LATERAL COMMUNICATION

 

LATERAL  COMMUNICATION

Organizational communication

In organizations and organisms, lateral communication works in contrast to traditional top-down, bottom-up or hierarchic communication and involves the spreading of messages from individuals across the base of a pyramid.

Examples of lateral communication in organisms

Lateral communication in organism or animals can give rise to Collective intelligence, or

the appearance of Collective intelligence.

Examples of lateral communication in organisms include:

• A coordinated flock of birds or a shoal of fish all maintain their relative positions, or alter direction simultaneously due to lateral communication amongst members; this is achieved due to tiny pressure variations.

• Ants, termites, bees nest is not coordinated by messages sent by the queen ant / bee / termite but by the lateral communication, mediated by scent trails of the ants. Its physical structure is an emergent property of the individual entities.

• Bacterial colonies communicate with each other, coordinating for example an attack, or the product in of slime using lateral communication based on chemical messengers so that as a group they can detect how many colleagues there are, and if they are likely to overwhelm a target.

• The pacemaker cells in the heart, Cardiac pacemaker is a very small group of cells, where lateral communications sweeps through the cells, much like a Mexican wave as a three dimensional circulating wave, which relays contraction signals to the whole heart.

• With Slime mold millions of individual amoeba like creatures can spread out and graze the surface of a leaf. When conditions change, the amoeba all concentrate and form a slug like creature which can actually move off somewhere else before forming a spore body and releasing millions of individual spores.

• The positions of human cells, and which type of cell is mediated by lateral communication.

Lateral Communication in organizations and communities

It is argued that communities communicate and store collective knowledge through lateral communication, and that it is an essential ingredient to make hierarchies work, by compensating for errors in hierarchies' information flows.

Lateral communication is communication between different individuals and , departments, or organisms on the same organizational level.

Lateral/Horizontal Communication

The term lateral communication can be used interchangeably as horizontal communication. In his text entitled “Organizational Communication,”

Horizontal communication means “the flow of messages across functional areas at a given level of an organization”

With this system people at the same level are permitted “to communicate directly without going through several levels of organization”

Given this elasticity, members within an organization have an easier time with “problem solving, information sharing across different work groups, and task coordination between departments or project teams”

The use of lateral or horizontal communication in the workplace “can also enhance morale and afford a means for resolving conflicts.

 “lateral communication involves not only the movement of information from the upper levels to the lower levels of the organizational hierarchy but also is defined primarily as the quality of information sharing among peers at similar levels .

Specifically, lateral communication occurs among coworkers, during staff meetings and informational presentations, throughout shift changes, and among employees regardless of peer types. In short, lateral communication’s purpose is to keep organizational personnel informed of all current practices, policies, and procedures”

 “Communicating effectively laterally involves the exchange of information between and among all organizational members. While we may perceive that organizational information flows vertically or from top to bottom, in reality, information moves laterally. In other words, as information directives are communicated from an upper to a lower position on the hierarchy, peers at each hierarchical level should quickly interpret and communicate these directives between and among peers at similar hierarchical levels. Thus, it is critical for an organization to understand its structure and culture, which are the two major determinants of the quality of lateral communication”

Quality of Lateral Communication: Structure and Culture

1. Mechanistic Structure “A mechanistic or hierarchical organizational structure emphasizes specialization in position. Examples include healthcare and governmental organizations where information is communicated based on chain of command. This organizational structure type is not conducive to lateral communication and, in fact, discourages it. Since direction and coordination is achieved through upper hierarchical levels, peer information sharing is limited. Overall, a mechanistic structure promotes vertical communication or top down communication with strict alignment and unity of command within the organization” ( Spillman and Mino 101).

2. Organic Organizational Structure “An organic organizational structure is built upon an entrepreneurial concept. Here, the decisions made are decentralized and coordinated by mutual adjustment rather than command and control. Examples include a small business or a manufacturing facility where communication is promoted at all levels of the organization.

This organizational structure allows for

greater autonomy,

promotes individual initiative, and

allows employees to be involved in the decision-making process

thus enabling employee decision-making to contribute to or detract from organizational goals.

In short, an organic organizational structure can encourage and facilitate lateral communication”

Organizational Culture/Climate

“Organizational culture refers to the organization's shared visions, values, beliefs, goals, and practices (Gilsdorf, 1998). Deals and Kennedy (1982) have connected culture with effective communication. Strong cultures and effective communication result in employees who are more productive because they know exactly what is expected of them in organizational settings. Gilsdorf (1998) has implied that the more employees perceive a positive or strong organizational culture, the more productive they will be. Poole (1985) has contended that an organization's quality of communication is summed-up in its culture. In many cases, a strong positive organizational culture or climate can encourage employees to communicate effectively laterally when sharing achievements and disappointments. Thus, as Comer (1991) has asserted, managers should actively encourage employees to communicate effectively laterally with their peers. In sum, lateral communication allows for a spirit of collaboration and teamwork by empowering employees at every level of the organizational hierarchy to work effectively together (see, for example, Thamara, 2000)” (Spillman and Mino 102).

Problems with Horizontal Communication

Although this system of communication can be effective, problems can often ensue within organizations. According to Papa’s book “Organizational Communication,” “horizontal communication problems occur because of territoriality, rivalry, specialization, and simple lack of motivation.” In addition to these problems and in general, “organizations that traditionally have functioned under rigid authority structures with fixed lines of communication may find that the values and expectations that members have acquired under such systems inhibit attempts at horizontal communication.” (Papa and Daniels 56). Other problems with this form of communication can happen between multinational corporations. “Horizontal communication between subsidiaries of the same multinational corporation (MNC) is a problem faced by staff as the demands for communicating across borders are pushed downwards in the organizational hierarchy.”

Territoriality

Territoriality often occurs when members of an organization “control task-related activity within a defined and fixed jurisdictional area” and as a result “regard others’ involvement in that area as territorial encroachment.” “Departments value their turf and strive to protect it. This problem may be compounded through interdepartmental rivalries that arise from win/lose competition for rewards and resources” (Papa and Daniels 56).

Rivalry

Rivalry within organizations occurs for example when the different levels of an organization fail “to cooperate with one another”(Papa and Daniels 56). For example, Papa gives an example of “corporate executives in a national department store chain” who “encountered territorial rivalry when they discovered that local stores within each of the company’s major sales districts refused to cooperate with one another on sales promotions”(Papa and Daniels 56). “Stores within the same sales region literally were in competition with one another as well as with other department store chains” (Papa and Daniels 57). Rivalries such as the example stated in this paragraph inhibit the effectiveness of horizontal communication.

Specialization

Specialization is a problem that often happens when organizations do not have uniformity within departments, causing communication difficulties. Specialization can occur with procedures or vocabulary used by different departments. For example when “different specialties use the same terms in different ways,” this can create confusion and miscommunication. When this occurs organizations have trouble functioning properly and do not run smoothly (Papa and Daniels 57).

Lack of Motivation

“Horizontal communication often fails simply because organization members are unwilling to expend the additional effort that it requires.” “Horizontal communication may require contact with people in units that are well removed from our own. The channels and rules of interaction may be unclear. We do not really know these people. The need to communicate with them makes us uneasy or takes too much time, so we avoid or ignore it”(Papa and Daniels 57).^[3][3][4][5]

Lateral diffusion

Lateral diffusion is the process whereby information can be spread from one node in a social network to another, often in a selective way, and can rapidly traverse an entire population, but preferentially to those nodes likely to be interested, or needing to know. Messages or information are also subject to query and modification en route. This is in contrast to central media where one message or perspective is broadcast to a large number of people simultaneously. Thus lateral diffusion can be said to occur in lateral media.

This is similar to how rumours, gossip and jokes rapidly spread. But note that each sender can be selective: a sender wouldn't necessarily tell a superior a joke he might not approve of. Senders also tend to pass on information to those who they know from personal experience would be interested or need to know.

In this way it has been shown that typically no more than 6 intermediaries are likely to link the most extreme chain of lateral diffusion - see six degrees of separation even worldwide.

This notion was one of the key ideas in "Communication and Integration within the Agriculture, Water, Waste and Energy Industries", 1980 and The IRG Solution - hierarchical incompetence and how to overcome it, in 1984, which advocated the usage of personal computers linked by the telephone network, to allow the lateral diffusion of messages and information in a selective way to those who would be interested - this is of course what occurs now in the Internet, by a Social network service.

The below diagrams are taken from

• 

In "The IRG Solution" it was envisaged that each person would be at the centre of an IRG - Information Routing Group, of relatively well known and trusted persons. He might exchange information with a contact in his first group.

<lateral diffusion may also refer to diffusion which can occur in a semi-permeable membrane in biology.>

Lateral media

Lateral media can be seen as any specific technology to promote lateral communication. A grapevine is in effect lateral communication but is not necessarily a lateral media if there is no technology. We then can consider informal help networks, email circulation lists, Information Routing Groups, even the Internet as a lateral media. Lateral media assists lateral communication and the transmission of tacit knowledge in contrast to Central media which cannot.

Various of the great Enlightenment figures could be seen as lateral mediarists in that they wrote and copied ideas amongst the great thinkers of that era, a bit like the Internet but slower and on parchment. The Lunar Men or Lunar Society were a classic Lateral Media of the 19th century, bringing together scientists, engineers, chemists, and manufacturers leading to many technical and social innovations.

The Internet is largely a lateral media, and likewise Information Routing Groups (IRGs) which are specifically designed to promote lateral communication

 

CONTRACT TERMS

CONTRACT   TERMS

0.    INTRODUCTION

These are the terms of use for Nominet UK's "terms and conditions" logo,  which Nominet has copyright, design rights and trade mark rights in.

You may only use the "terms and conditions" logo if you accept the terms of this contract in full and comply with them.  If you have not agreed to these conditions, you cannot use the "terms and conditions" logo.

1.    INTERPRETATION

1.1.    In this contract words written in bold and some other words such as “us”, “we” and “you” have defined meanings; most of these are set out in the “definitions and interpretation terms”, which are standard terms that we use in several of our contracts and which are available on our website. The other terms which have special meanings are given below:

contract  means (i) these terms and conditions (ii) the acceptable use policy and (iii) the definitions and interpretation terms which are part of this contract and have the same effect as they would if they were set out in full in this document;

force majeure means any circumstances not foreseeable at the date of this contract and not within the reasonable control of the party in question including, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, strikes, lockouts, shortages of labour or raw materials, civil commotion, riot, invasion, war, threat of or preparation for war, fire, explosion, storm, flood, earthquake, subsidence, epidemic or other natural physical disaster;

logo means our current terms and conditions logo as changed from time to time the current version of which is exhibited in exhibit ‘A’;

nominet logos means our main company logos set out in exhibit ‘B’

1.2.    Explanatory notes in italics do not affect the interpretation of this contract.

2.    COMMENCEMENT AND DURATION

2.1.    This contract shall start on the earliest of the following dates:

2.1.1.    the date that you confirm your acceptance of its terms to us; or

2.1.2.    the date that you start using the logo.

2.2.     This contract (and therefore your right to use the logo) will end on the happening of any of these events:

2.2.1.    either party notifies the other (giving at least one month’s warning) that this contract will end;

2.2.2.    either party breaks any part of this contract and (if the problem is something that can be put right, has not been put right within 14 days of being notified of the problem);

2.2.3.    either party breaks any part of this contract for a third time, whether or not they have previously put that problem right when told to do so under clause 2.2.2.

3.    LICENCE

3.1.    In return for your entering into the terms of this contract we grant you a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use the logo (without alteration of any kind) anywhere in the World on the terms of this contract.

Explanatory Note: “non-exclusive” means that others may also have this right. “royalty-free” means that you do not have to pay us for using the logo in this way, but you do have to comply with this contract.

3.2.    You are not granted any form of licence or permission to use our main corporate logo or other trademarks, except to the extent that they form part of the logo.

Explanatory Note: This licence contract only applies to the terms and conditions logo (in Exhibit A), not any other nominet logos (except to the extent that we have included them in the logo.

3.3.    You may only use the logo if you have obtained the computer graphics files comprising it directly from us.

Explanatory Note: The files we have on our website are the correct size, resolution and colour. If people start copying the logo from elsewhere, the logo may be of lower quality or have been altered in some way.

3.4.    You may not sublicence or assign any of your rights or obligations under this contract.

Explanatory Note: the permission to use the logo that this contract grants only applies to you, not your resellers, subsidiaries and partners who must contract directly with us to use this logo.

4.    OUR RIGHTS

4.1.    You accept that we are the owner of the copyright and trade mark rights in the logo.

4.2.    Any goodwill created from your use of the logo accrues to us.

4.3.    You must not apply to register the logo as a trade mark or other type of intellectual property rights anywhere in the World for any category of goods or services.

4.4      You shall not apply for or obtain registration of any intellectual property right (e.g. trade or service marks) in any country which consists of or comprises the word "nominet" (particularly if associated with "uk") or any confusingly similar word or words, or any trade or service mark which consists of, comprises or is confusingly similar to the logo or nominet logos.

5.    YOUR OBLIGATIONS

5.1.    You shall not (by action or inaction) do anything to diminish our rights in the logo or impair any registration by us of the logo.

5.2.    If you choose to use the logo for on-screen use (e.g. website or electronic document only) you must use the screen version of the logo.  If you are using the logo in print you must use the print version of the logo.  See Exhibit 'A'.  You must use the purple version if the format you are using supports that colour - otherwise you must use the black and white version.

5.3    Where possible, the screen version of the logo must be a valid hyperlink to the URL specified on the logo.  A link to our website generally is not sufficient.  The link may take the user directly to the URL, or open a new tab in the web-browser at that URL, or new instance of the web-browser at that URL, but must not generate a 'pop-up' or 'pop-under' page.

6.    QUALITY CONTROL AND APPROVAL PROCEDURES

6.1.    You must comply with the acceptable use policy for the logo which may specify how the logo may be used, in order that no use of the logo is made which is, or is likely to be:

6.1.1.    deceptive, misleading or confusing to customers or the public;

6.1.1.1.   misrepresenting an endorsement or approval (or both) of your goods, services or business practices (or any combination of the three) by us; or

6.1.1.2.   any statement which is misleading about the business relationship between us;

6.1.2.    damaging to our rights in the logo; or

6.1.3.    reasonably perceived to alter the logo or the perception of it (e.g. by using the logo in the wrong size, resolution or colour, or by obscuring any part of it);

6.1.4.   reasonably perceived as altering or removing any of the copyright or trademark symbols within the logo.

6.2.    If we request it, you will (promptly and without cost to us) provide us with copies of any website or other material in which you use the logo and details of the duration of use and the number of uses. If the use is on a webpage or other electronic ‘location’ that requires password access to view it, you shall provide us with a password for that purpose on request.

Explanatory Note: If we receive complaints about your use of the logo, we need assurance that we can find out how you have been using it.

7.    EFFECT OF TERMINATION

7.1.    When this contract is terminated:

7.1.1.    the licence to use the logo ends immediately; and

7.1.2.    you shall not sell or offer any services of any type or description under or by reference to the logo or any confusingly similar mark.

7.2    Termination of this contract by either party shall be without prejudice to the right to seek compensation for breach of any provisions of this contract.

9.    OTHER PROVISIONS

9.1.    If either party is prevented or delayed from performing any of its obligations under this contract by force majeure it shall promptly notify the other party, explaining what has happened that amounts to a force majeure event and explaining how long this event is likely to continue. The party so affected shall then be relieved of liability to the other for failure to perform or for delay in performing (as the case may be) its obligations, but shall nevertheless use its best endeavours to resume full performance of its obligations under this contract, except that either party may end the contract in accordance with clause 2.2.1.

9.2.    This contract, together with any documents referred to in it, constitutes the whole contract between the parties relating to our terms and conditions graphics (or nominet logos used as links to terms and conditions) and replaces any earlier discussions, agreements, contracts or representations of any sort made at any time on this topic.

9.3.    No variation of this contract shall be effective unless made in writing.

9.4.    No term of this contract shall be enforceable under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 by a third party, but this does not affect any right or remedy of a third party which exists or is available apart from under that Act.

9.5.    No failure to exercise nor any delay in exercising by either party to this contract of any right, power, privilege or remedy under this contract shall impair or operate as a waiver of such right, power, privilege or remedy.

9.6.    Nothing in this contract shall constitute, or be deemed to constitute, a partnership between the parties nor, except as expressly provided, shall it constitute, or be deemed to constitute, any party as the agent of any other party for any purpose.

9.7.    This contract is subject to English law and jurisdiction,  except in matters of enforcement of the judgement of an English court, where other courts may be used.

EXHIBIT ‘A’


EXHIBIT ‘B’


The logos forming UK trade mark applications (amongst others) numbers 2397385 and 2397386.

CORPORATE COMMUNICATION

CORPORATE   COMMUNICATION

        Corporate communication is the communication issued by a corporate / organization / body / institute to all its public(s). Publics here can be both internal (employees, stakeholders, i.e - share and stock holders) and external (agencies, channel partners, media, government, industry bodies and institutes, educational institutes and general public).

        An organization needs to talk the same message to all of its stakeholders, in order to transmit coherence, credibility and ethic. If one of these points is broken, the whole community can make this organization disappears, from one day to the other.

        The Corporate Communication area will help this organization to build its message, combining its vision, mission and values and will also support the organization by communicating its message, activities and practices to all of its stakeholders.

        According to the book Essentials of Corporate Communication

[1] Corporate Communication can be defined as the set of activities involved in managing and orchestrating all internal and external communications aimed at creating favorable starting points with stakeholders on which the company depends. Corporate communication consists of the dissemination of information by a variety of specialists and generalists in an organization, with the common goal of enhancing the organization's ability to retain its license to operate.

[2] Corporate communication - without a final "s". Tired of being called on to fix the company switchboard, recommend an answering machine or meet a computer salesman, I long ago adopted this form as being more accurate and left communications to the telecommunications specialists. It's a small point but another attempt to bring clarity out of confusion.

Corporate communication serves as the liaison between an organization and its publics.

        Organizations can strategically communicate to their audiences through public relations and advertising. This may involve

1.      An employee newsletter or video,

2.      Crisis management with the news media,

3.      Special events planning,

4.      Building product value and

5.      Communicating with stockholders, clients or donors.

What corporate communication encodes and promotes

1.      Strong corporate culture

2.      Coherent corporate identity

3.      Reasonable corporate philosophy

4.      Genuine sense of corporate citizenship

5.      An appropriate and professional relationship with the press, including quick, responsible ways of communicating in a crisis

6.      Understanding of communication tools and technologies

7.      Sophisticated approaches to global communications

8.      How an organization communicates with its employees, its extended audiences, the press and its customers brings its values to life.

Corporate communications is all about managing perceptions and ensuring:

1.      Effective and timely dissemination of information

2.      Positive corporate image

3.      Smooth and affirmative relationship with all stakeholders

Be it a corporate body, company, organization, institution, non-governmental organization, governmental body, all of them need to have a respectable image and reputation.

In today's day and age of increasing competition,

1. Easy access to information and

2. The media explosion,

3. Reputation management

4. Has gained even more importance.

Therefore, corporate communications as a role has become significant and professional in nature.

Gone are the days when corporate communication merely meant 'wining and dining the client' - it has now emerged as a science and art of perception management.

Key tasks of corporate communication

The responsibilities of corporate communication are therefore:

1] to flesh out the profile of the "company behind the brand" (corporate branding);

2] to develop initiatives that minimize discrepancies between the company's desired identity and brand features;

            3] to indicate who should perform which tasks in the field of communication;

                        4] to formulate and execute effective procedures in order to facilitate                                         decision making about matters concerning communication;

                                    5] to mobilize internal and external support behind corporate                                                       objectives.

Tools of corporate communication

Integrated communication can be achieved in various ways. The main four practices are:

1] application of visual identity systems (sometimes referred to as "house style")

2] use of integrated marketing communications;

3] reliance on coordinating teams;

4] adoption of a centralized planning system.

The communication agenda: to build reputation

Corporate communication helps an organization to create distinctive and appealing images with its stakeholder groups, build a strong corporate brand, and develop reputation capital.;

To achieve those ends, all forms of communication must be orchestrated into a coherent whole.

Success criteria developed that enable measuring the effects of the organization's communication on its reputation and value.

External communication -- Media relations

This involves building and maintaining a positive relationship with the media (television, print, web, et cetera). This includes, but is not limited to, drafting and dissemination of press releases, organizing press conferences and meeting with media professionals and organizing events for the media as a group.

External events

Could involve vendor / supplier / distributor meets, channel partner meetings, events related to product launches, important initiatives, et cetera.

Company/spokesperson profiling

Ensuring that the company/organization spokesperson is in the public limelight, is well-known and considered as an authority in the respective sector/field.

Managing content of corporate websites and/or other external touch points

Managing corporate publications - for the external world

Managing print media

Brand management

Development and upkeep of the corporate identity to ensure adherence to corporate brand guidelines

To improve overall business communications so as to clearly and effectively communicate the essence of the company.

Corporate identity/organizational identity

There are two approaches for Identity, respectively Corporate Identity and Organizational Identity.

"Corporate identity is the reality and uniqueness of an organization, which is integrally related to its external and internal image and reputation through corporate communication"

"Organizational Identity comprises those characteristics of an organization that its members believe are central, distinctive and enduring. That is, organizational identity consists of those attributes that members feel are fundamental to (central) and uniquely descriptive of (distinctive) the organization and that persist within the organization over time (enduring)".

Corporate reputation

Reputations are overall assessments of organizations by their stakeholders. They are aggregate perceptions by stakeholders of an organization’s ability to fulfill their expectations, whether these stakeholders are interested in buying the company's products, working for the company, or investing in the company's shares.

In 2000, the US based Council of PR Firms identified seven programs that were developed by either media organizations or market research firms, and that were being used by companies to assess or benchmark their corporate reputations.

Crisis communications

Main article: Crisis communications

Employee communication

Sharing information with employees, building employer pride, managing employee issues, et cetera.

Manage the Intranet and other internal web portals

Organisational communication

Encourage and enable the employees to plan for new ideas and effectively implement them.
Main article: Organizational communication

Internal communication

Managing corporate publications for employees and partners

Organising internal events for staff

Corporate communication officers

Recent research on the corporate communication function reports that corporate communication officers (CCOs) in Global Fortune 500 companies tend to have average tenures of about 4.5 years and that nearly one-half (48 per cent) report to the Chief Executive Officer.

CCOs say that approximately 42 per cent of their job is strategic and 58 per cent is tactical. Over the next year, they will be focusing more on social responsibility, social media and reputation. The research done by Weber Shandwick and Spencer Stuart found distinct differences between CCOs in Most Admired companies versus Contender companies.