Stanley Deetz

As a professor of Communications and director of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Stanley Deetz is one of today's leading researchers who studies the internal workings of organizations and their consequences on society.  He specializes in the field of organizational communication from a "critical/cultural/philosophic perception," ultimately providing him with a thorough theoretical understanding of organizational governance that gives him the opportunity to promote a more "in-depth understanding of various organizational forms and encouraging the exploration of alternative more collaborative communication practices that allow greater democracy, higher quality decisions, and more productive cooperation among stakeholders" (comm.colorado.edu).  His work attempts to produce an ideal model for governance structures and decision-making processes that would lead to positive communicative consequences resulting from inclusive and collaborative decisions and a more positive work experience and ethic.  His most recent research has focused on the relation of power in  the work force and how such power is reproduced in everyday interactions.  Thus, his findings will help organizational institutions consider social responsibility so that values held by the surrounding community can be incorporated into decision making processes.  As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and pluralistic, Deetz's work will provide a response to conflict that arises from political, ecological, and social changes, introducing a new organizational system that focuses on collaborative and creative decision-making (comm.colorado.edu).     

For more information on Deetz and the research he has conducted on organizational communication, visit the Stan Deetz Home Page on the University of Colorado website.