Structure relates to the way in which parts of a thing are arranged or organized. Structure, along with strategy, plays a vital role in making organizational communication effective. Structure relates to functional departments and reporting relationships.
In large organizations, structure is described by way of charts which are also known as organograms. When we talk of a structure, we relate it to specific functional areas like production, finance, marketing, planning, human resource development (HRD) or inspection and audit.
These functional areas generally have a well-defined structure in business organizations. Such structures cover both hierarchical and geographical areas. Reporting will be hierarchical so that the Marketing Officer will report to the Marketing Manager, the Marketing Manager to the Divisional Manager (Marketing), and the Divisional Manager (Marketing) to the General Manager and so on.
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Similarly, keeping in view the geographical requirements, organizations may have General Manager (Southern Region), Divisional Manager (Punjab and Haryana), Manager (Bangalore East), and Sr Vice President (Global Operations) and so on.
Again, structure may be with reference to new specific products like Manager (New Products), Senior Manager (Commercial Vehicles), and Vice President (Insurance and Mutual Funds) and so on. Generally speaking, the hierarchical set-up and the strength of the department would depend upon the importance and value attached to the functional area.
Communication, it is worth emphasizing, encompasses all functional areas. That being so, it is not desirable to make such watertight compartments with respect to communication. In any organization, whatever is the functional area, everyone will have to communicate, both orally and in writing.
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In a business organization, communication cannot be confined to select individuals. Whatever be the functional responsibility—be it production or personnel or accounts or marketing—everyone will have to attend meetings, write letters and memos, prepare reports, send e-mails, make speeches and so on.
Therefore, people working across all functional areas, whether they are assistants or supervisors or managers or executives, have to be adept at various facets of communication. They should learn and practice everyday tasks such as organizing meetings, preparing memos and reports, sending e-mails, giving talks and so on.
Notwithstanding what is stated above, it is to be noted that large organizations, however, often have a well-defined structure to deal with corporate communications. In particular, those in the services sector having a wide reach attach considerable significance to corporate communications.
The corporate communications department specifically deals with areas like publicity, media relations, directors’ report, chairman’s messages and such other aspects of organizational communication that need special attention and expertise.
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Accordingly, there may be Vice President (Corporate Communications), Manager (Corporate Communications and Public Relations) and so on. These functionaries plan and execute communication policy, and broadly list out a set of dos and don’ts in communication for the guidance of all the staff.
Communication, as we will be discussing later in this book, assumes a vital role in times of crisis. Business organizations, therefore, have to ensure that proper structural arrangements are put in place such that communication becomes smooth and effective.