CRITICAL APPROACHES

CRITICAL APPROACHES

1. A. Critical approaches

   • The pervasiveness of power
     • 1.Power equated with control and domination
       • Traditional approach
       • Symbological approach
       • Radical-critical approach
       • Sources of power
     • 2.Control of Modes and Means of Production
       • .Control of Modes
         • Economic conditions that underlie production process
       • .Control Means
         • Actual work processes
     • 4. ideology and hegemony
       • ideology
         • Involves assumptions that are rarely questioned
         • Structures our thoughts and controls interpretations of reality
         • Tied to systems of power and domination
         • Can influence our behaviors
       • hegemony
         • Process in which dominant group leads another group to accept subordination as the norm
         • Manufactured consent
     • 5 Emancipation
       • Goal of critical model is emancipation
       • Find ways people can participate in free and open communication about power
     • 6. Resistance
       • Considers how workers can exert counterpressure on exercise of power and control
     • 3. Control of Discourse
       • Reality created through discourse is site of domination
       • Power relationships produced and reproduced through organizational discourse
       • Use of phrases can be seen as reinforcing dominant power structures
       • Organizational reality socially constructed through communicative interaction
       • Organizational narratives can function in power-laden ways
       • Discursive constructions in regulatory manuals can influence industries
   • Frames of Reference
     • Pluralist
     • Unitary
     • Radical
   • Background
     • Adopt radical frame of reference
       • Theory can emancipate individuals from dominating organizations
       • Organizations – sites of domination
       • Theorist as activist
     • Roots found in work of Marx
       • Believed critique would reveal fundamental truths about human social condition
       • Influence has been widespread
       • Frankfort School of Critical Theory
     • agree on
       • Certain societal structures and processes lead to imbalances of power
       • Imbalances of power lead to alienation and oppression
       • Role of theorist is to explore and uncover imbalances and bring them to attention of oppressed

2. B. Two critical approaches in communication

   • A Theory of Concertive Control
     • In team-based organizations
       • Concertive control
     • Edwards’ strategies for exerting control
       • Technological control
       • Bureaucratic control
       • Simple control
   • Feminist Approaches
     • Larger feminist movement emphasizes activism
       • Liberal feminists
       • Radical feminists
       • Standpoint feminists
       • Postmodern feminists
     • Discourse at a Woman-Led Business
       • Edley – organization talked the talk, but owner did not walk the walk
       • Communication marked by emotion and conflict – labeled way women talk
       • Women played into sexual stereotypes of women

3. C. Research methodology in the critical approach

   • Quantitative data
   • interpretive research techniques
   • deconstruction