Signature Assignment MBA 5013 Organizational Communication F

Signature Assignmentmba 5013 Organizational Communicationfall 2018this

This final signature assignment offers you three options for researching and writing on a topic related to organizational communication. Pick the option that interests you the most and that will be most beneficial to your personal and professional goals. All options will require a thorough review of the literature, adherence to high-quality writing standards, following APA style for grammar, punctuation, in-text citation of sources, reference page, and proper paper formatting. You must include at least one theory discussed in the text relevant to your chosen topic. The paper should be at least 10 pages long (including cover and reference pages), double-spaced, using 12-point Times Roman font. A minimum of 10 sources are required, with at least five from scholarly journals such as Management Communication Quarterly, Applied Communication Research Journal, Communication Monographs, Human Communication Research, Journal of Applied Psychology, Academy of Management Journal, and Administrative Science Quarterly. Recent credible news articles, especially from reputable business publications like Harvard Business Review, may also be used. Web-based sources should be current and credible.

Choose one of the following options:

Option 1 – Critical Literature Review

Focus on a specific area of organizational communication. Conduct a comprehensive review of the literature from relevant journals, books, and current articles (exclude textbooks). Organize your findings in a meaningful way and critically evaluate the literature, making an argument based on your review. Discuss what the literature indicates, identify limitations, and suggest directions for further research. Your paper should include an Introduction, Literature Review, Research Agenda (your discussion and insights), and a Conclusion.

Option 2 – Research Proposal

If pursuing a career in academia or interested in research, develop a research proposal supported by your literature review. Identify research questions or hypotheses that have not been addressed before. Your proposal should include an Introduction (highlighting the significance of the topic), Literature Review, Proposed Methodology (detail whether your study will be quantitative or qualitative, and specify the type of study such as ethnography, survey, focus groups, or experiments), and a Conclusion.

Option 3 – Full Research Project

If you have an existing research project and a suitable site for conducting research, you may carry it out during this course. The project should include an Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Results and Analysis, Discussion, and Conclusion. Methodologies might include surveys, interviews, experiments, or ethnography. Please inform your instructor as soon as possible if you choose this option so they can provide appropriate guidance.

Potential topics include leadership, conflict management, crisis management, sexual harassment, sustainability, social media, decision-making, organizational change, diversity, workplace culture, gender equity, ethics, remote communication strategies, and others (subject to your instructor’s approval).

Paper For Above instruction

Title: Exploring the Impact of Organizational Culture on Employee Engagement

Introduction

Organizational culture profoundly influences employee behaviors, satisfaction, and overall engagement within companies. As businesses strive to remain competitive and innovative, understanding the role culture plays in employee engagement has become critical. This paper critically reviews existing literature on organizational culture and employee engagement, proposes a research agenda to deepen understanding, and discusses implications for practice and future research directions.

Literature Review

The relationship between organizational culture and employee engagement has been extensively studied in recent years. Schein (2010) describes culture as the shared assumptions, values, and beliefs that shape behavior within an organization. Multiple studies demonstrate that a positive, inclusive culture fosters higher levels of engagement among employees (Kang & Farris, 2012). For example, Robbins and Judge (2019) note that cultures emphasizing collaboration and recognition significantly boost motivation and commitment.

However, some scholars argue that not all aspects of culture equally influence engagement. Schneider et al. (2013) highlight that organizational climate, a related but distinct concept, also plays a role. Furthermore, the impact of culture may vary across industries and national contexts (Hofstede, 2011). Despite these insights, there remain gaps in understanding how specific cultural components directly influence engagement in diverse organizational settings.

Limitations in current research include a predominance of cross-sectional studies, which limit understanding of causality. Longitudinal studies are needed to assess how cultural change influences engagement over time. Additionally, most research focuses on large organizations, with limited data on smaller firms. These limitations call for more nuanced and context-specific investigations.

Research Agenda

This review suggests the need to explore how elements such as organizational values, rituals, and communication practices shape employee engagement across different cultural contexts. A proposed study could employ mixed methods—combining surveys to quantify engagement levels with interviews to gain in-depth cultural insights—across diverse organizations. Investigating this topic over time would allow for understanding causality and the effects of cultural interventions on engagement.

Moreover, examining how remote or hybrid work environments influence the cultural factors associated with engagement is timely and relevant, especially given recent global shifts due to technological advancements and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusion

Understanding the intricate relationship between organizational culture and employee engagement is vital for developing effective management strategies. Although substantial research exists, significant gaps remain, particularly in longitudinal and contextually diverse studies. Future research should focus on these areas to provide more comprehensive insights and practical recommendations for fostering engaging workplaces.

References

• Hofstede, G. (2011). Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(1).
• Kang, S. C., & Farris, P. (2012). The influence of organizational culture on employee engagement. Journal of Business Psychology, 27(2), 213-226.
• Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2019). Organizational Behavior (18th ed.). Pearson.
• Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational Culture and Leadership. Jossey-Bass.
• Schneider, B., Macey, W. H., & Barbera, K. M. (2013). Organizational Climate and Culture. In J. P. Walonick (Ed.), Handbook of Organizational Culture..
• Additional scholarly references from management and communication journals supporting this discussion.