Conceptual Essay: Organizational Communication Perspective (6-8 pages, double-spaced)

In light of your critical reflection upon the course readings, your own research (e.g., articles, books, and professional journals), and your professional experience, articulate your own organizational communication perspective.

Step I: Pre-Essay Writing Activity: Getting Started: Prior to writing, take time to reflect upon your course readings and discussions. Stop and review the key concepts that you have been examining related to organizational communication, including defining what they are and how they are critical to effective workplace leadership, efficient daily organizational operations, dynamic team-oriented decision making, customer/client service, and organizational innovation and development.

Note and write down any interesting discoveries, insightful conclusions, practical application and questions that emerge. Weave these into your essay.

Step II: Defining Organizational Communication: After thoughtfully reflecting upon the various dimensions or aspects of organizational communication, formulate your ideas into an analytical essay discussing:

- What is an organization and the key aspects that comprise it;
- How you conceptualize and define organizational communication;

- How the following organizational aspects are critical, inter-related components of organizational communication, and are vital for effective organizational operations: a) organization-wide knowledge management practices, b) appropriate information systems and tools, c) a continuous organizational learning environment, d) a collaborative and team-oriented workplace, and e) social networks that enable workplace interaction and sharing;

- The nature and characteristics of the distributed organization, including a) how it is comprised of evolving networks formed by its employees, other businesses or organizations, and customers/clients, and b) how it utilizes a dispersed workforce that functions by strategically deploying various forms of technology to communicate and collaborate.

Step III: Concluding Your Essay: Coupling what you are studying in LDR 505 with what you learned in Module 1: The Innovative Leader, conclude your essay by discussing the core communication and collaboration qualities and skills needed by today's professionals to successfully and creatively lead and work in a distributed workplace. Why are these attributes so essential?