Communication

The word communication is derived from the Latin word

“Communis” which means common i.e. sharing of

information.
ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
1. Sender: The person who speaks out or sends a written message or
ideas to other person.
2. Receiver: The receiver is the person to whom the message is
communicated.
3. Message of communication: The information order, instruction i.e.
to be communicated that exists in the mind of communicator.
4. Encoding: The communicator organizes his ideas into a series of
symbols such as words, signs, actions, pictures, etc. which will be
communicated to receiver.
ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
5. Decoding: The receiver converts the symbols received from the
sender to give him the meaning of the message.
6. Ideas: It refers to the subject of communication which may include
opinion suggestion, ideas, orders, etc.
7. Channel: These symbols are transmitted to the receiver through
certain media, for e.g.TV, telephone, radio, etc.
8. Feedback: Feedback refers to the reply or response of the receiver.
It is always directed towards sender.
The communication process model
IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION
1. Communication must be for each and every business. A good
business can be done with effective communication only.

2. For maintaining proper co-ordinance in various department of

business, up to date communication system has to be established.

3. Effective communication reduces the gap between management and

employees.
IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION
4. Communication plays an important role in negotiation.

5. Acquiring excellent communication skill is an important

qualification.

6. It is a tool of collecting information.

7. Communication helps in exchanging ideas and information.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

• On the basis of Direction

• On the basis of Expressions

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

On the basis of Direction

1. Downward communication

2. Upward communication

3. Crosswise communication
Downward communication

• Communication is termed as downward if it flows from the uppermost

level of management towards the operating level.

• It includes rules, order, regulations, installations, etc.

• They are directive in nature.

Downward communication
Upward communication

• Communication is termed as upward if it flows from subordinates to

their superior levels such communication includes reaction and
suggestions from employees.

• Upper management needs to know production performance facts,

marketing information, financial data, what lower-level employees are
thinking etc.
Upward communication
Crosswise communication

Includes:

• Horizontal communication : among people on the same or similar

organizational levels

• Diagonal communication : among persons at different levels who

have no direct reporting relationships with one another.
Horizontal communication in the Organization
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

On the basis of Expressions

1. Written communication

2. Oral communication

3. Nonverbal communication
Written communication

• When information is conveyed by writing, typing, painting or any

other mechanical means it is called as written communication.

• Speech comes to us naturally and spontaneously but writing comes

after practice and careful organization of thoughts.
Written communication
Medias of written communication:
1. Letters
2. Pamphlets and leaflets
3. Memorandum, articles, reports
4. Written speech
5. Telegrams
6. Books, periodicals, magazines, etc.
Oral communication

• Oral communication implies communication through mouth.

• generally recommended when the communication matter is of

temporary kind or where a direct interaction is required.

• It is significant so as to build a rapport and trust.

Oral communication
Medias of oral communication
1. Face to face communication
2. Telephonic talk
3. Social gatherings
4. Conferences or meetings
5. Demonstrations
6. Interviews, lectures, etc.
Nonverbal communication
• Nonverbal communication includes facial expressions and body
gestures.

• Nonverbal communication is expected to support the verbal, but it

does not always do so.

• But, nonverbal communication may support or contradict verbal

communication, giving rise to the saying that actions speak louder
than words.
Barriers and Breakdown in
Communication
• Lack of planning – The message has to be well thought of, and the
purpose of the message has to be stated clearly.
• Unclarified assumptions - A customer may send a note stating that
she will visit a vendor’s plant. Then she may assume that the vendor
will meet her at the airport, reserve a hotel room, arrange for
transportation, and set up a full-scale review of the program at the
plant. But the vendor may assume that the customer is coming to
town mainly to attend a wedding and will make just a routine call at
the plant. These unclarified assumptions in both instances may result
in confusion and the loss of goodwill.
• Semantic Distortion - An advertisement that states “We sell for less” is
deliberately ambiguous, begging the question: less than what? Words
may evoke different responses. To some people, the word less may
mean “affordable”, to some it may give an image that the product is
of poor quality. So be careful about the words you choose.
• Poorly Expressed Messages - No matter how clear the idea is in the
mind of the sender of communication, the message may still be
marked by poorly chosen words, omissions, lack of coherence, poor
organization, awkward sentence structure, platitudes, unnecessary
jargon, and a failure to clarify its implications.
• Poor transmission and retention - In a series of transmissions from one
person to the next, the message becomes less and less accurate. Poor
retention of information is another serious problem. Thus, the necessity of
repeating the message and using several channels is rather obvious.
Consequently, companies often use more than one channel to communicate
the same message.
• Poor listening and premature evaluation - A common tendency is to judge
and to approve or disapprove what is being said, rather than trying to
understand the speaker’s frame of reference. Yet, listening without making
hasty judgments can make the whole enterprise more effective and more
efficient. For example, sympathetic listening can result in better labor–
management relations and greater understanding among managers
• Impersonal communication - Effective communication also involves face-to-face
contact in an environment of openness and trust and not only transmission of
messages. Improvement of communication often requires not expensive and
sophisticated (and impersonal) communication media but the willingness of
superiors to engage in face-to-face communication
• Distrust, threat and fear - Distrust, threat, and fear undermine communication. In
a climate containing these forces, any message will be viewed with skepticism.
Distrust can be the result of inconsistent behavior by the superior, or it can be due
to past experiences in which the subordinate was punished for honestly reporting
unfavorable, but true, information to the boss. Similarly, in light of threats,
whether real or imagined, people tend to tighten up, become defensive, and
distort information. What is needed is a climate of trust, which facilitates open and
honest communication
• Insufficient period for adjustment to change - The purpose of communication is to
effect change that may seriously concern employees: shifts in the time, place,
type, and order of work or shifts in group arrangements or skills to be used.
Consequently, for maximum efficiency, it is important not to force change before
people can adjust to its implications.
• Information overload - One might think that more and unrestricted information
flow would help people overcome communication problems but unrestricted flow
may result in too much information. People respond to information overload in
various ways. First, they may disregard certain information. Second, overwhelmed
with too much information, people may make errors in processing it. Third,
people may delay processing information, either permanently or with the
intention of catching up in the future. Fourth, they may filter information.
Guidelines for effective
communication
• Clarify the purpose of the message
• Use intelligible encoding – Encoding and decoding of messages should be
done with symbols that are familiar to both the sender and receiver. It is
better to avoid using technical jargon that can be understood by only
subject matter experts.
• Consult others’ views - For example, a manager may ask a colleague to read
an important memo before it is distributed in the organization.
• Consider others’ needs –
• Use appropriate tone and language and ensure credibility
• Get Feedback
• Consider receiver’s emotions and motivations
• Have good listening skills
Conclusion