Chapter one

Communication as a Means of Sharing Ideas

1.1.Introduction

According to the historical study of the word communication, it was originally derived from the Greek
word "communis", which literary means sharing or making something common. This broad meaning
gradually got its specific meaning as communicating means "sharing of ideas". Yet, the word "idea"
itself is a little bit broader in that it refers to ideas stored both in the short-term and long-term memories
of the mind. So, to be more specific, communication can be taken as a means of sharing some pieces of
ideas kept in the short-term memory, which can technically be called Information, and ideas kept in
the long-term memory, technically known as Intelligence or knowledge. Here, it should be clear that
the information wereceive can be changed to knowledge through repeated retrieval.

Moreover, communication is not an aspect of only transferring and receiving ideas, but also giving
response or feedback regarding the message received. This makes the communication process a two-
way cycle as the two parties are equally involved both in sending and receiving message and responses.
Hence, these activities give communication the quality of the means of sharing ideas.

Communication as a Common thing for all Living Things

Communication is not limited to only human beings. This is basically because communication is based
on processing ideas in the information-processing unit of the mind or simply thinking. So, thinking is
something shared among different animals including man. In fact, the level of thinking is something
shared among different animals including man. In fact, the level of thinking between man and other
animals differ as man thinks analytically by examining things from different perspectives while other
animals think instinctively by looking at things plainly from one angle. Thus, it can be said that both
man and other living things can communicate in their own way even if the level of the efficiency of
their communication varies.

Communication as a Continuous Process

Due to two main factors communication appears a continuous process that cannot be stopped at a
predetermined stage or level. The first main reason is that we communicate with the help of the three
levels of consciousness we have:

Consciousness (full feeling and knowledge of what we do)

Sub-consciousness (partial feeling and knowledge of what we do)

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 Unconsciousness (no feeling and knowledge of what we do)

It is only a very limited part of our communication that takes place with our full feeling and knowledge
(consciousness). Most of our communication practices are done sub-consciously and unconsciously.

So, it can be clearly observed that we may not feel and know we are communicating internally and
with ourselves or externally with friends, colleagues, superiors etc., yet we keep ourselves busy in
communicating. The metabolism process of our body, for example, is also the result of the
communication process that continuously takes place among the various parts of the body in order to
change food and minerals into new cells, energy and waste products. The second reason that makes
communication a continuous process is the amount of possible media, especially in the case of non-
verbal communication, that we have. In our body movement, facial expression, posture, clothing, and
even silence there is always communication. We cannot start it at one time and stop it at another. It is
rather beyond our control. Hence, we always communicate uninterruptedly with the help of the various
media we possess.

Communication in Verbal and Non-verbal Forms

There are some people who feel that effective communication is held only through speaking or writing
(technically called verbal communication). This view, however, is wrong in that apart from speaking
there are other means of communication. Even while we speak, we often resort to physical gestures.
We wave our hands, shrug our shoulders, smile and nod to reinforce what we say. Besides, there are
several other means of communication available to us. We use non- linguistic symbols such as traffic
lights, road signs, railway signals to convey information relating to the movement of vehicles and
trains. We also use telegraphic code for quick transmission of messages and secret codes for
communicating defense and other highly confidential information.

Communication and Frame of Reference

One of the points to note in communication is that in every communication situation there are two
parties, a sender and receiver, who interact with in a common frame of reference. Without a common
background, purpose, interest, and verbal and nonverbal media, there can be no effective
communication. An important factor in the communication process is the existence of co-operation
between the sender and the receiver. If we speak to a person who is totally lost in his/her thoughts or
use a language he/she does not understand, no communication will take place. Communication is, in
fact, a social function and each community develops a common medium for the purpose. The medium
may consist of a language or code, a set of symbols that stand for certain ideas, feelings, notations,
things etc. For communication all these codes are valid in their special frames of reference.

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Communication as the Only Means of Satisfying Needs

Communication is used for such purposes as stimulating conversation with friends, participating in a
group discussion that leads to solving a problem, promoting sales etc. However, communication does
not, sometimes, enable us to fulfill what we want and we end up feeling frustrated. Even though we
have been communicating since birth, we are not always as effective as we would be. Effective
communication seems to be a problem to many people; otherwise, there would not be so many books,
articles and workshops telling us how to communicate. One’s success as an employee will depend on
his/her ability to communicate with people and to present his/her own thoughts and ideas to them so
that they will both understand what he/she is driving at and be persuaded. All communication depends
on understanding others and having then understood you. Much of your communication is intended to
influence what people think and feel. To communicate effectively, it is necessary to develop abilities in
speaking, writing, listening, reading, and observing. All these abilities play an integral part in our
contemporary life-style. A person at any given time has a need. This need arises out of physical or
psychological imbalances. Communication starts with satisfying needs and wants. For example, people
need food, air, water, clothing and shelter to survive. Beyond this, they also have a strong desire for
recreation, education and other services. Generally, to be a successful communicator, you must try to
determine the needs of the people to whom you are speaking or wring. You can do this by noticing
which goals seen to motivate them. But remember that the goals may change rapidly.

1.2. General Communication

The word "communication" is derived from the Latin word "Communis", which means making
something common or sharing. It stands for a natural activity of all living things to convey feelings,
opinions, information, and ideas to others through body language, signs, or words (written or
spoken). Generally, different scholars have tried to define the term communication in different ways.
The definition below can be taken as a workable definition as it treats and encompasses all the features
and nature of communication.

Communication is a continuous process through which ideas are shared between/among two or
more parties with common frame of reference in order to satisfy both physiological and
psychological needs.

1.2.1 Meaning of Business Communication

Communication is a two-way process of exchanging thoughts, ideas and feelings between people in a
commonly understandable way. Communication is considered effective when it achieves the desired
responses or when it has an effect on the receiver. Successful business persons and professional

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communicators owe a large part of their success to their ability to minimize potential
misunderstanding and effectively communicate with others. Business communication is a specialized
branch of general communication. It is hardly possible to make a basic difference between the two. The
process and the principles that regulate them are similar. The difference lies in their application to
situations. General Communication is concerned with many roles at large. Business communication is
concerned with business activities, and these business activities are of two types:

1.Internal

2.External

1.Internal business activities include:

• Maintaining and improving the morale of employees

• Giving orders to workers

• Prescribing methods and procedures

• Announcing policies and organizational changes

• Keeping the management informed

Communication inside an organization: Different employees and officials in an organization need to

communicate to each other. This internal communication with its importance is shown in the following
way:
Setting goals and Objectives: - Mostly, the organizations have a variety of formal and informal
objectives to accomplish. These objectives may be financial results, product quality, market
dominance, employee’s satisfaction, or service to customers. So the communication enables all the persons in an
organization to work towards a common purpose.
Making and Implementing decision: - In order to achieve the objective, people in a business
organization collect facts and evaluate alternatives, and they do so by reading, asking questions, talking
or by plain thinking. These thoughts are put into a written form. Once a decision has been made, it has
to be implemented which requires communication.
Appraisal: - Having implemented the decision, management needs to determine whether the desired
outcome is being achieved. Statistics on such factors as cost, sales, market share, productivity and
inventory levels are compiled. This is done through computers, manual papers, memos or reports.
Manufacturing the products: -
Getting an idea for a new product out of someone’s head, pushing it through the production process and
finally getting the product also require communication. Designing the plan regarding product,

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 introducing the workers, purchasing raw material, marketing and distributing the product all require
effective communication.
Interaction between employer & employee: - Employees are informed about policies and decisions
of employers through circulars, reports, notices etc. Employers also get in touch with employees
through application, complaint etc. So, communication plays a vital role in the interaction of employer
and employee.
2.External Business Activities Include:

- Selling and obtaining goods and services

- Reporting to the government and the shareholders on the financialcondition and business operations

- Creating a favorable Climate for conducting business.

1.3. Communication out Side Organization (With External Environment)

Hiring the employees: -

If a company wants to hire someone, it advertises the vacancy receives applications calls the candidates
takes the interview and then offers job to the successful candidates. The whole process requires
communication.
Dealing with customers: -
Sales letters and brochures, advertisements, personal sales calls, and formal proposals are all used to
stimulate the customer’s interest. Communication also plays a part in such customer related functions as
credit checking, billing, and handling complaints andquestions.

Negotiating with suppliers and financiers: -

To obtain necessary supplies and services, companies develop written specification that outlines their
requirement. Similarly, to arrange finance, they negotiate with lenders and fill out loan applications.
Informing the investors: -
Balance sheet, income statement, and ratio analysis are used to inform the investors regarding
performance of business.
Interacting with Govt.: -
Government agencies make certain rules to regulate the economy. These rules are communicated to
organizations through various papers. These organizations try to fulfill, these requirement like filling
taxation form and other documents.
Generally, the main features that make business communication a distinct identity are as follows:

- It deals with various commercial and industrial subjects

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- It is characterized by certain formal elements such as commercial and technical vocabulary, the use of
graphic and audio-visual aids, and conventional formats

- It is impartial and objective as extreme care is taken to convey information accurately andconcisely

- It has comparatively a high concentration of certain complex writing techniques andprocedures.

Significance of Communication

Communication is important to individuals, an organization and a manager.

1.4. Importance of Communication for an individual in organization

• Helps in getting a desired job:

• Help in maintaining social relationships: -

• Helps in getting on the job promotion: -

• Helps in solving other’s problems:

Communication and the Manager

a) Communication is a major part of Managerial Activity

According of Henry Mintzberg (1973) managers have three basic jobs:

✓ to promote interpersonal unity (Interpersonal role);

✓ to collect and convey information (Informational role); and

✓ to make decisions (Decisional role);

Every one of those jobs is carried out through communication. Managers collect relevant information
from conversations, the grapevine, phone calls, memos, reports, database, and the Internet. They
convey information and decisions to other people inside or outside the organization through meetings,
speeches, press releases, videos, memos, letters, and reports. Managers motivate organizational
members in speeches, memos, and conversations at lunch and over coffee, bulletin boarders, and
through "management by walking around." Effective managers are able to use a wide variety of media
and strategies to communicate. They know how to interpret comments from informal channels such as
the company grapevine; they can speak effectively in small groups and in formal presentations; they
write well. Communication, oral, nonverbal, and written, goes to both internal and external audiences.
Internal audiences are other people in the same organization: subordinates, superiors, and peers.
External audiences are people outside the organization: customers, suppliers, unions, stockholders,
potential employees, government agencies, the press, and the general public.

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 a) The manager's role includes: Communication skill is the basis for managerial duties and
responsibilities as managerial skills are:

I) Conceptual skill

II) Interpersonal /human skill

III) Technical skill

So, a manager should be effective in his/her human skill as it is this communication skill that enables
him/her to successfully discharge his/her duties.

In general, communication is very important for the manager as:

• It links the different functions of management through effective and efficient way.

• It links the organization's units horizontally, vertically, and horizontally.

• It links the organization with the external environment.

Importance of Effective Business Communication in an Organization

The main significance of every business communication to a given business organization is to enable
the organization obtain some result; that is, to secure an action by the receiver. The sender expects
the receiver to do something on receiving the message --- write a check, place an order, approve an
action, send some information, etc.

Communication is the lifeblood of an organization. Because organization by definition is a group of

people working together to achieve a common goal, its effectiveness requires a great deal of
interaction. Without communication an organization cannot function. People in organizations exchange
information, ideas, feelings and proposals, make decisions, plans, policies, rules, contractual
agreements which all require effective communication.
Communication is important in our career and personal life. Our jobs, promotions and personal
reputation often depend on the success or failure of our written and oral communications. Especially if
your job requires mainly mental work, your success will be strongly influenced by how effectively you
communicate your knowledge, ideas, proposals, reports etc.
In some jobs, communication skills are the main responsibilities. The following are some instances
where good communication skill is given emphasis.
- Public relations - Customer relation

- Sales - Labor relations - Teaching etc.

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 1.5. Communication in Management and Administration

Communication is part of the three major skills needed by managers

human skills,
conceptual skills,
Technical skills).
All managerial roles and functions require effective communication. Although the degree and amount of
the communication differ among each of the roles, functions, and skills, all of the above require
effective communication skills. The vision, mission, goals, strategies, and philosophies of the
organization need to be effectively communicated with employees, shareholders, customers, the
general public and so on. Researches indicate that members of management spend 60-90 percent of
their working days communicating with others i.e., speaking, writing, reading or listening.
1.6. Progress Questions
True or False
Write true if the statement is correct or false if it is incorrect.
1. Communication is not an aspect of only transferring and receiving ideas, but also giving response or
feedback regarding the message received.
2. All communications are not depending on understanding others and having then understood you.
3. The word "communication" is derived from the English word "Communis",
4. Communication is a one-way process of exchanging thoughts, ideas and feelings between people in a
commonly understandable way.
5. Communication plays a vital role in the interaction of employer and employee.
6, Communication is the lifeblood of an organization.
7, Communication is not important in our career and personal life.
8, All managerial roles and functions require effective communication.
9, Communication is a major part of Managerial Activity.
10, Communication is important only to managers