Business Communication,

Management, and Success

Lecture-1

Course Teacher
Farhana Karim
Lecturer (Marketing)
Department of Business administration
BGMEA University of Fashion & Technology
Communication?
Communication may be defined as: Giving, receiving or
exchanging information, opinions, or ideas by writing,
speech, or visual means, so that the message
communicated is completely understood by the
recipients.

Louis A. Allen defines communication as the sum of all

the things one person does when he wants to create
understanding in the mind of another. It is a bridge of
meaning. It involves a systematic and continuous
process of telling, listening and understanding.
Features of Effective Communication
• Provide practical information
• Give facts rather than impressions
• Present information in a concise, and efficient manner
• Clarify expectations and responsibilities
• Offer persuasive arguments and
• Recommendations
Types of Communication
1. Internal Communication
a. Downward, Upward, Horizontal
b. Formal or Informal
c. Oral, Written, Nonverbal
d. Manual or Mechanical
2. External Communication
a. Downward, Upward, Horizontal
b. Formal or Informal
c. Oral, Written, Nonverbal
d. Manual or Mechanical
a. Downward and Upward, Horizontal, Diagonal
Downward: It is internal communication from superior to subordinate. It includes Order,
Instructions, Notices, and Announcements etc.
Upward: It is a communication from subordinate to superior. Usually it covers Suggestions,
Complaints, and Report etc.
Horizontal: It is a communication at same level. It covers Consultation, Advice, Discussion, Meetings
etc.
Diagonal communication: Diagonal communication takes place between people who work in
different departments and at different levels within an organization. Very often diagonal
communication involves committees, teams or task forces that are created to solve problems or
complete special projects. Diagonal communication often relies largely on cooperation, goodwill
and respect between the parties concerned.
b. Formal or Informal
Formal communication represents a network, in which ideas and
information flow along the lines of command (the hierarchical levels) in
an organization.
Formal Network
– Well-established, usually along operational lines
– Depends on certain established forms or “genres” in the company
– Planned and managed
– May or may not include external audiences
Informal communication(Grapevine)
Informal communication is a network where two or more individuals (i.e.
employees) are in contact that does not maintain formal hierarchy of an
organization. It is also termed as “Grapevine”.
Informal Network
• A secret means of spreading or receiving information.
• The informal transmission of (unofficial) information, gossip or rumor from
person to person.
• Informal Network is Complex and Dynamic
Informal Communication Chains(Pattern)
Grapevine chains
1. The single-strand chain — A tells B, who tells C, who tells D, and so on;
this makes for a tenuous chain to a distant receiver. Such a chain is
usually in mind when one speaks of how the grapevine distorts and
filters information until the original item is not recognizable.
2. The gossip chain — A seeks and tells everyone else.
3. The probability chain — A communicates randomly, say, to F and D, in
accordance with the laws of probability; then F and D tell others in the
same manner.
4. The cluster chain — A tells three selected others; perhaps one of them
tells two others; and then one of these two tells one other. This was
virtually the only kind of chain found in the Jason Company, and may well
be the normal one in industry generally.
 c. Oral, Written or Non verbal
Oral
It includes face to face talks or conversations on intercom instrument.
Written
It is transmitting in writing.
Nonverbal
All the cues, gestures, vocal qualities, special relationships, attitudes toward time
that allow us to communicate without words.
d. Manual or Mechanical
Manual
When messages are communicated in person it is manual in nature. (For instance,
sending a letter or notice through messenger or by post, face to face conversation)

Mechanical
Transmitting message with the help of mechanical aids like telephone, television
etc.
External Communication
Companies constantly exchange messages with customers, vendors, distributors,
competitors, investors, journalists, government and community representatives.
External communication links the organization with the outside world of customers,
suppliers, competitors, and investors.
External Communication includes: Acknowledgements, Enquires, Quotations, Tenders,
Placement of orders, follow up and reminders, Meeting, Greeting, Conferences, and Notices
etc.
External Communication can be –
a. Inward or outward
Inward
It is a communication from outside. It includes inward mail, incoming telephone call etc.
Outward
It is communication from organization to outsiders. Such communication includes
quotation, tenders, Acknowledgements.
b. Formal or Informal
Formal
It refers to official communication and such communication is sent through proper channels
according to rules and customs.

Informal
It is unofficial in nature and also described as Grapevine. Informal communication
travels along the organization’s unofficial lines of activity and power. As people go
about their work, they have casual conversations with their friends in the office. They joke
around and discuss about their apartments, their families, restaurants, movies, sports and
other people in the company. The grapevine is a vehicle for distortions of the truth, rumor
and gossip.
c. Oral or Written
Oral communication
Communication through personal visit and telephone are oral in nature.

Written Communication
When communication is sent through correspondence it is written communication. For instance, Quotations,
tenders, orders, etc. are made in writing.

d. Manual or Mechanical
Manual
When messages are communicated in person, it is manual in nature. (For instance, sending a letter or notice
through messenger or by post, face to face conversation)

Mechanical
Transmitting message with the help of mechanical aids like telephone, television etc.
Forms of Communication
Communication Process
The process begins when Person A (let’s call him Ameen) perceives some
stimulus. Next, Ameen interprets what he has perceived. Is it important?
Unusual? The next step is for Ameen to choose or select the information he
wishes to send to Person B (whom we’ll call Ayesha). Now Ameen is ready to
put his ideas into words. Words are not the only way to convey ideas;
gestures, clothing, and pictures can carry meaning nonverbally. The stage of
putting ideas into any of these symbols is called encoding. Then Ameen
must transmit the message to Ayesha using some channel. Channels include
memos, phone calls, meetings, billboards, TV ads, e-mail and so on.

To receive the message, Ayesha must first perceive it. Then she must decode
it, that is, extract meaning from the symbols. Ayesha then repeats the steps
Ameen has gone through: interpreting the information, choosing a response,
and encoding it. The response Ayesha sends to Ameen is called feedback.
Noise can interfere with every aspect of the communication process. Noise may be
physical or psychological. Physical noise could be a phone line with static, a lawn
mower roaring outside a classroom, or handwriting that is hard to read. Psychological
noise could include disliking a speaker, being concerned about something other than
the message, or already having one’s mind made up on an issue.
Channel overload occurs when the channel cannot handle all the messages that are
being sent. A small business may have only two phone lines; no one else can get
through if both lines are in use. Information overload occurs when more messages
are transmitted than the human receiver can handle. Some receivers process
information “first come, first served.” Some may try to select the most important
messages and ignore others. A third way is to depend on abstracts or summaries
prepared by other people. None of these ways is completely satisfactory.
At every stage, both Ameen and Ayesha could misperceive, misinterpret, choose
badly, encode poorly, or choose inappropriate channels. Miscommunication can also
occur because different people have different frames of reference. We always
interpret messages in light of our personal experiences, our cultures and
subcultures, and even the point in history at which we live.
Successful communication depends on the common ground between you and your
audience. Choose information that your audience needs and will find interesting.
Encode your message in words and other symbols the audience will understand.
Transmit the message along a channel that your audience will attend to.
 The Basic Forms of Communication
Nonverbal communication
• Facial expression and eye behavior: Your eyes are especially
effective for indicating attention and interest, influencing others,
regulating interaction and establishing dominance.
North American whites see eye contact as a sign of honesty. But in
many cultures, dropped eyes are a sign of appropriate deference to
a superior.
• Gestures and postures: by moving your body, you can express
both specific and general message, some voluntary and some
involuntary.
The “thumbs up” sign that means “good work” or “go ahead” in
the United States and most of western Europe is a vulgar, insult in
Greece.
 The Basic Forms of Communication
Nonverbal communication
Vocal characteristics
• Volume
• Changing the pitch while speaking can convey shades of meaning such as
emphasis or surprise.
• Rate is how fast or slow a person speaks. Rate is part of the paralanguage of
speech along with loudness and pitch.
• Pauses
• Vocal variety in speech is a way to communicate by changing the sound of
your voice using different speeds and tones while speaking. Good vocal
variety helps keep the audience engaged and clues them in on
your meaning, feelings, or emphasis.
• Articulation, in phonetics, a configuration of the vocal tract (the larynx and
the pharyngeal, oral, and nasal cavities) resulting from the positioning of the
mobile organs of the vocal tract (e.g., tongue) relative to other parts of
the vocal tract that may be rigid (e.g., hard palate).
 The Basic Forms of Communication
Nonverbal communication
• Personal appearance: Your appearance helps establish your
social identity. People respond to us on the basis of our physical
attractiveness. Our grooming, our clothing, our accessories, and
our style- all modify our appearance.
• Space- Personal space is the distance someone wants between
himself or herself and other people in ordinary, nonintimate
interchanges.
• Time-Organizations in the United States—businesses,
government, and schools— keep time by the calendar and the
clock. Being “on time” is seen as a sign of dependability.
Other cultures may keep time by the seasons and the moon, the
sun, internal “body clocks,” or a personal feeling that “the time
is right.”
The Basic Forms of Communication
Nonverbal communication
Touching behavior
• Touch is an important vehicle for conveying warmth, comfort, and reassurance.
• The accepted norms of touching vary, depending on the gender, age, relative status and
cultural background of the persons involved.
• In business situations, touching suggests dominance, so a higher status person is more
likely to touch a lower status person than the other way around.
• Touching has become controversial, however, because it can sometimes be interpreted
as sexual harassment.
Nonverbal Communication Skills Development
➢ Be honest, especially when communicating emotions.
➢ Use a firm, friendly handshake when meeting new people.
➢ Maintain eye contact with your entire audience.
➢ Reinforce your words with tones and gestures.
➢ Be aware of your posture.
➢ Use appropriate gestures to support your point.
➢ Imitate the posture and appearance of people you want to impress.
➢ Show respect for speakers and listener.
➢ Touch people only when appropriate and acceptable.
➢ Smile genuinely, as a fake one will be obvious.
Verbal communication

• Speaking
• Writing
• Listening
Techniques for effective listening
• Prepare to listen: Clear your mind so that your attention is assured.
• Avoid pre- judgment: Do not prejudge the speaker because of appearance or occupation and do not jump to any
conclusions before hearing what is said.
• Be open minded: Appreciate the speaker’s point of view and accept that it may not necessarily agree with your own.
• Establish eye contact: This shows that you are listening, as does your posture and your facial expressions.
• Don’t interrupt: Try to keep emotions out of it and hold any counter- arguments until the speaker has finished.
• Watch for signals: Pick up aspects that the speaker considers important by showing, posture and gestures, as well as
listening to intonation in the speaker’s voice.
• Judge content, not delivery; Appraise the content instead of the speaker.
• Extract key points: Pick out and repeat to yourself some key words or phrases. This will help to fix in your mind
what is being said.
• Give feedback: Learn to give positive feedback non -verbally, perhaps by nodding or smiling to let the speaker know
you are following what is being said.
• Block out distractions: You may need to close doors, turn off a television or radio or move closer to the speaker.
Communication Barriers between People
• Differences in Perception
• Incorrect Filtering
• Language Problems
• Poor Listening
• Differing Emotional States
• Differing Backgrounds
Differences in Perception
Perception is our individual interpretation of the world around us. The world constantly bombards us with
information: sight, sounds, scents and so on. Our minds organize this stream sensation into a mental map that
represents our perception of reality.
Try to predict how your message will be received, anticipate your receiver’s reactions and shape the message
accordingly and constantly try to adjust or correct any misunderstanding.

Incorrect Filtering
Filtering is screening out or abbreviating information before a message is passed on to someone else. In business,
the filters between you and your receiver are many: secretaries, assistants, receptionists, and answering machines.
To overcome filtering barriers, try to establish more than one communication channels, eliminate as many
intermediaries as possible, and decrease distortion by condensing message information to the bare essentials.

Language Problems
When you choose the words for your message, they impose their own barriers on it. For example, the language of a
lawyer differs from that of an accountant or a doctor, and the difference in their vocabularies affects their ability
to recognize and express ideas.
To overcome language barriers, use the most specific and accurate words possible. Always try to use words your
audience will understand.
Poor Listening
Perhaps the most common barrier to reception is simply a lack of attention on the receiver’s part. We all let our minds
wander now and then, regardless of how hard we try to concentrate.
To overcome listening barriers, verify your interpretation of what’s been said. Listen without interrupting.

Differing Emotional States

Every message contains both a content meaning, which deals with the subject of the message and a relationship meaning,
which suggests the nature of the interaction between sender and receiver.
To overcome emotional barriers, be aware of the feelings that arise in you and in others as you communicate and attempt to
control them.
For example, choose neutral words to avoid arousing strong feelings unduly. Avoid attitudes, blame, and other
subjective concepts.

Differing Backgrounds
Differences in background can be one of the hardest communication barriers to overcome. When your receiver’s life
experience differs substantially from yours, communication becomes more difficult.
Age, education, gender, social status, economic position, cultural background, temperament, health, beauty, popularity,
religion, political belief, even a passing mood can all separate one person from another and make understanding difficult.
 Communication Barriers within Organization
Information Overload
Too much information is as bad as too little because it reduces the audience’s ability to concentrate effectively on the most
important messages.
To overcome information overload, realize that some information is not necessary, and make necessary information easily
available. Give information meaning, rather than just passing it on and set priorities for dealing with information flow.

Message Complexity
Imagine trying to write interesting insurance policies, guidelines for checking credit references. These topics are dry, and making
them interesting is a real challenge.
To overcome the barriers of complex messages, keep them clear and easy to understand. Be sure to ask for feedback so that you
can clarify and improve your message.

Message Competition
Communicators are often faced with messages that compete for attention. Even your own messages may have to compete with a
variety of interruptions: The phone rings every five minutes, people intrude, meetings are called, and crises arise.
To overcome competition barriers, avoid making demands on a receiver who does not have the time to pay careful attention to
your message. Be sure to set aside enough time for important messages that you receive.
Differing Status
Employees of low status may be overly cautious when sending messages to managers and
may talk only about subjects they think the manager is interested in.
Similarly, higher status people may distort massages by refusing to discuss anything that
would tend to undermine their authority in the organization.
To overcome status barriers, keep managers and colleagues well informed. Encourage
lower- status employees to keep you informed. When you have information that you are
afraid your boss might not like, be brave and convey it any way.
Inadequate Communication Structure
Structural barriers block upward, downward, and horizontal communication. To overcome
structural barriers, offer opportunities for communicating upward, downward, and
horizontally.
Try to reduce hierarchical levels, increase coordination between departments and
encourage two-way communication.
Lack of Trust
For communication to be successful, organizations must create an atmosphere of fairness
and trust. To overcome trust barriers, be visible and accessible.
Do not insulate yourself behind assistants or secretaries./ Share key information with
colleagues and employees, communicate honestly, and include employees in decision
making.
Incorrect Choice of Medium
If you choose an inappropriate communication medium, your message can be distorted so that the
intended meaning is blocked. To overcome media barriers, choose the richest media for non-routine,
complex message.
Closed Communication Climate
A directive, authoritarian style blocks the free and open exchange of information. To overcome climate
barriers, spend more time listening than issuing orders.
Make sure you respond constructively to employees, and encourage employees and colleagues to offer
suggestions, help set goals, participate in solving problems, and help make decisions.
Unethical Communication
Ethical massages are crucial to any organization’s credibility and success.
To overcome ethics barriers, make sure your messages include all the information that ought to be there.
Also make sure your message is completely truthful, not deceptive in any way.
Inefficient Communication
Communication can be blocked by inefficiency. Be clear about the writing assignments you accept as
well as the ones you assign.
Physical Distortion
Communication barriers are often physical: bad connections, poor sound quality, and illegible copy.
Your receiver might also be distracted by an uncomfortable chair, poor lighting or some other
irritating condition.
The barrier may be related to the receiver’s health. Hearing or visual impairment or even a headache
can interfere with reception of a message.
To overcome physical barriers, exercise as much control as possible over the physical transmission
link.