This chapter has a lot of information and covers a variety of topics. The book breaks down the chapter in four categories, Organizational communication, Dwelling place, Organizations and Institutions, and finally community of memory within organizations. There are two topics that I can easily relate two that helped me have a better understanding of Organizational Communication Ethics.
The first topic is the dwelling place. Luke mentioned in his blog post that he would refer to the football team, I am going to do the same but mine is in a different manner. I work for the football team so although we spend a lot of time together, my experiences are a bit different. Working for the football team is a unique dwelling place. I work 40 or more hours a week and but they aren't your typical daytime hours. It is common to see many coworkers in the office till 1am and back in the office again at 5am for morning workouts. The book said "No dwelling place can please all" and that "Each organization constructs a particular sense of dwelling that welcomes some and dismisses others" (141). I have seen this a lot with other coworkers who do not handle the hours well and cannot keep up with the work and quit very early. The football program takes its work very seriously and you learn what is expected on day one. I constantly have my phone available at anytime of the day or night incase I need to be reached by my boss or a coach. I have a constant engagement with my work/dwelling place.
The other topic I wanted to relate this to is Organizations and Institutions. When we are on the road for games, once all the work is done it is common for some employees to go the night before the game. We are reminded on every trip that we represent not only the football team but also the University. It is a simple connection but the University of Minnesota is an institution while the Minnesota Football team is an organization of that institution.
John,your blog post really made me think about how dwelling places can differ based on the context in which you are encountering them. The ethics that you must follow and the ones I have to follow are different yet since we inhabit the same space of the team, their is a core ethics that we both have. I think that this is really the main idea of the chapter that is left out so to speak. The chapter really focuses on the idea that an organization has one ethical code even though it adapts over time, yet we are both in the same organization and have different ethical codes.
ReplyDeleteThis may be where the idea of the memory comes in as well, since the code is adapted based on your place within the organization. Coach Kill has a different code then I do, and your ethical code is different from both of ours, yet we all have to be able to interact and work together efficently.
John, You really put the idea of organizational communication ethics effect me every day. I had a hard time wrapping my head around this topic and read the chapter over and over. I was wondering how it pertained to my life. Well you gave me that light. I see how I am in a constant with work as well so my dwelling place is very rich with others time. I am committed to working hard and sometimes this even puts a rift in my relationship. The reason being, it takes me away from the family dynamic when I always have to stay in town and my fiance is back at her parents. I feel like I have a dwelling place that is considered to be a big one if that makes any sense.
ReplyDeleteAlso in my work I do a good number of off-site events which I have to consider The codes and procedures of our institution styles. My organization has a set of rules that are sometimes more relaxed than other restaurants. It is important that I remember the "code" that we as a larger institution demand. The code is much different in a small private wedding compared to serving an event at the Excel Center. Both very important but the smaller weddings tend to be a bit more chill and fun.
I feel now that I understand this better I am able to say it is important for Organizations to have some conduct and method to madness that is sounding us every day. Feeling the need to sometimes enforce the law of our organization or the greater institution.