ABSTRACT
PREVIOUS reviews of organizational communication theory and research have provided the reader with excellent analyses of the issues and problems facing researchers (Daly & Korinek, 1982; Dennis, Goldhaber, & Yates, 1978; Downs & Hain, 1982; Jablin, 1980; Redding, 1979; Richetto, 1977). They also point out the difficulties in attempting to develop appropriate boundaries for the field of organizational communication, primarily because of the field’s eclectic nature. This eclecticism can be exemplified by Greenbaum and Falcione’s (1982) 9 major classifications and 72 subclassifications of organizational communication literature. As Jablin (1980, p. 327) observes,
Given the complexities of human communication and man-made communication systems, an eclectic orientation to the study of organizational communication appears appropriate and equivalent to the nature of the phenomenon being investigated. However, when the field adopts concepts and approaches from other disciplines, it also needs to be cognizant of the theoretical and methodological issues associated with the appropriate application of these tools.
