UNIT 1
THEORY OF COMMUNICATION
Communication has been defined differently by different theorists According to the American Management Association, Communication any behavior that results in an exchange of meaning. According to Peter Little, Communication is the process by which information is transmitted between individuals and/ or organizations so as to an understanding response results.
Koontz defines Communication as the means by which organized activity unified, behavior is modified, change is effected, information is made production and goals are achieved. William Scott says, 'Administrative Communication could be a process which involves the transmission and accurate replication of ideas ensure by feedback for the aim of eliciting actions which is able to accomplish organizational goals.
These definitions show that communication involves:
(i) The sender's ability to transmit his own ideas accurately,
(ii) The receiver's mental ability to get the accurate ideas as transmitted,
(iii) A feedback by the receiver, and
(iv) An action directed towards the goals.
The word communication comes from the Latin word 'Communicare’ which means to create common. Communication involves the transfer d information, ideas, emotions, feelings etc. between people. Communication must ensure that this transfer takes place effectively, bringing about an understanding response from the receiver of the message.
When this exchange takes place between two individuals, it is referred to as interpersonal communication. When it is addressed to a larger group, is called mass communication. Communication is an important aspect of behavior and is affected by all factors influencing human behavior.
Communication begins when the sender feels a need to share an idea or thought in his mind. The purpose or the sender could be to inform or to persuade or to motivate the receiver. Similarly, the message of verbal or non-verbal symbols, words or signs. Thus, the sender and the message are the first two components in the process of communication.
Once the sender has decided on his message, he has to plan his process of encoding and the channel for sending the message to the receiver. While encoding the message the sender must use symbols which will have the same meaning in the mind of the receiver as was prevalent in the mind of the sender.
The sender then decides to use verbal, nonverbal, visual or electronic medium on the basis of the nature of the message, the urgency or importance of the message, the number of receivers, the cost factor and the relation between the sender and the receiver. During this process noise is the form of a disturbance or the use of ambiguous words should be avoided. So the encoding process, the medium and the receiver form important components in the process of communication.
The receiver then decodes the message based on his personal experiences and assessment of the symbols used. He then provides feedback to the ender or responds to him. It enables modifying of communication method or the message by the sender in order to increase effectiveness.
Communication is said to be effective only when feedback has been provided. Hence the decoding process and feedback are the most important components in the process of communication.
The Communication process may be diagrammatically represented as follows:
Feedback
To review the process, the factor of communication may be listed as follows: (a) Sender (b) Message (c) Encoding (d) Medium (e) Receiver (f) Decoding (g) Feedback.
Man's basic needs are said to be food, clothing and shelter. However, while deducing these needs, certain functional abilities like movement, speech & rational thinking are taken for granted as gifts mankind is born with. So, one cannot deny that these functional abilities are of paramount importance. In fact, ability to move, work, think and communicate becomes the means by which man is able to acquire his other needs.
In fact, an oft used potential of mankind is his rationality and this is able to find suitable expression through his ability to communicate. So, communication is a social process that is vital for human survival. Communication makes it possible to exchange opinions, thoughts and meanings through spoken words, written text, nonverbal sounds, physical gestures, facial expressions and even dance or combinations of these.
In today's world there is so much to know so quickly that the role of communicator has become very important. The world is experiencing communication revolution and communication explosion. Communication is essential to all human associations. Good communication does not mean only giving orders but creating understanding.
It aims at imparting knowledge as well as helping people gain a clear view of the meaning of knowledge.
There are three primary reasons people communicate: to make or maintain relationships, to share or receive information, and to persuade expression. It helps us to move towards success. Good communication has the potential to contribute to overcoming the problems like ignorance, poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy and to the attainment of the goals of economic and social well-being.
Feedback can be of different types based on different criterion like the nature of response given, time taken, the form in which response is given, etc.
1. Positive Feedback versus Negative Feedback: On the basis of nature Feedback could be said to be positive or negative. When the receiver finds the sender's communication convincing, he gives a positive feedback. This could take the form of agreeing with the sender or nodding his head in agreement. In everyday life, we find so many instances of positive and negative feedback.
Similarly, a teenager may be clearly instructed about the time he is expected to return home and yet, if he comes home late, he/she may find that the mother refuses to talk with him/her. This negative feedback is registered by the teen who then follows instruction if only to appease the parent or to avoid unpleasantness. Thus, negative feedback is also desirable. Both reward or positive feedback and punishment or negative feedback, are essential to bring about desired behavioral change.
2. Immediate Feedback versus Delayed Feedback: On the basis of time when feedback is given, it could be either immediate or delayed. When feedback is provided immediately after the communication is sent by the sender, it is called immediate feedback. For example, in a classroom situation, a student immediately indicates whether he/she has understood what the teacher is saying by nodding or by looking confused.
However, sometimes it is not possible to provide feedback immediately. For example, after watching a television program, we are unable to provide feedback immediately. The show will receive a boost or will fail based on the
TRPs received by them in course of time. Similarly, an author will receive feedback for his/her book after a considerable time as readers would require time to go through it and perceive whether it is useful or not.
3. Oral feedback versus Written Feedback: On the basis of mode feedback may be oral or written. Oral feedback is feedback provided orally, through words or gestures. It is not only very powerful but also a necessary mechanism. Also, an orator can gauge the thinking of the audience by asking stimulating questions and can adapt his content accordingly.
Written feedback on the contrary involves providing feedback in the written form. A report card given to students after an examination is an example of written feedback which indicates a student's strong points as well as weak points.
4. Formal Feedback versus Informal Feedback: On the basis of structure, feedback could be formal or informal. A feedback that is given in response to official demands is called formal feedback while one given casually out off records is called informal feedback. When a program is organized, at the end of the program, the viewers may clap or fill up a structured form or questionnaire, both of these may be considered as formal feedback. However, later on, what we say about the program to family and friends are instances of informal feedback.
5. Peer Feedback versus Self Feedback: On the basis of source, feedback may be peer feedback or self-feedback. While Peer Feedback involves a review by other like-minded people, Self-feedback is reflexive in nature.
Besides the above, Keyton (2002) provides us with three different forms of feedback descriptive, evaluative, and prescriptive.
✓Descriptive feedback is the feedback that describes how a person communicates. For instance, a teacher trainee may ask her colleague to comment in details regarding her behaviour in the class from the point of her entry in to the class till she completes the lecture and leaves the class. Then the colleague would be required to provide a descriptive feedback regarding both her behaviour as well as activity of her instructions and communication skills.
✓ Evaluative feedback is the feedback that provides an assessment of the
Person who communicates. In the above case, if the teacher trainee is evaluated by her colleague and found to be effective both in teaching as well as in maintaining discipline then the feedback is positive, but if she suggests that the trainee lacks in the art of asking questions and keeping the class engaged, then the feedback is negative to that extent.
✓ Prescriptive feedback is the feedback that provides advice about how one should behave or communicate. For example, in the above case if the colleague suggests concrete means by which the trainee can overcome her lacuna and instructs her as to how she should incorporate questions in her
Delivery of lecture in order to make it totally effective, then she is providing prescriptive feedback to the trainee.
Keyton also gives us four levels of feedback. According to him feedback could be directed at a group or an individual. Similarly, it may address problems related to the completion of the task or the group dynamics (information about relationships within the group or individual behavior within a group).
✓ Task or Procedural feedback: Feedback at this level involves issues of effectiveness and appropriateness; Specific issues that relate to task feedback include the quantity or quality of a group's output. For instance, are clients satisfied with the new product? Did the group complete the promotion on time? Procedural feedback refers to whether a correct procedure was used appropriately at the time by the group.
✓ Relational feedback: Feedback that provides information about interpersonal dynamics within a group. This level of feedback emphasizes how a group gets along while working together. It is effective when it is combined with the descriptive and prescriptive forms of feedback
✓ Individual feedback: Feedback that focuses ona particular individual in a group. For example, is an individual in the group knowledgeable? Does he or she have the skills helpful to this group? What attitudes does he or she have toward the group as they work together to accomplish their tasks? Is the individual able to plan and organize within a schedule that contributes to the group's goal attainment?
✓ Group feedback: Feedback that focuses on how well the group is performing. Like the questions raised at the individual feedback level similar
Questions are asked for the group. Do team members within the group have adequate knowledge to complete a task? Have the developed a communication network to facilitate their objectives?
Client communication takes place on a number of levels: marketing, sales and after sales It begins with marketing, where the benefits of the produce or services that a business offers are communicated.
It establishes brand image and public trust for the organisation. The next level of client communication is sales. The sales force must be able to represent the company and its products accurately to potential clients. A failure on the sales front can cause irreparable damage to the business. But it is the after sales which are the business's window to the world. If it is not handled well, it will ruin the clientele base.
Also appropriate communication skills are required to represent the company to the world through the media as stakeholders may include shareholders, government and other interested parties. Thus, these skills have the power to make or break an organization.
However, internal communication also, cannot be ignored. As these include communication between board members, communication between the board and the executive, communication to management and communication to staff, they form the backbone of the organisation.
Technological development has slowly and steadily made its way into every realm of life. Communication as we know it, would almost cease to exist without E-mail, fax-on-demand and teleconferencing. Some of the ways in which technological development has impacted communication are:
1.A Metamorphosis from Resistance to Change: A lot of money has been invested in business in the last decade, but showed little gain or efficiency.
Some of this latency is due to some people's natural resistance to the types of change introduced by evolving technologies. Many employees resent change in the way they perform their job function.
Every organization has individuals that would much prefer to be operating "the old way". Such individuals, in course of time, either embrace the change or face elimination. A major challenge for the government and business sectors is to acquire highly skilled, adaptable, innovative workers who constantly upgrade to the modern means of communication.
2. Lack of Interaction due to Flexibility in Timings: In the past, workers had to be physically present in the business office during "normal" business hours. That is where they performed their job function and interacted with other employees. Today, many organizations permit growth has been exponential. The global market has created the need for fast communications over a great distance.
Teleconferencing and E-mail are two excellent examples of technologies that have met these needs and have literally transformed the way the business world operates. In some companies, teleconferencing has all but replaced "physical meetings, thereby drastically reducing travel costs and the loss of productivity as a result of the travel time required to attend the meetings.
8. Replacement of Postal Mail with Electronic Mail (E-mail): E-mail has transformed business communication like no other technology. In addition to simple inter-office communications, E-mail has helped to advance the global market and provides immediate information transfer. In the modern business world, E-mail has all but replaced conventional postal mail for simple communications.
In addition, although the telephone is an immediate means of communication, some people would still prefer to communicate via E-mail. Their logic is E-mail gives them an opportunity to better articulate themselves and expound on their thoughts. This is particularly effective for technical communications where specific details are important and would be very difficult to transcribe over the phone.
9. Replacement of diaries with blogs: When computers became a household commodity, they brought in the concept of connecting online in a big way.
People began to write about their own perceptions experiences and ideas in the form of blogs. So, rather than these being meant for personal consumption or for select few, these websites maintained an ongoing flow of information freely available for anyone who is interested.
Today blogs are available on a range of subjects from web design to home staging, sports, mobile technology etc. The blogger is responsible for posting up-to-date news, opinions and case studies related to his area of expertise on blogposts.
10. Advent of Social Media: After technology made inroads, smart phones were the first to arrive. They changed the way communication used to take place over phones. Firstly, mobiles became an affordable and essential commodity that almost everybody needed to have. So landlines almost became defunct. Moreover with internet connectivity also becoming accessible, social media started making its presence felt.
People began connecting online through Facebook, a social media based on personal relationship network. Next to come was Twitter, which enabled users to send and read short 140-character messages, called tweets. This allowed users to talk to strangers and to connect with personalities from all walks of life.
Advantages of Technological Advancements:
1. Telecommuting allows flexibility in timings which is a boon for physically handicapped, new mothers etc.
2. Internet makes it easy to access information for students, professionals, house wives and all other literates desirous of obtaining information.
3. Teleconferencing, Videoconferencing, E-mail has quickened the pace of official communication and is cost effective.
4. Cell phones, text messaging, whatsapp, facebook, twitter etc. enables social networking.
5. Online business transactions have become possible.
6. Technology has made it possible to go paperless in storing data.
Disadvantages of Technological Advancements:
- Telecommuting brings an end to connect with fellow employees, in reducing meaningful relationships.
2. Due to social networking one has many casual friends but the numbers of people who care and help you at moments of adversity have reduced.
3. Although a lot of information is available over the internet, some articles are by novices who lack the essential expertise and these articles are not reliable.
4. Technical concepts may be available online but they cannot be understood easily and hence technology cannot replace teachers.
5. Users of mobiles, smart phones and lap tops are susceptible to ill effects of radiation.
6. Sitting for long hours on the computer may cause strain to the back and neck muscles due to sustained bad posture.
Every firm or organization has a formal set-up. As per the needs of the organization and as per the ability and qualifications of the employees, they are appointed at suitable positions.
They are placed and this placement at different levels or ladders at which people work within an organization is known as 'line of authority' or 'hierarchy'.
Formal communication takes place within the line of authority. It flows along a prescribed channel, observing all the norms applicable to the hierarchy, and all the members on line of authority are obliged to follow this line of communication, e.g. If a clerk in a particular department wants to apply for casual leave, he has to submit his application to his immediate senior and not to the manager or Managing Director. It has to be forwarded through proper channel.
Formal communication may move either vertically or horizontally. Vertical communication can flow downward (from superiors to subordinates) or 'upward" (from subordinates to superiors). Horizontal communication flows among employees of equal or comparable status. When a number of people, irrespective of their status sit down and confer with one another to arrive at a decision acceptable to all, it is called "consensus'.
In addition to these formal channels of communication, there exists an in formal channel of communication. This informal communication is an integral part of the communication system and operates in every organisation. It is called ‘grapevine' communication.
VERTICAL COMMUNICATION
Vertical communication takes place among people working on different levels on the line of authority. The line of authority becomes the line of communication. Vertical communication is essential in every organization. It flows up-and-down the ladder of organization.
Vertical communication consists of communication up and down the organization's chain of command or hierarchy. It is the communication where information or messages flows within the top level of the organization structure and bottom level of the organizational structure.
Merits of Vertical Communication
1. Enables internal communication.
2. It enables the upper level management to convey their suggestions complain and recommendations to the subordinates.
3. It enables superiors to collect authentic and dependable information from subordinates easily.
4. There is systematic flow of information under this communication system, so a good relation can be developed between superior and subordinates.
5. Since duties and responsibilities are delegated among departments thorough vertical communication, decentralization becomes possible.
6. It facilitates job assignment and job evaluation of the employees.
7. It ensures maintenance of better discipline as it involves the usage of official channels.
8. Helps generate documentary evidence as a record for use in future.
9. It enables providing proper directions to subordinates regarding official policies and procedures so that proper implementation of official functions can take place.
10. Since it ensures co-ordination among employees, it increases efficiency.
Demerits of Vertical Communication
In spite of having many advantages vertical communication, there are some disadvantages which are given below:
1. As it follows the official channels it is a time consuming process.
2. As it does not permit flexibility, it, is unable to cope with the changed situations.
3. There is no scope for creativity in employees as they function in a mechanical manner.
4. In repeated communication from one to the other, sometimes there is a loss or distortion of information.
5. In this communication, loss of information may also take place if superiors neglect to send message to their subordinates.
6. Subordinates may lose respect for seniors due to the senior's inability to project any originality in dealing with demanding situations.
DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION
Downward communication is also called as Down Stream Communication. It flows from the higher authorities to the lower levels in the organisation. The downward communication involves:
✓ Top-level managers communicating to the middle level managers and even lower level managers.
✓ The middle level managers communicating to the lower level managers and even to employees.
✓ The lower level managers communicating to their subordinates.
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Advantages
1. Provide Directions: downward communication helps manager to give directions to the lower level employees by sending the right messages down through the formal channels. Proper directions help the employees to undertake their activities efficiently and effectively.
2.Control of Activities: The superiors can also control the activities of their subordinates. Through a review of performance, the superiors can come to know of the shortfalls or deviations. With the help of downward communication, the management can take proper control measures to correct and control the deviations.
3. Motivate Employees: Downward communication can be used to motivate the employees to perform better. The superiors can undertake performance appraisal of the employees, and help the employees to consolidate their strengths through encouragement and praise. Weaknesses of employees can also be corrected through motivational talks with the employees.
4. Clarifications: At times, employees may seek clarifications on plans and policies of the organisation. Through effective downward communication, the management can clarify the plans and policies of the organisation.
5. Labour-Management Relations: Through effective downward communication, management can develop good relations with their employees. In hard times, management can explain the problems faced by the organisation to the employees. In good times, the management can share the organisation's success with the employees. Thus, timely and effective communication can help to develop good relations with the employees.
6. Discipline: With the help of downward communication, the management can inform the organisation of the rules and regulations of the organisation to the employees. This helps to bring about discipline in the organisation.
Limitations of Downward Communication
1. Delay: When downward communication flows through the line of command, there is a possibility of delay in reaching to the right person. To avoid this problem, certain firms provide information directly to the person concerned.
2. Distortion: When there is a long chain of communication, the communication gets lost and/or distorted. At times, a person in the chain of communication may not inform at all to the next person in the chain, either deliberately or otherwise. There are also a number of cases, where the original communication is distorted, and the original communication conveys altogether a different meaning than what was intended by the sender.
3. Filtering: At times, managers may withhold sensitive or valuable information from the employees. In such a situation, the work of the organisation may get affected, and the relations between the management and employees may get strained.
4. Resentment: Through downward communication, the superiors may try to impose their authority on the subordinates. Some subordinates may resent such deliberate imposition of authority on them by the superiors.
5. Problem of Over-emphasis: In some organizations, management may place too much of emphasis on downward communication. i Management may get used to only downward communication. There may be no or little emphasis on upward communication. This may affect the working of the organisation. This problem can be solved by giving proper emphasis on upward communication.
6. Problem of Under and Over Communication: At times, the superiors may provide too little or too much of information than what is actually required by the subordinates, which in turn may affect their working.
UPWARD COMMUNICATION
Upward communication is also called as up Stream Communication. Upward communication involves flow of information from lower positions or levels to upper positions. Upward communication is vital for any organisation to survive and succeed in this competitive business world. The upward communication involves:
✓ Employees communicating to lower level managers and even top level managers.
✓ Lower level managers communicating to middle level managers and even top-level managers.
✓ Middle level managers communicating to top level managers.
Advantages of Upward Communication
1. Feedback: The management can get feedback from the employees in respect of the plans and policies of the organisation. The management can also come to know whether the employees have understood and followed the directives or instructions issued to the employees. The employees can also provide reports on performance of the organisation.
2.Complaints and Grievances: Upward communication helps the employees to express their complaints and grievances to higher authorities. It helps the management to be aware of the genuine problems faced by the employees in the organisation.
3. Suggestions: The employees are closer to the job and as such they know the job better than the superiors. Therefore, management must encourage suggestions from the employees. Organisations like Toyota Corporation receive thousands of suggestions every year.
5. Schemes: The management can introduce various schemes like reorganization or restructuring, on the basis of suggestions given by the employees or at their own initiative. The employees may easily accept such schemes as they play an important role in the decision making process. If they have any objection to such schemes, they can easily communicate the same to the management with the help of upward communication.
5. Harmony: Upward communication brings harmony in the organisation. The management and the employees work as a team and work for the success of the organisation.
Limitations of Upward Communication
- Distortion: Employees may report only the good news. People are often
Afraid to admit their own mistakes or to report information that suggests their boss was wrong. Now-a-days, companies, try to guard against this rose-coloured-glasses syndrome by creating reporting systems that require employees to furnish vital information on a routine basis. In certain organizations, employees are encouraged to bring an issue straight to the top without prior talking to their superior, if need arise.
2. Affects Superior-Subordinate Relations: Upward communication may affect the relations between the superior and subordinate, when the subordinate directly reports to higher ups. However, this problem can be solved through the so called "attitude shift" in the organisation, where the superiors should learn to accept the fact that subordinate can have freedom to express their views to the top authorities, and that such an instance would benefit the organisation as a whole.
3. Reluctance on the part of Subordinates: Quite often, the subordinates are reluctant to complain or suggest to higher authorities, as they feel that such complains or suggestions may reflect the inefficiency of the higher ups. This problem can be solved by creating a favourable environment in the organisation for providing suggestions.
4. Resistance from Traditional Managers: Upward communication is resisted by traditional managers. They do not encourage upward communication in their organisation. They do not like to be told by their subordinates. They do not like to accept complaints and suggestions.
HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION
Organizational communication between people on the same level in the managerial hierarchy of an organization may be termed horizontal or lateral communication.
For example, the production manager has to communicate with the sales manager or with the purchasing manager. Similarly, interchanges will take place from departmental head to departmental head, and clerk to clerk or worker to worker. (External Horizontal communication takes place when managers, section heads and workers in one organization deal with their counterparts in other organizations.
Advantages of Horizontal Channel of Communication
- Horizontal communication improves understanding and coordination among various people and consequently improves quality of team-work.
2. Horizontal communication eliminates misunderstandings, jealousies, ego-clashes etc. among people of equal status in the organization.
3. Horizontal communication is a time-saving device because people of equal status and authority meet, discuss and sort out problems. Thus the day-to-day functioning of the organization becomes more effective and smooth.
Disadvantages of Horizontal Channel of Communication
1. Sometimes there might be a conflict between horizontal and vertical communication because vertical communication tends to replace the horizontal or lateral variety.
2. Horizontal communication suffers if the relationship among people of equal status is strenuous; jealousy and rivalry being very common among people of the same rank.
3. Horizontal communication may make employees too friendly with one another and there is an opportunity that they will waste their time in gossiping.
DIAGONAL COMMUNICATION
Diagonal communication may be a channel of communication that encourages a mixture of vertical communication and horizontal communication. It was conceived as a response to a perceived need of support by various departments within large organizations.
It involves interdepartmental communication by people at different levels. It occurs between individuals who are at different levels of authority and who serve in different departments.
Advantages of Diagonal Communication:
1. It enables building of cross-departmental teams.
2. It enables selecting the right person for the transmission of information.
3. It is the fastest methods of communication.
4. It encourages friendliness and informality.
5. It involves a reduction in 'filters' and as a result ensures correct transmission of message.
6. It is most effective in critical situations.
Disadvantages of Diagonal Communication
1. It can destroy lines of authority and formal chains of command.
2. It can create ego hassles as it tends to leave immediate superiors uninformed of what their subordinates are doing.
3. It can lead to conflicting orders and hence to further confusion.
4. Being mostly verbal, often no one is accountable when things go wrong.
INFORMAL CHANNEL
Along with formal communication in an organisation, there exists a secondary network of communication, which is referred as informal communication or grapevine.
The informal communication is called grapevine. Grapevine is the plant or creeper on which grapes grow. The grapevine may grow or move in any direction with the support of its tendrils. In the same way, informal communication can move in any direction with the support of informal groups.
Factors Responsible for Informal Communication:
- Informal Relations: In any organisation, people like to develop informal relations with other people in the department or other departments. Informal communication helps to develop informal relations, which in turn gives way to further informal communication.
2. Problem of Superiors: At times, superiors are autocratic in nature. They do not encourage upward communication. They only order the subordinates and are reluctant to accept suggestions and opinions from the subordinates. In such a situation, subordinates seek comfort from each other through informal communication.
3. Natural Tendency: There is a natural tendency to gossip, and to talk about others, to share personal problems with others and so on. Such natural tendency gets strengthened with the help of informal communication.
4. Lack of Self-confidence: Employees may feel insecurity or lack of self-confidence and as such they may form informal groups to do away with insecurity and lack of self-confidence.
Advantages of Grapevine
- Quick Transmission: Informal communication such as rumors spread like wild fire. It moves faster than the formal communication. It does not take much time to spread informal messages.
2. Feedback: Management should not discourage informal communication. This is because; such communication provides vital feedback to the management regarding the functioning of the organisation, including leadership styles of managers.
3. Supplement to Formal Channels: Grapevine acts as a supplement to formal channels. When certain sensitive information cannot be transmitted through official channels, management may pass it on through the informal channels.
4. Promotes Team Spirit: Informal communication may promote team spirit among the members of the organisation. Through informal
5. communication, people come together as a cohesive team, which car positively affect the organisation.
6. Informal Relations: The grapevine develops informal relations not only within a department but also among the various departments as people belonging to various departments get involved in the informal communication.
Limitations of Grapevine
- Distortion: There is a great deal of distortion in informal communication. At times, there may not be a single grain of truth in informal communication.
2. Lacks Credibility: Informal communication lacks credibility. It cannot be relied upon by anyone in the organisation. This is because; one may not know the source of such information.
3. Lacks Responsibility: Informal communication lacks responsible. It is difficult to hold someone responsible for rumours or such other information.
4. Incomplete Information: The informal communication is usual incomplete in nature. Therefore, there is every possibility of being misunderstood or misinterpreted.
5. Affects Corporate Image: Informal communication such as rumors may spread quickly and spoil the name of the organisation, before the management takes remedial measures to rectify the situation.
The main objective of all communication is to obtain an understanding response from other fellow human beings. The general purpose of all organisational communication is the welfare of the organisation as a whole. Effective communication is needed to ensure this welfare and to make the entire organisation function smoothly as an organic whole. So the basic objective of communication within the organisation is to ensureco-operation amongst the various departments.
In a complex and elaborate organisation structure, communication is used for the following objectives:
• Information
•Order and Instruction
•Motivation
•Warning
•Advice
•Persuasion
•Education
•Boosting the Morale of Employees
INFORMATION
Information is one of the most important objectives of communication. It is said that businessmen thrive on information to conduct their business activities. To start the organisational activities, they must gather complete, accurate and precise information such as, what the demand is for their goods, or how the rivals’ products are faring, or how the consumer will respond to a product etc. Businessmen require this information to plan and organise their business.
ADVICE
One of the important objectives of communication is to offer advice or to counsel. Advice may be given on the job related matters and counseling may
Be done on personal matters. Advice or counseling is most effective if it is face-to-face oral communication and at the same time communicated in a very informal but confidential manner.
ORDER AND INSTRUCTION
Orders or instructions are issued to a subordinate to do something or to modify, or to alter the course of activities that he has already been doing or to stop him from doing certain activities. It is an authoritative communication; there is a sense of command or directive addressed to the subordinate.
PERSUASION
Persuasion is one of the important objectives of communication. Behind persuasion lies the skill of the communicator. It is an art of influencing the mind of the listener and so it should be done with great care. One can persuade others if you yourself are convinced. You must always see to it that you do not impose on others, that you are flexible and prepared to meet others half-way and try to look the issue from the receiver's point of view.
MOTIVATION
Motivation has been defined as, "that inner state that energizes, activates and moves and which directs or channels behaviour towards certain goals".
In the modern business world, motivation is considered to be one of the most important objectives of communication. A motivated employee is the real wealth of an organisation. The monetary incentive is the most effective form of motivation. It is said that the best motivator is a good salary. But people do not work only for money.
People do have material needs but they also have psychological, mental, emotional needs. People do need recognition, appreciation of good work, prestige, esteem, reputation and social status. A word of appreciation from the employer or manager will motivate a worker to do his job with much more efficiency than monetary incentives and financial gains can.
EDUCATION
Education has a very vital role to play in a business organisation. It is a very conscious process of communication. Its purpose is to widen the horizons of knowledge as well as to improve skills by training. Education is an on-going continuous process.
Education in the business world is carried on at three levels:
(1) at the management level
(2) at the level of the employees
(3) the level of the outside public.
WARNING
To warn means to caution, to put on guard, about a possible danger to the receiver. In an organisation, a worker who habitually reports late and neglects
His duties on the job, being a regular defaulter, needs a warning in stern language to change his behaviour or else face the consequences.
A bank manager issues warnings to the customer who overdraws his accounts very often without prior intimation to the banker.
BOOSTING MORALE OF EMPLOYEES
Raising Morale is another important objective of communication. In fact, the communication policy of the organisation must be framed with this objective in mind. High morale among the workers is necessary for the smooth functioning of the organization.
Communication is possible through a vast variety of media or methods. The communicator has to be very careful and judicious in the choice of media or methods which will depend on various factors like the urgency of the message, the time available, the expenditure involved and the intellectual and emotional level of the receivers.
All methods, verbal and non-verbal, visual and electronic have the necessary competence to carry messages. An encoded message is required to be sent through an appropriate medium. One medium is different from another medium and each possesses strength in certain directions and also
Limitations in certain directions. It is necessary to understand its strength and weaknesses before choosing it for communication purpose The choice of an appropriate medium of communication will certainly enhance the effectiveness of a message.
VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Any form of communication in which words are used to convey a message is verbal communication. A language code as the medium of transmission of relies on words and unit arrangement. Oral and written communication is both verbal means of communicational. They both use language as a medium of communication.
Characteristics of Verbal Communication
Verbal Communication has certain distinguishing features. The main features are as follows:
- Verbal communication involves using words and spoken language Verbal communication implies the usage of a language, which is known to both the sender and the receiver to result in common understanding.
2. It can take the form of Oral or written communication: When words are made use of for talking, it is referred to as oral communication and when used for writing it is called written communication.
3. It is specific to the objective: The objective of the message is given the utmost importance by both the speaker as well as the writer. The content of message itself is drafted on its basis. In other words, the oral or written content is well understood only when the purpose is made clear.
4. It is specific to the need of the receivers: The size and composition of the receiving audience, their level of understanding and their needs are the basis on which any verbal communication is planned. Thus, the probable reaction of the receivers is considered very important.
5. It emphasizes the key points and facts and figures: The sender identifies the key points of the message, provides an introduction and a conclusion to his message and enriches the message by providing relevant facts and figures.
ORAL COMMUNICATION
Given a choice, people would rather talk to each other than write to each other. Talking takes less time and needs no composing, writing and rewriting, duplicating or distributing. More important, oral communication provides an opportunity for immediate feedback.
Oral communication implies communication through mouth. It includes individuals conversing with each other, be it direct conversation or telephonic conversation. Speeches, presentations, discussions are all form of oral communication.
FACE-TO-FACE COMMUNICATION
Face-to-face communication appears to be identical with oral communication. But it is possible to distinguish them in certain situations like telephonic conversation is oral but we cannot call it face-to-face communication. Face-to-face communication is, in most of the situations oral. It can be described as a total of 'verbal' and 'non-verbal' communication. Face-to-face communication can be defined as a communication that takes place when two or more persons meet personally to discuss certain issues or facts etc.
Face-to-face situation is possible between two individuals or among a small group of persons. This kind of communication is used very frequently in all types of organizations and is one of the most important methods of communication, e.g., interviews, meetings, conferences, teaching counseling etc. In each of these situations, the sender and the receiver of the message are physically present and facing each other, e.g. The interviewer and the interviewee.
Business etiquette helps you to present yourself effectively so that you can develop better communication and mutual trust. Dressing appropriately, standing and sitting in the right place at the right time, good posture and looking physically presentable are all elements in making a good impression. Business etiquette teaches you how to suitably present yourself and what to avoid.
Business etiquette encourages the careful thought of the interests of others by choosing acceptable forms of expression. Thus, it maximizes your business potential.
TYPES OF BUSINESS ETIQUETTES
Phone Etiquettes
- For clarity in speech
(a) Speak directly into the phone holding it at two-finger width from your mouth with a smile in your voice, at a moderate rate and volume using simple straight forward language.
(b) Be courteous and modulate your voice as per need. Voice should reflect sincerity, pleasantness, confidence, and interest.
2. For good listening
(a) Talk less and concentrate on listening for ideas.
(b) Take notes if necessary.
(c) Interject with words like "Yes," "I see," etc. to show that you are listening.
3. To begin impressively
(a) Answer the phone as fast as possible.
(b) Greet in a friendly manner.
(c) Ask the caller for his or her name
4. To put callers on hold
(a) Always ask for permission and
(b) Thank the caller for holding.
5. To transfer a caller
(a) Limit the number of transfers.
(b) Tell the caller who you are transferring them to.
(c) Announce the caller to the person you are transferring.
6. To take a message well, note down:
(a) Caller's name and company name (if applicable)
(b) Time and Date of call
(c) What the call is about
(d) If a follow up or return call is needed and
(e) Phone number (office or home) of the caller.
7. To leave a voice message, caller should speak out the above details in a courteous manner.
8. To make a lasting impression, before ending the call:
(a) Don't leave any of the caller's questions unanswered but reveal nothing personal other than your first name.
(b) End on a professional note by apologizing for bothering them and graciously get off the phone.
9. Don't frown or mutter or ramble negatively in a shrill voice.
Handshake Etiquettes
Handshakes are the physical greetings that go along with your words. The handshake developed from greetings in the middle ages. In order to be sure that the person you were meeting was a friend and not an enemy, you checked him for weapons. You held your hand open and so did he, then you shook hands to indicate that you were a friend. Today, we use this same greeting ritual to check whether a new person is open, confident sincere, and friendly.
Some etiquette to be followed while shaking hands are:
1. Shake hands when meeting someone, renewing an acquaintance and when you say goodbye.
2. The person in a higher position of authority or age should initiate the handshake.
3. Stand and look the other person in the eye before shaking hands and lean forward ever so slightly.
4. Your handshake should be from the elbow not the shoulder, firm yet, not crushing or limp.
5. Offer a greeting before and during the handshake.
6. The handshake should be approximately two to five seconds in duration.
7. Let your other hand be visible and unclenched rather than in your Shake hands in an up-and-down motion.
Office Etiquettes
Office etiquette reflects one’s mannerisms as one work in a office. It will determine the personal accord shared with one’s colleagues. Following office etiquettes ensures bonhomie in surroundings where you spend the major art of your day which may be:
In your dealings with others,
1. Be honest and considerate about others feelings.
2. Don't use slangs or abbreviations in your E-mails or other office correspondence.
3. Speak clearly but do not shout.
4. Use the four magic words of good manners • thank you, sorry, please and excuse me freely as and when required.
5. Avoid gossiping or criticizing others. Never pass sexist comments or personal remarks about anyone, whatever be the provocation.
6. Do not carry out personal business like selling articles in the office space.
7. Avoid waiting for others calls to end, in a conspicuous way. Instead leave a note and return later.
While presenting yourself in office:
1. Wear appropriate office attire and foot wear.
2. Be neat, clean and as conservative as the business requires you to be Do not expose due to the callings of fashion, for instance, to show of your tattoo or body piercing.
3. Pay attention to personal hygiene but avoid using strong perfumes.
4. Do not bring smelly foods to office.
5. Do not use ipods during working hours.
6. Do not litter your office space and throw all trash in the dustbin.
During meetings:
1. Don't be late for meetings or excuse yourself from them.
2. Keep your phone on silent mode.
3. Don't interrupt your colleagues and allow them to express themselves.
4. Always speak with due permission from the chairperson.
5. Pay attention to the proceedings quietly. Don't shuffle your papers.
6. Do not leave the meeting until it is closed by the chairperson.
A business organisation lives by communication with the outside world with its customers, with its dealers and suppliers and with various other bodies.
Most external communication is conducted in writing by one mean or another. But 'letters' play the major role in written communication. Letter writing has two prime objectives: to provide channel for communication and to provide permanent record of it.
With the advent of the electronic media, changes have been taking place at a rather rapid pace. With the evolution of telecommunication, along with came in radio, television telephone, telex, Fax, etc.
TELEPHONE
The telephone is perhaps the most useful and commonly used medium of communication. It is basically an instrument to reproduce speech at a distance through the medium of electric waves.
In the business world, it is the most common and most effective device used for oral communication within an organization and outside the organization. The intercom allows communication among persons working in different departments within an organisation.
SID and ISD facilities of telephone have made possible instant communication within the country as well as to other parts of the world. Cordless, mobile phones enable persons to make and receive calls even while travelling.
Advantages of the Telephone:
- Time-saving device: It is the best time-saving device. It enables a person to have instantaneous communication. One can contact from one's own cabin as soon as the need for communication arises.
2. Immediate Feedback: It is like face-to-face communication in this regard. As soon as the message gets across, the sender can get immediate feedback and if there is any kind of miss-understanding, it is possible to correct it. The verbal or oral feedback is one of the most advantageous aspects of telephone communication. The medium solely depends on sound transmission.
3. Intercom Facility: It is very quick and prompt internal communication. It allows communication between persons in different parts of a building.
4. It enables members of the organization to communicate with each other without having to leave their desk. It leads to greater co-ordination and ultimately more effectiveness of functioning
5. It is a convenient device: Sometimes a telephone call can be more effective than a personal visit because it prevents status barrier' from operating.
Disadvantages of the Telephone:
- It has no legal validity: Telephone conversation doesn't provide permanent record for legal purposes. It has no legal validity.
2. Body language cannot be communicated: Facial expressions gestures, voice modulations, silence which are the advantages of face to-face oral communication, are not possible over telephone communication because the system entirely depends on sound.
3. It is sometimes not time-saving: Telephone is a mechanical instrument and so sometimes time is wasted due to mechanical disorders, cross connections or "wrong numbers".
4. Call may be made at a wrong time: It is not possible to ascertain the appropriateness of the time of making a call. You are also not sure whether the receiver was in his right frame of mind to receive your call.
WIRELESS AND CELLULAR PHONES
Mobile Phone is often referred to as a cellular phone or cellphone. Mobile phones connect to a wireless communication network through radio wave or
Satellite transmissions. Most mobile phones provide voice communications, Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS) and newer phones can also provide Internet service as Web browsing and e-mail.
Cellular Systems Refers to communications systems, especially the Advance mobile Service (AMPS), that divide a geographical area into sections, called cells. For digital communications, several competing cellular systems exist, including GSM and CDMA.
SMS COMMUNICATION
SMS or Short Messaging Service as a technology came in to being as a tool of communication used only by deaf or hearing impaired individuals. With the advent of mobile phones, it turned into a new and powerful system of communication. An increasingly popular mode of selling tool, SMS marketing enables easy communication with the consumers. With one message getting used to succeed in bent the whole customer base, it's cost effective and also saves time.
Advantages of SMS:
- Ease of Reach: Also known as mobile marketing, through this application, marketers can use a single message to communicate to their entire customer base. Instead of contacting each customer personally like in telemarketing, in mobile marketing through bulk messaging, an advertising message is distributed to many consumers promptly.
2. Personal Communication: SMS has become the most popular mode of communication today with most of us using it to communicate with our friends, family and acquaintances. Unlike an email or a newsletter, nearly every message that is sent on a mobile is mostly read by the user. Being a very personal mode of communication you'll be able to establish an immediate contact with your client, building on the connection.
3. Economical Nature: Rather than spending millions on multiple
Advertising campaigns, a single message may be used to reach out to all consumers, thereby drastically reducing on marketing costs. With SMS prices dropping through bulk messaging thousands of text messages are often sent at wholesale prices.
4. Time Saving: It is an immediate mode of communication, marketers can reach bent their customers whenever they need. As most mobile users keep their phones with them in the least times, through quick messaging time sensitive messages will be sent and responses also can be tracked.
5. A boon in the field of banking: SMS has contributed so much in terms of transactions like depositing and withdrawing money Instead of people going to the banks to transact, the latter had instituted various ways so that the purchasers can perform bank transactions through short messaging service. This makes them complete their financial transactions without leaving their offices and or their homes.
6. Improved social life: SMS has brought together old acquaintances and family members by enabling them to be continually in touch.
Disadvantages of SMS:
- It can be used to send false text messages with a hidden agenda.
- It can increase communication gap within the family members by reducing the personal touch of face to face interaction.
- It can be addictive and thus waste precious human time.
- Bombarding telephone users with spam messages frequently annoy, irritate and frustrate users who develop a negative attitude towards the businesses that are sending the messages which affects their brand name adversely.
- SMS marketing mobile phone networks charge both the sender a well as
6. The receiver of the messages. These extra charges often irritated the receivers and create a negative image of the business house sending the messages.
7. With messages being limited to 140-160 characters, it becomes difficult to make an effective message within such short word limit. Moreover, additional information within the style of hyperlinks might not always be received properly by the user's phone.
TELEGRAM
A telegram is a telegraphic dispatch or a message or communication sent by
Telegraph. A telegraph may be a communications system during which information is transmitted over a wire through a series of electrical current pulses, usually within the sort of Morse.
Merits:
It annihilates distance.
It commands immediate attention.
It is reliable as messages cannot be intercepted.
It generated jobs as professionals are needed to send and receive telegrams.
Demerits:
It needs professionals to send and receive telegrams unlike most modern modes of communication.
The process is time consuming.
It lacks personal touch as it withholds expressions.
FACSIMILE (FAX)
The Fax machine is very useful for transmitting visual material such as photographs, diagrams and charts, illustrations or copies of artwork visuals along with written material. This machine operates in very much the same manner as telex, so far as switching and connections are concerned. All that we need is the Fax Machine with a connected telephone. The machine is capable of transmitting and receiving only images, such as photographs, script, typed or handwritten.
The document to be transmitted is fed through the machine it is electronically scanned and signals are transmitted to the receiving end, where the identical copy of the document is reproduced on a paper by the receiving machine. So fax machine produces a photocopy of a document on the receiver s machine as and when document is inserted into the sender's machine. Fax machine transmits entire documents to distant places.
Advantages:
The following are the advantages of Fax transmission system:
- The exact reproduction of the sender’s documents on receiver’s machine is possible.
- The photocopy is transmitted immediately or within a moment to distance places.
- The machine can be operated by anyone without acquiring training or skills of operations, as it functions like a telephone.
COMPUTERS
A Computer is a programmable machine. It is an electronic device which processes information given to it and gives the desired results. The word computer' is derived from the Latin word ‘computare' which means to calculate. Obviously computing has something to do with calculation or reckoning, but man has been using his brain to do just that for centuries and invented many forms of such calculating devices as the abacus or the calculator.
In order to process data, computers need two things: hardware and software. The actual machinery- wires, transistors, and circuits- is called hardware, the instructions and data are called software. All the different lists of instructions are called programs.
E-COMMUNICATION
E-communication includes websites, E-mails and electronic documents. All these are available through the internet. The internet is nothing but a great network of computers connecting millions of computers around the world. It
Can be defined as the "largest network of various computers in the world, globally allowing many computers to be connected to each other through servers, using cable communication system". It is the largest and most effective information providing network.
Internet as Information Superhighway
The Internet, connecting millions of computers, offers a powerful new computing platform'. The World Wide Web (WWW) is now the world's most exciting communications medium. It has been hailed as the user friendly facet of the Internet: a rich collection of shopping malls, museums games, job agencies, literature and what not. Its coverage is known to include about half a million companies, everything from lceland to Antartica, as it were.
WEBSITES
Websites can provide a lot of useful information, goods and services and be the gateway to online communities. A website can include static pages
Dynamic pages, message boards, discussion forums, news feeds, blogs downloadable documents, forms and streaming media like sound and video, to name but a few of the most frequent features.
E-Mail (Electronic Mail) involves sending messages via telecommunication links. If two computer terminals, howsoever distant from each other, are connected on network, it is possible to send messages from one to the other. The message is typed on a computer screen at one end, and is conveyed to the other end through electronic impulses.
ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS
Documents and forms distributed via email or downloadable from the internet are most often in the format of:
Word documents with filenames ending in.doc, PDF (portable document format) ending ‘.pdf’,
RTF (rich text format) ending with .rtf.
Forms can be used to take bookings for training courses, sell items from your website and give feedback about the website content.
SATELLITE-TELECONFERENCING
Teleconferencing calls involve multiple interconnected telephones/PCs. Each person can hear and talk to all of the others involved in the call. This type of call is known variously as a conference call or, since it involves a telephone network, a teleconferencing call or sometimes an audio conferencing call. It requires a central unit known as an audio bridge which provides the necessary support to set up a conference call automatically.
VIDEOCONFERENCING
In the case of the home, the terminals used are normally dedicated to providing the videophone service, while in an office, a single multimedia PC/workstation is used to provide the videophone service together with a range of other services. In both cases, the terminals/PCs incorporate a video
Camera in addition to the microphone and speaker used for telephony with a dedicated terminal, a separate screen is used for the display whilst with a multimedia PC or workstation, the (moving) image of the called party is displayed in a window of the PC/workstation screen. The network must provide a two-way communication channel between the two parties of sufficient bandwidth to support the integrated speech-and vided generated by each terminal/PC.
