Running head: CONCEPT OF STATUS

Concept of Status

Name

Institution
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Part A

1) Briefly describe the concept of status

2) Describe the global implication that status has for an international manager in western

culture, with (2), original examples

3) Describe the global implications that status has for an international manager in Eastern

culture, with two (2) original examples

Part B

4) Briefly describe four (4) of the barriers to effective communication and provide one (1)

original example to each

5) Provide one (1) original workplace for each of the following communication situations:

oral communication in down flowing direction: written communication in upward

flowing direction; and non-verbal communication in a lateral flowing direction

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Part A

1. Briefly Describe the Concept of Status

Status is described as a rank or position when weighing against others in an

organizational or social environment(Baker, 2014). Humans as social being function within a

well-structured and diverse society. Within this diverse society, people hold different hierarchy

within the strata which allows them to determine and know the roles they play in the levels and

hence knowing their status permits smooth flow of expectations and work. If people feel that

their authority is not respected, undermined their discontent arises which makes the organisation

to suffer. Status can be demonstrated by the ability of a person to prove authority over others, the

ability of a person to contribute towards the whole goals of an organization as well as the ability

to have control on the outcomes. People may get status because they possess some

characteristics such as money, intellect or by their appealing personalities

2. Describe the global implication that status has for an international manager in

western culture, with (2) original examples

Adler (2008), cross-cultural management explains people’s behavior in the organization

around the world. It demonstrates how people should work in various organizations where there

are clients and employees from the different background. In a working environment which is

globalized, it is a norm to have a team made up of multinationals, and if the manager is western

or eastern, it will positively influence their interaction with their employees.

The concept of equality is regarded with admiration in the western cultures and a

manager, or a leader is seen as an equal among the rest, and he/she is not viewed to be above the

rest. For example, a manager in western culture would encourage employees to observe

punctuality on the basis that time is money. The issue of absenteeism, inefficiency and lack of
STATUS 4

time consciousness is discouraged, and all these standards are met by the workers as well as the

employees.

3. Describe the global implications that status has for an international manager in

Eastern culture, with two (2) original examples

In the Easter culture, status is regarded as a spiritual craze. To them, the status of a person

is a birthright. Whatever a person becomes is driven by their wealth, family and connection. The

Eastern culture makes it not possible for an individual to enhance their status through

accomplishments only. For example, the Hindu utilises the caste system where people are put

into classes based on their lineage (Javaid & Majid, 2014). The system is rigid, and it is not

broken by anyone. The upper classes consist of military princes and priests; the middle class is

made of merchants, farmers and artists while the lower level comprises of labourers.’ This

system has no room for status change. The Eastern culture promotes loyalty to a particular class

hence the general manager in the Eastern culture would expect that there is no unknown and

every worker knows their places automatically and therefore they may demand more with the

knowledge that their leadership cannot be questioned.

Part B

1) Briefly Describe Four (4) Of the Barriers To Effective Communication And Provide

One (1) Original Example To Each

Communication is the process of transmission and exchange of information between one

person and another such that the receiver can understand the meaning, content and the intention

of the message and hence give feedback which is proper(F. C. Lunenburg, 2010). The conveyed

information could be ideas, concepts, facts, opinions, beliefs, attitude, emotions and instruction.

The primary purpose of communicating is to pass information which can be understood.

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Barriers to an active communication may cause hindrance to the decoding of encoded messaged.

The barriers to communication include language, culture, overload of information and emotions.

Language can be a barrier to effective communication within the working environment. It

is because not every person within this environment speaks the same language, and as such, there

is a likelihood of communication brake down. The inability of an individual to communicate

using inappropriate wordings could lead to misinterpretation of the intentions of the sender. For

instance when an employee had a crucial point to raise in a board meeting but was not

understood by the relevant stakeholder because he/she could not pick the right words in

packaging the message

Also, culture can affect communication in the sense that different cultures have different

rules, gestures, verbal and non-verbal cues for engagement. These rules are capable of effect

either positive or negative to a communication. More so, since cultural barriers go beyond

language, it is vital to understand that intonations, pronunciation and accents from different

cultures can affect communication flow and thus prove to be a barrier to the intended message.

For instance, when I was working for an NGO in a charity mission In Africa, it was difficult for

the coo-coordinator to understand me because of my accent: the coordinator would ask me to

write what I wanted occasionally.

Overload of information is a barrier to communication. It is because it is known that

persons have the finite capacity for data processing. When the amount a person has exceeds their

ability to process, then it results in the overload of information. When persons have large

volumes of data to a process, they will lead to ignoring and passing over information. A prime

example is when an employee receives a lot of emails about twenty emails within an hour, it may
STATUS 6

get to a point where this employee will ignore some emails and only read emails which are

urgent.

Emotions also affect communication, such that when emotional, the capacity to

communicate is impaired and hence becoming a stabling block to proper communication. If

somebody is annoyed, unfriendly, bitter, joyful, or fearful, that person may be too lost in thought

with emotions to receive the planned message. If for some reasons the manager is not likeable;

then there may be difficulty in understanding this individual. For instance, if a worker does not

like their supervisor, there will be a tendency to misunderstand the information that he/she passes

across. Even if it is a statement about planned changes in work measures, employees may find it

had to embrace the changes objectively, but instead, employees may seek to recover faults.

2) Provide One (1) Original Workplace For Each Of The Following Communication

Situations: Oral Communication In Down Flowing Direction: Written

Communication In Upward Flowing Direction; And Non-Verbal Communication In

Lateral Flowing Direction

Oral communication in downward flowing direction these are types of verbal interactions

in the shape of presentation, speech, negotiations, and briefing passed down the hierarchy of

workers within an organisation. Instance, when an organisation overall manager converse with

all departmental chairs about a new policy on evaluation and performance and demands them to

pass this information down to employees they supervise; he involves in oral communication in

downward flowing direction.

Written communication in upward flowing direction this is a formal communiqué that

originate from the low level of the pecking order and is communicated up through the chain of

command within an organisation. It can be informed of suggestions, complaints, reports or

STATUS 7

feedback from the worker to the administration and an example of written communication in

upward flowing direction is a daily marketing statement submitted to the head of marketing by

the marketers in the field.

A communication in lateral flowing direction takes place between employees on the same

level in the organisation. The nonverbal communication describes the procedure of handing over

meaning in the form of non-word messages. Hence, non-verbal communication in lateral flowing

direction involves sharing of word or feeling to an individual or a group of people of the same

hierarchy in a company. An example of such can be an eye signal between two employees when

in a regular meeting(F. Lunenburg, 2010).

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Reference

Adler, N. J. (2008). International dimensions of organizational behavior. The International

Executive (Vol. Third Edit). https://doi.org/10.1002/tie.5060280112

Baker, E. H. (2014). Socioeconomic Status, Definition. In The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of

Health, Illness, Behavior, and Society (pp. 2210–2214).

https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118410868.wbehibs395

Javaid, U., & Majid, A. (2014). Low Caste in India (Untouchables). South Asian Studies A

Research Journal of South Asian Studies, 29(1), 7–21.

Lunenburg, F. (2010). Formal Communication Channels: Upward, Downward, Horizontal, and

External. FOCUS on Colleges, Universities & Schools, 4(1), 1–8. Retrieved from

http://www.nationalforum.com/Electronic Journal Volumes/Lunenburg, Fred C, Formal

Comm Channels FOCUS V4 N1 2010.pdf

Lunenburg, F. C. (2010). Communication : The Process , Barriers , And Improving Effectiveness.

Schooling, 1, 1–11.

Adler, N. J. (2008). International dimensions of organizational behavior. The International

Executive (Vol. Third Edit). https://doi.org/10.1002/tie.5060280112

Baker, E. H. (2014). Socioeconomic Status, Definition. In The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of

Health, Illness, Behavior, and Society (pp. 2210–2214).

https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118410868.wbehibs395

Javaid, U., & Majid, A. (2014). Low Caste in India (Untouchables). South Asian Studies A

Research Journal of South Asian Studies, 29(1), 7–21.

Lunenburg, F. (2010). Formal Communication Channels: Upward, Downward, Horizontal, and

External. FOCUS on Colleges, Universities & Schools, 4(1), 1–8. Retrieved from
STATUS 9

http://www.nationalforum.com/Electronic Journal Volumes/Lunenburg, Fred C, Formal

Comm Channels FOCUS V4 N1 2010.pdf

Lunenburg, F. C. (2010). Communication : The Process , Barriers , And Improving Effectiveness.

Schooling, 1, 1–11.