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COMMUNICATION
Interact Before You Act
CONCEPTS
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Words Mean Different Things to Different People.
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The Initiation of a Message Provides No Assurance It Has Been
Received.
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Communications Often Become Distorted as They Are Transmitted.
DEFINITION
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“Communication is transfer of information from one person to
another, whether or not it elicits confidence. But the information
transferred must be understandable to the receiver.” – G.G. Brown
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“ A tool that makes societies possible and distinguish human from
other societies.”- Schramm
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“The transmission of information, ideas, emotions, skills through the
use of symbols, words, pictures, figures, and graph.” - Berelson and
Steiner
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“Communication is the process of transmitting ideas, information
and attitudes from the source to a receiver for the purpose of
influencing with intent.”- Rogers
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“All those planned or unplanned processes through which one person
influences behaviour of others.” - Kar
FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION
Control
 Motivation
 Emotional Expression
 Information
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THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
What is the nature of communication in organizations?
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Source: encodes an intended meaning into a message
Receiver :decodes the message into a perceived
meaning
Noise :any disturbance that disrupts and interferes with
the transference of messages
DIRECTION OF COMMUNICATION
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UPWARD – Message flows from lower level to upper level
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DOWNWARD – Message flows from higher level to a lower level
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LATERAL - Message flows in the same horizontal level
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
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Oral Communication: Oral communication implies communication
through mouth i.e. face to face communication.
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Written Communication:Written communication involves any type of
interaction that makes use of the written word.
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Nonverbal Communication: Nonverbal communication is usually
understood as the process of communication through sending and
receiving wordless messages between people.
Oral Communication:
Advantages:
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More effective
Speedy and Economical
Immediate feedback
More transparent
Disadvantages:
 Fear of distortion of message
 No permanent records
 Unsuitable for lengthy communication
 Emotional barriers
 Spontaneous response not well thought
Written Communication:
Advantages:
 More precise and explicit
 Permanent records
 Less distortion of message
 Emotional barriers avoided
 Suitable for lengthy communication
Disadvantages:
 Costly
 Need not clear doubts
 Time-consuming
 Feedback is not immediate.
Nonverbal Communication:
Advantages:
 More precise and explicit
 Permanent records
 Less distortion of message
 Emotional barriers avoided
 Suitable for lengthy communication
Disadvantages:
 Costly
 Need not clear doubts
 Time-consuming
 Feedback is not immediate.
Organizational Communication:
Formal Small-Group Networks
 The Grapevine
 Computer- Aided Communication
 Knowledge Management
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Organizational Communication: (cont..)
Formal Small-Group Networks
1.Chain Network – follows formal chain of command.
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2. Wheel Network – follows the central figure
3.All-channel Network – all members communicate with each other.
Organizational Communication: (cont..)
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The Grapevine: The communication stretches throughout the
organization in all directions irrespective of the authority levels. The
grapevine is used to spread information bypassing the formal
communication structure. Just like the grapevine plant: it spreads in
random ways and it goes where it can.
Organizational Communication: (cont..)
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Computer- Aided Communication:
1. E- Mail- Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a
method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or
more recipients. Modern email operates across the internet or
other computer networks.
2.
Instant Messaging- Instant messaging (IM) is a form
of communication over the internet, that offers an instantaneous
transmission of text based messages from sender to receiver.
Organizational Communication: (cont..)
3. Intranet and Extranet Links - An intranet is a private network that
is contained within an enterprise and only people working in that
particular organisation have access. Whereas, Extranet links connect
internal employees with selected suppliers, customers, and strategic
partners.
4. Videoconferencing – It permits employees in a organization o have
meetings with people at different locations. Live video and audio of
members allow them to see, hear, and talk with each other.
Organizational Communication: (cont..)
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Knowledge management – The process of organizing
and distributing an organization's collective wisdom so
that the right information gets to the right people at the
right time.
Communication Barriers:
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Filtering- A sender purposely manipulates information so it will be
seen more favourably by the receiver.
Information Overload- The information inflow exceeds the
processing capacity of the individual.
Selective Perception- The receivers in the communication process
selectively and hear based on their needs, motivation, experience,
background and other personal characteristics.
Emotions – The receiver’s mood at the time of receiving the
message influences the way he interprets the message.
Language- The diverse background of people hinders effective
communication.
Communication Apprehension – Undue tension and anxiety about
oral communication or written communication or both.
Current Issues in Communication
Communication barriers between Men and Women
 Silence as Communication
 Politically Correct Communication
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Cross- Cultural Communication
Cultural Barriers
 Cultural Context
 A Cultural Guide
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