Singer

Theses and Dissertations

A study of 91 Coast Guard junior officers and their mentors established the construct validity for mentoring functions and barriers to mentoring. The Air Force relies on supervisors to provide mentoring to their subordinates. The key predictors of whether junior officers report their supervisors as mentors were similarity between mentor and mentee and the quality of the supervisory relationship in terms of LMX and psychosocial and career development mentoring functions. The results demonstrated evidence for a compensatory theory of mentoring. Multiple mentors do not have a synergistic effect on mentoring relationships. The key predictors of reporting an additional mentor (other …

Ua3/9/5 Opening Faculty & Staff Convocation, Wku President's Office

WKU Administration Documents

Speech delivered by WKU president Gary Ransdell at the fall convocation. He discusses freshman orientation, change, Challenging the Spirit strategic plan, budget and funding model, tuition, new buildings, technology, parking, curriculum, dormitories, Diddle Arena renovations, University Senate and employee benefits.

The Effects Of An Organizational Communication Intervention On Job Satisfaction In A Public Health Organization, Ann Kathleen Riley

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an organizational communication intervention on job satisfaction levels. Nineteen employees of a rural public health department served as the subjects of the study. Archival data was reviewed based on a pre and postjob satisfaction questionnaire administered to subjects in relation to a communication intervention. It was hypothesized that job satisfaction levels would increase as a result of an organizational communication intervention. Results of an independent !-test analysis for overall pre and postjob satisfaction scores did not support this hypothesis. Implications of the study and recommendations for future research are …

Ua3/9/5 Opening Faculty/Staff Meeting, Wku President's Office

WKU Administration Documents

Speech delivered by WKU president Gary Ransdell at his first fall convocation. He discusses priorities, strategic planning, institutional peer group, programs of distinction, campus construction and improvement, traffic and parking, information technology, student compensation, athletics, employee benefits and policies, community relations, fund raising and student recruitment.

An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Online Peer Feedback At The United States Air Force Academy, Annette M. Driscoll

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the effectiveness of the Air Force Academy's Department of English local area network peer feedback system. Four main questions were examined. These questions explored a) whether students reported improvement in their writing, b) whether students reported that feedback is worthwhile, c) whether students reported that LAN sessions increase enjoyment of writing, and d) what types of feedback the students 1) received and 2) found most helpful. Three groups were studied. Forty-six students received feedback online, fifty students received feedback face to face, and thirty-three students did not receive feedback. Comparisons were made for the questions mentioned above …

Ua25/2 Connections, Wku Human Resources

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by WKU Human Resources for the faculty and staff of WKU regarding personnel issues and benefits.

Whose Information Is It Anyway? An Argument For Information Stewardship, Trevor W. Plant

Theses and Dissertations

Information is an important resource for businesses and government, with information quality influencing decision quality, and highlighting our need to manage our information well: as a resource. Information Resource Management (IRM) has as its goal the management of information as a resource, but has not been implemented with the level of success expected. Problems with the implementation of IRM are indicated by the presence of redundant or inconsistent data, inability to share information across systems, and difficulty finding the information on systems. We propose that these difficulties are related to behaviours linked to perceived ownership of corporate information by organisational …

Ua21 Wku Affirmative Action Plan, Wku Office Of Equal Opportunity / 504 / Ada Compliance

WKU Administration Documents

This report consists of the following parts:

• Introduction
• Statement of Purpose
• Affirmative Action Plan for Minorities & Women
• Affirmative Action Plan for Covered Veterans & Persons with Disabilities

Ua35/1 Faculty Handbook, 15th Edition, Wku Provost

WKU Administration Documents

WKU faculty handbook designed to provide members of the faculty with general information about WKU, its history, philosophy, organization, policies and procedures, faculty responsibilities and benefits, and various services and facilities.

Ua11/1 On Campus, Vol 5, No. 3, Wku University Relations

WKU Administration Documents

On Campus newsletter featuring articles about faculty, staff and events at Western Kentucky University. Regular features are:

• College News
• Sponsored Programs
• Hot off the Press
• Personnel File

This issue includes articles:

• Eison, Sheila. Farewell to the Unexamined Life
• Meet the Planners of the Major Gift Campaign
• Saving Public Broadcasting
• Mastering the Art of Nursing
• A Very Special $1 Million Gift to WKU - Glen & Freida Wells
• All-State Art Exhibition
• It's in the Cards! - WKU business cards

Ua35/1 Faculty Handbook, 14th Edition, Wku Provost

WKU Administration Documents

WKU faculty handbook designed to provide members of the faculty with general information about WKU, its history, philosophy, organization, policies and procedures, faculty responsibilities and benefits, and various services and facilities.

An Analysis Of The Extent To Which Humor Is Accepted And Employed In The Workplace For The Enhancement Of Productivity And Creativity, Jonathan R. Specht, Paul D. Tobin

Theses and Dissertations

Today's business literature is filled with discussions of the many benefits humor can bring to the work environment. Two of these purported benefits, namely, the enhancement of workplace productivity and the enhancement of workplace creativity, have attracted the attention of modern managers challenged with keeping their organizations competitive despite dwindling financial and human resources. Unfortunately, little research has been done to date which actually demonstrates a link between the existence of workplace humor and improved levels of productivity and creativity. Without this demonstration of causality, most managers are reluctant to invest corporate resources in pursuit of workplace humor despite its …

Ua68/13/4 Adviews, Wku Journalism

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by the Advertising section of WKU Department of Journalism for students and alumni regarding section events and activities.

The Effects Of Three-Dimensional Graphs On Decision Making, Anita E. Latin, Anthony L. Villanueva

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis was to determine whether or not, and by how much, three-dimensional graphs are more accurate and efficient than two- dimensional graphs and tables when presenting alternatives to decision makers. A graphical experiment was designed using a microcomputer. This experiment presented a business scenario to test Air Force Institute of Technology AFIT Professional Continuing Education PCE students. The experiment attempted to determine how well DoD decision makers accurately and efficiently performed elementary data collection tasks using various graphs or tables. The experiment used a randomized order within-subject factorial design with repeated measures. The factorial experiment was …

Business As Usual: Ethics As Mundane Behavior, And The Case Of Target Corporation, Jon A. Hess

Communication Faculty Publications

Ethics are in vogue in the 1990s America. Concerns for ethical behavior pervade almost every aspect of our lives and work. This trend has not been unnoticed by the American business community. In fact, many businesses have taken current ethical concerns and tried to put them into action. In some cases, the action has been out of necessity or self-interest, as in the case of companies hurt by an unethical reputation or companies forced to implement ethics programs because of legal indictments. But some companies are taking a proactive stance toward ethics without external pressure.

As these businesses strive to …

Information Sharing Within The Coea Process, Constance S. Maginnis, Michael J. Monroe

Theses and Dissertations

In order to meet the challenges of a reduced work force and the changing roles and/or missions of the Air Force in particular, the Cost and Operational Effectiveness Analysis COEA is used in the decision-making of every phase of the acquisition process. The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense OASD has mandated that COEAs are to be an integral part of the acquisition process. The COEA information gathering or sharing process is not well defined. Areas within the COEA process affected are the coordination of common elements of information required, the data collection, and the generation of possible solutions. …

The Effects Of Violations Of Bar Chart Standards On Managerial Decision Making, Jeanne E. Tennison, Phillip G. Puglisi

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated whether a difference in data display, modes or a difference in data trends affected mid-level Air Force managers trend impressions, risk assessments. and loan decisions. By presenting data in four different modes, and by three data trends, a 4 x 3 factorial design experiment was prepared 180 subjects were tested, 15 in each of the twelve treatment cells. Each subject viewed three graphs or tables and made a decision based on the trend observed, their assessment of the trend, and a decision table. At the end of the experiment. they were asked for their impression of the …

Socio-Technical & Team Management Theory At A Greenfield Site, Macon Brown Iii

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this research project is to answer the question, "How and with what effects does Logan Aluminum, Inc. translate and implement the principles of socio-technical and team management theory into its organizational culture and operational activities?" To answer this question the researcher first examined the literature related to those theories and then conducted on-site interviews and ethnographic research to witness their implementation. The researcher found strong evidence to prove the validity and accuracy of many of those theories when practiced in an organizational setting. Theories particularly proven were those relating to the necessity of constant training, the role …

Ua3/8/6 Report Of The Salary Study Committee, Wku Salary Study Committee

WKU Administration Documents

Report of the WKU Salary Study Committee created by president Thomas Meredith.

Ua19/1/5 On-Campus Halftime Program, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

On-Campus Halftime Program featuring Jim Hanks interviewed by Todd Gibbs regarding the search for WKU-Glasgow director.

From Authoritarian To Participative Management & Back Again: A Field Study Of The Effects Of Employee Participation In A Manufacturing Setting, William Pierce

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study consists of two surveys administered sixteen months apart in a large (1000 employee) Fortune 100 organization which was sold to a Japanese company during the period under study and underwent several other chaotic changes. The purpose of the study was to assess the perceived differences brought about by training and participation. Six factors that were assessed for differences were: productivity, communication, employee participation, work teams, management leadership, and mergers/acquisitions.

Results were compared from the two time periods across all six factors. Productivity and communication proved statistically significant at p(.05, while employee participation and work teams prove statistically significant …

Ua1d Paul Cook Personnel File, Wku Human Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Personnel file of Paul Cook who served WKU as Interim President in 1985 and several other administrative positions.

Ua19/16/5 On-Campus Halftime Program, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

On-Campus Halftime Program featuring Debby Cherwak recreation director interviewed by Todd Gibbs.

Ua35/1 Faculty Handbook, 13th Edition, Wku Provost

WKU Administration Documents

WKU faculty handbook designed to provide members of the faculty with general information about WKU, its history, philosophy, organization, policies and procedures, faculty responsibilities and benefits, and various services and facilities.

Ua19/16/1 Hilltopper Basketball 1988-89, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

1988-89 men's basketball media guide produced by WKU Athletic Media Relations, includes athletic records and statistics, photographs, schedule and information regarding opponents.

Identification Of Training Needs: A Focus Group Interview/Q-Sort Methodology, Michele Erb

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In light of research that suggests that formal needs analysis leads to efficient and productive training programs, managers and a sampling of non-management employees from a mid-size manufacturing company participated in a needs assessment to determine future training needs for the company's mangers. The information was collected through focus group interviews and a Q-sort technique was developed to categorize the issues raised in the interviews. The categories of training issues and related concerns identified as a result of the focus group interview process were compared to a list of training topics generated by managers through an informal survey prior to …

Ua35/1 Faculty Handbook, 12th Edition, Wku Provost

WKU Administration Documents

WKU faculty handbook designed to provide members of the faculty with general information about WKU, its history, philosophy, organization, policies and procedures, faculty responsibilities and benefits, and various services and facilities.

Ua21 Wku Affirmative Action Plan Volume Vii, Wku Office Of Equal Opportunity / 504 / Ada Compliance

WKU Administration Documents

This volume contains the Report to the President for 1985-86, and the workforce analyses, availability rates, goals and timetables for the 1986-87 academic year by department units. The goals and timetables include the ultimate goals for 1987, the last year of the five-year plan.