Organization Information Theory

Key concepts and conceptualize information

Weick Organization Information Theory contains a number of key concepts is very important in understanding this theory. These concepts include environmental information, unclear information, rules, and cycles. Each concept will be explained in detail.

Environmental Information: Number of Total

Environmental information is a core concept in understanding how the organization is formed and also how they process information. So, we are faced with selecting tasks or important information means and focusing our senses to process these signs. Availability of all environmental stimuli are considered as information [information environtment]. Organization composed of information vital to their formation and continues to be essential to its existence.

In essence, the organization has two main tasks that must be implemented to successfully manage the various sources of information: [1] They have to interpret the external information contained in their information environment, and [2] they must coordinate information to make it meaningful to the members organization and organizational goals. This interpretation process requires organizations to reduce uncertainty or ambiguity makes it more meaningful information.

The ambiguity of Information: Are You Sure About That It?

The fact that much of the information received is ambiguous organization is the main thing of the Organization of Information Theory. Weick stresses that the challenges of an organization rather than from the fact that he has too little information but from the fact that he received a huge amount of information that potentially led to many interpretations [Weick, 1995]. The main purpose of an organization is to give meaning to the environment informastion and try to develop a plan of action so that its members can achieve their goals.

Richard Daft and Robert Lengel [1984] introduced the concept of "wealth of information" to describe the number of inputs faced by the organization. They stressed that the new media has enabled the organization to access vast amounts of information, but then members of organizations are faced with the task to reduce the messages into a form that will assist them in achieving their goals.

To be successful in processing information, organizations must engage in a series of behaviors in which the complexity of business communication equivalent to the obscurity of the message. This is referred to as the requisite variety, or the process involved in the complex behavior of the same communication with the message itself. To interpret the information that is ambiguous, is also very complex communication needs. If the information easily understood by some members of the organization, then the only communication required is not so complex. Weick summarizes the thinking of requisite variety by stating, "It takes vagueness to eliminate ambiguity" [1969 pp. 40]. Research note describes a study which explores the ambiguity more information.

Rules: Guidelines for Analyzing

Weick [1979] propose two important communication strategy, if the organization hopes to reduce the vagueness of the message. The first strategy requires the organization to determine the rules to reduce the level of uncertainty of input messages and also to select an appropriate response to information received. In the Organization Information Theory, rules [rule] refers to the guidelines established by the company to analyze the uncertainty of a message both to guide responses to the information.

Weick gives examples of rules that can cause an organization to choose a cycle or feedback information than others to reduce the vagueness of the message. These rules include the duration, personal, and business success. The duration of an organization's rules which states that decisions must be made in connection with vagueness in the shortest time. Personnel is an organization rule which states that workers who are most aware of the problems must be overcome obscurity. The success of an organization's rules which states that the plan is successful in the past will be used to reduce the current uncertainty. While business is a rule which states that organizations in connection with the vagueness decisions must be made with minimum effort.

Cycle: Action, Response, Adjustment

Cycle is a series of communication behavior that serves to reduce uncertainty. The action is a communication behavior that indicates a person ambiguities in the received message.

The second step in the cycle of communication is the response. Response was defined as a reaction to action. That is, a response to seek clarification of unclear message appeared as a result of the action. As a result of the response, the organization to formulate a response as a result of the adjustment [adjustment] that have been made to the information originally received. Feedback is an important step in the process of understanding the information received. Weick uses the term to describe a set of double interaction cycle of action, response, and adjustment in the exchange of information. Interaction circuit double [double interacting loops] refers to the communication cycles that are used to assist member organizations in reducing the uncertainty of information.

The ambiguity principles

Organizations using the three principles when faced with uncertainty. First, an organization must analyze the relationship between the obscurity of the information, the rules of the organization to eliminate ambiguity, and the cycle of communication that should be used. When analyzing the relationship between these three variables, and keeping a possible conclusion. If a message is not clear, chances are this organization has a few rules to resolve ambiguities. As a result, organizations should use more of the communication cycle to reduce the level of clarity of information. Organization will examine the level of uncertainty of information [input] the receipt and determine whether it has adequate rules that can help in guiding the communication cycle that must be used to reduce ambiguity.

The second principle proposed by Weick [1979] relating to the association between the number of rules required and the number of cycles that can be used to reduce uncertainty. If the organization only has a few rules to help themselves in reducing uncertainty, more is needed to filter cycle ambiguity.

The third principle stated by Weick related to the direct relationship between the number of cycles used and the amount of uncertainty remains. The more cycles that are used to obtain additional information and make adjustments, the more uncertainty is removed. Weick states that if the number of cycles that are used more and more, will be more likely if the uncertainty can be reduced compared to if only a few cycles of use.