Edgar Schein’s onion model is commonly taught in organizational communication courses. Students, however, may find the theory difficult to understand because they often have limited workplace experience. To address this challenge, this activity allows students to apply Schein’s model to analyze the organizational culture of a fictitious AI startup by interacting with its CEO, a GAI-powered video chatbot hosted on Call Annie.

People may draw on different sources of power in organizational communication. Examining how different sources of power may shape interpersonal interactions and offer valuable insights in the role of power in the workplace. This activity allows students to observe and analyze interactions between people with different power dynamics.