A Multi-Systems Theory of Organizational Communication

A unified theory of organizational communication is presented which explains the variety of communication behaviors with which organizations must deal, including internal communication, internal-external communication, and interorganizational communication. The theory is developed from the concepts of system openness, structural constraints, and synchronic and diachronic communication. Application of the theory is demonstrated with data from five separate studies of employee communications, communication with consumers, organization-clientele communication in a community development agency, total organizational communication, and communication between organized interest groups.