The advent of new forms of communication technology and associated social media have benefited organizations and their employees in many ways, but they have also led to an assortment of problems and conflicts. Several themes are apparent in the scenarios presented in this exercise. For one thing, contemporary communication media have blurred the distinction between the work and non-work domains. Second, the scenarios suggest communication contradictions—Facebook postings could be grounds for firing, but the medium can also facilitate work related communication. Third, much contemporary communication occurs in a context in which one is not sure just who the receiver might be. The exercise can be conducted in several ways: Students can independently prepare their reflections on the scenarios for class discussion. Alternatively, learning teams can discuss one or more scenarios and report their reflections to the class. Finally, the instructor might organize a debate around each scenario. In any case, use your imagination when reflecting on the scenarios. How would you feel if you were an employee in the scenario? How would you feel if you were a manager?

A survey of Canadian companies found that 57 percent block access to online sites for shopping. Others reported keeping tabs on the frequency of use of such sites by their employees. On one hand, it seems reasonable to insist that workers do their personal shopping on their own time. On the other hand, many people are so overwhelmed by dual career juggling, child-care logistics, and taking assignments home that a few spare minutes at work might be their only opportunity to shop. What’s wrong with hitting eBay or Amazon during your break?