UNIT 1 NATURE OF COMMUNICATION

The term „communication‟ is derived from the Latin word „communis„, which means
common. Therefore, communication is defined as an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions, or
emotions to create mutual understanding. It is the sum of all things one person does in
order to create understanding in the minds of others.
“Communication is an intercourse by words, letters, symbols or messages, and is a way
that one organisation member shares meaning and understanding with another”. – Koontz
and O’ Donnell
The features of communication are as follows:
 Communication is a social process as two or more people are involved in it and they
exchange ideas, information and knowledge.
 Communication is a pervasive function. Communication is required in all functions
of management. It is required in planning for the communication of information.
 Communication is a continuous process. Organisations cannot exist without
communication. It is like the circulation of blood in organisations, as they need to
exchange ideas, facts, information, etc.
 The main aim of communication is to create understanding between sender and
receiver.
 Communication is a two-way process as the sender sends the information and the
receiver receives it. The receiver understands the information and gives feedback.
The importance of communication are as follows:
 Acts as a basis of coordination: An organisation has many departments, divisions,
sub-divisions, etc., and in order to coordinate the activities of all the departments,
communication is essential.
 Helps in smooth working of an enterprise: Communication is the basis of the
existence of an organisation from its birth. Communication is necessary for the
smooth working of an organisation. Any new change in the organisation can also be
introduced easily with the help of communication.
 Acts as a basis of decision making: Communication provides the managers with
information and ideas for sound planning and decision making. It enables a manager
to analyse the problems and gather information for making sound decisions.
 Increases managerial efficiency: For quick and effective performance of managerial
functions, communication is essential. Managers convey goals, instructions, allocate
jobs and responsibilities and evaluate performances with the help of communication.
 Promotes cooperation and industrial peace: Cooperation and industrial peace are
promoted because of communication by developing understanding between superiors
and subordinates. Any misunderstanding or misconception can be easily removed
with communication.
 Establishes effective leadership: Effective communication is needed for guiding,
inspiring and motivating employees in an organisation. Leaders need to communicate
their ideas, thoughts, suggestions, etc., and this can be possible only when there is
an effective communication system in an organisation.
 Boosts morale and provides motivation: Motivation and morale of the employees
largely depend on the effectiveness of the communication system. Communication
helps in keeping the employees informed about plans, policies, procedures, etc., and
with such information, employees get a sense of belongingness.
 Helps in training and development: The degree of learning in a training depends
not only on the contents of the training and development programme but also on how
the knowledge and skills are being transmitted.
 Helps to maintain public relations: An organisation has to deal with both the
internal and external world, which includes customers, investors, trade unions,
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government, etc. Organisations are required to maintain healthy and cordial relations
with everyone.
The process of communication involves the following steps:
1. Sender: The person who conveys his thoughts, message or ideas to the receiver is known
as the sender. He is at the starting point of the communication system and represents the
source of communication.
E.g., In a classroom, a teacher is a sender.
2. Message: The subject matter of communication is termed as messages. It includes ideas,
feelings, suggestions, order, etc., which a sender wants to convey to the receiver.
3. Encoding: The process of converting messages into communication symbols, which may
be understood by the receiver. It includes words, pictures, gestures, symbols, etc. Encoding
translates the internal thought of the sender into a language which can be understandable.
4. Media: The path, channel or medium through which encoded message is transmitted to
the receiver is known as media. It is the carrier of the message. It can be in written form,
face to face, through telephone, letter, internet, etc.
5. Decoding: The process of translating the encoded message into an effective language,
which can be understood by the receiver is known as decoding. In this, the encoded
symbols of the sender are converted.
6. Receiver: The person who receives the message of the sender is known as the receiver.
E.g., Students are receivers in the classroom.
7. Feedback: In order to complete the process of communication, feedback is essential. The
process of reversal of communication in which the receiver expresses his reaction to the
sender of the message is known as feedback. Feedback ensures that the receiver has
received and understood the message.
8. Noise: Any construction or hindrance which hampers the communication process is
known as noise. The hindrance may be caused to the sender, message or receiver. It acts as
a barrier to effective communication and because of this message is interpreted differently
by the receiver. Disturbance in the telephone line, inattentive receiver, faulty decoding, poor
internet connection, improper gestures and postures, etc., are some examples of noise.
The barriers to communication can be broadly classified as:
1. Semantic Barriers
The branch of science that deals with the meaning of words and sentences is known as
Semantic. The problems and obstructions in the process of encoding and decoding message
into words or impressions is known as Semantic barriers. This barrier arises because
different words mean different things to different people. A breakdown in communication
can occur when two individuals attach different meanings to a word. For example, for
organisations, „Profits‟ may mean growth and efficiency, but for employees, it may mean
excess funds generated by paying inadequate wages and benefits.
Some of the common forms of Semantic Barriers are as follows:
 Badly Expressed Message: When a message lacks clarity and precision, it is said to
be a badly expressed message. Communication becomes ineffective when the
language of the message is vague, imprecise, or there is the use of wrong words or
omission of needed words.
 Symbols with Different Meanings: The same words may carry different meanings to
different people, and can convey different meanings under different situations. For
example, words like effect and affect, ideal and idle, advice and advice, bear and
bare, etc., sounds similar, but they have different meanings.
 Faulty Translations: Sometimes, people do not understand the language in which a
message is given by the sender. In such cases, it becomes necessary to translate the
message into a language, which is understandable by the receiver. The translator
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should be proficient enough to translate the language, otherwise, this can also be a
barrier to communication.
 Unclarified Assumptions: The receiver may have different assumptions if the sender
does not clarify the assumptions about the message. For example, a boss may say,
„Complete the work‟. Here, the boss has not mentioned the day and date when the
work has to be completed. He may mean to complete the work by tomorrow, but
subordinates may understand it as a week‟s target.
 Technical Jargon: Technical Jargon or terminology are used by many experts and
specialists to communicate messages. Such jargon is not understood by the common
people, which leads to poor communication.
 Body Language and Gesture Decoding: Non-verbal or gestural communication is
also an effective means of communication. Facial expressions, gestures, body
language, etc., should correspond to the language. The receiver may get confused and
can misunderstand the message if verbal language does not match the body
language.
2. Psychological Barriers
Barriers which arise on the account of emotional and psychological status of the sender
and receiver of the message are known as Psychological Barriers. For example, a person
who is under stress cannot communicate properly.
Some of the common forms of Psychological Barriers are as follows:
 Premature Evaluation: The tendency of forming a judgement before listening to the
entire message is known as premature evaluation. This distorts understanding and
acts as a barrier to effective communication. This can also lead to prejudices against
communication.
 Lack of Attention: Communication can be less effective, and the message can be
misunderstood if proper attention is not given to it. This inattention may arise due to
the preoccupied mind of the receiver. For example, a superior gave instructions to
operate a new software, however, the subordinate was preoccupied with other
personal issues. Such lack of attention makes the communication process one-way
and ineffective.
 Loss by Transmission and Poor Retention: There is loss of or transmission of
inaccurate information when communication passes through various levels or
channels in the organisation. It is more common in the case of oral communication.
Poor retention also acts as a barrier when people are unable to retain the information
for a long time.
 Distrust: Lack of mutual trust between the sender and the receiver also acts as a
barrier to communication. Parties involved in communication cannot understand the
message in an original sense when they do not believe each other.
3. Organisational Barriers
In an organisation, communication has to pass through various levels and channels, hence
it may not reach the same place as it was sent by the sender. Organisation structure, rules
and regulations, authority relationships, etc., act as a barrier to effective communication.
Some of the Organisational Barriers are as follows:
 Organisational Policy: Effectiveness of communication is affected by organisational
policy. The communication process is hampered if the policy is not supportive of the
free flow of communication. For example, in a centralised organisation, free
communication is not encouraged, and communication has to follow through a
proper channel only.
 Rules and Regulations: The process of communication is affected by rigid and
cumbersome rules and regulations. The channels and the subject matter are already
 UNIT 1 NATURE OF COMMUNICATION
prescribed through, which the messages are to be communicated. These prescribed
rules, regulations, and channels are rigid and can act as barriers.
 Status: Psychological distance is created between superior and subordinate because
of status. Such statuses stand in the way of true and accurate communication.
Subordinates are also not allowed to express their feeling freely if the manager is
status conscious.
 Complexity in Organisation Structure: Organisation structure can also act as a
barrier to communication. If there are many managerial levels in an organisational
structure, then communication gets delayed and distorted.
 Organisational Facilities: If facilities like frequent meetings, conferences, suggestion
boxes, complaint boxes, etc., are absent in an organisation, then effective
communication is hampered.
4. Personal Barriers
The effectiveness of communication is influenced by the personal factors of both sender and
the receiver.
Some of the Personal Barriers are as follows:
 Fear of Challenge to Authority: If a superior fears that a particular communication
can hamper his authority, then he may withhold such communication, as he always
wants to maintain a higher position and prestige in the organisation.
 Lack of Confidence of Superior on his Subordinates: When superiors do not have
faith or confidence on the competence of their subordinates, then communication is
said to be hampered. When there is a lack of trust and confidence in subordinates,
the superior may not take advice or suggestions from the subordinates.
 Unwillingness to Communicate: Unwillingness to communicate can be another
reason for ineffective communication. Many times, subordinates do not communicate
with their superiors because they believe that if the information is not correct or
appropriate, it will adversely affect them.
 Lack of Proper Incentives: Subordinates also do not take initiative to communicate,
when there is no motivation or incentives for communication. For example, if there is
no reward for the suggestion given by the subordinates, then they will not take
initiative.
Measures to improve Communication Effectiveness/ Principles of Effective
Communication
 Clarify the ideas before communication: The message should be clear in the mind
of the sender. Messages can be properly conveyed only when it is clear to the
communicator himself. Simple and precise language should be used, which can be
easily understood by the receiver.
 Communicate according to the needs of receiver: Messages should be conveyed
according to the needs receiver. Messages should contain words, jargon, facts, etc.,
according to the understanding and education level of the receiver.
 Consult others before communicating: A plan should be developed involving
everyone before communicating a message. The communication process becomes
more effective when plans are developed with the participation and involvement of
subordinates.
 Be aware of languages, tone and content of message: The words, tone, language or
symbols used for conveying the message must be easily understandable to the
receiver in order to achieve mutual understanding. The sender should not offend the
sentiments of the receiver with the message.
 Convey things of help and value to listeners: The sender should know the needs
and interests of the receiver, and only such things should be conveyed which is
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useful and in the interest of the receiver.
 Ensure proper feedback: As we know that communication is a two-way process, so
it is incomplete if the response or reaction of the receiver is not obtained. The
effectiveness of communication is indicated through feedback. Feedback enables the
communicator to know whether the receiver has properly received the message or
not. So, the receiver must be encouraged to respond to communication.
 Communicate for present as well as future: In order to achieve effective
communication, communication must meet the present and future needs. The
communication should also aim to achieve the goals and objectives of the
organisation.
 Follow-up communications: Follow-up of the message should be done to remove
any hurdles or misunderstandings of the receiver. This is done to check whether the
receiver has understood the message correctly or not.
 Be a good listener: A receiver should be a good listener to achieve effective
communication. He should carefully, patiently and attentively listen to the message
conveyed to him. Superiors also should develop a habit of good and patient listening
and should convey the motive behind a particular message. The entire
communication process can be improved because of this practice.
 Strategic use of Grapevine: A manager should strategically use grapevine
communication along with formal communication to achieve organisational
objectives. He should understand the informal groups and should intelligently make
use of such groups.
 Timeliness: The message should reach the receiver at the right time when it is
needed. The message that does not reach the receiver at the right time may turn out
to be useless.
1. Formal Communication
Formal communication means the communication which travels through the
formally established channels. In other words, communication which travels through the
formal chain of command or lines of hierarchy of authority is called the formal
communication. Under it, information is given through the formally designed channel or
network. It is designed, controlled and regulated by the management.
Advantages of Formal Communication
 It helps in the fixation of responsibility and accountability.
 It helps in maintaining the lines of authority in the organization.
 It helps in maintaining discipline.
 It ensures orderly flow of communication.
Disadvantages of Formal Communication
 It lacks personal contacts and relationship.
 It is time consuming. It takes much time to communicate.
 It creates a bottleneck in the flow of information because almost all information is
channeled through a single executive.
 It obstructs free, smooth and accurate circulation of information in an organization.
Formal communication can be Horizontal, Vertical and Diagonal.
i. Horizontal Communication
When communication takes place between two or more persons of the same level or
position of the same department or other departments of the organization, it is known as
horizontal communication. When the finance manager communicates with the marketing
manager concerning advertising expenditures, the flow of communication is horizontal. The
objective of horizontal communication is to coordinate the efforts of different departments
or persons.
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Advantages of Horizontal Communication
 Coordinating in nature.
 Frequently informal and therefore simpler than vertical communication.
 Reassuring to those in charge of implementing department policy, since it provides
them with the opportunity of checking with each other and comparing notes.
 Expedient in terms of communication time.
Disadvantages of Horizontal Communication
The major disadvantages of horizontal communication are listed as below:
 Department chiefs may remain uninformed about what their division heads are
thinking.
 It can have a disuniting effect by fostering clique i.e. grouping among personal at the
same levels of authority.
 It can distort the purpose of a department policy, and even render it inoperative by
allowing too much discussion about it.
 It may actually increase misunderstanding among division heads by permitting
informal (verbal) alterations of formal communications.
ii. Vertical Communication
The communication in which information is either transmitted from top to the bottom or
from bottom to the top in structural hierarchy is a vertical communication. In this way,
vertical communication may be of two types as:
a) Downward Communication
When messages are transmitted from superiors to subordinates along with the chain of
command, it is said to be downward communication. It refers to the transmission of
information from superior to subordinates. The most common downward communications
are job instruction, official memos, policy statements, procedures, manuals and company
publications.
b) Upward Communication
When messages are transmitted from bottom to top of the organizational hierarchy, it is
said to be upward communication. This provides feedback on the extent of effectiveness of
downward communication. It is also a means of informing the management about the
viewpoints, reactions, feelings and state of employee morale. Widely
used upward communication devices include suggestion boxes, group meetings, report to
supervisors and appeal or grievance procedures. Usually upward communication is utilized
in democratic and participative management. Effective upward communication channels
are important because they provide employees with opportunities to have a say.
Advantages of Vertical Communication
o It is authoritative and official.
o It is binding to all parties involved.
o It is the most legitimate type of communication.
Disadvantages of Vertical Communication
The major disadvantages of vertical communication are listed as below:
o It is formal and informal.
o It is usually slow-moving, since it must be channeled through several levels of
authority.
o It may conceal the true motives behind the formal message it carries.
iii. Diagonal Communication
Diagonal communication cuts across departmental lines. Such communication is in
between people who are neither in the same department nor on the same level of
organizational structure. In other words, it refers to interchange of messages between the
managers and employees who are neither in the same department nor on the same level of
 UNIT 1 NATURE OF COMMUNICATION
organizational structure. Diagonal communication refers to communication between
managers and workers located in different functional divisions. Although both vertical and
horizontal communication continue to be important, these terms no longer adequately
capture communication needs and flows in most modern organizations. The concept of
diagonal communication was introduced to capture the new communication challenges
associated with new organizational forms, such as matrix and project based organizations.
Advantages of Diagonal Communication
 It is the most direct method of communication.
 It is the most selective method of communication.
 It is one of the fastest methods of communication.
 In critical situations, it would seem to be the most essential and logical type of
communication.
Disadvantages of Diagonal Communication
 It can destroy lines of authority and formal chains of command.
 It can leave immediate superiors uninformed of what their subordinates are doing.
 It can lead to conflicting orders so it may lead to further confusion.
 It is usually verbal and thus is untraceable if things go wrong.
2. Informal Communication
Informal communication refers to the communication which takes place on the basis of
informal relations between the members of a group. It is personal communication in nature
and not a positional communication. It does not flow along with the formal lines of
authority or formal chain of command. Even it is not regulated by the formal rules and
procedures. Normally, members of informal group use this form of communication in order
to share their ideas, views, opinions and other information. There is lack of official
instruction for communication. It is not controlled and designed by formal organizational
structure. So, it is not used to communicate formal message.
Advantages of Informal Communication
 It is more flexible.
 It helps to improve decision-making.
 Informal communication is faster in speed than formal communication.
 It works as a powerful and effective tool of communication.
 It may provide feedback to managers on their actions and decisions.
Disadvantages of Informal Communication
 It is difficult to fix responsibility for the information.
 It may cause misunderstanding.
 It carries inaccurate, half-truth or distorted information.
 It is difficult to believe on information.
 It leads to leakage of secret information.
3. Inter-personal Communication
Inter-personal communication is the sharing of information between two or more people
face-to-face through any other direct channel. Since communicating parties get face-to-
face, so it is two-way communication. Very simply, manager or supervisors give direction
and guidance to their subordinates in their presence is the common example of inter-
personal communication. Inter-personal communication can be oral or written.
i) Oral Communication
When message is expressed through the words of mouth or spoken words, it is said to be
oral communication. It may take place either through face-to-face conversation or through
any electronic mode such as telephone, cellular phone, intercom etc. In oral
communication, source of message i.e. sender gives the information through oral means i.e.
by speaking. This means of communication is more reliable because sender can get
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feedback quickly.
Advantages of Oral Communication
 It is quicker and saves in time.
 It establishes a personal touch and leads to better understanding.
 It is economical or less expensive as compared to written communication.
 It is flexible and the messages can be changed to suit the needs and response of the
receiver.
Disadvantages of Oral Communication
 It has the tendency of being distorted.
 It is less reliable.
 It provides no record for future reference.
 It does not provide sufficient time for thinking before conveying the message.
ii. Written Communication
When message is expressed through written words, it is known as written communication.
It may be expressed even through groups, charts, diagrams, pictures with or without
words. In this form of communication, information is shared to the receiver by writing or
drawing. It is the formal means of communication. Normally, information that should be
kept for long time for future reference, are transmitted by means of written communication.
Advantages of Written Communication
 It tends to be complete, clear, precise and correct.
 It tends to reduce misunderstanding, conflicts and disputes.
 It ensures transmission of information in uniform manager, i.e. everyone concerned
has the same information.
 It ensures little risk of unauthorized alternation in the messages.
 It is taken as a legal evidence by the courts.
Disadvantages of Written Communication
 It is time consuming.
 It is expensive.
 It may be interpreted in a different manner by different people.
 It tends to ineffective and unimpressive in case of poor drafting.
 It fails to provide feedback immediately.
4. Non-Verbal Communication
Communication through postures or gestures of body parts is known as the gestural or
non-gestural or non-verbal communication. It is a mode of communication in which
anything other than words may be used to transmit message from one person to another.
In other words, the communication of information by means of facial expression, body
movement, physical contact, gestures, etc. is called non-verbal communication. It is often
used to encourage the subordinates like shaking hands, blinking eyes, smiling, clapping
etc. It is most powerful means of communication. Good managers always use this type of
communication frequently whenever necessary.