Chapter16_PPT.pptx Principles of Communication

Communication

1. Chapter 16 Communication Principles of Management, 7e 1 P C Tripathi I P N Reddy I Ashish Bajpai

2. 2 Learning Objectives This chapter will enable the reader to: LO-1: Learn the concept of communication besides describing its purpose and importance in managerial functioning. LO-2: Understand the forms of communication and informal communication LO-3: Learn the process, barriers and important principles of communication. LO-4: Recognize the communication channels, types of communication networks and different tests for judging communication effectiveness. LO-5: Be aware of the practice of communication in Indian industries and the concept of cross cultural communication.

3. Communication 3 Communication has been variously defined by a number of writers. According to Newman and Summer it is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons. Allen Louis defines it as the sum of all the things one person does when he wants to create understanding in the minds of another. Simply stated, communication means the process of passing information and understanding from one person to another to reach a common understanding between the two . The classicists ignored the importance of communication, for they believed that a business unit was only a technical and formal structure. However, later as a result of the Hawthorne experiments, it was realized for the first time that every organization structure is a social system involving the interactions of people working at different levels and proper communication among them is necessary for achieving the goals of the organization.

4. Importance of Communication 4 To provide the information and understanding necessary for group effort ( i.e., the skill to work ) To provide the attitudes necessary for motivation, cooperation and job satisfaction ( i.e., the will to work )

5. Formal Communication 5 Formal communication is work related communication flowing through officially prescribed channels . It flow in four directions: downward, upward, laterally between departments and between the organization and the external environment. Downward Communication Communications which flow from superiors to the subordinates are known as downward communications. These communications are the medium through which the superior: Directs the efforts of his subordinates Communicates the rationale for the job Defines the relation of the job with the goals of the organization and of other sub-groups Tells the subordinates what is expected of them, what resources are available, how well they are doing, etc. Administers reward and punishment Continued…

6. Formal Communication 6 Upward Communications These are communications which flow from subordinates to superiors. These communications generally act as a feedback. They enable the management to know how far downward communications have been understood and carried out. They also help the management to know the grievances or suggestions of the subordinates, and how the management is rated by the subordinates. There can be several media of upward communication, such as face-to-face contacts, group meetings, grievance procedure, use of gripe boxes, opinion surveys, letter to the editor of the company’s periodical, called “house organ”, an open-door policy, exit interviews, e-mail, and so on. Many companies, nowadays, create their websites, called “blogs”, which, besides attracting job-seekers, act as a platform for exchanging ideas with employees. Continued…

7. Formal Communication 7 Horizontal Communications These are also known as lateral , interactive, or cross-wise communications . They generally refer to communications among peers, who are working on the same level of the organization. The production foreman and the maintenance foreman communicate directly without going through their managers. In this way, lateral communication avoids the much slower procedure of directing communications through a common superior. Continued…

8. Formal Communication 8 Important purposes of horizontal or interactive communications are as follows: Task coordination The department heads may meet monthly to discuss how each department is contributing to achieve overall goals. Problem solving The members of a department may assemble to discuss how they will handle a threatened budget cut; they may employ brainstorming techniques. Information sharing The members of one department may meet the members of another department to give them some new data. Conflict resolution The members of two departments may meet to discuss any conflict between them. Continued…

9. Formal Communication 9 External Communications These are proactive, consistent and ongoing communications with external agencies, like current and potential customers, government departments, competitors, trade unions, financial institutions, raw material suppliers, etc. These communications aim at building the company’s image and influencing policies and decisions in company’s favor. Continued…

10. Forms of Communication 10 Broadly speaking, there are three forms of communication: ( i ) oral , (ii) written , and (iii) non-verbal . Oral Communication: Here, information is given directly, either face to face or through a telephone or intercom system. Some of the merits of oral communication are: It is a time and money saving device. As there is an element of personal touch, it is comparatively more effective. Doubts can be clarified on the spot and the communication can be understood easily. Important points may be emphasized through body language. The effects of communication can be easily measured. It provides for greater flexibility. Continued…

11. Forms of Communication 11 Oral communication, however, suffers from certain limitations . These are: It is not useful where the parties are very far from each other, even beyond telephonic range. It is not suitable for lengthy communications. There is no permanent record of communication. It is especially affected by previous attitudes of the parties. If the communicator is poor in vocal expression, oral communications are likely to be misunderstood and misinterpreted. Continued…

12. Forms of Communication 12 Written Communication Written communication, which is always in black and white can take the form of a report, statement, circular, note, manual, handbook, letter, memo, standard condensed language or company lingo, etc. Some of the merits of written communication are as follows: It is suitable for lengthy communications . If the parties are far from each other, even beyond telephonic range, written communication is the only way out. It can be kept as a permanent record and at times be referred to as evidence. There are fewer chances of missing out a point. Written communication serves as a solid base for taking action against a subordinate who disobeys it. Continued…

13. Forms of Communication 13 Some of the disadvantages of written communication are as follows: There is a greater chance of the communication being misunderstood. It is very time consuming. There is no scope for face to face discussion. It is difficult to maintain secrecy about the matter communicated. It suffers from a lack of flexibility. Poorly written messages followed by numerous clarifications both written and oral, may lead to a lot of confusion Continued…

14. Forms of Communication 14 Non-verbal Communication Being at one’s desk has a meaning, but being away also has a meaning; this is called non-verbal communication . Three important forms of non-verbal communication are: (a) body language (example facial expression, posture, gestures, etc.), (b) time (example being late or early), and (c) space (example, how close one gets during a conversation or seating arrangements in a committee meeting). Sometimes, the tone of voice (genuine or fake), laughing and yawning and environmental context, called paralanguage, may also become the part of non-verbal communication.

15. Informal Communication 15 One of the functions of informal organization is communication. Known as the “grapevine”, this structure less network of informal communication flourishes in all organizations because communication is a natural human tendency. The grapevine carries two types of information: (a) work-related, and (b) people-related . Employees want to know what is going on in the organization. When they are not kept informed through formal channels, they seek information from the grapevine. Likewise, they are curious about the people they work with. The grapevine carries the type of personal information not generally communicated through formal channels.

16. The Communication Process 16 Whether formal or informal, the basic communication process is still the same. It involves six steps: (1) ideation, (2) encoding, (3) transmission, (4) receiving, (5) decoding, and (6) acting. Communication starts in the mind of the sender ( ideation ). The sender has an idea that he wants to communicate to the receiver. The sender then develops a message to convey the idea ( encoding ). Language skills are important at this point. Some people seem to know just how to phrase message to get their ideas across, while others have a great deal of difficulty in expressing themselves. Once developed, the message is transmitted ( transmission ). Once transmitted, the message is received and the receiver attaches meaning to it ( decoding ). The final step in the communication process is action ( acting ); the receiver acts or responds in some way; this is feedback. Noise has adverse effects on communication

17. Barriers to Communication 17 There is no such thing as perfect communication. There are continuous forces at work—called barriers— which tend to distort communication and promote disorganization. We may summarize these barriers as under: Badly expressed message Overawe Faulty organization Distrust of communicator Restricting communication Poor retention Different backgrounds In-group language Inattention Physical barriers Poor understanding

18. Principles of Effective Communication 18 The management, in order to have effective communication, should keep the following principles of communication in mind: The manager who wants to communicate must be clear in his mind about the objective of his communication. He should know what he wants to communicate. The communication should be in easily understandable language . For this, it is necessary to know and understand the audience. Communication should be adequate and complete in all respects. The medium of communication must be carefully selected . The medium to be selected depends on the subject matter, urgency of communication, situation, etc. There is also a need for the right climate in the organization. There should be a good superior subordinate relationship characterized by openness and trust so that everybody may feel free to communicate and to make suggestions on his own. Continued…

19. Principles of Effective Communication 19 There should be follow-up of communication to know whether or not the receiver has understood the message correctly and to know his reaction feedback is necessary to ensure understanding. This does not occur automatically; it must be encouraged. The communicator should not act in any way which contradicts his message . A communicator is judged not only by what he says, but also by what he does. Every executive should realize that the grapevine is a powerful channel in an organization. Generally, it is better to use the grapevine than to try to fight it. Messages should not be mutually conflicting and should be in line with the overall objectives and policies of the concern. This will avoid chaos and confusion in the organization Continued…

20. Communication Channels and Networks 20 A communication channel is a relatively fixed, regular and continuous communication relationship between two or more individuals. A communication network has many senders and receivers interconnected with many channels. All communication networks possess some basic characteristics which differentiate them from each other. These are as follows: Size of Network Extent of Modification Taking Place in the Message Feedback or Closure Communication Pattern

21. Communication Channels and Networks 21 Sales department Warehouse Production department Quality control department Accounts receivable Report of sales Customer complaints Revision of standards Production orders to replenish stock Instructions for delivery

22. Communication Channels and Networks 22 Circle Wheel or Star Free or Decentralized Circle Chain

23. Performance of Communication Channels and Networks 23 Circle Chain Wheel Speed of performance Slow Fast Very fast Accuracy Poor Good Good Flexibility to change Very fast Slow Slow Emergence to leadership None Marked Very pronounced Morale Very good Poor Very poor

24. Checks on In-Plant Communications 24 Communication occupies a major portion of the manager’s time and attention. Much of this time and effort may be wasted if the communication practices in vogue are either ineffective or are less useful than assumed. For this reason, the manager should check his communication programmes and examine each of the three phases: ( i ) transmission, (ii) media, and (iii) reception. The tests generally used for this purpose are: Morale studies Evaluation of reading ease and interest Communication audits

25. Communication in Indian Industries 25 Managements of these enterprises do not handle downward communications with employees particularly well. Some of the existing problems are as follows: Management dictates to employees too much and listens too little. Too little of what is communicated is understood by the employees. Too little of what is communicated is of concern to the employees. Too much propaganda is communicated. There is too little candour. Communication bears too little relation to the possibility of change.

26. Communication Across Cultures 26 In communication across culture stereotyping and ethnocentrism greatly influence perception. They can be overcome by assimilating with the foreign culture and training in pro-social behaviour .