Electronic Media

How electronic media in organization lead to improve communication? And how does it lead to poorer communication?

Electronic media plays an important role in today’s ever changing organizational environment. The Strategic goals and objectives can’t be met without better MIS. So to collect the information organization gives great importance to the sources, today’s world Electronic media especially internet is the great source to communication? Perhaps the most popular medium is Email to communicate with other; it is cost effective and easy to access. In many organizations it is replacing the traditional ways of communication like letters and memos; advantage of email is that the accessibility of Email to dispersed population at once. Email has also some disadvantages, often the messages written to quickly and informal. The context and impact can’t be calculated, recipient may feel that the communication is informal when and impersonal and personal communication is required

Computer mediated communication such as email and distribution list are major ways in which business is conducted in modern organizations. The dawn of new millennium has seen increasing communication where organization communication and group interaction occur through information technologies. Perhaps not surprising, estimate suggest the amount of time an individual will spend with other increase 40 % before 2010(Solomon,2001) .International Online collaboration team represents a way for including employees in organizational participation and decision making process (Olarian 2007a) One study showed that employee participation is correlated with commitment and that committed employees are more likely to intrinsically fulfilled have positive relational synergy with others employees(Mathieu & Zajac, 1990),

At the same time Communication technologies are not without their criticism. For instance online collaboration Consists of meeting and interaction through virtual medium-that is where participants interact, using communication technologies media. A major criticism of online collaboration is the lack of non-verbal cues during interaction. The lack of non-verbal cues is believed to render to technology ineffective especially when compared to face- to- face medium (Gorton & Wellman, 1995; Olarian 2007a).While there is other communication technologies (i.e., Videoconferencing) that offer non-verbal cues via audio and video cues in virtual team collaboration. As organization embarks on online team collaboration and projects, they find themselves at crossroad where accomplishing task goals are as important as achieving relational goals in any given project.

To be effective in your communication, you need to analyze your audience first and their perception about you. What the audience initially thinking of your personality, your credibility is at risk, if you are not correctly analyzing your audience. Their perception of you has a tremendous impact how you should communicate with them. Once you understand them you can enhance your credibility by stressing on your initial credibility and by increasing your acquired credibility. Initial credibility refers to your audience perception of you before you even begin to communicate, before they ever read and hear what you have to say. In Contrast, acquired credibility refers to your audience after they have communicated with you. Even if your audience knows nothing about you in advance, your good ideas and your persuasive writing makes a lasting impact on your audience. Audience strategy includes analyzing four Questions, Who are they? What do they know? What do they feel? How you can persuade them.

Who are they sound like a simple question, yet choosing the people whom to include is often subtle and complex. Next, think what the audience knows and what they need to know and how much background information they need and what expectations and preferences they have, what are there perception.

Your audience emotion level is as much important as there knowledge level. Therefore, in thinking about what they know, think about what they feel. What feeling may arise from their current situation and emotional state? What are their possible biases: what is their probable attitude towards your ideas and recommendation? Last but not least persuade your audience by stressing on their tangible benefits, Career and task benefits, and personality benefits and group benefits. Give them logical argument regarding their benefits

Industry is undergoing into considerable change as a result of media convergence. Media convergence is thought of as an integration of video, audio, the Internet, and the computing systems, as well as distribution technologies (Stienfied , Baldwin,& Mc Voy,1996).Management theorist identified three broad areas of management skills in the management process: technical, human, and conceptual skills. To this list two other skills crucial to successful media manager are added: financial   skills and marketing skills.

Technical skills: Electronic media mangers need to understand the technical aspects of their operations, for technology and innovation constantly impact the communication industries. While technological advancement makes it impossible to keep up with all the changes taking place, managers still need competencies in the areas as equipment operation, signal transmission, and computer application. The ability to provide hand on training is an important managerial skill, since employee usually has greater respect for managers with technical expertise.

Human, or People, Skills: Employees see no other area as clearly as manger’s people skills. Most managers identify this area as the most important skill in the process of management (Hersey, Blanch chard & Johnson, 2008).Successful mangers in the electronic media exhibits strong interpersonal skills and are particularly adept at leading and motivating employees. Electronic media managers need to be dynamic, visionary, and motivated   in order to lead their operation effectively and create a sprit of cooperation and participation among all employees.

Conceptual or Problem solving skills:  Managers must understand the complexities   of internal and external environment because change is constant in media, managers must be able to respond quickly to changes in the environment .electronic media managers must deal with a variety of issues and solve problems effectively.

Financial Managers: Industry consolidation, staff turns over and heavily competiveness environment requires a maintained MIS system to perform financial duties. Financial Mangers need Database Management Systems to maintain budgets, meet revenues and Projections. DMS is essential in interpreting financial statements, break even analysis are critical.

Marketing Skills: Electronic media  especially internet enable Marketing managers to analyze the marketing strategies how to position their product and what vehicle to use to create awareness .Understanding how to use four Ps of marketing  price, product, promotion and place-in the interaction with consumers as well as with advertiser.

References:

Handbook of Research on Electronic Collaboration and Organizational Synergy

 By Janet Salmons, Lynn Wilson  

Essential of Contemporary Management

 By Gareth R. Jones, Jennifer M. George