Communication

Communication is the transfer of information from the sender to the receiver with the
information being understood by both the sender and the receiver. Refers to the passing of
information between two or more parties. Effective communication refers to the successful
exchange of information between people, including some kind of feedback
Key features –
The communication process
• Sender of the message: Communication begins with the sender who has a thought or and
idea which is then encoded in a way that can be understood by both the sender and the
receiver.
• Transmission of message: The information is transmitted over a channel that links the
sender with the receiver. The message may be oral, written or visual.
• Receiver of the message: The receiver has to be ready for the message so that it can be
decoded. Accurate communication can only occur when both the sender and the receiver
attach the same meaning to the message.
• Noise and Feedback: We can never be sure whether or not a message has been effectively
encoded, transmitted, decoded and understood until it is confirmed by feedback.
Internal communication is between different people or groups within the organisation
External communication is when the communication occurs with outside parties – suppliers,
government, customers, suppliers

Role of Communication
Communication is needed:
• To establish and disseminate goals of an organisation
• To develop plans for the achievement
• To organize human and other resources in the most effective and efficient way
• To select, develop and appraise members of the organisation
• To lead, direct and motivate people
• To control performance.
Why is effective communication important?
• Higher staff motivation, labour productivity
• Improve in the number and quality of ideas generated by the staff
• Speeder decision making
• Quicker response to market changes
• Reduced risks of errors
• Effective coordination between departments
METHODS OF COMMUNICATION:
Oral Communication:
Oral communication includes one to one conversations, interviews, appraisal sessions, group
meetings or team briefings
Meetings
Advantages:
 • It allows two way communication and feedback.
• It encourages motivation.
• It is fast and feedback can be received instantly.
• The message can be reinforced with the proper use of body language.
• This communication can be reinforced through body language as well.
Disadvantages:
• Body language of both the sender and receiver may have a negative impact.
• It may be unsuitable for information which is technical in nature.
• Meetings can be time consuming
• Some people might be reluctant to ask questions in a large group of people which means
that there won't be instant feedback in every case which may cause ambiguity.
Telephone/ Mobile phones:
Advantages :
• It allows two way communication and feedback.
• It is fast and feedback can be received instantly.
• Employees can be in contact 24 hours a day , 7 days a week.
• Messages can be send/ received and they will act as a record
Disadvantages:
• There is no record of what was said
• The body language of the people involved cannot be seen
• There is no guarantee that the person on the other end of the phone is actually listening
and paying attention to what is being said
Written Communication:
It includes letters, memos, reports, notices.
Letters: -they are used when applying for a job, requesting for something, informing employees
of any impending redundancies etc
Advantages:

• Provides records and references. The receiver can re-read

• Message can be carefully drafted and directed to large audience through mass mailing
• It promotes uniformity in policy and procedures.
Disadvantages
• It may create mountains of papers.
• May be poorly expressed by ineffective writers.
• It may long time to receive and properly understood.
• Information can be misinterpreted
Reports: -formal means of communication, they are used in schools colleges to give information
about the progress of the student. Some are issued by companies i.e annual reports. Some are
used when a managers wants a stubborn employee to narrate his or her case
Advantages
• Reports can be very detailed and can include diagrams to illustrate some information
• Provides a permanent record of information
• Information is provided in a logical way
Disadvantages
• Some information might not be read if the report is too long
• Information can be misinterpreted
Notice boards: It can be used for a planned social event or meeting. It also includes posters
Advantages

• The information is available to many people at the same time

• It is cheaper to use
Disadvantages

• There is no guarantee that the intended recipients will see the information
• The reactions of people to the information will be unknown
• The information cannot be targeted at a specific group of people
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION:
Emails: -it’s a quick means of communicating both internally and externally
Advantages
• A fast way of communicating regardless of where in the world the sender and recipient
• Supporting documents can be attached so that a lot of information can be transmitted
quickly
Disadvantage

• May provide no immediate feedback. Some open their emails after a long time
• Information overload where too many emails are send.
• It may long time to receive and properly understood.
• Does not allow body language to help convey the message.
• Can lead to cyber related crimes
• The illiterate cannot use the internet
Websites: -many businesses convey information about their activities on a business website. The
business can display mission, products offered, jobs, prices on the website.
Advantages
• A lot of information can be made available on a website
 • If the website is very professional and sophisticated the business can project a good
image
• A website is a relatively low-cost form of communication for businesses once the site has
been established
• It allows businesses to make contact with people who they are not yet in formal contact
with
Disadvantages
• The information made available on a website is accessible to everyone who visits the site.
Thus competitors can have information which can be used to their advantage
• There is the potential for malicious individuals to gain access to the website and to add
harmful information or comments
Social media: -social media include face-book, twitter. Many people invite people to follow them
on social media so that up-to-date information can be given out about business activity
Advantages

• Faster communication with people outside the business

• Immediate reaction from people can be obtained through responses posted on social
media
• Such interaction between the business and its customers might allow the business to be
more responsive to the needs of its customers
• Very cost effective.
Disadvantages
• There is a danger that information might be released through social media that was not
intended for public knowledge
• The target market of the business might not be in the section of the population that
habitually uses social media
• Someone within the business will have to allocate time to manage the face-book or
twitter communications
SUMMARY OF ELECTRONIC OMMUNICATION:
Electronic Communication
Video Conferencing: a video-conference can be held between two or more people in a variety of
locations
Advantages
• Saves time because do not need to travel to meetings
• The costs involved in travelling to meetings are saved
• People working in different parts of the world can hold regular meetings in this way.
• The cost of equipment is small compared to the costs saved
 • It allows for some eye contact to be made and for body language and tone of voice to be
observed
Disadvantages

• It is difficult to judge the body language of those participating

• Any time lag can disrupt the fluency of the discussion
• High Installation costs
• It can be difficult to assess who wants to have an input if the group is large
• Physical sampling of products of new products such as new chocolate bar or a new blend
of tea is not possible
Visual Communication
Visual communication usually includes diagrams, pictures, charts and pictorial representation of
the message.
Advantages

• Easy to understand and retain the information.

• May be more interesting than simple written communication.
• Receivers of poor communication skills can benefit from it.
• Supports other forms of communication hence makes it easy to communicate the message
without any barrier.
• Simple way of presenting complex information eg through graphs, charts.
Disadvantages

• It is not always clear and the may be misinterpreted by the receiver

• Can be time consuming and costly to construct these diagrams.
• This method has to used in support of another method of communication as using it alone
will not transmit the information effectively.
One-way or two-way communication
• One way communication doesn’t allow for feedback
• Doesn’t give the receiver a chance to question the sender
• No assurance for the sender that the message has been received, understood
• Whereas, Two way communication allows feedback
• Gives a chance for the receiver to contribute
• More motivating
• Used for democratic leadership
• Time consuming
Flow of communication In an organization, communication flows in various directions:
• Downward communication: Downward communication flows from people at higher level
to those at lower levels in the organization hierarchy. This kind of communication exists
especially in organizations with an authoritarian leadership style. Examples of written
downwards communication are memo, letters, handbooks, policy statements and
procedures.
• Upward communication: This communication travels from subordinates to superiors and
continues up the organizational hierarchy. This type of communication is found in
participative and democratic organizational environments. Typical means of upward
communication are suggestion systems, complaints, counselling sessions, group
meetings, morale questionnaires and the exit interview
• Crosswise communication: It includes the horizontal flow of information between people
on the same or similar organisational levels and diagonal flow between persons at
different levels who have no direct reporting relationships. This kind of communication is
used to speed information flow, to improve understanding and to coordinate efforts for
the achievement of organisational objectives. It may include oral communication ranging
from informal meetings , or more formal conferences and board meetings. Written forms
include company newspapers or magazine and bulletin boards.
One-way communication occurs when information is transmitted from a sender to a receiver
without any feedback or response from the receiver. In this type of communication, the sender is
the sole source of information, and the receiver acts as a passive recipient. Unlike interactive
forms of communication where there is a continuous exchange of ideas and feedback between
participants, one-way communication does not involve any response or feedback from the
receiver. The sender shares information or a message with the receiver, but there is no
expectation of active engagement. In business, one-way communication is often used for various
purposes such as sharing company announcements, delivering instructions, or broadcasting
promotional messages. It allows businesses to efficiently convey information to a large audience,
maintain consistent messaging, and establish their authority in the communication process.
PROBLEMS WITH ONE WAY COMMUNICATION:

• One of the primary limitations of one-way communication is the absence of immediate

feedback from the receiver. Without feedback, the sender cannot know whether the
message has been understood, accepted, or even received by the intended audience. The
sender does not have the opportunity to assess the effectiveness of their communication
and make any required adjustments or clarifications.
• One-way communication restricts active participation and engagement from the receiver.
As the sender maintains control over the communication process, the receiver’s role is
reduced to that of a passive recipient. This limited engagement can prevent the
development of a deeper understanding or the opportunity to explore different
perspectives. The absence of interaction and dialogue can result in decreased interest and
a lack of motivation to fully process the information.
• One-way communication often lacks the richness of context and non-verbal cues that are
essential for effective communication. In face-to-face or interactive communication, non-
verbal cues such as body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice play a significant
role in conveying meaning and understanding. One-way communication, such as written
messages or recorded videos, may not adequately capture these contextual which will
potentially leading to incomplete interpretation of the message.

Two-way communication: refers to the successful exchange of information between people,

including some kind of feedback. Thus information can travel vertically both upwards and
downwards and in both directions between people on the same level of the hierarchy. Two-way
communication can improve the co-ordination and co-operation between departments or
divisions within a business it opens room for more audience participation and helps the
organization learn to be more democratic which leads to better motivated workforce. Also, this
communication is open to feedback hence any confusion, issue or query can be solved quickly.
However, this communication is slower and takes more time

Horizontal communication: communication between two employees at the same level of a

hierarchy
ADVANTAGES OF HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION:
• Coordination: Organizational activities are divided into various departments or groups.
Horizontal communication facilities coordination of various departmental activities so
that organization can reach its ultimate goal.
• Reducing Misunderstanding: Misunderstanding and conflict among the mangers and
staffs are very common in organizational life. Horizontal communication helps to reduce
possible misunderstanding and conflict though meeting, discussion, face to face
conversation etc.
• Strengthening group efforts: Group efforts and teamwork are essential prerequisites for
organizational success. Horizontal communication helps in reducing conflicts,
controversies, and differences in opinions and thus establishes consensus among the
 managers and workers concerned. This consensus strengthens group efforts and team
spirit in the organization.
• Performing interdepartmental communication: Horizontal communication occurs
between people at the same level in various departments. Therefore interdepartmental
communication occurs smoothly.
• Gaining benefits of informal communication: Though horizontal communication is
formal in nature, it enjoys some degree of informality in exchanging information as the
senders and the receivers hold same position, status and honor.
• Distortion-free communication: Horizontal communication is usually free form
distortion. Since the sender and the receiver of horizontal communication can exchange
information directly, there is no possibility of distortion of message.
• Bringing dynamism in workplace: Horizontal communication helps to overcome
misunderstanding and confects among the managers. It creates an environment of
cooperation, teamwork and team spirit. This brings dynamism in performing
organizational activities
DISADVANTAGES OF HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION:
• Rivaling attitude: Horizontal communication occurs between the people at the same
rank and position. If there exists any hostility or rivalry between them, they will not
exchange information spontaneously. Moreover, they will conceal their information
intentionally to deprive someone from the real news.
• Interdepartmental conflict: The success of horizontal communication depends on good
relationship between sender and receiver. If there is any conflict, distrust or suspicion
between them, horizontal communication will be ineffective.
• Discouraging attitude of top management: In some cases, top managers discourage
horizontal communication thinking that workers may become friendly with one another
and may create threat for the management.
• Ignoring vertical communication: More concentration on horizontal communication
may work as substitute of upward and downward communication. In that case upward
and downward communications are ignored.

Vertical communication: refers to communication between different levels of a hierarchy.

Manager and subordinate
Advantages:
• Conveying message of subordinate: Through upward direction of vertical
communication system, the upper-level management covey their suggestions, complains
and recommendations to the subordinates.
• Maintains good labor-management relations: There is a systematic flow of
information under his communication system, so a good relationship can be developed
between superiors and subordinates.
• Maintains organizational discipline: There is a chain of command in vertical
communication system. So, a sense of discipline may be developed among the
employees.
• Explaining policies and plan: Through vertical communication system, upper-level
management can send the policies and procedures to the subordinates.
 • Effective decision making: Superiors needed various information to take decision
making in the organization. With the help of vertical communications, superiors collect
information from subordinates.
• Help in decentralizations: Duties and responsibilities can be delegated among
departments thorough vertical communication.
• Avoid by-passing: Under this communication system superior and subordinates
exchange message directly. So there is no chance to by-passing.
• Maintains chain of command: proper chain of commands is easily maintained through
vertical communication system.
• Assigning jobs and evaluating performance: Vertical communication facilitates job
assignment and job evaluation of the employees.
• Increase efficiency: Necessary instructions are sent to subordinates and they perform
their duties and responsibilities accordingly that is help to increase efficiency both
superior and subordinate.
Disadvantages of Vertical Communication
• Delay process: Vertical communication system is a delay process. It maintains long
chain of command in large organization to exchange information.
• Disturbing discipline: In this communication, if the boss’s role of direction is seen by
doubtful eyes by the subordinates, the chain of command and discipline may be broken.
• Efficiency reduces: downward direction of vertical communication is commanding in
nature. So, there is no opportunity of the workers to become efficient.
• Loss or Distortion of information: Information may be fabricated by the employees to
maintain lengthy channel. So, through his communication information may lose its
originality.
• Reduces relationships: By this communication system relationship between superior
and sub-ordinate may be reduced due to inability and inefficiency.
• Slowness system: Vertical communication is the slowest communication method
because it requires passing through the various levels of an organization. For this, it may
become ineffective.
• Negligence of superiors: In this communication, superiors can neglect to send messages
to their subordinates.
Communication networks
a)Wheel Network: one person is controlling information and contact between the different
participants. i.e the chief executive office communicating with different branch managers.
Twoway communication between the chief executive and one branch manager can occur.
Communication is dominated by one person. There is low creativity

b)Circle Network: information is not freely exchanged between the members of the circle. Each
person within the circle maintains contact with two others. There is greater motivation and high
morale , there is two-way communication. Slow decision making due to lack of co-ordination

c)Y-network: combines the wheel and chain network. There one person who control information
d)Chain Network: the chain network follows the hierarchical structure within an organisation.
The communication can be one-way or two-way depending on the culture in the organisation.
The leader is full control of the information which is passed down the hierarchy.

e) Integrated / Connected Network: it is referred to as an all-chain network. Information is

allowed to pass freely between all those involved. There is no set pattern or channels for
communication. It provide best solutions to complex problems. Morale is very high due to
participative approach in decision making. One problem is that it may be difficult for all the
people to agree on one thing.

Barriers to Effective Communication:

Barriers to effective communication mean the reasons for a breakdown in communication. It
refers to anything that prevents the receiving and understanding of information. These
breakdowns may be for arising due to:
Failure in one of the stages of the communication process
• Inappropriate medium
• Receiver forgot a part of the long message
• Misleading or incomplete message
 • Excessive use of technical language, jargon
• Too much information
• Long communication channel
Problem with the sender:
• The sender may use to technical language or may use ‘jargons’ which are difficult to
understand.
• The sender may speak too quickly which makes it difficult to interpret what he is saying.
• The sender initiates a wrong message.
• The message send by the sender may be too long and due to this the main point to be
emphasized may get lost.
• The sender may have a wrong opinion or perception of the receiver and may not put
effort to put across the message in an effective way.
Problem with the medium:
• The message may be lost while transmitting.
• Using an inappropriate medium may result in the less effective communication.
• A longer channel of communication will result in distortion of the message and it may
lose its original meaning.
• There is lots of physical disturbances in channel of communication used.
Problem with the receiver:
• The receiver might not be paying attention and thus the message may lose its impact.
• In many cases, the sender might not be trusted by the receiver and may not act in the
intended way.
• The receiver may not have the necessary skills to understand the message.
Physical reasons
• Noisy factories
• Geographical distance
Steps to overcoming barriers to communication
1. Message is clear and precise
2. Short communication channel
3. Clear channels of communication
4. Build in feedback to the communication process
Sender:
• Message should be as brief as possible and to the point.
• Main points of the message should be highlighted.
• Language used should be understood by the receiver.
• Avoid using technical jargons.
• Use of appropriate facial expression while delivering verbal messages.
Medium:
• Select appropriate channel for communication.
• Medium used should be free from distortions such as telephone failure etc.
• Use the shortest possible channel in order to avoid distortion.
Receiver
 • Feedback should be asked from the receiver.
• Trust between the sender and receiver is an important requirement.
• Receiver should pay attention to the message received.

INFORMAL COMMUNICATION Information is passed or exchanged outside the formal

communication channels. It is the communication among the people of an organisation not on
the basis of formal relationship in the organisational structure but on the basis of informal
relations and understanding. It is also referred to as grapevine which indicates informal means of
circulating information or gossip. Occurs when person A tells B, person B tells C, person C tells
D etc. Informal discussions can occur during lunch time or after work.

Advantages :
• Enable employees to understand instructions from the top management especially when
they are explained by other workers informally.
• Informal system covers the gap or shortcomings of formal communication system
• Improved relationships. Any problem between the workers and the management can be
solved by informal system. Thus it makes good relationships among employees and
management.
• Increases efficiency. Under informal system, the employees discuss their problems
openly and they can solve it. Thus work is done properly
• Problems can be easily and quickly identified. New ideas, suggestions, opinions may
come out through such communication as people can express their feelings without fear,
• Flow of information is fast and is suitable for emergencies
Disadvantages:
• Maintaining secrecy is impossible
• It is very much difficult to control the information
• The original information may be transformed to wrong information (i.e spread rumour)
• Has no documentary evidence. No one can be held responsible as it is not possible to find
out the supplier of wring information in the case of an enquiry
• Can be time wasting
• Can create conflicts between employees

How to select the appropriate media?

There is no ‘best communication method’. The method of communication may be chosen after
considering the following factors:
How much does it costs?
• Electronic media cost a lot and may not be afforded by an organization whereas face to
face discussion does not involve any cost.
How fast should be the communication?
• Oral communication is always faster than written communication. Moreover, with the
advent of electronic media large message can be transmitted over large geographical
areas in the minimum of time.
How much information is to be transmitted?
 • Written communication may be more suitable when dealing with loads of information.
What is the importance of feedback?
• In organizations where employees’ feedback is an integral part of decision making, Oral
communication may be the most important form of communication.
Do you want a permanent record of information?
• Written communication is most suitable form of communication when a permanent
record of the message has to be kept. For example, an employee contract records the
terms of employment.