„‚ CONDITIONS THAT HINDER EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

uilt on shared expectations and knowledge of suppliers and customers
incorporate common concepts and standards. This helps cement a foundation for
developing contracts, building partnerships, and forming alliances.
2. To develop a common language that everyone throughout the organization
understands. It should provide standard, base terms that unify concepts and
reduce disagreement. The only universal language of business is financial
accounting (Senge, 1990). Using a language that is primarily numeric is a
beginning point, but not an effective way to communicate complex issues.
Descriptive definitions can be used to supplement the numeric definitions or
standards.
3. To operationalize concepts in a given area or unit to ensure the uniformity of
scope, content, or level of complexity, for instance. These procedures provide a
unified framework to examine factors affecting the design, development, and
provision of products and services. Such standardization is extremely beneficial
when working with suppliers and partners who may be next door or around the
world. This common framework helps facilitate two-way communication. The
ultimate goal is to create a set of definitions that enhance understanding and
communication and streamline business interactions, yet provide a strong base
for quality.
4. To fine-tune existing definitions of key activities and results that have been
benchmarked, thereby increasing the precision, flexibility, and scope of
definitions in numerous product and service areas. The goal is to enhance end
user and/or customer satisfaction and ultimately increase quality and
productivity.
5. To make it possible to analyze work methods and accomplishments by grouping
work done on the job into areas that describe various types and levels of work
activities, such as clerical, support, professional, specialist, or knowledge
workers. Separate operational definitions could be used for each category. This
process could be applied to analyzing jobs, developing job assignments, doing
performance appraisals, and cross-training.
6. To clarify major job objectives in order to make it easier to determine and
describe job-related standards for quality. Since every person does his or her job
in a slightly different manner, it is critical to recognize and document
uniquenesses or individual differences and accompanying standards for quality.
7. To describe the fine points of products, processes, and services. When common
terms emerge, all parties experience a feeling of unity. This process works well
when creating ground rules for a new project, when current projects start to bog
down, or when it is necessary to clarify meanings of concepts and processes to
reach consensus.
The Pfeiffer Library Volume 6, 2nd Edition. Copyright ©1998 Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer ❚❘ 449