Communicating - a vital function of the engineer manager.

Communication - used to serve the information function, motivation function, control function, and
emotive function.
Communication - a process of sharing information through symbols, including words and messages.

FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION
1. Information function - Information provided through communication may be used for decision-making
at various work levels in the organization.
2. Motivation function - Communication is also oftentimes used as a means to motivate employees to
commit themselves to the organization's objectives.
3. Control function - When properly communicated, reports, policies, and plans define roles, clarify
duties, authorities and responsibilities. Effective control is, then, facilitated.
4.Emotive function -When feelings are repressed in the organization, employees are affected by anxiety,
which, in turn, affects performance.

THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

1. Develop an Idea
The most important step in effective communication is developing an idea. It is important that the idea to
be conveyed must be useful or of some value.
2. Encode
The next step is to encode the idea into words, illustrations, figures, or other symbols suitable for
transmission. The method of transmission should be determined in advance so that the idea may be
encoded to conform with the specific requirements of the identified method.
3. Transmit
After encoding, the message is now ready for transmission through the use of an appropriate
communication channel. Among the various channels used include the spoken word, body movements,
the written word, television, telephone, radio, an artist's paint, electronic mail, etc. Proper transmission is
very important so the message sent will reach and hold the attention of the receiver.To achieve this, the
communication channel must be free of barriers, or interference (sometimes referred to as noise).
4. Receive
The next step is the communication process is the actual receiving of the message by the intended
receiver. The requirement is for the receiver to be ready to receive at the precise moment the message
relayed by the sender.
5. Decode
The next step, decoding, means translating the message from the sender into a form that will have
meaning to the recipient. If the receiver knows the language and terminology used in the message,
successful decoding may be achieved.
6. Accept
The next step is for the receiver to accept or reject the message.

• The factors that will affect the acceptance or rejection of a message are as follows:
6.1 The accuracy of the message
6.2 Whether or not the sender has the authority to send the message and/or require action
6.3. The behavioral implications for the receiver.
7. Use
The next step is for the receiver to use the information. If the message provides information of importance
to a relevant activity, then the receiver could store it and retrieve it when required. If the message requires
a certain action to be made, then he may do so, otherwise, he discards it as soon as it is received.
8. Provide Feedback
The last step in the communication process is for the receiver to provide feedback to the sender.
Depending on the perception of the receiver, however, this important step may not be made.

FORMS OF COMMUNICATION
A. Verbal Communication - are those transmitted through hearing or sight. These modes of
transmission categorize verbal communication into two classes: oral and written.
Oral communication - mostly involves hearing the words of the sender, although sometimes,
opportunities are provided for seeing the sender's body movements, facial expression, gestures, and eye
contact.
Written communication - is preferred over oral communication because of time and cost
constraints. When a sender, for instance,cannot personally meet the receiver due to some reason, a
written letter or memo is prepared and sent to the receiver.
B. Nonverbal Communication - is a means of conveying messages through body language, as well as
the use of time, space, touch, clothing, appearance, and aesthetic elements.

THE BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

1. Personal barriers - are hindrances to effective communication arising from a communicator's
characteristics as a person, such as emotions, values, poor listening habits, sex, age, race,
socioeconomic status, religion,education, etc.
2. Physical Barriers - refer to interferences to effective communication occurring in the environment
where the communication is undertaken.
3. Semantic Barriers - may be defined as an "interference with the reception of a message that occurs
when the message is misunderstood even though it is received exactly as transmitted."
Semantics is the study of meaning as expressed in symbols. Words, pictures, or actions are
symbols that suggest certain meanings.
OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
1. Use feedback to facilitate understanding and increase the potential for appropriate action. 2. Repeat
messages in order to provide assurance that they are properly received.
3. Use multiple channels so that the accuracy of the information may be enhanced.
4. Use simplified language that is easily understandable and which eliminates the possibility of people
getting mixed-up with meanings.

TECHNIQUES FOR COMMUNICATING IN ORGANIZATIONS

Types of flows of the message:
A. Downward Communication - refers to message flows from higher levels of authority to lower levels.
Among the purposes of downward communication are:
1. to give instructions
2. to provide information about policies and procedures
3. to give feedback about performance
4. to indoctrinate or motivate
(e.g. letters, meetings, telephones, manuals, handbooks, and newsletters)
Letters - are appropriate when directives are complex and precise actions are required. meetings and the
telephone - When orders are simple but the result depends largely on employee morale, techniques that
provide personal interchange like these are appropriate.
Manuals - are useful sources of information regarding company policy, procedures, and organization.
Handbooks - provide more specific information about the duties and privileges of the individual worker. It
has also the advantage of being available whenever needed.
B. Upward Communication - refers to messages from persons in lower-level positions to persons in
higher positions. The messages sent usually provide information, work progress, problems encountered,
suggestions for improving output, and personal feelings about work and non-work activities.
Formal Grievance Procedures. Grievances are part of a normally operating organization. To effectively
deal with them, organizations provide a system for employees to air their grievances.
Employee Attitude and Opinion Surveys. Finding out what the employees think about the company is
very important.
Suggestion Systems. Suggestions from employees are important sources of cost-saving and production
enhancing ideas. Even if the majority of the suggestions are not feasible, a simple means of
acknowledging them contributes to employee morale.
Open-Door Policy. An open-door policy, even on a limited basis, provides the management with an
opportunity to act on difficulties before they become full-blown problems.
Informal Gripe Sessions. Informal gripe sessions can be used positively if management knows how to
handle them. When employees feel free to talk and they are assured of not being penalized for doing so,
then management will be spared with lots of effort determining the real causes of problems in the
company.
Task Forces. When a specific problem or issue arises, a task force may be created and assigned to deal
with the problem or issue.
Exit Interviews. When employees leave an organization for any reason, it is to the advantage of
management to know the real reason.

C. Horizontal Communication - refers to messages sent to individuals or groups from another of the
same organizational level or position.
The purposes of horizontal communication are:
1. to coordinate activities between departments
2. to persuade others at the same level of organization
3. to pass on information about activities or feelings
(e.g. memos, meetings, telephones, picnics,dinners, and other social affairs)

MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM - is defined by Boone and Kurtz as "an organized method of
providing past, present, and projected information on internal operations and external intelligence for use
in decision-making."

The Purposes of MIS

The MIS was established for various reasons. Wheelen and Hunger enumerate them as follows:
1. To provide a basis for the analysis of early warning signals that can originate both externally and
internally.
2. To automate routine clerical operations like payroll and inventory reports.
3. To assist managers in making routine decisions like scheduling orders, assigning orders to machines,
and reordering supplies.
4. To provide the information necessary for management to make strategic or nonprogrammed decisions.