Metaphor

In chapter 19 the section regarding metaphors made a lot of sense to me. I have used metaphors to help my son understand what I am trying to explain to him and it works. I didn’t realize that ethnographer’s widely used metaphors as a starting place for assessing meaning in the corporate culture. It is easier for me to understand as well. Griffin (2009) describes a metaphor, “Clarifies what is unknown or confusing by equating it with an image that’s more familiar or vivid” (p. 253). It makes sense to use a metaphor to describe features of a corporate culture. Describing the corporate culture using metaphor’s, that those you are communicating with can relate too, can assist in the process of the intended message being sent and the receiver comprehending the message in the way it was meant to be interpreted. They will get the big picture.

Strategy: overt managerial moves to extend control

While reading Chapter 20 I was taken back by what Deetz was implying. The ramification of managers/CEO’s wanting control. Money is the ultimate goal and people are second. The definition of managerialism found in strategy: overt managerial moves to extend control (Griffin 2008)is , a systematic logic, set of routine practices, and ideology that values control over all other concern (p. 265). This is what has caused the financial crisis we are experiencing right now. I have a very high FICO score and I cannot get a $1300 student loan in the private sector. Griffin (2008) states, “because of stock options and “golden parachutes,” top management has benefited more than any other group from the merger mania of the last two decades (p. 265). This is so true, I mean I cannot get a small student loan and the CEO of Wamu worked only three weeks and received a golden parachute of 19 million. Alright enough venting. This really does prove that Deetz’s critical theory of communication in organizations affects everyone. Big corporations have become the dominate force in society.

The symbolic interpretation of story

After reading chapter 19, Cultural Approach to Organizations of Geertz & Pacanowsky, the symbolic interpretation of story is something I have experienced at my own place of employment. There are three types of narrative; corporate, personal stories, and collegial stories.

An example of a corporate narrative from my place of employment would be that of our current President. At Christmas there is an annual EOP & S party for families of college students that our having hard times. A dinner is provided and gifts for the children. If enough funds are not raised to ensure a successful party he generously makes up for the amount needed out of his own pocket. They say that he donated over $2000 last year alone. The corporate story should represent company policy and the beliefs of management to go out into the community and help others that are less fortunate.

A personal story is from an employee who dispatches for campus police. The police codes she uses have not changed but the way they log in where their officers have changed. They have gone from paper to computer and still to this day she will write down an officer’s location. The computer system has crashed and her notes have helped an officer that was struck by a vehicle. The paper may sometimes be mightier than the computer. Hopefully you can tell that this is a story told by an employee about herself. “No”, it is not me.

A collegial story is that of an instructor, who will just not retire, well she has retired but she still works adjunct even though her husband is a judge and her daughter is an attorney. She definitely has enough income to live on. Everyone wonders why she doesn’t just leave because as an adjunct she serves only serves on committees and works on student success. She is never in her office and no one ever sees her with students. As you can see this is a negative personal account from a colleague.