Analysis # 1 Re- Do: Dead Poet's Society.
While watching the movie, I found that there was more than one theoretical perspective exhibited. It was clearly seen that the functional approach was used as well as postmodernism. .
The functional approach asks questions like how and what. The functional approach is a way of understanding organizational communication by describing what messages do and how they move through organizations. .
There are subtle hints that are exhibited throughout the movie that express a functionalist system is being used. The very first is that the boys are attending an all boy's prep school. This reflects that there is a very organized system. Prep schools are known for their reputation as being very strict and proper. They have a laid out set of rules that they rigorously enforce. Fear is put in to the boys to create a system. The boys must do what is highly expected of them to better their selves. They are expected to become highly distinguished professional men following their completion of school. .
There is a network established throughout the school as well as in the immediate lives of the boys. A network is a formal and informal pattern of communication that links organizational members together. Many of the families that the boys attending come from have a history with the school. The dean of the school knows many of the parents of the children attending. This is where formal and informal communication can become almost one. The dean must communicate on a professional level to conduct his organization, but is also communicating informally. The dean has expectations of some of the boys to live up to the family name. This is communicated to the parents and is then communicated and stressed by the parents to the students. .
Message function is exhibited. Message function is what communication does or how it contributes to the overall functioning of the organization.