UNIT 1
Introduction to Communication
Meaning
The word “Communication” has come from the Latin word “communis”, which suggests common. Thus, communication signifies sharing of ideas in common. The dictionary meaning of communication is to convey or exchange information and share ideas.
It is a process through which two or more persons transmit or exchange thoughts and concepts among themselves. Consistent with W. H. Newman and C. F. Summer, “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons.”
Communication is that the process of transmitting information and understanding from one person to a different or from one unit to other unit with a view to getting the specified response from the receiver. Through this process two or more persons exchange ideas and understanding among themselves to attain the specified effect in the behaviour of another person.
It is a two-way channel for transmitting ideas, feelings, plans, commands, instructions, reports and suggestions that influence the attitude towards an organisation’s objectives. The communicator’s goal is to convey the meanings or ideas without distortion. Success of the leader and therefore the enterprise depends upon adequacy of communication.
It is the responsibility of the managers to determine and maintain the channels whereby they will convey their own thinking and policies to the subordinates, and may receive their reactions and an account of their problems.
Louis A. Allen defines communication within the following manner:
“Communication is that the sum of the entire items one person does when he wants to form understanding in the mind of another. It’s a bridge of meaning. It involves a scientific and continuous process of telling, listening and understanding.”
The definition involves two aspects in communication.
First, there's something which is transmitted, like facts, feelings, ideas, etc. It implies that there must be a receiver if communication is to occur.
Second, the definition emphasizes the understanding element within the communication process. Sharing of understanding would be possible only the person to whom the message is shipped, understands within the same sense during which the sender of message wants him to know .
So, communication involves something quite mere transmission of the message or transmission and physical receipt thereof. The right interpretation and understanding of the message is vital from the purpose of view of organisational efficiency. Effective communication, as such, could be the accurate transmission and receipt thereof, and its correct understanding.
In their book “Business Communication Today” C. L. Bovee, J. V. Thill and B. E. Schwartzman write: “Communication is that the process of sending and receiving messages. However, communication is effective only the message is known and when it stimulates action or encourages the receiver to think in new ways.”
Communication made among persons to convey their personal information, message or thought are personal communication; but exchange of data, facts and concepts concerning business could also be termed as “Business Communication”. Business Communication refers to the communication concerning commercial activity which suggests providing goods and services to the consumers with a view to earning profit
It is a process through which information; facts, ideas, orders, advices, decisions, etc. are conveyed, sent or exchanged between/among the persons related to business. Thus, Communication concerning trade, law, Finance, administration, management, etc. of a commercial enterprise could also be termed as ‘Business Communication’.
The success of a commercial enterprise depends largely upon good communication. Effective communication wipes out the hindrances in achieving the target of a commercial enterprise. Ineffective communication or communication failure may cause loss of cash, time, energy, opportunity and even goodwill of a business.
In this age of globalization every commercial enterprise, big or small, requires proper communication for its existence. The success of any business largely depends upon successful communication.
In this age of speed, complexity and competition, sending of data regarding the product to the ultimate consumer is extremely important. Unless they understand the product of the business enterprise, it's impossible for them to create contact and buy the product. Communication plays an important role in this sphere.
Importance of communication
The main objective of communication is to offer information and to influence different persons. Other objectives include conveying suggestion, opinion, idea, advice, request, etc.; imparting instructions, guidance and counselling; providing training; giving warning; appreciating good work; boosting of morale; etc. within the case of a commercial enterprise the main objective of communication is that the improvement of its activities, all-round development of the organisation, and supreme success in its operation.
1. Giving Information:
The primary object of communication is to make the members of an organisation alert to its goal and acquaint them with all the relevant information. This helps the commercial enterprise to attain success through concerted efforts of all the people concerned. it's a fact that well-informed people can do better.
The managers should know in details the social, political, economic and other conditions of the place where the business is situated. Information regarding the employees, consumers and competitors should be at their fingertips. Employees, likewise, should be well-informed about their positions, powers and responsibilities especially, and therefore the aims and objectives of the organisation generally.
Information regarding demand for a specific product, the taste, liking, etc. of the consumers; availability of raw materials, credit facility, advertising media; latest government rules and regulations, etc. are required for the production and selling of the product.
Information are often obtained from past records, books, journals, newspapers, government publications, seminars, conferences, exhibitions, trade fares, etc. the other sources of information are the chambers of commerce, structured questionnaires, radio, television, internet, etc. Whatever could be the sources, the information must be reliable, accurate, complete and latest.
2. Persuasion:
To persuade means to make people plan to do something, especially by repeatedly asking them or telling them the reasons why they should do it; in other words, influencing people to believe or to do what one wants. this is often one among the important objectives of communication.
The seller often influences the customer through persuasion to buy his/her products rejecting earlier decision to shop for other products. This persuasion should be so planned that the customer becomes least aware of being persuaded and although he/she becomes conscious, he/she should be made to know that it's for his/her own interest. Actually persuasion is an art which should be suggestive in nature instead of coercive.
3. Conveying Suggestion:
Communication helps in conveying suggestions, opinions and concepts . The workers who are literally engaged within the work know better the loopholes in it and may suggest to the managers the ways to plug the loopholes. this is often an example of upward communication. In big offices, suggestion boxes are provided and suggestions are received throughout the year. Sometimes further communication is created with the suggestions for clarification. Interaction of suggestions and ideas help the progress of an organisation.
Suggestions aren't within the nature of order or advice and are, therefore, never obligatory to follow them. Either acceptance or rejection is feasible within the case of a suggestion. Some executives, supervisors or managers who have a false notion of self-dignity, self-respect, higher position, etc. might not accept a suggestion, although it's good one because it comes from lower level. But dynamic executives welcome constructive suggestions within the interest of the organisation.
4. Advice:
One of the objectives of business communication is to advise an individual or a bunch of individuals. The manager advises the subordinates about the ways and means of higher performance. Advice involves personal opinion and it influences the opinion and action of the opposite person(s) to whom advice is being given.
Today’s business world is extremely complex and nobody can be an expert altogether the spheres of business. So, a businessman has got to take advice from experts regarding the matters during which he's not well-informed. for instance , he may need advice regarding banking, insurance, stock market , tax rules, legal procedures, etc. Within the business the managers, supervisors and executives may advise one another (a case of horizontal communication) and therefore the subordinates (downward communication).
5. Motivation:
Communication is created to inspire, to motivate, and to make a sense of loyalty among the workers. Through communication their morale is boosted up and it results in better performance. Regular communication is important for motivating the workers and infusing in them a positive attitude towards work and a healthy relationship with the managers. This, ultimately, increases managerial efficiency.
Motivating someone means inspiring but not forcing him/her to try to to something. A motivated worker is an asset of any organisation. The greater the motivation, the lesser is that the cost of supervision, because a motivated worker never neglects his duties.
Motivating factors include monetary incentives, security of job, job satisfaction, good working environment, participation in decision-making, fixation of target, etc. Money works as a decent motivator. A worker works overtime when he/she is allowed extra wages. Security of job motivates an employee to devote himself/herself wholeheartedly to the work.
If an employee is satisfied with the work , he/she gets pleasure in doing it. Good working environment attracts him/her to work in co-operation with other members. Workers’ participation in decision-making gives them a way of being part and parcel of the organisation. Fixation of production target, sales target, etc. of an organisation helps the workers to figure together to realize the target. Thus, various factors of motivation contribute to attain performance excellence of an organisation.
6. Training:
To meet the necessity of an organisation, senior employees may have to be trained to update them about the new technological developments so on adjust themselves to changing work environment or job demands. The new employees can also require training at the initial stage to cope up with the methods, techniques and systems of labour within the organisation.
Communication is the key to all these sorts of training. Such communication are often made through classroom teaching, lectures, seminars, short courses, conferences, educational tours, film shows, etc. Not only the standard employees, but the managerial staffs also got to be trained within the process stated above.
7. Instruction, Guidance and Counselling:
One of the objectives of business communication is to manage the workers by means of imparting instruction, providing guidance and arranging for counselling. Legal, vocational and medical guidance and counselling are provided free of cost for the workers in a good business organisation. Doctors, lawyers, coaches, etc. are employed for the aim. The underlying objective of such assistance is to stay the employees physically fit and mentally alert so that they'll work whole-heartedly for the well-being of the organization.
8. Giving Warning and Appreciating Good Work:
It is considerably necessary to understand a good worker. It’ll encourage him/her to strive for better performance and greater involvement. It makes the worker conscious about his/her responsibilities. On the opposite hand, it's also necessary to offer warning to the workers who tend to be in disciplined, non-accountable and unproductive or create disturbance. The target of both appreciation and warnings could also be accomplished through oral or written communication.
9. Resource Utilisation:
Communication checks wastage of the resources of the organisation and helps their better utilisation. Lack of data or lack of proper direction in time may cause the waste or misuse. Communication helps to bridge the gap of data through instruction, advice, etc. and waste or misuse of resource is minimized. Not only material resources, but also the financial resources, human resources and other resources are utilized properly through communication.
10. Management Efficiency:
One of the objectives of business communication is to extend efficiency of the management. If there's an honest network of communication (formal and informal), the organisation are often managed efficiently and effectively.
Process of communication
The process of communication can be easily understood from the following flowchart:
The communication process comprises of the following components:
- Sender: Sender is the individual who wants to send the message to the receiver. A sender makes effective use of words, symbols, pictures, graphs etc. available to him to construct the message. The views, background, approach, skills, competencies, and knowledge of the sender determine whether the message is approachable or not.
2. Encoding: Since the subject matter of communication is theoretical and intangible, its further passing requires use of certain symbols such as words, actions or pictures etc. Conversion of subject matter into these symbols is the process of encoding.
3. Message: The message comprises of the information that is to be exchanged between the sender and the receiver. The central idea of the message must be clear and should be easily understood by the receiver.
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4. Channel: The medium of communication should be chosen with respect to the purpose of the message and the ability of the receiver to comprehend it. Hence, the sender must choose an appropriate medium for transmitting the message. The channel can be oral or written, the use of oral medium is preferred when the message is urgent and requires an immediate response, the written medium is preferred when the message is technical and there is a need for it to be documented.
5. Decoding: The person who receives the message or symbol from the communicator tries to convert the same in such a way so that he may extract its meaning to his complete understanding.
6. Receiver: The receiver is the individual to whom the message is addressed. The ability of the receiver to decode the message depends on the knowledge of the receiver, the reliance of the encoder, responsiveness of the receiver to the message.
7. Feedback: After the receiver receives the message he tries to decode it, understand it and tried to provide a proper feedback to the sender, who then tries to interpret the feedback.
8. Noise: It is the hindrance in the process of communication. It can take place at any step in the entire process. It reduces the accuracy of communication e.g. 1) Disturbance in the telephone lines, 2) An inattentive receiver 3) Improper Decoding of Message etc.
Key Takeaways
- “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons.” It is a process through which two or more persons transmit or exchange thoughts and concepts among themselves.
- Communication is the process of transferring information by means of speaking, reading, listening and writing.
- Process of Communication – Sender, Encoding, Message, Channel, Decoding, Receiver, Feedback, Noise
- Feedback is crucial in communication as it allows the sender of the message to know whether his message is received by the receiver and if the message is understood by the receiver in the same manner as it was intended by the sender.
- The need for business communication extends to: Employee communication, Public relations, Internet marketing, Customer communications, Investor relations, Non-profit agencies, Entertainment, sports and travel, Government and military, Education.
- Communication is a continuous two-way process that facilitates the exchange of ideas.
- Communication may be verbal or nonverbal, formal or informal.
- Communication is goal oriented, meaning all communication is carried out with a purpose.
- Effective communication may be a means towards achieving the end, that is, goal accomplishment.
- Communication is effective when sender and receiver develop interdependent understanding of the topic.
- To Exchange Information: The main objective of communication is to exchange information internally and externally means to deal within the organization and outside the organization.
2. To Achieve Goal: The goal of the organization can be obtained through effective organizational communication. Both managers and workers collective efforts are essential for achieving organizational goals. At various levels communication coordinates and synchronizes the efforts of employees to achieve the stated goals of the organization.
3. To Maintain Co-ordination and Co-operation: Communication helps in maintaining co-ordination and co-operation among three levels i.e. corporate level, divisional level and functional level of an Organization. An achievement of organizational goals is impossible without proper and timely coordination.
4. To Plan: Planning decides what is to be done in future. Through communication all the information and data which are required to make a plan for business can be obtained or gathered. The objective of communication is to supply required information to the concerned managers.
5. To Facilitate Direction and Motivation: The job of a manager is to give direction or order to his subordinate to get things done. And managers need to motivate their employees to increase the concentration and productivity. The management must communicate with employees on a regular basis both formally and informally to satisfy non financial needs. Hence, communication helps to facilitate direction and motivation.
6. Communication can provide information regarding past and present. It also helps to anticipate about future. So, Communication increase efficiency of the workers by providing instant information.
7. To Solve Problem: The gap between employees and employer can be removed through communication. Fruitful communication ensures a network in an organization to solve problems. Conflict arises and exists in an Organization. Good communication ensures a network to solve conflict. It also helps in removing the gap between employee and employer.
8. To Create Consciousness: Communication helps both employer and employee to be conscious about their respective roles, duties and activities. As a result, the concerned persons know their responsibility and accountability. Communication supplies necessary information and makes both employer and employee conscious about their duties and responsibilities
9. To Increase Job Satisfaction: Job satisfaction requires better job environment and better job environment is possible if there exists communication chain. Communication increases job satisfaction level of employees. It creates a friendly environment where employees can express themselves. Thus they become more satisfied with their job.
10. To Improve Employer-Employee Relationship: There must be good relationship between employee and employer to achieve the Organizational objectives. And to improve such relationship, there must be effective communication. The objective of communication is to ensure the free and fair flow of information and to create good understanding between them
11. To Manage Human Resources: There must be effective communication To recruit, train-up & motivate human resource properly. Skilled manpower are professional and work for achievement and development.
12. To Attract Customer: Efficient communication helps to attract potential customers with new product and service of an enterprise. So better communication will cause more customers and more customers will cause more profit.
Key takeaways –
- The objective of communication is to attract customers, exchange information, improve employee and employer relationship, manage human resources, increase job satisfaction, create plan.
According to Sir John Harvey-Jones, “Communication is the single most essential skill. Effective communication is the need of the day.” In recent times communication has become all more essential due to the following reasons:
- Growth in the size of the business organization: As the business organizations are growing tremendously, an efficient system of communication is required . Thousands of people work in the organization. An employee cannot do anything constructive unless they know what is to be done, when the task is to be accomplished, and who else is involved.
2. Advance Technology: Leading to obsolescence of old technology, day by day rapid changes are taking place in science and technology. Thus proper communication helps in upgrading technology between the superior and subordinate in an organization is a must.
3. Tough Competition in the Market: Globalization and liberalization have resulted in cut throat competition. Thus to survive such competition, persuasive communication in form of advertisement, publicity, personal contacts are essential.
4. Growing Specialization: Division of work paved way for specialists to work in different department’s sound communication is thus essential for ensuring mutual cooperation and understanding between different departments. Communication helps in maintaining co-ordination and co-operation among three levels i.e. corporate level, divisional level and functional level of an Organization.
5. Trade Union Movement: trade union movement is on its growth. On various matters management now has to consult trade unions. Only by effective communication a strong and meaningful relation between management and trade union is possible.
6. Human Relation: Employee’s participation in management helps to develop among them a sense of loyalty and belongingness towards the organization. Thus effective communication between management and employee is necessary to develop mutual trust and confidence.
7. Public Relations: Public relations help an organization to improve its image in society as the organization has a social responsibility especially towards the customers.
Key takeaways –
- Need for communication is due to growth in business, advance technology, growing specialization, human relations, public relation.
Some of the barriers that block communication are listed below:
- Linguistic Barriers– The linguistic ability of both the sender and receiver define their ability to effectively communicate. Especially when technical communication is concerned, the free flow of communication requires both parties to be sufficiently acquainted with the information that is being exchanged. For example, if two people from different backgrounds converse with the technical terminology of their own fields they are bound to misunderstand each other.
2. Psychological Barriers- The psychological state of the receiver plays a significant role when processing information. Factors such as personal issues, worries and stress might affect the receiver’s ability to decode information as they might be preoccupied with their own concerns.
Anger on the sender’s end is also an example of a psychological barrier, while angry one tends to convey thoughts one doesn’t mean only to regret later. Shyness, anxiety and depression may also act as barriers.
3. Interpersonal Barriers-There are six ways in which people can distance themselves from one another:
- Withdrawal - is an absence of interpersonal contact.
- Pastimes - Pastimes fill up time with others in social but superficial activities.
4. Physical Barriers- Physical barriers such as noise, physical distance between the speaker and receiver, conditions of the topography, poor lighting, speech impediment, hearing disability also affect effective communication.
5. Perceptual Barriers- The difference in how individuals perceive things also play a role in communication. People often find themselves unable to accept messages that go against their upbringing and values. Here even though the communication is effective, the feedback suffers. A similar situation might be perceived differently by different individuals and therefore might create disagreement.
6. Cultural Barriers- Different cultures possess different norms of social interactions and communication. Something deemed appropriate in one culture might not be the same in another. Body language and gestures play a vital role in non-verbal communication which might suffer due to cultural differences.
7. Inattention- One of the most common barriers towards effective communication is inattention, the receiver might simply be uninterested or might be daydreaming while the message is being conveyed to him.
8. Organizational Barriers- Organisational policies should be clear to avoid misinterpretations. Expressly stated policies are better understood than implicit policies. As implicit policies are subject to interpretation of behaviour of top managers, people may be subjective in interpretation. Different people can draw different meaning of behavioural gestures which obstructs the effective flow of communication. Strict rules and regulations make observance to these rules also rigid. People lose creativity in transmitting messages. Choice of channels, medium and dimension of communication can be against the willingness of people and, thus, stand in the way of effective communication. Too many levels in the organisational hierarchy can delay processing of information. Information can be filtered, particularly in case of upward communication as negative information is generally not transmitted.
Essential of effective communication
When your communication is clear, you're ready to convey your thoughts more precisely. you'll even be ready to get the work done and in case of job interviews, you'll even be ready to land your dream job. As for every sort of learning, business communication also has some principles which make your communication simpler . These are referred to as 7 C’s of communication.
7 C’s of communication
Just imagine if you're performing at an area and everybody in the place doesn't have proper communication skills and as a result, most are following their own thoughts. Will that working place be effective? No, it'll not be effective; it'll be a giant mess. that's why is vital to learn the 7 C’s of communication. Here are those:
- Concise
- Clear
- Correct
- Concrete
- Complete
- Courteous
- Coherent
1. Concise
Being concise means having the ability to convey your messages in shortest possible words. But this doesn’t mean that you provide the knowledge less but articulating in such a possible way that you get to spread the message across everyone which too in fewer words.
It is a necessity for business communication as this C doesn't involve the vague words and this the message is clearly sent to everyone. due to conciseness, you save time also as you save plenty of costs.
As this C excludes the needless and excessive words it makes the most idea or the message more understandable. For audience also this type is more convenient and appealing.
2. Clear
Clear or clarity is extremely important in business communication. Through this, you're ready to emphasize a selected message or a goal at that point .during a business communication, you can't achieve an excessive amount of in one go. That’s why you need to clear about your ideas.
Because of clarity, the understanding of ideas becomes easier. Because the clarity is achieved for ideas and thoughts, the meaning of the words is enhanced. The message becomes more appropriate and exact.
3. Correct
The understanding of your audience is directly proportional to the correctness of your ideas. Because correct communication of thoughts and concepts is additionally an error-free sort of communication. There are some ways to realize this correctness in your sentences.
One is thru a technical understanding of your thoughts and concepts . Further, the names and titles that you simply have mentioned should be correct. due to correctness the arrogance level of yours also as your audience increases. it's more impact.
4. Concrete
Concreteness refers to the thought of being clear and particular. It avoids the essential fuzziness and general in your ideas and thoughts. Concreteness also adds to your confidence level.
Concreteness is supported by figures and facts thus it gives your ideas a lift .because it involves clear words only, it helps in increasing your reputation. There are little to none chances that your message is misinterpreted.
5. Complete
A message or a thought is complete when the audience has everything that they need to be told. Also, this provides an authority to them to move to call of action.
The complete communication generally involves the decision to action, which helps the readers understand what you would like to imply to them. It also includes all the facts and figures within the sentences.
Due to complete communication, the reputation is enhanced for a corporation .a complete communication also involves additional information whenever or wherever it's required. Thus, it leaves no room for doubt within the mind of the readers and audiences. It also helps in persuading the audience.
6. Courteous
Courtesy is that the respect that we show to others and in business communication also it means the same thing. you should show reference to your reader by having courteous communication. The individual while sending the message should be polite, sincere, enthusiastic, and reflective.
Being courteous means you have taken into consideration the feeling receiver also as your own. It also shows that you are positive and your focus is on the audience. Courteous messages aren't at all biased.
7. Coherent
The messages that you simply send should be logical and that is why coherent communication is vital. The message involves certain ideas and thoughts and thus once they are coherent than only they're ready to convey the main idea of the message. All the points that you have mentioned should be relevant to the subject and connected.
Key takeaways
- Semantic barriers are some of the most critical obstacles that limit effective communication. When technical communication is concerned, the free flow of communication requires both parties to be sufficiently acquainted with the information that is being exchanged.
- Factors such as personal issues, worries and stress might affect the receiver’s ability to decode information as they might be preoccupied with their own concerns.
- Interpersonal berries include: Withdrawal, pastimes, working, games, closeness.
- Physical barriers such as noise, physical distance between the speaker and receiver, conditions of the topography, poor lighting, speech impediment, hearing disability affect effective communication.
- Cultural barriers include barriers due to cultural differences of eating habits, speaking, manners and etiquettes etc.
- Choice of channels, medium and dimension of communication can be against the willingness of people and, thus, stand in the way of effective communication.
- Essential for effective communication are Concise, Clear, Correct, Concrete, Complete, Courteous, Coherent
References-
- Lesikar, R.V. & Flatley, M.E.; Basic Business Communication Skills for Empowering the
Internet Generation, Tata McGraw Hill Publishing Company Ltd. New Delhi. - Bovee, and Thill, Business Communication Today, Pearson Education
- Shirley Taylor, Communication for Business, Pearson Education
- Locker and Kaczmarek, Business Communication: Building Critical Skills, TMH
- Chhabra T.N, Effective Business Communication, Sun India Publications
