This document discusses communicating within organizational hierarchies. It outlines that hierarchies develop to coordinate large groups of people and divide labor but can disadvantage autonomy and innovation. Communication flows upward from subordinates to superiors, laterally between peers, and downward from superiors to subordinates. The tone, forms of address, and language used should be adapted based on the person's level within the hierarchy. New digital technologies and network structures provide alternative models of flat and distributed organizations beyond traditional vertical hierarchies.

1. Communicating in
hierarchies
Lecture 2.2
University of Alberta
ALES 204
Nancy Bray
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2. Lecture Outline
1. Organizations and hierarchy
2. Communicating in hierarchies
3. Hierarchies and the digital age
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3. 1. Organizations and hierarchy
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4. What is a
hierarchy?
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5. Source: Wikipedia
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6. 6

7. Why
hierarchies?
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8. Disadvantages
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9. 2. Communicating in hierarchies
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10. Structure of communication
Boss
Boss
Co-worker 1
Co-worker 1 You
You Co-worker 2
Co-worker 2
Subordinate 1
Subordinate 1 Subordinate 2
Subordinate 2
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11. Upward
communication
Boss
Boss
You
You
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12. Lateral communication
Co-worker 1
Co-worker 1 You
You Co-worker 2
Co-worker 2
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13. Downward communication
You
You
Subordinate 1
Subordinate 1 Subordinate 2
Subordinate 2
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14. Overall tone
Upward
Lateral
Downward
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15. Forms of address
Upward
Lateral
Downward
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16. Requests
Upward
Lateral
Downward
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17. From the
outside in
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18. 3. Hierarchies and the digital age
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19. Other forms of
organization
Matrix
Flat
Network
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20. Matrix
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21. Flat
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22. Networks
The Internet hates hierarchy
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23. Powershop
John Maeda: How art,
technology and design inform
creative leaders
Maeda is President of Rhode
Island School of Design
From 13:23
http://www.ted.com/talks/john_maeda_how_art_technology_and_des
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24. Take away
Types of communication in a
hierarchy
Change your communication
style to suit the hierarchy
Beware of networks vs.
hierarchy
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25. Photo Credits
President Obama by Intel Photos on flickr
flow by IcK9s [M. H. Stephens] on flickr
looking in window by Pink Sherbet Photography on flickr
map of the internet by opte project on flickr
networks by sjcockell on flickr
silos by Michele Massetani on flickr
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