Chapter IV- 

COMMUNICATION

COMMUNICATION DEFINED
          Communication may defined as the transfer of information, feelings, and ideas,
from one person to another. The goal of communication is for the receiver understand
the message as it was intended. During the transfer process, it is affected by a number
of factors that either help or hinder the message.
IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION
          Organizations cannot exist without communication .It is through communication
that the individual members of the organization will know the important concerns such
as:
          1. what their organization is
          2. what objectives their organization wants to achieve
          3. what their roles are in achieving the organization’s objectives
          4. how they will achieve those objectives
          5. who the individual members of the organization are
          It is through communication that organization can relate with its external
environment which include customers, suppliers, competitors and the government.
          Communication is important so that employees know that their coworkers are
doing, management can receive information inputs, and supervisors can give
instructions. It is also important for the coordination of business in order to know what
products or services the customers want, what products or services the suppliers are
providing, and many others. Communication helps accomplish all the basic
management functions such as planning, organizing, directing and controlling so that
organizations can achieve their goals and meet their challenges.
 
THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
          Communication is a two-way process in which a sender reaches a receiver with a
message. People in the organization need to have knowledge of communication
process to be effective.
The six components of an effective communication are the following:
          1. a  communication source or sender          4. a receiver
          2. a  message                                                           5. feedback
          3. a channel                                                              6. the environment
 
 
            
     Figure 1
     THE

COMMUNICATION
PROCESS
                                  
 
 THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
The Sender
                The sender or source of communication is a person who makes the
attempt to send a message which could be spoken, written, in of
sign language, or nonverbal to another person or a group of persons.
The Message
                The message is a purpose or an idea to be conveyed in
a communication event. The message is the actual physical product
as result of encoding. Examples of these messages are speeches, written documents, the
movements of the arms and the expressions on faces.
                How the message is received is influenced by the following factors:
                1. clarity of the message
                2. alertness of the receiver
                3. complexity and length of the message
                4. how the information is organized

The Channel
                The channel is the medium through which the message travels. It consists of
various 2s which are face-to-face, telephone and cell phones, e-mail, written memos and
letters, posted notices and bulletins. Face-to-face is the most effective channel.
                There are two classifications of communication channels, these are:
                1. Formal – it is recognized as authoritative like policies, procedures, and other
official announcements.
                2. Informal – do not follow the chain of command so that people can get in
contact with each other at a faster pace. The grapevine is a type of informal channel that
transfer information through networks of friendships and acquaintances. The advantage is
that it can transmit information quickly and efficiently. On the other hand, it can also
transmit incorrect or untimely information.
The Receiver
                The receiver is the person receiving the message where he interprets and
understand the message. He will be influenced by factors like his age, gender, beliefs, past
experiences, cultural influences, and his individual needs.
The Feedback
                Feedback refers to the process of communicating how one feels about something
another person has done or said. It is through feedback that the sender of information may
know whether the message was sent and received as intended.
The Environment
                The environment refers to the circumstances in which messages are transmitted
and received. Messages are easily transmitted in an environment where there is trust and
confidence even these messages are controversial.
The Noise
                Noise refers to anything that disrupts communication including the attitude and
emotions of the receiver, loud music, children playing in the background, and many others.
BASIC METHODS OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
                People in organizations transfer meaning between and among each other using
any or all of the three basic methods which consist of the following:
                1. verbal
                2. written
                3. nonverbal communication
Verbal Communication
                Verbal communication is a major means of sending messages. It includes one-
one-one meetings, speeches, grapevine, telephone, departmental or interdepartmental
meetings, presentation, and many others.
Written Communication
                Written communication includes memorandum, notice-boards, letters to staff,
emails, faxes, internal newspaper, and instant messaging.
Nonverbal Communication
                Nonverbal communication takes place through facial expressions, body
movements, eye contact and other physical gesture. This type of communication reveals
what the sender really mean or thinking.
FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION
                There are four major functions of communication within an organization or a
group. These consist of the following:
                1. Information function – communication provides information needed especially
in decision making.
                2. Motivation function- communication is a means used to encourage
commitment to organizational objectives.
                3. Control function – communication clarifies duties, authority, and
responsibilities, thereby permitting control. The worker is informed on what exactly he is
expected to do and to check if he is performing as expected.
                4. Emotive function – communication permits the expression of feelings and the
satisfaction of social needs. Workers are given time to express their feelings in one way or
another so that they will feel good enough to perform well in their job.
BASIC GOALS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
                Effective communication is really a way to achieve certain goals which consist of
the following:
                1. to gain goodwill
                2. to  inquire
                3. to inform
                4. to persuade
BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
                There are instances wherein the receiver may not be able to properly receive or
understand the message as intended by the sender. This is due to variety of barriers that
may impede the communication effort. These barriers consist of the following:
1. filtering
2. selective perception
3. information overload
4. emotions
5. language
6. communication apprehension
7. absence of feedback
8. physical separation
9. lack of credibility of the sender
Filtering
Filtering  refers to the manipulation of information so that it will be seen more favorably by
the
receiver. Telling what the boss wants to hear is filtering.
Selective Perception
Receivers of the message selectively see and hear messages based on their needs,
motivations,
experience, background, and other personal characteristics. People have different
perception of reality.
Information Overload
                Information overload refers to the condition in which information inflow exceeds
an individual’s processing capacity. When this happens, the person is no longer able to
understand clearly whatever information is being sent to him.
Emotions
                The receiver’s feelings affect his ability to understand any message sent to him. He
cannot receive a message clearly when he is angry, excited, or afraid.
Language
                Words do not always mean the same thing to different people and this poses a
barrier to communication. The best thing to do when delivering a message is that the
sender must use words that are commonly used by the audience. By doing so, it will
facilitate communication.
Communication Apprehension
                Communication apprehension refers to the undue tension and anxiety about
oral communication, written communication, or both. They find it extremely difficult to talk
with others face- to- face or even carry a telephone conversation.
Physical Separation
                Physical separation refers to interferences to effective communication occurring
in the environment where the communication is undertaken. These physical barriers include
the following:
                1. distances between people;
                2. walls;
                3. an office that is not conducive to communication;
                4. an intimidating person posted near the door; or
                5. wrong timing.
                Telephones, cellphones, and e-mail are useful tools in bridging the physical gap,
but face-face communication is still effective.
Lack of Credibility of the Sender
                Messages sent depends on the credibility of the sender. If the sender has low
credibility, the message will likely be ignored. This is a type of barrier that should be
overcome by leaders of organizations.
KINDS OF COMMUNICATION FLOW
                The flow of communication in organization takes different directions. It consists of
the following:
                1. downward;
                2. upward; or
                3. horizontal.
Downward Communication
                Downward communication refers to message flows from higher levels to lower
levels. Their purposes are:
                1. to give instructions;
                2. to provide information about policies and procedures;
                3. to give feedback about performances; and
                4. to indoctrinate or motivate.
The various techniques used in downward communication are:
                1. letters, meetings, and the telephone or cell phone;
                2. manuals;
                3. handbooks; and
                4. newsletters.
Upward Communication
                Upward communication refers to messages from persons in lower level positions
to persons in higher positions. Its purposes are:
                1. to provide feedback to higher-ups;
                2. to inform higher-ups toward goals; and
                3. to relay current problems.
                The techniques used in upward communication are:
                1. performance reports;
                2. suggestion systems;
                3. informal gripe sessions;
                4. open-door policy; and
                5. exit interviews.
Horizontal Communication
                Horizontal communication refers to messages sent to individuals or groups
from another of the same organizational level or position. Its purposes are:
                1. to coordinate activities between departments;
                2. to persuade others at the same level of organization; and
                3. to pass on information about activities or feelings.
                The techniques appropriate for horizontal communication are:
                1. memos;
                2. telephones or cell phones;
                3. picnics; and
                4. dinners and other social affairs.
IMPROVING COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATIONS
                Ineffective communication can affect people in a negative way. It can cause hurt
feelings, and waste of time and valuable resources. In order to avoid negative effects, the
following tips could be useful:
                1. The message should be improved so it could be easily understood; and
                2. The receiver must improve his skill in understanding the messages sent to him.