Chapter 8: Interdepartmental Communication

Synopsis
Departments, by their very nature, perform distinct functions, are physically separated, and have different priorities. They are separated financially by accounting procedures and often speak a different language. In short, departments create barriers. While communication between departments is problematic in most companies, it is an essential source of productivity.

The challenge is how to most effectively manage interdepartmental problems. A manager must rally employees around common goals and values and make cooperation between departments a priority. The communication system must balance the needs of information providers and information consumers. The ideal system blocks all redundant information but allows every unique or special inquiry.

There are numerous "minor effort" projects, such as job switching and co-authoring of articles, that attempt to ease interdepartmental communication problems. In addition, there are approaches such as job rotation, incorporating cross-function teams and redesigning offices, which are more major efforts that attempt to make interdepartmental communication more effective.

Outline

1. The Nature of Departmentalization
1. Generally departments perform separate functions
2. Generally departments are physically separated
3. Typically, departments are separated through accounting procedures
4. Departments separate employees through the authority structure
   
   
2. Potential Problems of Departmentalization
   
1. Untimely Communication
2. "Silo" Mentality
3. Overlapping Responsibilities
4. Unnecessary Conflict
   
   
3. Contributing Factors
   1. Language Differences
   2. Office Design
   3. Priority Differences
   4. Structure of Rewards and Punishments
   5. Adherence to Rigid Procedures
   6. Complexity of Communication Relationships

    

4. What To Do?
   1. Rally employees around common goals and values
   2. Make cooperation between departments a priority
   3. Reconcile the inherent tensions between information providers and consumers
   4. Create organizational processes and procedures to manage interdepartmental conflicts
   
   
5. How To Do It?
   1. Minor Effort Projects
   1. Job switching
   2. Company-wide seminars
   3. Co-authored articles
   4. Brainstorming sessions
   5. Quizzes
   6. Interdepartmental agreements
   7. Tracking organizational processes
   8. Show-and-tell
   2. Major Effort Projects
      
   1. Job rotation
   2. Redesign of accounting procedures
   3. Office redesign
   4. Cross-functional teams
   5. Parallel development cycles
   6. Organizational restructuring
      
      

6. Final Thoughts

Take the Chapter 8 Self Test