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KEY CONCEPTS
Communication is the process by which information is transmitted between individuals and/or
organization so that an understanding response results. Communication is an exchange of facts,
ideas, opinions or emotions between two or more persons. Communication is a word of Latin
origin, comunicare ; it means sharing of information and intelligence. The most common
medium of communication is language. There are two types of communication. They are
linguistic (verbal) and nonlinguistic (non verbal). Under Linguistic Communication comes oral
communication and written communication. Under Nonlinguistic Communication we have body
language, symbols, telegraphic codes, audio visual aids, etc.
Definitions:
According to T.S. Matthews- “Communication is something so simple and difficult that
we can never put it in simple words.”
According to Peter Little- “Communication is the process by which information is
transmitted between individual or organization so that understanding response results.”
According to W.H. Newman and C.F. Summer- “Communication is an exchange of facts,
ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons.”
The given definition emphasizes four important points:
1) The process of communication involves the communication of ideas.
2) Ideas should be accurately replicated (reproduced) in the receiver’s mind i.e. getting
exactly the same ideas as were transmitted.
3) The transmitter is assured of the accurate replication of the ideas by the feedback
(receiver’s response).
4) The purpose of all communication is to elicit an action.
Types of
communication
Linguistic
Oral Written
Non-Linguistic
Body
Language
Symbol
Codes
1. ELEMENTS / PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION/ COMMUNICATION CYCLE:
The main components or elements of communication are sender, message, channel, receiver and
response (feedback). The transmission of the sender’s ideas to the receiver and the receiver’s
feedback or reaction to the sender, constitute the communication cycle. The main steps of this
cycle are as follows:
Sender : the information or ideas the sender wants to give the receiver. Encoding To transform a message in a particular language or script Message : The actual message that is sent i.e. the sender’s thought itself is the message. Medium : The medium is through which the sender sends the message. Receiver : The person who receives the message. Decoding : To understand the message in a particular language or script. Understanding: the information the receiver gets. Feedback : the receiver’s response (or non – response) to the message. Brain drain : the possibility of misunderstanding at any step This cycle can be illustrated with the help of the following diagram. BARRIER
There may be many barriers to the understanding of a message, which can occur at different
stages. There are several barriers to the understanding of a message, and, as the figure suggests,
misunderstanding can occur at any stage.
Note: During communication, there has to be at least two parties. There has to be a message to be sent. The medium through which the message is to be sent has to be a common one. In other words, the language has to be common or understood by both parties. The background has to be understandable to both and the interest must also be the same.
SENDER MEDIUM OR RECEIVER
CHANNEL
ENCODING MESSAGE
FEED BACK UNDERSTANDING DECODING
BRAIN DRAIN BRAIN DRAIN BRAIN DRAIN
Physical barriers are environmental factors or external disturbances that obstruct communication. They include such interferences such as poor writing, incorrect typing, illegible photo-copies etc. Physical barriers are mainly due to external noise and distance. Noise: When there is excessive noise such as the blaring of loud speakers, machines in factories, explosions, etc., communication becomes very difficult. In such cases, the message received by the receiver is often misunderstood or misheard. Improper time: If a message is delivered at the wrong time, it may cause mis communication. For example, a phone call at midnight, a personal request for a loan when one is making a last minute dash to avoid being late for office, etc. are all wrongly timed. Distance: A wide distance between the sender and the receiver acts as a barrier to effective communication. Modern telecommunication devices such as telephones, internets, fax machines, etc are devices that have minimized problems in communication arising out of long distances. However, in case of faults and mechanical breakdowns, barriers in communication are created. Semantic Barriers: Any miscommunication caused due to language is called Semantic barrier. These barriers arise when different meanings are attributed to the same word by the sender and receiver. Causes of Semantic barriers: Interpretation of words: Words convey a variety of meanings. If the receiver of a message does not apply the same meaning to a message that the sender intends, there is a barrier to understanding. Bypassed instructions: When the receiver of a message does not attribute the same meaning to a word that the sender does, there is a barrier to communication. For example, ‘to burn the tyres’ means to drive fast to some people. To others, it may mean to physically burn tyres. Denotations and Connotations; Words have two types of meanings: denotation and connotation. The literal meaning of a word is its denotative meaning; for eg., book, desk, chair. Connotative meanings indicate qualitative judgment and personal reactions, for eg., honest, noble, sincere. Some words have a positive meaning and others have a negative meaning. There are, however, some words that have a positive meaning as well as a negative meaning in different contexts. Eg:- cheap, The use of such words often cause misunderstandings. Jargons: It is often found that specialists and technical people use technical language of their respective field. This increases the isolation from others and builds a communication barrier. Different comprehension of Reality: The reality of an object, event or a person is different to different people. Reality is not a fixed concept. It changes from person to person and situation to situation. On account of different concept of reality, to different persons, barriers in communication arise. Abstracting: Abstracting may be defined as the process of focusing attention on some details and omitting others. This leads to a situation where points considered important by some people and considered unimportant by others. People do not make allowances for these differences and start thinking that what they know is all there is to know. We forget that an abstract can never be the whole. While abstracting, one should try t make the abstract as fairly
representative of the whole as possible. We should be mentally prepared to consider what others also have to say. Slanting: Slanting is giving a particular bias or slant to reality. Some aspects are given full weightage while others are completely ignored. To overcome this barrier, one should try to be objective in one’s assessment and try to avoid the mistake of judging the whole by a part. Inferring: Inferring means drawing inferences or conclusions from observations. It is assumed that certain things will happen as a consequence to some actions. This may not be the case. While drawing inferences, one should carefully distinguish between facts and assumptions and make sure that our inferences are based on verifiable facts. Socio-Psychological Barriers Socio-psychological barriers are those barriers that arise from miscommunication due to human factors. They are mostly barriers that occur on account of inter-personal malfunctioning. They arise from human emotions, feelings, values, attitudes and inability to adjust to the environment. Causes of socio-psychological barriers are; Attitudes and Opinions. Emotions Closed Mind Status-consciousness Source of Communication Inattentiveness Faulty Transmission Poor retention Unsolicited Communication. Attitudes and Opinions: Personal opinions and attitudes often act as barriers to effective communication. If information agrees with our opinion, we react to it in a favorable manner. If it does not agree with our own views, we do not react favorably. If a change in the policy is beneficial, all employees agree with the change. If it affects them adversely, they turn against it, no matter how beneficial it is for the company. Emotions: Emotional states of the mind play important roles in effective communication. If a person is in a pre disturbed state of mind, such as worry, anxiety, fear, perplexity, etc, he will not be in a fit condition to communicate properly. When in a state of anger or fear or disturbed state of mind, the sender’s reaction will not be normal, his thinking will be blurred and will not be able to organize his message properly. So, it is important for the communicator to avoid communication while his mind is in a state
Poor Retention: Studies show that employees retain about 50% of the information communicated to them. The rest is lost. As people get older, their retention power reduces. Poor retention may lead to imperfect responses. To avoid this, the habit of noting down important points is advisable. Unsolicited Communication: Unsolicited communication has to face stronger barriers than solicited communication. When a person seeks advice, he usually listens to it attentively and the communication is effective. But, if someone imposes their advice, the receiver may not listen attentively or he may not listen at all. This forms a great barrier in communication.
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Communication is the life-blood of business. No business can develop in the absence of effective internal and external communication. Effective internal communication is considered important for the following reasons; Maintaining and improving the morale of employees Giving orders to subordinates Showing methods and procedures Informing policies and changes Keeping management informed. Effective external communication is necessary for the following; Selling and buying goods and services Reporting to Government and Share holders about financial condition of the Organization Creating favorable climate for conducting business
Internal Communication:-
Effective and smooth communication between the management and the employees help to bring about an atmosphere of mutual trust and confidence. The employees know exactly what is expected of them. The management knows what can be expected from the employees. The management gets better returns and the employees get job satisfaction. The employees also develop a sense of belonging and loyalty to the company. Business has grown in size. Large business houses have a number of branches in the country and abroad. For the healthy growth of the country, it is essential for the different departments
and branches of the company to know of the various activities going on. This calls for efficient communication network. Business activities have become extremely complex in nature. It is an age of specialization. Planning, production, sales, stores, advertising, financing, accounts welfare, etc., are handled by different department. Unless the departments can communicate with each there, there can be no coordination. Awkward situations may arise when different departments work in different ways. It is necessary for the employees to know about the methods and procedures to be followed within the company. It is also necessary for them to know about the changes that occur from time to time. The employees will feel at ease and confident in performing their jobs when they know what they have to do and how it is to be done. External Communication: a. Business organizations have to deal with such agencies as licensing authorities, foreign trade offices, customs authorities, banks and other financial institutions, income and sales-tax offices, post offices, transporters, etc. This requires effective communication. b. Business has become very competitive. To be successful, companies have to communicate with the customers. Sales promotions require persuasion and convincing powers. These are aspects of communication.
2. MEDIA OF COMMUNICATION
Communication is possible through a variety of media. However, for communication to be effective, the communicator has to be very careful and judicious in the choice of media, which again will depend on various factors like the urgency of the message, the time available, the expenditure involved and the intellectual and emotional level of the receivers. All the media available can be broadly classified into five groups: Written communication. Oral communication Visual communication Audio-visual communication Computer-based communication Written Communication : Written communication includes letters, circular, memos, telegrams, reports, minutes, forms and questionnaires, manuals, etc. Everything that has to be written and transmitted in the written form, falls in the area of written communication. Oral Communication : Oral communication includes face-to-face conversation, telephonic conversation, radio broadcasts, interviews, group discussions, meetings, conferences and seminars, announcements over public address systems, speeches, etc.
Merits Demerits
- Accurate -Time consuming
- Precise -Expensive in terms of man-hours.
- Permanent record -Quick clarification not possible.
- Legal document
- Can reach large number of people simultaneously
- Helps to fix responsibility. Oral Communication: Merits and Demerits. Merits Oral communication saves time. When action is required to be taken immediately, it is best to transmit a message orally. It helps to expedite work and reduces loss of time. Oral communication saves money. Oral communication is amore powerful means of persuasion and control. Though oral speech, variations in tone, pitch, intensity etc., the speaker can convey shades of meaning. The speaker can get immediate feedback. It is immediately known whether the message is creating a favorable or unfavorable impression and the message can be molded accordingly. Oral messages give an opportunity for immediate feedback and also receipt of clarifications. Oral communication promotes friendly relationship between the parties communicating with each other. Oral communication is extremely helpful while communicating with groups at assemblies, meetings, etc. Demerits/ Limitations:
Oral communication is not possible if the communicator and the receiver are very far
away from each other and there is no telephone or mechanical device nearby.
Lengthy messages are not suitable for oral transmission for there is a possibility of
something vital being missed.
Oral messages cannot be retained for a long time. Human memory being very short, it
is not possible for people to retain everything heard.
Oral messages do not have any legal validity, unless they are taped or made a part of a
permanent record.
There are great chances of misunderstanding in an oral message. Often the speaker
gives his message without formulating it properly and the receiver misunderstands
what has been conveyed.
Responsibility for mistakes cannot be assigned.
Oral communication Written Communication
Merits Demerits
- Saves time - Not possible for distant people in the absence of mechanical devices. -Saves money - Unsuitable for lengthy messages -More forceful - Messages cannot be retained for long. -Conveys shades of meanings - greater chances of misunderstanding. -Immediate feedback available - Not easy to fix responsibility. -Immediate clarification can be got. -Can be informal. -More effective with groups.
ESSENTIALS OF EFFECTIVE ORAL COMMUNICATION:
To be effective, communication must have the following characteristics; Clear pronunciation: Words should be pronounced clearly and correctly. Many times there is misunderstanding in oral communication because people do not speak clearly. Brevity: People take pleasure in talking so they go on talking. When the speech is too long, the meaning of the message becomes dilute and often leads to distraction. One should be brief and to the point. Precision: Instead of beating about the bush and not speaking to the point, it is better and more effective to be precise about names, times, dates etc. Conviction: The person, who is communicating, must have conviction is what he says. Otherwise he will not be able to convince the receiver. Logical sequence: Jumbled ideas create confusion and misunderstanding. If the idea to be communicated is given a proper thought, the communicator will be able to sort out and arrange the details in a logical manner. Appropriate words: Words have different meanings for different people. It is important Avoid hackneyed phrases: when a speaker is unsure of what is o be said, he uses hackneyed phrases which disrupts the smooth flow of speech and hampers the clear grasping of ideas.
very effective. - Unsuitable for large gatherings
- Very suitable for discussions - Ineffective if the listener is inattentive. Visual Communication: Though visual communication, meaning gestures, printed pictures, posters, slides, films, etc, are very effective in their own ways, they are not enough alone. They can be used to communicate very simple ideas and elementary thought processes. The best way to use visual communication is with the combination with other media. An example of visual aids is the sign of two crossed bones below a human skull – meaning poison or danger and a lighted cigarette with a cross mark on it- meaning ‘no smoking’. Audio-Visual Communication: Audio-visual communications are those that make use of telecasts, short films on the screen, video tapes, etc. This mode of communication is very powerful as it uses a combination of both sight and sound. Generally people just glance at visuals and let it go at that. It is quite likely that they will miss the message entirely. But, when the visuals are accompanied with explanations or narrations, the message is driven home and retained longer. The message also becomes clearer. Audio visual aids are found most suitable for mass publicity, mass propaganda and mass education. Business houses use this technique to educate their workers. Advertisements of appliances are seen on the T.V. It is necessary to make the aids attractive and meaningful. The narration should be clear, precise, lucid and understandable. Level of intellect should also be taken into consideration. Computer-Based Communication: Computer technology has drastically changed the business scenario. It is quickly reducing the barriers of time and space. Today, the system of letter writing has undergone great changes. People with computers at their disposal, simply type out a message on their computers, make alterations if required and pass on the message. The person at the other end opens the mail, reads it and sends a reply immediately, if he wants. The fax, voice email, E-mail, cellular phones, telephones, answering machines and video conferencing are some of the computer-based media of communication. Advantages of computer technology: It is the quickest means of communication. Computers have not only reduced time in preparation of the message, but also in transmission of messages. Sophisticated softwares also allow incorporation of graphics. Revisions and editing is possible. Space and distance is no longer a barrier to communication. Messages can now be sent any time and at any place that is accessible on the network. Video conferencing can reduce personal meetings. There would be no need to take long, inconvenient journeys. All details and files would be available for discussions. Better means of keeping permanent valuable documents. Information collected through years, can now be stored digitally on CD-ROMS, optical discs, tapes and other storage
material. Information is easy to store, retrieve. Reduced in size and easily shared when necessary. World-wide web is a source of material published throughout the world. Reference can easily be made to detailed information. Limitations/ disadvantages: Uncertain legal validity. Since it is easy to tamper with information stored in computers, legal validity has not been given to computer records, as it has been done to written communication. Fear of undesirable leakage: Accidentally, or otherwise, vital and sensitive information sometimes become accessible to operators. This may lead to leakage of information. The virus malady: Many a times, undesirable viruses get into important files and corrupt them. Retrieving correct data then becomes difficult. Silence Just as we communicate through words, signs, body language, etc., we also communicate through silence. Silence may mean a definite negative, a desire not to talk to each other, a desire not to divulge a secret, disapproval, anger, resentment, or lack of interest. It may also be used before or after a speech in order to underline its meaning and give it added importance. For example: The manager enters the room and the employees who have earlier been talking suddenly become silent, it shows respect or may be fear.
OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION
The main purpose of communication in an organization is its development and welfare. Effective communication is needed at all stages. Communication is required for the following objectives; Information Advice Order Suggestion Persuasion Education Warning Raising Morale Motivation. INFORMATION:
Competitive information: Information about the rival companies and their products, their strong and weak points, their past and present performances etc. Sources of Information: Old files : A great deal of information is readily available in old file of an organization. Past performances and history can be easily looked up. Observation : Valuable information especially that of the efficiency of employees can be gathered from personal observation. Mass media of communication : Media like the radio, television. cinema. newspapers, journals, etc., give a lot of information that is useful to an organization. Library: A good library is a storehouse of information Access to research works, publications, old journals, pamphlets, government statistics can easily be gained in libraries. Chambers of Commerce : The membership of such chambers proves to be very useful. Members can keep themselves abreast of all developments that have bearing to the activities. Meetings, seminars and conferences : Large business houses often sponsor national and international seminars and conferences. Experts in various fields often attend the seminars. Participation in such seminars and conferences can prove to be educative and informative. Questionnaires: Information about the popularity of a product and its general reception in the market are often collected through questionnaires. Trade fairs and exhibitions: Big fairs and exhibitions often highlight the latest available data on a particular group of items. Much information can be gathered from these exhibitions. The internet and lap tops are very important sources of information. Personal interviews: Information can also be gathered through personal interviews with prominent people and experts from various fields. ADVICE Giving advice is another objective of communication. Information is factual and objective but advice involves personal opinion. Business activities in today’s scenario have become extremely complex in nature. However competent a businessman may be he cannot have specialized knowledge of all branches like finance, taxation, publicity, engineering, etc. If a business organization is to be run successfully, advice has to be sought quite frequently from experts in the field. The supervisory staff is required to advise the junior staff. They are required to guide, counsel and control their subordinate staff. Advice flows horizontally or downward. Outsourced Expert advice flows horizontally. Work orders generally flow downward from superiors to subordinates. To make advice effective, it should be both man-oriented as well as work-oriented. It should be related to a specific piece of work and should also be given in such a way that it suits the individual needs of the recipient. Advice should not be given to a person to make him feel inferior or self-conscious. The advisor should not speak in a patronizing tone. It should be given only for the betterment of the receiver in the right
tone and manner. The advisor ought to be very friendly in his attitude. The only justified motive of giving advice should be for the betterment of the worker and also to make him feel at ease. If the subordinate staff is given freedom to react, advice can become a two way channel of communication. It may somehow bring about some excellent suggestions for the improvement of the organization‘s functioning. Effective advice is both man-oriented and work-oriented does not make the worker feel inferior is given in the worker’s interest promotes understanding can become a two way channel of communication COUNSELING Counseling is very similar to giving advice. Counseling is objective and impersonal. The counselor is a person of greater skill and knowledge on some specific subject. He offers counsel without personal interest or involvement. Advice is personal. Counseling is almost professional Advice is often unsought and is usually unwelcome. Counsel is eagerly sought. Counseling is carried out by experts and usually means psychological handling. A large number of business houses now have their counseling departments, which offer the employees’ advice on domestic or personal problems as this might adversely affect the working of the organization as well as de-motivate the workers too. The counseling department helps to restore the physical and mental health of the employee and bring them back to normal. Difference between Advice and Counseling: Advice Counseling
- Should be man oriented & work oriented It should be man oriented
- It is personal and friendly Is objective and impersonal
- Is usually unwelcome Is eagerly sought after
- It is usually given by colleague or friend Is given by experts
- It can be a two-way channel It is from expert to seeker.
- It has a personal touch It is professional ORDER
The order should be given in a friendly way so that it is not resented and is not carried out reluctantly. SUGGESTION Suggestion is a very mild and subtle form of communication. It generally flows horizontally or upwards. Usually, it is the subordinate staff or operative who are in touch with the operative work. Therefore they are capable of giving useful and timely suggestions. Advice comes from an expert, orders come from higher authorities but suggestions usually come from subordinates and therefore, its acceptance is very much appreciated and welcome. These days, progressive organizations make provisions for suggestion boxes. Workers are encouraged to drop their suggestions in these boxes. The suggestion boxes are opened at regular intervals and scrutinized. The best suggestions are awarded prizes or recognition. This is a form of pooling many ideas from different brains and hence it should be encouraged. PERSUASION Persuasion is an effort to influence the attitudes, feelings or beliefs of others. It is a very important objective of communication. Sellers often have to persuade a buyer to buy a product that the seller wants to sell, in place of the one that the buyer plans to buy. In offices, the incompetent and disgruntles workers often have to be persuaded to work. When force is applied to command a particular action, there is resentment and anger. Sometimes even suggestions are resented. However, persuasion, if it is done carefully and indirectly, often brings about the desired result. Art of persuasion: Persuasion needs conviction. The persuader must be genuinely convinced about what he is suggesting. Persuasion is to be done through hints and indirect suggestions. It cannot be done by command. If the person is docile, he may be easily convinced. If, on the other hand, he is headstrong, it may be better to try to meet him half way. Concede a few points to him in the beginning. Then, gradually bring him around to the other points. One should bring one’s self down to the level of the other person. Try to look at the issue from his point of view and mould your arguments accordingly. Steps for persuasion: Analyze the situation: This is the first step. The communicator has to analyse the situation in order to understand the reason or advantages and disadvantages of the new course of action. He also has to study the psychology of the person to plan a suitable course of action. Prepare the receiver: It is but natural for people to resent efforts to change their views and behavior. They have to be prepared for it. This can be done by putting them in a pleasant frame of mind, congratulating them on a job well done, remarking on some outstanding achievements, etc. A common meeting ground of ideas may be begun with.
Deliver the message: The message should be delivered stage-by-stage with the help of forceful arguments, beginning with those parts of the arguments which are easy to accept and delaying the unpleasant parts as much as possible. Prompt action. When the three steps mentioned above have been accepted by the receiver, action can easily by prompted. The person can be easily persuaded to adopt the change of action or view. EDUCATION Education is a very conscious process of communication. It involves both teaching and learning. The main purpose of education is to widen knowledge as well as improve skills. The three levels of education are; Education for the management : Knowledge is increasing every day. Managers are require to keep abreast of the latest in their fields in order to be able to compete with other competitors and also to be able to make the best use of available resources. Their education can take place through books, lectures, seminars, case studies, study tours, etc. Junior managers have to be educated to take up higher responsibilities when they are promoted. Education for the employees : Just as managers have to keep abreast of the latest technologies and commerce, the employees also have to be educated to use the new techniques and make the best use of them. Employees can be educated through talks, demonstrations, bulletins, guidelines, etc. Education for the outside public : The outside public needs knowledge on the new products being introduced into the market, the relative merits of the brands already existing, the availability of the substitutes, etc. The useful knowledge can be conveyed through advertisements, specially sponsored features in the newspapers, information talks and articles. WARNING If employees do not abide by the norms of the organization or violate rules and regulations, it may become necessary to warn them. Delay, negligence, defiance, tampering with records, mishandling equipment, lack of regularity and punctuality, gossiping etc., call for a reprimand or warning. Warning is a forceful means of communication. It demands immediate action. While warning, the following points should be kept in mind; Some warnings are general. Eg., “No Smoking”, “No Talking” “Beware of the dog”. They are not aimed at any particular person. They are not likely to hurt anyone’s feelings. Such warnings are usually in the form of a notice. They are actually information. Sometimes, warnings are given to particular persons. They involve disciplinary actions. They are usually reprimands. Before reprimanding someone, it s necessary to ascertain the truth of the charges leveled against him. Reprimands should never be issued because of personal prejudices. They should be as fair and as objective as possible.
