Political, Economic, Social, and Technological Aspects of Communication
- Explain one political, economic, social and technological factor that may affect communication strategies in the workplace.
Political: Individuals live in doubt and fear when communication is not proper due to political instability
Economic: If the economy is good then individuals are ready to follow and listen to the right channels. On the other hand, if it is not, individuals riot themselves for ineffective communication.
Social: Preferences for communication distinct from 1 group to the other race, cultures, age, genders integrate in distinct ways (Al-Hunaiyyan et al., 2017).
Technology: It can be said a high level of technology has better effectiveness and efficiency of communication in regard to accuracy and speed.
- Listed in the table below are legislation, codes of practice and policies that guide legally and ethically appropriate communication. Provide a short description of how each one guides communication.
Aspect of Communication |
Legislation, Code of Practice or Policy |
How the Legislation, Code of Practice, Policy, guides the Aspect of Communication |
Privacy, confidentiality, and disclosure |
Privacy Act 1988 |
A person does not leak personal data or transmit it in any form of communication to any other person without permission or informed consent. |
Discrimination |
Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 |
Everyone should not use any form of communication that is discriminatory towards the other person (Mares, 2016). |
Duty of care |
Wrongs Act 1958 |
The principle must state all duties and rights to the agent by using various channels of communication to prevent lawsuits and misunderstanding (Chiu & Brener, 2019). |
Mandatory reporting |
The AASW Code of Ethics 2010 |
Promote communication and respectful teamwork to prevent a lack of mandatory reporting. |
Informed consent |
Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 |
Informed consent can be given in any form to the appropriate physician for the patient. |
- Identify at least one (1) channel of communication that would be appropriate for addressing each of the following concerns in the workplace, listed below.
- Special Communication Needs of Personnel
Face to face communication: It minimise any misinterpreted or misunderstood messages by permitting for facial expressions, body language, and other non-verbal channel of communication. It also assists boost a collaborative environment that energizes and inspires people to be more open and productive.
- Organisational Processes and Hierarchy
Horizontal/Lateral communication: It permits for a spirit of teamwork and collaboration by supporting manpower at all levels of the organisation hierarchy in order to work efficiently together. It contains communication all over the chains of command.
- Official Communication Channels
Face-to-face communication: This channel of communication is considered the utmost effective way for teams or staff to interact. It minimizes any misconstrued messages and it can be said that it is the best method to get sensitive or complex messages across or brainstorm with co-workers’ group (Hill et al., 2019).
- Existing Organisational Protocols and Etiquette for Communication
Email: This channel is a great way to give organizational protocol and etiquette as the message in this channel is long lived which reminds every employee about the protocol and etiquette on regular basis.
- Office Emergency Protocols
Two-way radios: It can be said that it is the most widely and reliable adopted communication channel during an office emergency protocols, able to function outside power supplies or the infrastructure of communication that devices like mobile phones rely on.
- Crisis Communication Plans
Radio and television: These are the most widely adopted as they are the immediate communication channel such as many TV and radio stations have very close connection of people and are able to help the requirements of the people during a disaster, reports of radio are almost real time because individuals call in with reports of newscast (Flores & Asuncion, 2020).
- Identify three (3) principles of coaching and three (3) principles of mentoring, and describe how each of these principles can be put into practice.
Coaching Principles |
How these principles can be put into practice |
E.g.: Coach the individual. |
E.g.: Adjust your coaching methods to suit the different needs of each individual. |
A coach has to use affirmative language to boost the confidence of the individual they are working with. |
Adopt constructive criticism while providing feedback regard results that one that could be improved or one does not agree with. |
Confirm the person goes away with something particular they could do. |
Set tasks and goals for the person to work on. |
Coach the person |
Adjust methods of coaching to suit the distinct requirements of all persons. |
Mentoring Principles |
How these principles can be put into practice |
E.g.: Mentors should acknowledge the benefits they gain from the process of mentoring. |
E.g.: Mentors should share to their mentees how the mentoring process helps them grow also. |
Mentoring ought to be a structured dialogue in which mentor facilitates reflection. |
A mentor ought to come up with a guide in order to a process of structured reflection in which both the mentees and mentor’s concerns are resolved. |
It is significant that mentors assist set challenges and identify goals for the personal growth of mentees. |
A mentee and mentor must exercise open communication with each other so that mentors are updated of the progress of the mentee and could, thus, set new strategies or goals for the mentee. (Asimakopoulos et al., 2019). |
The mentoring relationship ought to be based on confidentiality, trust, sensitivity and mutual respect. |
Adopt constructive criticism while providing feedback regard results that one that could be improved or one does not agree with. |
- Read the scenario provided below and answer the questions that follow.
Brendan Partridge is the general manager of the North Melbourne Community Neighbourhood Service, a service with programs targeting the accommodation and youth advocacy needs of the growing North Melbourne community. Youth unemployment and homelessness are the biggest local issues, although there is increasing evidence of a hard drug culture taking hold.
Brendan wants to establish and run a new program titled Youth Pathways, that provides local members of the community with a safe and alcohol free space. He wants to set up different activities a couple of times a week that promote a sense of inclusiveness and belonging. He is requiring funding and support from the local government.
- Identify at least two (2) non-profit stakeholders Brendan could approach to gain more support for his new program.
- The public (including donors)
- Charities
- Briefly explain why it’s important for Brendan to identify and understand any competitors of his new program.
A competitor analysis is significant as it would assist Brendan identify how he could improve and enhance his program. It also permits to forecast their future strategies and moves.
- Identify at least two (2) methods of traditional advertising Brendan could use to promote his program.
Legislation, Code of Practice, and Policies that guide Communication
Radio: He could reach a huge geographical audience.
Newspaper: He could target market segment via special interest magazines or choice of newspaper.
- Develop a communication plan to promote the Youth Pathways Program and gain support from the local community of North Melbourne.
- Purpose of the plan
Provide a safe and alcohol-free space.
- Target Audience
The accommodation and youth advocacy needs of the growing North Melbourne community
- Main message
Stop drinking alcohol for your health and your family.
- A communication channel that will be used
Newspaper, Radio, and Face-to-face communication channel.
- Answer the following:
- Listed below are three (3) different communication channels. Identify at least two (2) communication strategies that belong in each channel.
- Written Communication
- Avoid unnecessary jargon: Jargon is unnecessarily multifaceted language that is adopted in order to impress instead of inform. It also makes writing seem ill-informed and insincere. Try to choose plain language so that audience can understand the objective of written message (Prabavathi & Nagasubramani, 2018).
- Proofread carefully to check grammar and spelling: It is significant strategy to boost, particularly in making official communications with a significant message. For example, it is significant for manager or team leader to check proofread the complete mail before send.
- Electronic Communication
- Emails: It has its uses such as sharing brief status updates, sending timely information (e.g., weekly newsletters), sending attachments, providing links, data, and directions to online sources.
- Video conferencing: This strategy is significant as it permits employees and managers in distinct location to hold and attend face-to-face meetings without having to move to a sole place together.
- Face-to-Face Communication
- Watch, adjust and listen: Being present offers access to several signs or cues from audience. Begin with an eye contact and develop a robust relationship, preferably with all persons. Then
- Connect with audience: whether is a one-on-one meeting with a team or an employee, it is not adequate to start talking and show up. An effective leader start by forging an emotional and personal relationship with their audience that builds the phase for the chat they wish to have. For example, a team leader can give gestures in order to connect with audience such as giving a thumbs up, shaking someone’s hand, or nodding head.
- Briefly explain the importance of a crisis communication plan.
Having a plan of crisis communication in advance of a disaster assists in minimising misinformation, rises the timelines of messaging, and assures a good communication flow. The plan ought to contain chief templates, contacts, and detailed procedure on when and how to share information or data and with whom. It acts as blueprints for the firm in times of crisis with the aim that they could respond immediately. Moreover, proper crisis communication plan could help to build trust in the workplace, safeguard manpower and other stakeholders during a crisis, keep customers loyal, align the external and internal messages, and prevent the danger a crisis could have on the firm’s strategic goals, viability and reputation. Apart from this, it assists guarantee a swift issue of information and a regular message on every firm platform during a time of crisis (Haupt, 2021).
- Identify at least three (3) ways you can maintain connections and relationships with external stakeholders.
Stay consistent with messaging: Confusing external stakeholders is incredibly risky. Unreliable messaging could result in an adverse reputation, loss in trust, and public outrage. Mostly stakeholders value regular messaging and seek to understanding that could depend for the up-to-date and current information.
Clearly communicate project scope: tell stakeholders regard the procedure the firm would adopt to communicate information to them right from the beginning. Moreover, precisely describes how the firm would involve them in decisions. Apart from this, individuals are more eager to listen when the company tell them what is negotiable and what is not, the decision-making process, and their influence over the concluded outcome (Park et al., 2017).
Have empathy: Gain a precise understanding of the wants and needs of the stakeholders. Look for solutions that would benefit every party (win-win).
- Identify and briefly explain at least two (2) methods you can use to receive feedback from others to assess effectiveness of communication strategies.
- Be specific: Whenever a person asks for feedback, be as particular and precise as probable. Common questions like “how am I doing? Would most probably receive common answers. A person can receive effective feedback by asking particular questions like “Have my monthly meetings been detailed or in-depth as you seek them to be? It is significant to elucidate all feedbacks while the individual is providing it. He would just stew over it in future and could even jump to certain false outcomes himself.
- Really listen: When a person get feedback, he may begin planning what he is going to say when the other individual has stop speaking, or he may promptly begin thinking of excuses to describe the behaviour. Therefore, make an attempt to listen thoroughly when getting feedback. A person could also adopt active listening with the intention that he receive the whole measure of what the individual is saying.
- Answer the following:
- Briefly define the concept ‘digital media advertising’.
It is the communication created by an enterprise to promote and advertise its product, brand, or service adopting several digital channels and platforms. It comprises of actions in blogs, social media pages, web browsers, or any other kind of contact via the internet.
- Identify at least two (2) types of digital media
- Owned media: it is that media which the firm owns enduringly. Owned media is the channels that the brand preserves and via then, produces direct content regards its services and goods. Social media pages, YouTube channels, blogs, and websites are some examples of owned media that the firm supervises and controls with its name.
- Earned media: It is every media an enterprise receives via what they call “word of mouth” but in the visual or electronic environment. There is no direct investment in its procurement. Every and any action of the firm produces comments regard those tactics. It is free media occupied due to these actions (Buchanan et al., 2018).
- Identify at least four (4) things organisations should do to ensure they follow appropriate digital media etiquette.
- Give credit: Share and show a stable stream of good content, no issue. So long as a person/s take, versus give credit for it.
- Go easy on the hashtags: Hashtags are cool. They assist individuals find and search for their company and them. Use hashtags wisely and sparingly, so they would have more meaning.
- Think before share: It is significant to think before share and ask question like is this the utmost format for the post? does this have value? Does this effective the network’s mission?
- Handle criticism gracefully: Respond and try the best a firm could and do not become defensive. It can be said that overreaction to condemnation could swiftly go viral.
- Briefly explain the purpose of a SWOT analysis.
The basic purposes of a SWOT analysis are to recognise aspects that affect an enterprise’s operation and propose beneficial data or information during the process of strategic planning. This strategy could assist result in more informed and careful decision-making. This method assists to recognise firm’s weaknesses, strengths, threats, and opportunities. It guides to develop on what a firm does well, address what they are lacking, minimize risks, and seize new openings (DOGANC?L? & TARAKÇIO?LU, 2017).
References
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Asimakopoulos, G., Hernández, V., & Peña Miguel, J. (2019). Entrepreneurial intention of engineering students: The role of social norms and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Sustainability, 11(16), 4314. doi:10.3390/su11164314
Buchanan, L., Kelly, B., Yeatman, H., & Kariippanon, K. (2018). The effects of digital marketing of unhealthy commodities on young people: a systematic review. Nutrients, 10(2), 148. doi:10.3390/nu10020148
Chiu, H., & Brener, A. (2019). Articulating the Gaps in Financial Consumer Protection and Policy Choices for the Financial Conduct Authority-Moving Beyond the Question of Imposing a Duty of Care. Capital Markets Law Journal, 14(2), 217-250.
DOGANC?L?, O. S., & TARAKÇIO?LU, S. (2017). A Study on Examining Turkey and Australia by Swot Analysis in terms of Ecotourism. Journal of Tourism and Gastronomy Studies, 32, 42. DOI: 10.21325/jotags.2017.57
Flores, R., & Asuncion, X. V. (2020). Toward an improved risk/crisis communication in this time of COVID-19 pandemic: a baseline study for Philippine local government units. Journal of Science Communication, 19(7), A09. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.19070209
Haupt, B. (2021). The use of crisis communication strategies in emergency management. Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, 18(2), 125-150. https://doi.org/10.1515/jhsem-2020-0039
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Park, H., Kim, K., Kim, Y. W., & Kim, H. (2017). Stakeholder management in long-term complex megaconstruction projects: The Saemangeum project. Journal of Management in Engineering, 33(4), 05017002.
Prabavathi, R., & Nagasubramani, P. C. (2018). Effective oral and written communication. Journal of Applied and Advanced Research, 3(1), 29-32. https://doi.org/10.21839/jaar.2018.v3iS1.164