Orientador: Maria Eugênia Porém / Banca: Raquel Cabral / Banca: Ivone de Loudes Oliveira / Resumo: Diante do cenário midiatizado atual e de relações sociais cada vez mais complexas, as organizações são desafiadas a repensar sobre seus processos, a exemplo da comunicação e da estratégia, que se constituem como foco deste estudo. Frente às instabilidades e fluidez desse cenário marcado pela intensa presença das mídias na dinâmica social, muitas organizações passam a transpor a esse novo panorama antigas lógicas herdadas de pensamentos e modelos de gestão que se consolidaram durante a Revolução Industrial. Nesse período, prevalecia uma abordagem simplificadora no modo de desenvolver ações e de estruturar os processos organizacionais. Na tentativa de aproximarem-se de seus interlocutores, elas tendem a desenvolver estratégias de comunicação, por exemplo, a partir de modelos e modismos que limitam-se a escolhas de canais de comunicação para emitir mensagens de um emissor - a organização -, evidenciando a lógica funcionalista, sem refletirem sobre a complexidade estratégica e comunicacional que envolve todo o processo e sobre a necessidade de pensar para além dos aspectos técnicos ao interagirem com os sujeitos. Por este motivo apresenta-se, neste trabalho, a comunicação estratégica como uma proposta integradora que pode nortear as ações organizacionais, incluindo as ações estratégicas de comunicação. Entende-se que a comunicação estratégica pode ser compreendida a partir de uma essência comunicacional para além de sua espontaneidade, sendo voltada e direcionada à ação. Parte-se... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: In view of the current mediated scenario and increasingly complex social relations, organizations are challenged to rethink their processes, such as communications and strategy, which are the focus of this study. In the face of the instabilities and fluidity of this scenario marked by the intense presence of the media in the social dynamics, many organizations begin to transpose to this new panorama old logics inherited from thoughts and management models that were consolidated during the Industrial Revolution. During this period, a simplifying approach prevailed in the way of developing actions and structuring organizational processes. As an attempt to get closer to their interlocutors, they tend to develop communication strategies, for example, from models and fads that are limited to the choices of communication channels to emit messages from a source - the organization, evidencing the functional logic, without reflecting on the strategic and communicational complexity that involves the whole process and the need to think beyond the technical aspects when interacting with the subjects. For this reason, strategic communication is presented as an integrative proposal that can guide organizational actions, including strategic communication actions. It is understood that strategic communication can be comprehended from a communicational essence beyond its spontaneity, being directed to action. It is based on the hypothesis that communication strategies predominate in organizat... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

The following Chapters present an account and evidence that development direction, a previously unexplored characteristic of performance feedback, reveals asymmetries in the transmission and acceptance of feedback. In short, I argue that feedback advising development in the direction of a decrease (e.g., “be less assertive,” “stop overanalyzing decisions”) is less likely to be transmitted by feedback providers, and less likely to be acted upon by feedback recipients, than feedback advising development in the direction of an increase (e.g., “be more assertive,” “analyze decisions more”). In a series of studies concerning roleplay negotiations, leadership effectiveness, and workplace behavior, I find people are more likely to transmit and embrace feedback to “do more” rather than “do less.” The first Chapter focuses on the behavioral dimension of assertiveness. Especially in workplace and negotiation contexts, assertiveness can lead to harmful consequences if over-or under-exhibited. Thus, breakdowns in the transmission and acceptance of assertiveness feedback, whether it directs the target to “be more assertive” or “be less assertive”, are consequential and merit special attention. The scope of the second Chapter is broadened beyond assertiveness, gauging feedback of opposing development directions that pertains to a wider set of behavioral dimensions. Here, the account in Chapter I is revisited and two processes that may underlie the asymmetric effect are tested. In short, Chapters I and II present evidence that not all “bad news” in feedback is treated equally. Instead, “do less” (vs. “do more”) feedback is especially susceptible to communication failures. Chapter III contains an overarching discussion of the findings as well as theoretical implications for the feedback and assertiveness literatures and practical suggestions for improving workplace development dynamics. Finally, additional questions are addressed in the Appendix with further analyses of data presented in Chapters I and II as well as examination of additional data.

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The New Zealand construction supply chain today is inefficient. From a literature review it is found that non value adding activities including waste of time and materials are caused by islands of information with ineffective communication between supply chain participants. This represents an opportunity for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to provide a strategic supply chain management model for the industry enabling interaction and shared information between all parties. To evaluate the performance of ICTs in the New Zealand construction supply chain, this thesis uses as a case study newly launched software---BlueSky. BlueSky was developed by the Building Integration Software Company located in AUT Technical Park. BlueSky was designed to integrate the fragments of the current information flow of the chain from architect through to the end property owner. Supporting Data was gathered by distributing a structured questionnaire designed to find the opportunities and inhibitors for utilizing ICTs to facilitate the synthesis of the chain. 200 responses were received. The study was funded by a TEC grant. The BlueSky case study is based on two pilot sites; one is an architectural design company and the other is a master contractor company in Auckland. The case study also evaluated the potential problems which may bring risks to supply chain members and provide possible recommendations for future research. The study found from the results of the questionnaire that a significant shift in the mindset of participants of the supply chain will be necessary in terms of collaboration and team work if mutual benefits are to be achieved. It is found that in the two pilot sites BlueSky did make a significant difference in terms of reduced cost, accuracy of information, improved documentation management, and overall increased speed and clarity of information. In the wider community of the industry as a whole considerable education is needed to break down mistrust between members. In general each member appears to be determined to secure the best result as individuals rather than considering the overall outcome for the whole chain. This reluctance to co-operate is coupled with a reluctance to utilize ICTs. Recommendations are made to overcome this mindset.

This study uses an anthropological perspective to discuss the cultural differences between Chinese and Americans in business contexts. Through an analysis of case studies related by businesspersons involved in Sino-US trade, and by an analysis of literature on the subject, it describes how cultural differences contribute to the problems and misunderstandings of business encounters, and eventually affect the outcome of business ventures. The data of this study are taken directly from interviews of twenty-two businesspersons from Chins and the United States, who are actively involved in Sino-US trade. This study identifies eleven sets of conflicting cultural characteristics in Sino-American business interaction. These characteristics are closely related to Professor Hsu's theory that Chinese are situation-centered. The theme of Chinese culture is mutual dependency. Americans are individual-centered. The theme of American culture is self-reliance. This study tries to answer the questions such as: Why are personal relationships so important when doing business with Chinese? Why are some Chinese not compelled to keep business contracts or time schedules? What does face mean to a Chinese? and What kind of restraint do Americans need to deal with Chinese? This study also intends to show how important it is for businesspersons to be aware of cultural differences, and to be able to identify them. When in a cross-cultural situation, businesspersons who can control the situation and adapt to a different cultural environment will be more successful. / Graduation date: 1994

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Today Russia plays an important role in global economic development and attracts a lot of multinational companies, who establish their subsidiaries there. Many foreign investors send their representatives, business expatriates, to develop their businesses in Russia. The knowledge of cultural and communication specifics in Russia is very important for the success of those business personnel. This study has presented an in-depth picture of Danish business expatriates’ experience in Russia. Qualitative interviews with eight Danish business expatriates were conducted to examine and compare cultural and communication norms in Denmark and Russia. The results were analyzed using the cross-cultural theories of Hofstede (2011) and Hofstede, Hofstede and Minkov (2010). The findings revealed that communication norms in Russia differ significantly from those in Denmark on two cross-cultural dimensions: Power Distance and Indulgence versus Restraint. / Department of Communication Studies

The New Zealand construction supply chain today is inefficient. From a literature review it is found that non value adding activities including waste of time and materials are caused by islands of information with ineffective communication between supply chain participants. This represents an opportunity for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to provide a strategic supply chain management model for the industry enabling interaction and shared information between all parties. To evaluate the performance of ICTs in the New Zealand construction supply chain, this thesis uses as a case study newly launched software---BlueSky. BlueSky was developed by the Building Integration Software Company located in AUT Technical Park. BlueSky was designed to integrate the fragments of the current information flow of the chain from architect through to the end property owner. Supporting Data was gathered by distributing a structured questionnaire designed to find the opportunities and inhibitors for utilizing ICTs to facilitate the synthesis of the chain. 200 responses were received. The study was funded by a TEC grant. The BlueSky case study is based on two pilot sites; one is an architectural design company and the other is a master contractor company in Auckland. The case study also evaluated the potential problems which may bring risks to supply chain members and provide possible recommendations for future research. The study found from the results of the questionnaire that a significant shift in the mindset of participants of the supply chain will be necessary in terms of collaboration and team work if mutual benefits are to be achieved. It is found that in the two pilot sites BlueSky did make a significant difference in terms of reduced cost, accuracy of information, improved documentation management, and overall increased speed and clarity of information. In the wider community of the industry as a whole considerable education is needed to break down mistrust between members. In general each member appears to be determined to secure the best result as individuals rather than considering the overall outcome for the whole chain. This reluctance to co-operate is coupled with a reluctance to utilize ICTs. Recommendations are made to overcome this mindset.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.