Organizational Communication Theory and Research

Book excerpt: The Handbook of Organizational Communication Theory and Research offers concise, but thorough reviews of important research on traditional and emerging areas in organizational communication. Section One, Theory and Methods, provides an overview of the field’s history, prominent theories, and methodologies. Section Two, Processes, focuses on primal processes, such as leadership, organizational entry, conflict, power, and inclusion. Section Three, Contexts, focuses on the settings where organizational communication occurs, including teams and workgroups, networks, and organizational structure. Section Four, Technology, considers the development and introduction of new media and intelligent technologies into organizations. The final section, Emerging Areas, addresses communication issues associated with changing environmental, social, and political upheavals, including wellness, corporate social responsibility, and crisis response. The Handbook of Organizational Communication Theory and Research covers topics of pressing interest to current scholars and practitioners, many of which have not been addressed in previous handbooks.