1. Concept & Types of Organizations with Reference to the Behavioral Theory

1. Concept & Types of Organizations with Reference to the Behavioral Theory
People function in society as individuals and in organized groups, such as family, clan,
school, community, professional associations, trade unions, etc.
Organization, according to one of the meanings given in the Oxford Dictionary, is an
organized body of people; an organized system.
Just like an organism (a living being, an individual animal or plant), it is an individual entity functioning as
a unit. Examples: Telikom, Microsoft, Netscape, The National, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, the Government, the
military, the air force, the navy, etc.
Just like an organ (a distinct part of an animal or plant body, adapted for a particular function, i.e.,
digestive organs) in the larger body of human society, every organization carries out a specific function –
be it educational, business, government or religious. To make our analogy more vivid, individuals are like
single cells in the body of human society, whereas organizations are like organs with their specific
functions.
The Behavioral Theory identifies four levels of communication in the human society, or
four main types of communication networks:
 Intrapersonal
 Interpersonal
 Group interaction and
 Cultural.
Communication in organizations may occur on all four levels.