Date of Award

1-1-2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Specialization

Communication and Leadership

School or Department

School of Leadership Studies

First Advisor

Dr. John Caputo

Second Advisor

Dr. Michael Hazel

Abstract

The principles of General Systems Theory and Management Cybernetics have been used, not only to analyze and evaluate organizational communication, but also to help improve communicative efficiency through the strengthening of message sending/receiving channels. This thesis continues the exploration of channel efficiency and feedback by examining the principles of General Systems Theory and Management Cybernetics through the daily interactions that occur at a municipal police department. The unique ranking structure and paramilitary nature of the law enforcement agency dictates policy that regulates the means of vertical communication between employees, but measuring the department’s current communication system against the principles of General Systems Theory and the Variable Systems Model from Management Cybernetics can reveal inefficiencies of the communicative structure. This case study of a municipal law enforcement agency is an ethnographic narrative aimed at finding causal explanations for how information sharing between employees takes place and possible or potential inefficiencies. The research was conducted primarily through interview and embedded observation at the organization’s facility. The results of this study indicate that the communication system that is currently in place at the police department is strong, with a well-defined hierarchy and an adequate numbers of communication channels for message sharing and feedback. The results also detail some minor problems with the communication system, such as leadership ambiguity and misappropriated management resources. A list of recommendations for improving the efficiency of the communication system is also included in the results.

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