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User Name: ANKIT GAUTAM

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Book: Business Communication

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Chapter 1 : Business Communication, Management, and Success

(pp. 2-16)
Business Communication, Management, and Success: Chapter Objectives
Objectives
① Define communication and describe significance of communication in business.

② Explain the communication process model and the ultimate objective of the communication process.

③ Describe the three principal models of communication.

④ Discuss the different types of channels used in communication.

⑤ During communication how one adapts the message to the audience.

Significance of Communication

objective ① Define communication and describe the significance of communication in business.

We communicate to satisfy needs in both our work and non-work lives. Each of us wants to be heard, appreciated, and wanted. We also want to accomplish tasks and
achieve goals. Obviously, then, a major purpose of communication is to help people feel good about themselves and about their friends, groups, and organizations.
The classic purposes of communication are to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. However, in business, entertainment is often limited to celebratory occasions and
products or services that are being marketed to customers and clients. Two additional purposes of communication in an organizational setting are establishing
credibility and goodwill, or positive and productive relationships with others.

What is communication? Communication is the process of exchanging information and meaning between or among individuals through a common system of
symbols, signs, and behavior. Other words used to describe the communication process

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include expressing feelings, conversing, speaking, corresponding, writing, listening, and exchanging. Studies indicate that managers typically spend 60 to 80 percent
of their time involved in communication. In your career activities, you may communicate in a wide variety of ways, including

Attending meetings and writing reports related to strategic plans and company policy.
Collaborating with others to make decisions and accomplish tasks.
Establishing productive working relationships with coworkers, supervisors, clients, customers, and outside vendors.
Presenting information to large and small groups.
Explaining and clarifying management procedures and work assignments.
Coordinating the work of various employees, departments, and other work groups.
Evaluating and counseling employees.
Promoting the company's products/services and image.

Whatever your chosen career field, communication skills will be an important requirement for
you as a job applicant and an employee. © Somos/Veer/Jupiterimages

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The Communication Process

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objective ② Explain the communication process model and the ultimate objective of the communication process.

Effective business communication is essential to success in today's work environments. Recent surveys of executives document that abilities in writing and speaking
are major determinants of career success in many fields.1 Although essential to personal and professional success, effective business communication does not occur
automatically. Your own experiences have likely taught you that a message is not interpreted correctly just because you transmitted it. An effective communicator
anticipates possible breakdowns in the communication process—the unlimited ways the message can be misunderstood.

This mind-set provides the concentration to design the initial message effectively and to be prepared to intervene at the appropriate time to ensure that the message
received is on target. However, the responsibility to ensure effective communication does not end with the sender. The receiver of the message also is responsible for
ensuring that he or she received the message as intended by providing feedback, asking for clarification, and checking for correct understanding.

Consider the communication process model presented in Figure 1-1. These seemingly simple steps actually represent a very complex process.

Figure 1-1 The Communication Process Model

Encoding the Message

The sender carefully designs a message by selecting (1) words that clearly convey the message and (2) when using channels other than writing, choosing nonverbal
signals (gestures, stance, tone of voice, and so on) that reinforce the verbal message. The process of selecting and organizing the message is referred to as encoding .
The sender's primary objective is to encode the message in such a way that the message received is as close as possible to the message that is intended. Knowledge
of the receiver's educational level, experience, viewpoints, culture, and other information aids the sender in encoding the message in such a way so that it is received
as intended. If information about the receiver is unavailable, the sender can put himself or herself in the receiver's position to gain fairly accurate insight for
encoding the message. Encoding, to a large extent, also depends upon the way we think. Our attitudes, values, beliefs, and past experiences act like a cognitive filter
influencing all the information that passes through it, and this impacts the way we encode and decode messages.

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Communication Breakdown

Various behaviors can cause breakdowns in the communication process at the encoding stage, such as when the sender uses

Words not present in the receiver's vocabulary.

Ambiguous, nonspecific ideas that distort the message.
Nonverbal signals that contradict the verbal message.
Expressions, such as “uh” or grammatical errors, mannerisms (excessive hand movements, jingling keys), or dress styles that distract the receiver.

Lack of awareness of the sender's cognitive filter and thereby the inability to consciously make efforts to mitigate its influence also acts like a barrier in
communication.

Channel Selection and Message Transmission

To increase the likelihood that the receiver will understand the message, the sender carefully selects an appropriate channel for transmitting the message. Three
typical communication channels are two-way, face-to-face; two-way, not face-to-face; and one-way, not face-to-face.

Selecting an inappropriate channel can cause the message to be misunderstood and can adversely affect human relations with the receiver. In some cases, to ensure
clarity, it is also a good idea to choose one channel and to follow up with another. For example, for a complex subject, a sender might begin with a written message
and follow up with a face-to-face or telephone discussion after the receiver has had an opportunity to review the information.

Two-Way, Face-to-Face

Examples of two-way, face-to-face communication include informal conversations, interviews, oral presentations, speeches, and videoconferences. Two-way, face-
to-face communication has several advantages. It provides instant feedback, the potential to establish a personal connection, and information from nonverbal signals.
For these reasons, two-way, face-to-face communication is the richest channel of communication. (Experts say that more than 90 percent of two-way, face-to-face
communication can be transmitted nonverbally.) Because of these advantages, two-way, face-to-face communication can be especially appropriate and effective for
conveying sensitive or unpleasant news.

Two-Way, Not Face-to-Face

Two-way, not face-to-face communication includes telephone conversations, online chats, and text messaging, all of which provide instant feedback using a real-
time connection. Often, this type of communication is a comparably inexpensive form of communication, particularly when communicating over long distances.
Physical absence creates disadvantages, however. Nonverbal elements are lacking, so the message must be particularly clear and forms of feedback and clarification
should be used to ensure correct understanding. That means this channel of communication is not a good choice for certain situations, such as conveying sensitive or
unpleasant news.

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One-Way, Not Face-to-Face

One-way, face-to-face communication includes letters, memos, reports, and electronic communications, such as email, fax, voice mail, and web pages, and has the
advantage of being considered more permanent and official. Written documents thus are required when legal matters are involved and written records must be
retained. However,

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because nonverbal elements and the chance for instant feedback are missing, possible confusion must be anticipated and prevented by ensuring that the message is
very well written.

Causes of Interference
Senders and receivers must anticipate other factors that may hinder the communication process and attempt to eliminate or reduce their effect. These factors are
referred to as interferences or barriers to effective communication. Interferences may occur at various stages of the communication process. For example,

Differences in educational level, experience, culture, and other characteristics of the sender and the receiver increase the complexity of encoding and
decoding a message.
Physical interferences occurring in the channel include a noisy environment, interruptions, and uncomfortable surroundings.
Mental distractions, such as preoccupation with other matters and developing a response rather than listening.

Both the sender and the receiver of messages should be aware of these additional barriers to communication and attempt to remove them, by changing the setting or
even making arrangements to communicate at a different time when fewer distractions exist.

Decoding the Message

The receiver's task is to interpret the sender's message, both verbal and nonverbal, with as little distortion as possible. The process of interpreting the message is
referred to as decoding . Because words and nonverbal signals have different meanings to different people, countless problems can occur at this point in the
communication process:

The receiver does not understand the words being used or the words are ambiguous or nonspecific.
The nonverbal signals may be distracting or contradict the verbal message.
The receiver is intimidated by the position or authority of the sender, resulting in tension that prevents the receiver from concentrating effectively on the
message and failure to ask for needed clarification.
The receiver may be from another culture and his or her cognitive filter may not interpret the message as intended because of differing values and practices.
The receiver prejudges the topic as too boring or difficult to understand and does not attempt to comprehend the message.
The receiver is close-minded and unreceptive to new and different ideas.
The receiver may have preconceptions about the sender or his or her organization or product that interfere with his or her ability to be open-minded and
receptive.

The infinite number of breakdowns possible at each stage of the communication process makes it challenging for effective, mutually satisfying communication to
occur. The complexity of the communication process amplifies the importance of the next stage in the communication process—feedback to clarify understanding.

Giving Feedback
When the receiver responds to the sender's message, the response is called feedback . The feedback may prompt the sender to modify or adjust the original message
to make it clearer to the receiver. Feedback may be verbal or nonverbal. A remark such as “Could you clarify …” or a perplexed facial expression provides clear
feedback to the sender that the receiver does not yet understand the message. Conversely, a confident “Yes, I understand” and a nod of the head likely signal
understanding or encouragement.

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Communication Models

objective ③ Describe the three principal models of communication.

There are several models of communication which differ from each other with respect to the degree of detail in describing the communication process. They range
from a simple one-way linear approach to a two-way interactional approach to communication. In the following section, three popular models of communication will
be discussed.

Linear Model of Communication

One of the earliest models of communication was designed to mirror radio and telephone technologies consisting of three primary components—sender, channel,
and receiver. This is a one-way model to communicate which assumes that communication begins when the sender encodes a message and with the help of a channel
transmits the message to a receiver—at which point the communication ends. The linear model of human communication has given way to more advanced models of
communication, and the two prominent models are Shannon–Weaver model (1949) and Laswell model (1948) that are discussed in detail.

Shannon–Weaver Model of Communication

According to this model, communication is conceptualized as two-way and cyclical process where the sender sends a message through a channel to the receiver in a
one-way communication; and when the receiver responds or gives feedback to the sender it becomes the two-way communication. The ongoing communication back
and forth between the receiver and sender is a cyclical process, where the two individuals who are communicating become the sender and the receiver, alternatively.
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Figure 1-2 Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication

The cyclical process of communication shows that the sender initiates and encodes the message which is sent through a medium or channel, which after being
received by the receiver is adapted to before being sent back as feedback. One of the drawbacks of the model is that it conceptualizes the receiver playing a
secondary role in comparison to the sender and they only respond to the message sent but do not initiate new communication. Shanon and Weaver also considered
the fact that all communication does not occur in an ideal environment and there would be several factors that could disrupt the free flow of communication which
they called noise. These could be contextual factors such as disturbance in technology, break down in the channel, and also barriers related to human reasons.
Shannon and Weaver model of communication continues to be considered as a standard model for understanding the basic process of communication.

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Laswell Model of Communication

Harold Dwight Laswell (1948), was an American political scientist and his model of communication is derived from his work in mass media. According to Laswell,
there are five critical questions which must be considered in any kind of communication and suitable answers regarding each will ultimately determine the
effectiveness of communication. These are as follows:

Who is intending to and initiates communication?

What is it that is being communicated?
Which is the channel that is being used to transmit the message?
To whom is communication being directed?
What is the effect of communication?

The answers to the five questions require five levels of analysis. The first is who is the person, organization or system controlling the communication. Secondly,
focussing on what is being said is a detailed content analysis. Decisions about the channel or medium used to transmit the content is called media analysis. Fourthly,
the audience analysis involves understanding to whom the message is being communicated. And lastly effect analysis is the determining the outcomes,
consequences, and results of the analysis. While Laswell model is easy to understand, it makes no reference to feedback and noise, which is shortfall of the model,
which has been discussed in Shannon–Weaver model.

Based on the several models of communication, a meta model of communication describing the entire process of communication can be derived consisting of the
following elements:

1. Sender-encoder. Sender-encoder initiates by encoding a message for the receiver in the form of symbols that can be transmitted through a medium. The
encoding depends upon:
External stimuli such as the purpose contained in the letter, memo, fax, or telephone.
Situational factors such as weather, noise, discomforts, status, prevailing culture, and emotions.
Cognitive filter—mental state comprises attitudes, values, and beliefs past experiences, likes, dislikes and experiences.
Skills and capabilities, language and skills.
2. Message. The message includes, the content to be conveyed, and the effect it needs to have on the receiver.
3. Medium. Message needs to pass through some hardware such as vocal chords, telephone, Internet, telephone, paper, fax, telex, etc.
4. Receiver-decoder. Just like the sender, the receiver decodes the message which is perceived through the senses organs. The internal and external factors
affect the decoding.
5. Feedback. The receiver encodes reply and sends it to the sender and this is feedback.
6. Noise. All factors that can possibly disrupt the flow of communication is noise or barriers.

Communication Channel

objective ④ Discuss the different types of channels used in communication.

The number of communication channels available to a manager has increased over the last decade. Video conferencing, mobile technology, electronic bulletin
boards, fax machines, corporate blogs, web sites and social networking sites are some of the new possibilities. A challenge which managers face today is to
determine what type of communication channel should they opt for in order to carryout effective communication.

Typically, there are three types of channels which can be used classified as formal, informal, or unofficial channels.

Formal communication channels transmit information such as the goals, policies, and procedures and all official directives following a chain of command. An
example of a formal communication channel is a company's newsletter, an inter-office memo, appointment letter,

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and practically all official letters. A business plan, customer satisfaction survey, annual reports, employer's manual, and review meetings are all formal
communication channels.

Informal communication channels of communication are not initiated by the company, but exist among employees through which they communicate. While this
type of communication channel may disrupt the chain of command, a good manager tries to find the fine balance between the formal and informal communication
channel as both are valuable sources of information. An example of an informal communication channel is what people share during lunchtime at the organization's
cafeteria/canteen, in lifts, smoking areas and so on. Quality circles, team work, and different training programs are outside the organization also fall under the
category of informal communication channels. The unofficial communication is the organization's ‘grapevine’ and it is often through which rumors circulate. Also
those engaging in ‘grapevine’ discussions often form groups, which translate into friendships outside of the organization, or cliques and cartels within the
organization working at cross purpose with organizational objectives. While the grapevine may have positive implications, more often than not information
circulating in the grapevine is exaggerated and may cause unnecessary alarm to employees. A good manager should be privy to information circulating in this
unofficial communication channel and should take positive measures to prevent the flow of false information.

Unofficial communication channels are media reports such as television news, magazines, and newspaper articles, trade reviews carry information and news of an
organization initiated by some agency other that the organization. Sometimes paid public relations also are regarded as unofficial communication channel through
which the company communicates unofficially with the employees and stakeholders such as customers, trade analysts and government.

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Effective Use of Channels

Channels must be adapted to the audience and there are several guidelines for this. Factors such as speed and accuracy, transmission cost, number of messages that
can be carried by the channel are important considerations while choosing channel. Likewise, number of people reached by the channel and efficiency and ability to
promote goodwill also need to be considered. The bigger your audience, the more complicated choosing a channel becomes. Ultimately, the purposes, the audience,
and the situation will determine which channel may be better than another.

Researches have shown that use of written messages is effective when specific detail, extensive or complex data are to be communicated. Different communities
may prefer different channels for the same message, for instance, computer scientists and researchers want the information to be online, while blue-collar workers
prefer instructions on paper. During conflict and negotiations verbal channel is useful as it enables discussions and a two-way communication, which facilitates
answering questions, resolving conflicts, and build consensus. Use of emotions as a channel is effective when one has to persuade the audience or obtain an
immediate action. Finally, messages on paper are more formal than e-mail messages, the latter more appropriate for routine messages to people you already know.
Paper is usually better for someone to whom you're writing for the first time and definitely for all important messages.

Barriers in Communication
Barriers in communication are called noise and it is due to them that there is variance between what the sender has encoded and the receiver has decoded. Barriers
lead to misunderstandings, which ultimately negatively impact business and are a cost to the organizations. Understanding communication barriers can help in
making efforts to correct them, which are classified below in broad categories.

Physical Barriers
Open offices where seating arrangements facilitate visibility of all employees are regarded beneficial for communication, and close doors and spatial distance
separated by walls generally go against the goal of effective communication and are barriers. Removing physical barriers is the first step towards open
communication where collaborative communication flourishes. Purposefully designed architecture, that has an “open office” plan with low rise partitioned cubicles
with central open space for meetings benefits communication.

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Perceptual Barriers
The human mind is a cognitive filter and all information is processed before sense is made and understanding of what has been received is gained from what was
communicated by the sender. The filter is like a predisposition which is made of up attitudes, values, beliefs, and the learning of past experiences through which the
receiver perceives the message sent by the sender. Perceptual differences in the sender and receiver leads to distortion of understanding from the point of view of the
sender of the message, which is a barrier. A common type of perceptual bias is stereotypes which are inferences about out groups shared by in groups. It is common
for people of one group to attribute certain qualities to all members of another group. For example, we have stereotypes related, class, race, gender, and other types
of group which distort our judgment. Perceptual differences are normal and become a barrier in communication if we refuse to acknowledge them, which make us
closed and frozen in our thinking. A flexible open and receptive mind coupled with empathy is the best way to deal with barriers that are caused by perceptual
differences in people.

Barriers Related to Information Processing

Inorder to deal with excessive information, the human brain engages in processes such as abstracting, generalization, and making inferences. In abstracting, the brain
processes information by reducing it and in generalization, we extrapolate our understanding from one situation to another but similar situation. Finally, while
making inferences we substitute missing information from our past experiences in the present situation. While all these are necessary and inescapable processes of
the brain, they help us deal with excessive information or even lack of it to make sense in the present. But we can still commit errors if we are not skilled in these
processes and only then they lead to distortions in communication.

Emotional Barriers
When a human being experiences negative emotions such as anger, fear, shame, the cognitive processes get affected making us say and do things which we may
regret later. Anger may make you use abusive language, threaten, or intimidate which leads to communication breakdown, and fear may make you not say something
that is important at that time. Similarly, communicating during excessive joy or euphoria may make you commit something that you cannot honor in future. When
we experience strong emotions, the human body is in control of hormones, which divert blood flow from the brain inhibiting its processing capabilities which is why
emotions are treated as barriers in communication.

Cultural Barriers
Lack of information about another culture may make you say things which are taboo or censured in another culture leading to breakdown in communication. Apart
from possessing an attitude of receptivity, empathy, and openness toward other cultures, we also need to have knowledge and information about other cultures. These
two aspects give us cultural sensitivity which enables communication in culturally diverse environments and absence of which is barrier.

Language and Sematic Barriers

Words have both connotative and denotative meaning and in communication it is imperative to use words that have a strong denotativemeaning and minimum or nil
connotations. Denotative words are free of emotional and judgmental baggage, while connotative words have hidden meaning which may lead to undesirable
consequences if used in any form of communication. Words like table are free of connotation unlike a word like gay. Connotative words may lead to charges of libel
or defamation.

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Barriers Related to Speaking Style

Interrupting is a good thing when you want to get something that has just been said, to be clarified. But most of the times, people interrupt another person to express
their own views and to oppose what has been said or are plain impatient. Frequent interruptions or changing the subject too early when some one is speaking may
make the speaker feel that you are no longer interested in what they are saying. Accusing and blaming are the most destructive forms of communication. When
accusing, the other person feels that you assume he/she is guilty, even without hearing their side of the story. Similarly, sarcasm, taunts, and misplaced humor while
communicating demeans the other person, which is a potential barrier in communication.

Breakdown in Communication Channel

A breakdown in the communication channel leads to an inefficient flow of information where employees are unaware of what the company expects of them and
remain uninformed about what is going on in the organization. This will cause them to become suspicious of the motives and any changes in the company. Also
without effective communication, employees become department minded rather than company minded, and this affects their decision making and productivity in the
workplace.

Adapting Your Message to Your Audience

objective ⑤ During communication how one adapts the message to the audience.

PAIBOC Analysis

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PAIBOC is a technique which can help practitioners craft suitable messages for different kinds of audience. The premise of PAIBOC is that when each step entailed
is implemented, communication effectiveness is ensured. Each alphabet of the acronym stands for a particular activity which the individual or entity that wants to
communicate should follow:

P-Purpose
A-Audience
I-Information
B-Benefits
O-Objections
C-Context

Purpose
What is your purpose or your purposes? What do you want your audience to know, think, or do after receiving the message?. What must this message do to solve the
organizational problem? These are some of the questions which must be answered by the sender before designing a message for a receiver. It is important to list all
your purposes and specify exactly what you want your reader to know, think, or do after receiving the message. Specify exactly what kind of image of yourself and
of your organization you want to project through the message.

Audience
Who is your target audience? Describe the typical person in the audience group. What personal characteristics of your target audience are relevant to this message?
What characteristics of your readers are relevant for your message? Understanding your audience is fundamental to the success of any message. You need to adapt
your message to fit the audience's goals, interests, needs, values, and beliefs. It is important to also know details of the audience demographic profile such

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as education level, rural-urban background, age, gender, and so on as it is natural that these factors do shape audience perceptual filters. Take the time to analyze
your audience and to revise your draft with your analysis in mind. You can adapt your message's strategy, organization, and style to meet the audience's needs.

Information
What information must you include in the message in order to help the audience react in the desired way? Audience analysis coupled with organizational purpose
you wish to achieve through the communication will dictate what contents must be part of the communication.

Benefits
The sender of the message should be clear about what reader's benefits can be used to support your position in the message? When readers benefit becomes part of
the message then the receiver is motivated to act on the message. With no reader benefit evident, the receiver may be inclined to disregard the message and not act
on it, thus defeating the purpose of communication.

Objections
Knowing about the objections any audience has towards communicated messages are useful inputs while designing a message. One can deemphasize the negative
aspects of the message objections and also creatively present the same so that the message appears favorable.

Context
Finally, it is important to consider the context of the receiver while communicating. Status, nature of relationship between sender and receiver, circumstances such as
organizational morale, etc. plays a role in not only encoding of messages but also decoding. In effective communication, we need to factor in these context variables.

Audience Analysis
Audience analysis is the study of audience composition with respect to knowing what is their knowledge levels interests, attitudes, and along with how the audience
can be differentiated with respect to several demographic variables. The best way to collect data for audience analysis is through observation, asking questions,
interviewing, and using written questionnaire. Audience analysis is usually done at three levels.

1. Demographic audience analysis involves focuses on identifying the general demographic features of your audience and gauging the importance of those
features to a particular speaking situation. Factors to be considered could be age, sex, religious orientation, sexual orientation, income levels, racial, ethnic,
occupational, or cultural background.
2. Situational audience analysis considers information related to audience size, physical setting where the audience is situated, length of presentation to be made
and also the audience disposition toward the topic.
3. Nonverbal audience analysis includes the analysis of eye contact, facial expression, restless movement, nonverbal responsiveness, verbal responsiveness
while making the presentation. This analysis helps in gauging the audience's engagement with what is being said, and can provide guidelines regarding what
can be done to increase responsiveness in the audience.

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Business Communication, Management, and Success: Objective Questions

True/False
1. Studies show that communication is an important managerial activity, with managers typically spending up to half their time communicating.
2. A major purpose in communication is to help people feel good about themselves and their friends, groups, and organizations.
3. The sender's primary objective is to decode the message so that the message received is as close as possible to the message that is sent.
4. As a communication channel, the grapevine should be considered an ineffective communication channel.
5. If a person refuses to develop sensitivity to other cultures, he or she could be labeled an ethnocentrist.

Multiple Choice
1. Differences in education level, experience, and culture or distractions such as noise, uncomfortable room temperature, and interruptions are examples of

a. feedback.

b. interference.

c. interception.

d. decoding.

2. Carol, an executive traveling on an international flight, is preparing e-mail instructions to her staff during the flight. Carol is in the act of

a. giving feedback.

b. interfering.

c. encoding.

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d. decoding.

3. Javon explains a new policy to his staff which prohibits the use of office computers for personal e-mail. Several of the employees frown at the news and one staff
member makes a sarcastic remark. Steve's staff is

a. giving feedback.

b. interfering.

c. decoding.

d. encoding.

4. Jeff receives an email from his boss, Carol, who is on an international flight. As Jeff interprets the instructions from the e-mail he is in the act of

a. giving feedback.

b. interfering.

c. encoding.

d. decoding.

5. A supervisor notices that an employee has been late to work for three days this week. What should the supervisor do to foster open communication?

a. Call the employee to ask him or her about the lateness.

b. Write the employee a disciplinary memorandum about the lateness.

c. Meet with the employee face-to-face to discuss the lateness.

d. Send the employee an e-mail message about his or her lateness.

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Business Communication, Management, and Success: Review Card

Learning Objectives

LO1: Define communication and describe significance of communication in business.

Communication is the process of exchanging information and meaning between or among individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, and behavior.
Managers spend most of their time in communication activities.

LO2: Explain the communication process model and the ultimate objective of the communication process.

People engaged in communication encode and decode messages while simultaneously serving as both senders and receivers. In the communication process,
feedback helps people resolve possible misunderstandings and thus improves communication effectiveness. Feedback and the opportunity to observe nonverbal signs
are always present in face-to-face communication, the most complete of the three communication levels.

LO3: Describe the three principal models of communication.

There are three types of communication models which describe the communication process in three ways. The earliest is linear model of communication which
consists of three primary components–sender, channel, and receiver in a one-way communication flow that begins with the sender and ends with the receiver. The
Shanon-Weaver model conceptualizes communication as two way and cyclical process where the sender sends a message through a channel to the receiver in a one-
way communication, and when the receiver responds or gives feedback to the sender it becomes a two-way communication. The third model described by Laswell
emphasizes that answers to five critical questions determine the effectiveness of communication. These are related to who is the one who initiates communication,
what is the content and channel of communication, and finally who will receive the communication and its impact.

LO4: Discuss the different types of channels used in communication.

There are three broad categories of communication channels—formal, informal, and unofficial channels. Formal channels follow the chain of command and
examples of which are company's newsletter, inter office memo, appointment letter, and practically all official letters. A business plan, customer satisfaction survey,
annual reports, employer's manual, review meetings are also formal communication channels. The informal communication channelizes the organization's
“grapevine”—which is conversations over coffee, meal times, and other such settings among employees of the organization.

The unofficial communication channel is media communication, press reporting, and experts views about the organization.

Key Terms
Encoding the process of selecting and organizing the message
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Interferences (barriers) other factors that may hinder the communication process
Decoding the process of interpreting the message
Feedback the response the receiver gives to the sender of a message
Organizational communication communication concerned with the movement of information within the company structure
Internal messages messages intended for recipients within the organization
External messages messages directed to recipients outside the organization
Intrapersonal communication communication that occurs within oneself
Interpersonal communication communication that occurs between two people

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LO5: During communication how one adapts the message to the audience.

Understanding your audience and adapting the message—audience's goals, interests, needs, values, and beliefs—contributes to communication effectiveness.
Through audience and situation analysis one gets to know the demographic profile such as education level, rural-urban background, age, gender, and other relevant
details along with the circumstance and context of recipients of messages.

Grammar Quiz
Identify the weakness in each sentence and write an improved version.

1. It is essential that you sign and return the enclosed form.

2. I am submitting an editorial to the newspaper, which I wrote last summer.
3. The work team wants to quickly bring the project to a conclusion.
4. To operate efficiently, you must perform periodic maintenance on your computer.
5. Protect your online privacy by use of effective password protection, clearing temporary menus regularly, and encryption of sensitive information.

Quiz Solutions

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Business Communication, Management, and Success: Exercises

1. Use the communication process model and describe a personal experience in which you failed to achieve your objectives owing to ineffective
communication.
2. Analyze your strengths and weaknesses in communication at the following five levels:
Intrapersonal (with self)
Interpersonal (with others)
Group (with teams members)
Organizational (with superiors and subordinates at various levels)
Public (with various stakeholders)

Business Communication, Management, and Success: Questions

1. Write a short note on:
Levels of culture in communication
2. Discuss how communication plays a critical role in the progress and growth of an organization.
3. Write a short speech on “Communicating in India” (200 words).

Business Communication, Management, and Success: Projects

1. Take three different types of organizations (MNC, NGO, educational institutions, etc.) and examine the channels through which communication flows. Now
make flow diagrams to depict the differences in the flow of communication in the three organizations.

Footnotes
1. The challenges facing workers in the future. (1999, August). HR Focus, 6.

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© 2007 Cengage Learning Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this work may by reproduced or used in any form or by any means - graphic, electronic, or
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