What is a Theory?What is a Theory?Contemporary Organizational Communication

What is a Theory?What is a Theory?“An organized set of concepts ,

explanations, and principles of some aspect of human experience” (Littlejohn & Foss, 2005, p. 17).

A plausible explanation for a phenomena

What is a Theory?What is a Theory?“A theory is a way of seeing and

thinking about the world” (Deetz, 1992).

A theory is a lens

What is a Theory?What is a Theory?Theories are constructed by people

Theories emerge out of the research and the deep thinking of people, often scholars

Generally, theories are built upon (or are the reactions to) the earlier theories of others

What is a Theory?What is a Theory?Different theories involve different

aspects of an object or a phenomena. For example:

Broad viewView of one detailHistorical viewProcess view

Statue of LibertyStatue of Liberty

View from ground upView from far away

Statue of LibertyStatue of Liberty

View from inside the statue

Statue of LibertyStatue of Liberty

An historical view of the statue

Statue of LibertyStatue of Liberty

Symbolic viewSymbolic view

Organizational Communication Theory

Communication Communication Theories about communication in

organizations are often grouped within in three broad categories

AKA: Three theoretical perspectives

Theoretical PerspectivesTheoretical PerspectivesTraditional: Organizations are objects

that can be studied and observed

Interpretive: Organizations are shared experiences of those who construct them

Critical: Organizations are instruments of power and control

Communication TheoriesCommunication TheoriesThe textbook organizes various

theories about communication within organizations under the umbrellas of these three perspectives

TraditionalInterpretiveCritical

Example - MeetingsExample - MeetingsLet’s examine the topic of meetings in

organizations

You might look at this topic from one of the three theoretical perspectives

Meetings - Traditional ViewMeetings - Traditional ViewOrganizations are objects that can be

studied and observedWhat was included in the agenda?What action items resulted from the

meeting?Where can the minutes be found?

Meetings - Interpretive ViewMeetings - Interpretive ViewOrganizations are shared experiences

of those who construct themWhy was the meeting necessary? How did participants perceive the

usefulness of the meeting?What was the tone of the meeting?

Meetings – Critical ViewMeetings – Critical ViewOrganizations are instruments of

power and controlWho dominated the meeting?How were differing views handled?Which participants were silent?

MeetingsMeetingsCommunication involving office

meetings was examinedEach perspective drove different

questionsVarying theories would emerge out of

attempts to answer those questions

What is a Theory?What is a Theory?Theories help us to understand and

make sense of the world around usDifferent perspectives are the

foundations for different theoriesPerspectives are not wrong or right…

just different from each other!