Communication in organizations;

              Commuijicatioti iri Otganizatioi\s
by Richard Wallen, Ph.D.
INTRODUCTION
The channels of communication within an organiza­tion
are comparable to the nervous system in the
human body. The nervous system does not perform
any work; it transmits information from one portion of
the body to another. The circulatory system actually
conveys life-giving oxygen and other substances to the
organs, transferring energy rather than information. The
nervous system is, of course, the primary basis for the
coordination of the different organ systems. Destruction
of nerve fibers can cause a sensory loss, such as blind­ness,
or a loss of motion (paralysis). So too, within
organizations communication failure can mean failure
to get work done, to pay bills, or to meet promised
deadlines.
The phrase "good communication" is commonly
used in at least two senses: It can mean that a person
has received some message from another accurately
and understands it as the sender intended it. Or, it can
mean that two people are sending and receiving the
JUNE, 1967 21