DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATION :_____________________________________________________

Communication is a process by which information is exchanged between individuals

through a common system of symbols, or Behaviour.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines Communication as the imparting, conveying or
exchange of ideas, knowledge, information etc. Communication theory means the study
and statement of the principles and methods by which information is conveyed.
Communication has been defined by Brown as a process of transmitting ideas or thoughts
from one person to another for the purpose of creating understanding in the thinking of the
person receiving the message
Hence, Communication is the process of meaningful interaction among human beings. More
specifically it is the process by which meanings are perceived and understandings are
reached among human beings.
Process of Communication
Process of Communication starts in-understanding as to how
the communication takes place.
The essential for communication is the Cooperation between
two parties One Active or at the giving end and Other Passive or at
the receiving end.
The sender selects appropriate symbols to suit the situation
and realizes the meaning through speech or writing. At the receiving
end, the symbols over identified and identification obviously imply
recognition and realization of meaning through the interpretive
process.
Both the process may be summarized as follows:-

Communication is thus a network of interrelations and

naturally changing their roles.
Another aspect of communication is the development of a
Code, consisting of arbitrarily evolved symbols and the
determination of the appropriateness of their use in given
situations, leading to the emergence of diverse communication
patterns, a number of factors come into stay. Some of these are
tangible (e.g. physical setting) and others intangible such as
intellectual emotional and psychological. The communication,
therefore insist require a true perspective of not only the present
requirements of the situation that also its relationship with the past
and its impact on the future.

PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION

Figure 1: Components of communication

It would be observed that the entire event takes place within
common frame of reference, also called communication
Environment. The SOU
RSE refers to the point of origin of a message which is encoded
by the SENDER and transmitted through the CHENNEL to the
RECEIVER. The receipt of the message exercises an impact in
communication environment leading to some RESULT. The
Observance of the RESULT by the SENDER is called FEEDBACK. The
MESSAGE sent is not the same as the MESSAGE RECEIVED. For this a
number of factors which may collectively term as NOISE are
responsible. It is also to be noted, that all the messages do not
produce the intended result. Thus, the success of communication is
measured in terms of not only the effective transmission of the
message but also the achievement of the intended result. The
process of initiation and reaction on the part of the sender and
receiver respectively. The choice of Channel is determined by sociophysical factors.

1. SENDER
A Sender is one who initiates the Communication and is sometimes
known as the ENCODER . Encoding is the process of selecting and
formulating information to be conveyed. The sender should mentally
visualize the communication from the receivers point of view. For
example, if the sender must convey both good news and bad news,
it is often better to relate the good news first. If he must convey
both a simple and complex message, it is best to start with the
simple One. This order of priority impress the chances of effective
communication. If the message is being delivered verbally the
sender should also look and listen for clues that can help provide
additional information.
2. MESSAGE

The message is the information being transmitted. This

includes both verbal and non-verbal data. Verbal information is the
part of the message that is heard.
Non-verbal information entails such things as body language
and the surrounding environment. For example, if a Manager calls in
a subordinate and says you did an excellent job in closing that sale
to that company. This comment would be generally be interpreted
as one of praise, However, if the Manager continues to look at some
reports on the table while he speaks, it may be interpreted as simply
an obligatory statement. If the Manager stands up, walks around the
desk, and shakes the subordinates hand while delivering the
message, it is more likely to be interpreted as high praise. The nonverbal part of the message often expands what is being said by
providing additional meaning. It has to be born in mind, however,
that interpretation can alter the intended meaning of a message. For
example, you might remind a co-worker about a deadline with the
intention of being helpful, but your colleague could (for a number of
different reasons) interpret the message as an indication that you
were annoyed or mistrustful.
3 CHANNELS
The channel is the means used to convey the message. To
physically transmit your message you select a communication
channel and a medium. A communication channel could be nonverbal, spoken or written. The medium could be telephone,
computer, Fax, letter, Memo, Report, Face to face etc. Sometimes
oral communication is superior to written communication, at other
times a Witten message is preferable.
Here are some examples:1. When immediate Feedback is necessary oral communication
channel are more effective.
2. If there is a reasonable chance that the other party will not
understand the message, verbal channels are preferred choice.
3. If the receiver is likely to be reluctant to comply with the
message, verbal channels are usually more effective.
4. If there is a need to document the communication, written
channel is the best choice.
5. If the message should have detailed accuracy, written channels
are the best.
6. If the message must be delivered to more than a handful of
people, written channels are often more effective.
In many cases, both oral and written channels should be used, for
one supplements the other. For example, it is common to find
message giving their subordinates assignments over phone and
then saying I will follow this up with a Witten Memo to confirm our
conversation. This provides the receiver an opportunity to review
the assignment and if the written message is not in accord with the
oral one, it is necessary to contact the superior and seek further

clarification. When choosing a specific channel or medium, it is

important to be aware of the internal communication network within
which the message is conveyed. As mentioned, information flows in
four ways through the internal communication network, DOWNWARD
(Superior to Subordinate), UPWARD (Subordinate to superior)
LATERAL or HORIZONTAL (between employees at the same
hierarchical level) and INFORMAL, also known as the grapevine) .
DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION
Information flows from Superior to Subordinate. There are five
basic purpose of this type of communication.
1. To give job instruction
2. To bring about understanding of the work and its relationship to
other organizational
tasks
3. To provide information about procedures and practices.
4. To provide subordinates the feedback on their performances and
5. To install a sense of mission in the workers.
One of the problems with both downward and upward
communication is that there is often loss and distortion of
information. Every time in the communication chain opens up a
changes for error. So, by the time a message makes it all the way up
or down a chain, it may bear little resemblance to the original idea.
UPWARD COMMUNCATION
Upward communication networks provide subordinates a
means for conveying information to their superiors. This type of
communication is extremely effective for gaining feedback and
learning about problems and blocks that are affecting efficiency.
Upward communication is also an external source of information on
employees attitudes and perception. Unfortunately, research
reveals that while most Managers report that they encourage
upward communication, subordinates disagree. They feel that their
superiors are not as open and willing to receive feedback as they
claim to be.
LATERAL COMMUNICATION
Lateral communication channels are used to convey
information between individuals and units on the same hierarchical
level. These channels are employed for such purposes as:1. Co-ordination of tasks
2. Sharing of information
3. Problem solving and
4. Conflict resolution
These forms of communication, because they occur among
employees of similar authority, tend to be persuasive and suggestive
in nature rather than directive or authoritative.
INFORMAL COMMUNICATION

Employees form informal communication channels or networks

in an effort to circumvent or complement formal channels. Informal
channels are often collectively referred to as the Grapevine.
Research shows that 75 to 90 percent of business information that
travels through the Grapevine is accurate.
Attempts to quash the grapevine generally have the opposite
effect. Informal communication increases when official channel are
closed or when the organization faces periods of change, excitement
or anxiety. Instead of trying to eliminate the grapevine,
sophisticated companies minimize its importance by making certain
that the official word gets out. Many successful Managers tap into
Grapevine themselves to avoid being isolated from what is really
happening. They practice MBWA (Management by working Around)
to make contact with their employees
5. RECEIVERS
The receiver is the individual to whom the message is directed.
The extent to which this person comprehends the message will
depend on a number of factors including :1. How much the individual knows about the topic?
2. His or Her receptivity to the message
3. The relationship and trust that exists between Sender and
receiver and
4. The receivers understands and perception of the information
conveyed.
Perception refers to an individuals view of reality. It is the result of
many factors including
- Past experiences
- Attitude towards the message and the sender
- Mental abilities such as intelligence and communication skills
such as speaking and listening.
It is important to realize that a persons perception is not always
accurate. For example, the top staff may think that they always
inform their subordinate in Advance about change, but only about
half of their subordinates may agree that their bosses communicate
in advance about change. On groups perception of its
communication style can thus be radically different from anothers
and this perception will influence the way the group both sends and
receives message. For example, if personnel at one level were to
begin asking question about future changes, their superiors might
shrug them off with explanation Oh, you do not need any more
information. You have already been fully informed about the change.

FEEDBACK
Feedback is the receivers response to a message, it can take a
number of verbal and non-verbal forms. In verbal form, some of the

most common responses are designed to obtain more information or

to provide closer by letting the sender know that the message has
been received and will be acted upon accordingly. Here are some
examples for getting more information:- Could you tell me more about how this reorganization will
affect my department?
- Your idea sounds good, but how will it keep increase work
productivity.
- You said there were four steps in your new promotion plan, but
I noted only three. Can you briefly review the fourth step for
me.
Examples for Providing Closure:- I understand and you can count on my support.
- I will get started on this right way and a have the report on
your desk by the next Friday.
- Thanks for bringing me up-to-date on the programmers
progress.
As is evident from the above example, Feedback also reveals
attitude, perception and comprehension or lack of it. In non-verbal
form, some of the most common examples for Feedback are nodding
Ones head, shrugging, grimacing, smiling, winking, rolling Ones
eye and looking away from the other person.
PURPOSE & IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION :___________________________________________________
Effective communication helps to establish good interpersonal relationships as a team
member, a key ingredient of success at work. The ability to clearly relate the thoughts,
feelings and capabilities certainly serves to further the goals. Developing effective
communication skills helps to express the desires and meet the needs, to relate to others and
build relationships, and to empathize and share intimacy.
Effective communication is the foundation of organization success. Clear communication
helps to develop interpersonal understanding and enhances a persons ability to understand
and solve complicated problems, work teams in particular, rely on their members to
communicate effectively.
Oral communication has long been our main method for communicating with one another.
It is estimated that 75 percent of a persons day is spent communicating in some way. As a
student, 69% of their communication time is spent on speaking and listening, 17% of their
communication time on reading and 14% in writing. Not only we spend considerable time
communicating, communication skills also are essential to personal, academic and
professional success.
Without effective communication there can be little or no performance management. Also it
will be difficult to understand or manage the expectations and to coordinate the efforts if
work teams have poor communications. And it is not a matter of surprise to find Poor

Communication as the root cause of a large number of organizational problems. Effective

communication is an essential ingredient of organizational effectiveness. In fact,
organizational effectiveness and efficiency at the inter-personal, inter-group, intra-group,
organizational or external levels very depends on the quality and quantity of organizational
communication.
Effective communication skills are essential for success in every facet of life. The ability to
communicate ideas and feelings in a clear and effective manner is an essential ingredient in
every healthy relationship whether with family, friends or business associates. In todays
world of work, communication skills are a MUST for everyone
Importance of Effective Business Communication :1. Effective communication is an essential ingredient in Management-Employee4
relations.
2. Effective communication is the only one of its own kind through which human
relations have developed.
3. Communication is a tool of supervision. The communication of information, ideas
and decisions is a basic necessity for Management. Through communication, leaders
inspire and motivate others.
4. Communication is a tool of Information. The Manager motivates, guides and
organizes people to do their own work. His or Her tool--- to do this is the spoken or
written word or the language of the numbers.
5. Good communication is essential to co-ordination. For the sharing of knowledge
and information and for the subject needs of good moral and mutual understanding,
Communication is necessary Upward, Downward and Sideways through all the
levels of Authority and Advice for transmission, interpretation and adoption of
policies.
6. Development of Information and Understanding. Communication helps to develop
information and understanding which are necessary for group effort.
7. Releasing the emotional tension of workers; Communication discourages the spread
of mis-information, rumors and gossip and releases the emotional tension of
workers.
8. Encouraging ideas and suggestion. Communication encourages ideas and
suggestions from subordinates for an improvement in the product and work
conditions for a reduction in time or cost involved and avoidance of the wastage of
raw material.
9. Free exchange of ideas and information. Communication ensures such free exchange
of information and ideas as well as assists all the employees in understanding and
accepting the reasonableness of the status and authority of everyone in the
organization.

10. Maintaining good human relations. Communication is a means of bringing about

maximum at the lowest expenditure by maintaining good human relations in the
organization.This can be ensured by encouraging suggestion and implementing
them whenever feasible.
11. Basic tool of Motivation and morale. Communication is a basic tool, for motivation
and an increase in the morale of the employees. Many conflicts arising out of a
misunderstanding of intentions or points of view can be resolved to a great extent by
communication skills on the part of Management.
PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION :_______________________________
Communication is the process of passing a message or information from its source to the
recipient (s) in such a way that it can be understood, in order to prompt the desired
response.
Stage 1 :- Conceiving the Message :Some messages are the product of internal reasoning ; some are an emotional process; some
are the result of an external stimulus.
Stage 2 :- Encoding the Message :Encode to appropriate language. This can be :
i). The Spoken word
ii). The written word
111) Numbers
iv). Pictures, drawings or symbols
v). Non-verbal communicationexpression, gesture, posture
State 3 : Selecting the communication Media :Some major factors influencing the choice of communication media are :i). Its potential effectiveness
ii). The need for tact
iii). The simultaneous reception of information by recipients
iv). The need for a written record
v). Confidentiality
vi). The need of instant feedback
vii). The complexity of message
viii).Time
ix). Cost
Stage 4 :- Decoding the Message :-

The receiver needs to understand the language and the medium- i.e. can he or she read a
graph ? Can he or she understand legal Jargon etc.? Is it too subtle or does it appear
condescending ?
Stage 5:- Interpreting the Message :Some messages have apparent meaning and underlying meaning. Does the receiver
understand ? If not, either the sender or receiver may be at fault.
Stage 6:- Providing Feedback :Feedback reassures the sender that the message has been :i). Received
ii). Understood
iii).Correctly interpreted and that
iv). The Receiver is ready for the next part.

Components of Communication
According to the basic process of communication, the components of communication are
follow :--- SENDERa person, group or organization that has a message to share with another
person or group of persons.
---MESSAGE- an idea or experience that a sender wants to communicate verbally and/or
non-verbally.
---- ENCODING-- converting the message into groups of symbols that represent the idea or
concepts that will be communicated.
---MEDIUM OF TRANSMISSION --- A means of carrying an encoded message from the
source to the receiver.
-- DECODING-- The process by which the receiver interprets the symbols (coded
message) sent by the source by converting them into concepts and ideas.
--- NOISE--- interference that affects any or all stages of the communication process.
--- FEEDBACKthe receivers response to the senders message that is directed back to the
original source ( sender) who becomes a receiver.
--CHANNEL CAPACITY--- a limitation imposed by the least efficient part of the
communication process which restricts the volume of information that the communication
channel can handle effectively.
At each level communication barriers may occur. Let us review how the communication
process works

COMMUNICATION is the process of passing information and understanding from one

person to another. The communication process involves six basic elements. SENDER
( Encoder), MESSAGE, CHANNEL, RECEIVER ( Decoder), NOISE and FEEDBACK.
Managers can improve communication skills by becoming aware of these elements and how
they contribute to successful communication. Communication can break down at any one of
these elements.
The SENDER initiates the communication process. When the sender has decided on a
meaning, he or she ENCODES a message and selects a CHANNEL for transmitting the
message to the receiver. The MESSAGE is the information that the sender wants to
transmit. The medium is the means of communication, such as print, mass, electrical and
digital. As a sender, the supervisor should define the purpose of the message, construct each
message with the receiver in mind, select the best medium, time each transmission
thoughtfully, and seek feedback. Words can be verbalwritten and spoken. Words are used
to create pictures and stories (scenarios) are used to create involvement.
Written communication should be used when the situation is formal, official or long term,
or when the situation affects several people in related way. Inter-Office memos are used for
recording informal inquiries or replies. Letters are formal in tone and addressed to an
individual. They are used for official than a letter. They are used to convey information,
analyses and recommendations. Written communications to groups include bulletin-board
notices, posters, exhibits, displays and audio and visual aids.
Communication and the need to exchange information are no longer constrained by place
and time. E-mail, voice mail and facsimile have facilitated communication and the sharing
of knowledge. E-mail is the computer transmission and storage of written messages. Voice
Mail is the transmission and storage of digitized spoken messages. Fax is the transmission of
documents.
Verbal or spoken communication includes informal staff meetings, planned conferences and
mass meetings. Voice and delivery are important. Informal talks are suitable for day-to-day
liaison, directions, exchange or information, progress reviews and the maintenance of
effective inter-personal relations. Planned appointments are appropriate for regular
appraisal review and recurring joint work sessions. Planning for an appointment includes
preparing, bringing adequate information and limiting interruptions. Telephone calls are
used for quick heck-ups and for imparting or receiving information.
Teams using information technology have access to information, share knowledge and
construct documents . Meeting take place electronically from multiple locations, saving the
organizations resources in both the expenses of physically bringing people from different
locations together and the time lost by employees traveling. TELE-CONFERENCING is
simultaneous group verbal exchanges. Video-conferencing is group verbal visual exchanges.
MODELS OF COMMUNICATION ;-------------------------------------------There is always a sender and a receiver in communication. At least there is an intended
receiver.

The sender and the receiver have different personal realities. They each have their own
world formed by their experiences, their perceptions, their ideas etc. They will perceive,
experience and interpret things differently. The same sent will always be perceived a little
different by each of two people.
The Sender will have some kind of meaning she or he wishes to convey to the receiver. It
might not be conscious knowledge, it might be a sub-conscious wish for communication.
What is desired to be communicated would be some kind of idea, perception, feeling or
datum. It will be a part of her or his reality that she or he wishes to send to somebody else.
Something will be transmitted across a distance in the shared space. We can regard it as an
object, a particle or as a wave or flow. It might be sound vibrations, rays of light, words ,
pieces of paper, cannon balls body language, telepathy or whatever.
Between humans there will be several layers of the message being sent. There will often be
a verbal portion, something that is being expressed in language, spoken or written. And
there a also non-verbal portion, conveying everything else, most notably body language.
Sometimes the verbal and non-verbal messages do not agree with each other, they are
incongruent. If they do agree we say that they are congruent.
If the sender says a word like for example TRUST She or he has a certain meaning
attached to it in his or her reality. When the receiver hears the word or sentence she or he
will interpret it based on her or his experiences, perceptions and opinions. He or she might
supplement the verbal information with non-verbal information such as body language.
To have effective communication one needs to take all the factors into consideration. The
different realities, the space the communication takes place in, verbal as well as non-verbal
messages, the intended meaning versus the perceived meaning.
PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION ;------------------------------------------------A Principle is a generally accepted Rule of Action. Communication plays a large role in
organizations. It is used to improve productivity, to enhance job satisfaction, to develop
mature union relation, to create a receptive climate for innovation, to establish a mutuality
of understanding between managers and their employees and community neighbours and
improve the organization climate.
In order to achieve these vital communication goals, the managers should be aware of
certain principles governing communication. Especially in their task of opinion change and
attitude change, managers will find the principles of persuasion very useful.

Some Principles of Persuation :-

The following principles of persuasion are found very useful in enhancing effectiveness of
communication.
1. Principle of Drawing Conclusions:
There will probably be more opinion change in the direction you want if you
specifically state your conclusion than if you let the audience draw their own.
2. Principles of Use of Fear:Sometimes emotional appeals are more influential, sometimes factual. It all depends
on the kind of message and kind of audience. A strong threat is generally less
effective than mild threat in inducing the desired opinion change.
3. Principles of Credibility of Communicator :There will be more opinion change in the desired direction if the
communicator has high credibility than if he or she has low
credibility. Communication should be crediblebelievable, plausible.
4. Principle of Effect of Known Motives :Suspicion of the motives of the communicator may not work against
Desired opinion change.
5. Principles of Personal Involvement :Audience participation helps to overcome their resistance to change.
6. Principles of Two-way Communication:Communication to be effective and purposeful should have
Information flow in both directions, downward as well as upward.
7. Principles of Influence of Groups:A persons opinions and attitudes are strongly influenced by the groups to which he
or she belongs and wants to belong. The person
Is rewarded for confirming to the standards of the group and punished
for deviating from them.
8. Principle of Efficacy and Effectiveness :Managerial communication should be highly efficacious and effective
So as to achieve organizational objectives successfully.
9. Principle of Up-rightness and Honesty of Purpose in Communication:It ensures effective co-ordination and co-operation in organizational
Activities leading to smooth working.
10. Principle of Completeness :It emphasizes the need to cover full details leaving no gray areas, and
Also to check for the five W questions who, what, where, when and
Why.
11. Principle of Candidness: It emphasizes that communication should be
Unprejudicial, free from dissimulation.
12. Principle of Conciseness:- It emphasize the need to include just

Necessary and sufficient messages. To achieve conciseness, avoid

Un-necessary details and concentrate only on relevant facts.
13. Principle of Coherence:- It emphasizes that the message should be
Perperly organized . Coherence and consistency mark successful
Communication.
14. Principle of Consideration:- It implies respect for the receivers point
Of view. For considerate communication, emphasize positive pleasant
Facts and show integrity and sincerity in the message.
15. Principle of Courtesy:- Courtesy begets courtesy so the message
Should be couched in polite words. Avoid irritating and offensive
Expression. Also apologize sincerely for any omissions and thank
Profusely for any favours.
16. Principle of Correctness:- It emphasizes the need to give correct
Facts, at an appropriate time (correct time) and in a suitable style.
17. Principle of Chronology:- Communication should be according to
Sequence of time and priority.
18.Principle of Continuous Communication:- For having prolonged
Effect, it is always better to communicate information bit by bit,
Continued over a period of time, instead of giving everything all
at once.
19. Principle of Preciseness and Clarity in Communication:It emphasizes on both clarity of thought and clarity of expression.
Sender should transmit the message in such a manner that it is
Clearly understood with all its preciseness by the receiver. Clarity of
thought comes from a careful consideration of the objective,
content and medium of communication. For Clarity of expression,
simple words, which are easy to understand and avoid vagueness,
avoid jargon and avoid indirect or impersonal expression.

THE IMPORTANT C s FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION;__________________________________________________________

Communication to be effective and purposeful, must include the
following important : C . Communication should be :-

1. Correct, i.e. correct facts, appropriate time and suitable style

2. Clear i.e. conveying clarity of thought and clarity of expression
3. Candid i.e. unprejudicial, free from dissimulation

4. Complete i.e. full details no gray areas

5. Concise i.e. just necessary and sufficient
6. Consistent i.e. with organizational objectives
7. Coherent i.e. well organized
8. Courteous i.e. couched in polite words
9. Credible i.e. believable, plausible
10. Chronological i.e. according to sequence of time and priority
11. Considerate i.e. you attitude
12. Continuous i.e. never ending of listening
13. Compassing i.e. communication net just right to serve organizational needs.
ETHICS IN BUSINESS COMMUNICATION ;---------------------------------------------------------Each of us has a personal code of ethics, or rules of conduct, that might go beyond legal
rules to tell us how to act when the law is silent. When composing a business proposal,
drafting a sales letter, writing any HR policy or recruiting a candidate for a job, we make
conscious decisions regarding what information to include and what information to exclude
from our messages. For the information that is included we make conscious decisions about
how to phrase the language, how much to emphasize each point, and how to organize the
message. Such decisions have legal and moral dimensionboth for you as the writer and for
the organization.

DEFAMATION :--------------------Oral defamation is slander. Written defamation is libel. Any false and malicious statement
that is communicated to others and that injures a persons good name or reputation may
constitute defamation. Defamation in a temporary form such as in oral communication is
called Slander, defamation in a permanent form such as in writing or videotape is called
libel. The three major conditions for defamation are that the statement be false, be
communicated to others and be harmful to a persons good name or reputation. Thus telling
someone to his face that he or she is a liar and a crook does not constitute
defamation(slander) unless a third person bears the remarks. In addition, truth is generally
an acceptable defense to a charge of defamation.
INVASION OF PRIVACY
----------------------------------

Any unreasonable intrusion into the private life of another person or denial of a persons
right to be left along may constitute an invasion of privacy. Thus, using someones name or
photograph in a sales promotion without that persons permission may be an invasion of
privacy.
Various laws protect the individuals right to privacy. Someones right to privacy may be
violated if his or her records are read by some one not authorized to examine them.
Competent communication ensure that they do not misuse information about others in their
communications and that their communications are available only to authorized people.
FRAUD AND MIS-REPRESENTATION;-------------------------------------------------A deliberate misrepresentation of the truth for the purpose of inducing someone to give up
something of value is called fraud. Fraud can occur either when one party actually makes a
deliberately false statement (called active fraud) or when one party deliberately conceals
some information that he or she is required to reveal ( passive fraud). Mis-representation is
a false statement that is made innocently with no intent to deceive the other party.
Competent communicators are aware of the relevant laws and ensure that their oral and
written messages are accurate, in terms of what is communicated and what is left uncommunicated.
OTHER ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS ;-------------------------------------------------Sometimes being legally right is not sufficient justification for our actions. Many
organizations have developed their own code of ethics to govern employee behaviour. For
the business communicator, the matter of ethics governs not only ones behavior but also
ones communication of behavior. In other words, how we use language involves ethical
choices.
When you have doubts about the ethical propriety of your writing, ask yourself these
questions :
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Is this message true ?

Does it exaggerate ?
Does it withhold or obscure information that should be communicatged ?
Does it promise something that cannot be delivered?
Does it betray a confidence ?
Does it play unduly on the fears of reader?
Does it reflect the wishes of the organization ?

Competent Communicators use their knowledge of communication to achieve their goals

while acting in an ethical manner.
BARRIERS IN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ;---------------------------------------------------Communication is prone to mis-understanding because the messages are complex,
conditions are difficult and psychological or social differences often separate the sender and
the receiver. There are various problems and difficulties in the process of communication
which often result in the occurrence of barriers to communications.

Communication barriers are interferences or obstacles which limit the receivers

understanding of messages. Varied types of these barriers can impede not only the
transmission of idea or information, but also understanding and acceptance of it. Barriers
to communication have the effect of entirely preventing communication, filtering part of it
or giving it an incorrect meaning.
Traditionally most breakdowns in communication have been attributed to one of the three
causes :1. The deficiencies of the sender
2. The listeners lack of responsibility
3. Inappropriate means of communication.
However, modern view confirms that barriers can exist in the sender, in the transmission of
the message, in the receiver or in the feedback.
Different authors classify in different manner the barriers to effective communication. For
instance, Keith Davis, mention three categories :
-

Personal Barriers
Physical Barriers
Semantic Barriers

Richard Hodgetts identifies four most common barriers that prevent the receiver from
getting the senders meaning as :-

Perception
Inference
Language
Status

Hyneryager and Heekman identifies three categories :

-

Personal Barriers to Communication

Semantic or Language Barriers to Communication
Physical/Technical Barriers to Communication.

Before moving to see the specific barriers in each of the above categories, it is important to
know that lack of a communication policy in an organization can itself act as a Barrier.
Organisation should have clear-cut and stated policies dealing with Intra-or-Inter
Organisational Communication.
There may be some faults/barriers in the communication system that prevents the message
from reaching the receiver, these barriers are as follows:1. LANGUAGE BARRIER ;- Different languages, vocabulary, accent, dialect
represents national/regional barriers. Semantic gaps are words having similar
pronunciation but multiple meaning like round, badly expressed message, wrong
interpretation and unqualified assumptions. The use of difficult or inappropriate
words/poorly explained or mis-understood messages can result in confusion.

2. CULLTURAL BARRIERS ;- Age, education, gender, social status, economic

position, cultural background, temperament, health, beauty, popularity, religion,
political belief, ethics, values, motives, assumptions, aspirations, rules/regulations,
standards, priorities can separate one person from another and create barrier.
3. INDIVIDUAL BARRIERS;- It may be a result of an individuals perceptual discomfort. Even when two persons have experienced the same event their mental
perception may/may not be identical which acts as a barrier. Style, selective
perception, halo effect, poor attention and retention, defensiveness, close
mindedness, insufficient filtration are the individual or Psychological barrier.
4. ORGANISATIONAL BARRIER ;- It includes Poor Organisations
Culture, climate, stringent rules, regulations, status, relationships,
Complexity, inadequate facilities/opportunities of growth and
Improvement, whereas the nature of the internal and external
Environment like large working areas physically separated from
Others, poor lightening, staff shortage, outdated equipments and
Background noise are Physical Organizational Barrier.
5. INTERPERSONAL BARRIER ;- Barriers from Employers are :
a. Lack of Trust in employees,
b. Lack of Knowledge of non-verbal clues like facial expression,
Body language, gestures, postures, eye contacts, different
Experiences, shortage of time for employees, no consideration
For employee needs, wish to capture authority, fear of losing
Power of control, bypassing and informational overloading,
While Barriers from Employees includes Lack of Motivation,
Lack of co-operation , trust, fear of penalty and poor relationship
with the employer.
6. ATTITUDE BARRIER ;- It comes about as a result of problems with
Staff in the organization. Limitation in physical and mental ability,
Intelligence, understanding, pre-conceived notions, and distrusted source divides the
attention and create a mechanical barrier which affects the attitude and opinion.
7. CHANNEL BARRIER ;- If the length of the communication is long,
Or the medium selected is inappropriate, the communication might break up, it can
also be a result of the inter-personal conflicts between
the sender and receiver, Lack of interest to communicate, information sharing or
access problems which can hamper the channel and affect the charity, accuracy and
effectiveness.

EFFECT OF COMMUNICATION BARRIERS;-

-----------------------------------------------------------Barriers to communication often result in mis-understanding, creation of

unfavourable attitudes, hostility, frictions and conflicts, so injurious to the
organizational interest. Communication is effective when the intended or sent
message is the same as the interpreted or received message. Communication is
efficient when messages are transmitted at the least cost in terms of time, money,
effort and other resources. These barriers to communication are not only costly and
burdensome in terms of money, but they create mis-understandings that prove
detrimental to teamwork and moral. Thus barriers and breakdowns in
communication can cause disasters in the organization.
Perceptive managers always look for the causes of communication problems instead
of just dealing with symptoms. In order to achieve effective communication,
managers should identify and analyse barriers to communication and should take
concrete steps to remove them.
HOW TO OVERCOME COMMUNICATION BARRIER ;__________________________________
A thorough understanding of communication barriers is the basic requirement to
find out measures to overcome them. Secondly, Knowing the steps in the
communication process is the pre-requisite for finding out ways to eliminate
barriers in communication.
We have already understood that communication is a multi-step process. In this, the
sender has an idea, the idea becomes a message, the message is transmitted, the
receiver gets the message, and the receiver reacts and sends feedback. Misunderstandings arise when any part of this process becomes faulty or breaks down.

BARRIERS AND STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME BARRIERS

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Communication Barriers ( Sender-related barriers)
Communication Goals
Communication Skills
Interpersonal Sensitivity
Differing Frames of reference
Non -verbal signals
Either or thinking
Fear
Senders Credibility
Strategies to Overcome the Barriers ( Senders responsibilities)

Goals
Language
Empathy
Credibility
Feedback
Face to Face Communmication
Redundancy
Trusting Climate
Pictures
Situation-related Barriers : (Shared by both sender and receiver)
Jargon
Information overload
Time Pressure
Climate
Distance
Noise
Mechanical Failure
Murphy laws
Receiver-related Barriers
Selective and Poor Listening
Evaluating the source
Perceptions
Lack of Feedback
Meta-communication
Receivers responsibilities :
Listening
Avoid premature judgment
Responsive Feedback
We are also aware that communication process is prone to misunderstandings
because the message is complex, conditions are difficult and socio-psychological
differences often separate the sender and receiver.
Effective communication does not happen by chance. The parties in the
communication process are required to develop ability to overcome the main
barriers to communication. This can be done by creating their messages carefully,
minimizing the noise in the transmission process and facilitating feedback.
Effective Communication requires empathy, credibility, congeniality, clarity and
precision, accurate perception and good listening skills among many other factors.

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ;-------------------------------1. Seek to clarify your ideas before communicating
2. Eamine the true purpose of each communication
3. Consider the total physical and human setting whenever you communicate
( for example, sense of timing, privacy or otherwise ) social climate
pervading work relationships, custom and past practice)
4. Consult with others, where appropriate, in planning communications
5. Be mindful, while you communicate, of the overtones as well as basic content
of your message.
6. Take the opportunity, when it arises, to convey something of help or value to
the receiver
7. Follow up your communication
8. Communicate for tomorrow as well as for today
9. Be sure your actions support your communication
10. Last, but by no means the least, seek not only to be understood but to
understand be a good listener.

COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATION; NATURE, FUNCTION AND SCOPE

----------------------------------------------1. IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION IN ORGANISATION
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Communication is undoubtedly one of the most central elements in organizational life, and
it is in fact dynamic aspect. If management is the art and science of getting things done
through people, communication is the essence of it. In organization, it is only through
communication that all the important functions of information handling, instructing,
mutual trust, understanding and co-operation can be achieved only with the help of
meaningful communication. Interpersonal conflicts and mis-understanding arise when
there is a lack of proper communication. Responsibility for adequate communication lies
with management.

Organizational communication is distinct from other types of human communication in the

sense that it occurs in highly structured setting. It takes place within an organization and
between an organization and its environment.
Goldhaber defines Organizational communication as the process of creating and
exchanging messages within a network of interdependent relationships to cope with the
environmental uncertainty. Communication is regarded as a process because the
phenomenon of creating and exchanging messages is ongoing, ever changing and
continuous.
Communication--- the process of passing information and understanding from one person
to another--- is the vital connection between plans and actions at work. In the
organizational setting, the ability to communicate clearly is one of the most important skills
for the people at work.
Communication in the work environment is a vastly mis-understood skill. Too often, poor
communication skills hinder employee and inter-office teamwork. With heightened global
competition, the innovative office technologies, flatter hierarchical structures, and effective
communication are more important than ever.
Communication is both a symptom and a cause of organization performance problems.
Poorly designed organizations, ineffective processes, bureaucratic systems, unaligned
rewards, unclear customer/partner focus, fuzzy visions, values and purposes, unskilled team
leaders and members, cluttered goals and priorities, low trust levels and weak
measurements and feedback loops all cause communication problems. It needs to be noted
that whenever a manager encounters a communication problem generally the root cause
is deeper.
Communication strategies, systems and practices do play a central role in highperformance. Information, understanding and knowledge are the lifeblood of the
organizational body. A thoughtful and comprehensive communication strategy is a vital
component to any successful change and improvement. The education and communication
strategy sets the tone and direction of improvement efforts. Systematic study of
Organizational Communication enhances Performance and effectiveness of organizational
and individuals at work.
Fred Luthans emphasizes that communication is a pre-requisite to effective management.
All managerial actions pass through the bottleneck of communication and in practice
effective communication is most crucial for the attainment of organizational goals. Yet, if
poorly managed, communication is cited as being at the root of practically all problems of
the world.
Communication plays highly significant role in the processes of change. In many cases
resistance to change comes merely because of poor communication. Communication is
essential to improve support for change. If employees feel better informed, their attitudes
on every score tend to be better. In fact, good communication and favourable employee
attitudes go hand in hand.
In essence, communication is one of the most vital processes that keep the wheels of the
organization running smoothly. It is the artery of the organization and has to be kept
healthy and free flowing so that the system can function efficiently. Efficient and effective
communication must receive highest priority in organization life.

ROLE OF COMMUNICATIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS

The goal of communication in business is to get the desired response and to promote
goodwill. Communication is an essential part of all other management functions and processes.
Communications pervades each and every aspect of organization-every individual, team or
department, and each external relationship with customers, suppliers, and competitors. Management
is the profession that functions through communicating with people, and most good managers are
good communicators.
In a knowledge-based economy, people at work essentially require increasing levels of
communication competence. Communication competence is the degree to which a communicators
goal are achieved through effective and appropriate interaction. Communication competence refers
to persons ability to identify appropriate communication patterns in a given situation and to achieve
goals by applying that knowledge.
When managers are competent communicators, they easily discern the meaning that
listeners take from certain words and symbols, and they select the best medium appropriate in a
particular situation. They know how to interpret comments from informal channels like ` grapevine
. They can speak well in small groups and in formal presentations; they can also write well. Effective
managers are able to use wide variety of media and strategies to communicates. In the organizational
setting, managers are expected to apply their communication competence for communicating in such
ways as to achieve organizational objectives.
According to Henry Mintzberg, managers have three basic jobs; to collect and convey
information, to make decisions, and to make promote interpersonal unity that is, to make people
want to work together to a achieve organizational goals. All of these jobs take place through
communication.
PURPOSE OF MESSAGES IN
ORGANIZATIONS
Basically there are three purposes of messages in organizations; to inform to request
or persuade, and to build goodwill. When you inform, you explain or tell something. When you
request or persuade, you want to reader to act. When you build goodwill you create a good image of
yourself and your organization the kind of image that make people want to do business with you.
Remember messages in organizations are concerned with transferring information from one part of
business to another rthat lead to some outcome, changed behaviour or changed practice. Look at the
following figure that illustrates the whole process. Before sending any message, you need to consider
the specify situation. Ask yourself relevant questions like:
What is at stake and to whom ? Why should you send the message ? What is you
purposes in sending the message ? What channel should be used ? What information must your
message include and what exactly should you say ? How should you say it ?

Communication
Change in
Training
Method

Sendor or
Receiver
Instigator

HR Department
E-mail

Channel

Medium

Feedback
Organizational Communication
Effectiveness of Messages
Effectiveness of Business messages depends on meeting five criteria. Effective messages
Is Clear
Is Complete
Is Correct
Saves the readers time
Build goodwill
Effective messages are keen about ethical considerations. Whenever you have
doubts about the ethical propriety of you writing, ask yourself these questions:
1. Is this message true ?
2. Does it exaggerate ?

3. Does it withhold or obscure information that should be communicated ?

4. Does it promise something that cannot be delivered ?
5. Does it betray a confidence ?
6.Does it play unduly on the fears of the reader ?
7.Does it reflect the wishes of the organization ?
Competent communicators use their knowledge of communication to achieve their
goals while in ethical manner.

TYPES & LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATION

An organization has external and internal communication.
External:
i)

Outward : All communications that go out of an organization to customers, banks,

suppliers, insurance organizations, government departments, the mass media and
the general public are outward communication. They may be in the form of letters,
telephone call, telegrams, reports, advertisements, handouts, speeches, visits etc.

Onward Communications have an important effect on the public image and public relations
of an organization.
II) Inward : Whatever communications an organization receives from the
individuals or groups outside are inward communications. Letters, telegrams, telephone
messages, telex messages visits, reports, brochures, circulars from government departments,
journals and magazines that come in all these are inward communications. They have to be
registered, attended to, studied acted upon, replied to and stored.
The following figure shows types of communications in organizations.


TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

On the basis of
Expression

Verbal or Oral
Communication

On the basis of
Direction

On basis of
Organization Structure

Written
Communication

Formal
Communication

Upward
Communication

Informal
Communication

Downward
Communication

Horizonta
Communication

Types of Communications in Organizations.

Internal:
The Communications within an organization, between managers, supervisors and
workers are varied, complex and numerous. They have to move up and down the ladder of
authority as well as sideways between persons at the same level of authority.
Basically, within an organization, the Communication Process carriers messages in
four directions : Downward, Upward, Lateral and Diagonal.
i).Downward Communications:
Downward communications provides direction and control. It levels from the
superior to the subordinate. The most common purpose of downward communication is to
transmit information and to instruct employees in the performance of their jobs. Some of
the most typical downward communication channels include written directives, face-toface conversations, and use of public address system, bulletin boards, and company inhouse journals. Effective downward communication can prevent confusion and distortion.
Downward Communication has some limitations, which include :
User-communication or over communication
Distortion or modification in the message
Loss of information
Sequence of observance in presentation of messages.
Status and reliability of the source.
Resentment by subordinate staff

Lack of understanding by subordinates

Delay
ii).Upward Communication :
Upward communication provides feedback. It travels from subordinate to superior.
The most common purpose of this information flow is to provide feedback on how well
things are going. It also provides the subordinates superior with the opportunity to
represent the subordinates to his own loss.
Traditionally there used to be very little upward communication and employees
used to give required reports in much less proportion than as modern times. Now, with
changes in management philosophy, organizations encourage upward communication.
ii).Lateral Communication:
Lateral communication provides teamwork. It takes place between people on the
same level of the hierarchy, The most common reason for the communication flow is to
promote co-ordination and team work. This is also known an horizontal flow of
communication.
Usually this is carried on through face-to-face discussions, telephonic talks, periodic
meetings, memos etc. Effective lateral communication promotes understanding.
Lateral and Diagonal : communication constitute Internal Horizontal
communication .
iii).Diagonal Communication :
Diagonal communication facilitates efficiency. It occurs between people who are
neither in the same department nor on the same level of hi-erarchy. . The diagonal flow
among persons at different levels, who have no direct reporting relationships with one
another, is used to exchange information speedily for the sake of efficiency.
The diagonal communication as well as lateral communication, both carry messages
horizontally from the department to another
SCOPE OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION
The scope of communication is very wide and comprehensive. It is a subject of
almost unlimited dimensions and is interdisciplinary one. It is a two-way process
involving both transmission as well as reception. It is continuous process of exchange of
facts, ideas ,feelings, attitudes, opinions, figures and interactions with others, In the
process, it uses a set of symbols. Symbols may be words, actions, pictures, figures,
drawings, carts, cartoons. Etc.
The scope of Organizational communication can include :

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION MODEL

SENDER
SENDER

Encoding

SENDER
MESSAGE

Encoding

MEDIUM

Encoding

SENDER
RECEIVER

FEEDBACK

FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATIONS
The multipurpose functions of communication in a group or organization are
described by Robbins under four heads, control, motivation emotional expression and
information.
1) Communication acts to control member behavior in several ways. Organizations
have authority hierarchies and formal guidelines that employees are required to follow.
2) Communication fosters motivation by clarifying to employed what is to be done,
how well they are doing, and what can be done to improve performance.
3) For many employees, their work group is primary source for social interaction.
The communication that takes place within the group is a fundamental mechanism by
which members show their frustrations and feelings of satisfaction. Communication
therefore provides a release for the emotional expression of feelings and for fulfillment of
social needs.

4) The final function that communication performs relates to its role in facilitating
decision making. It provides the information that individuals and groups need to make
decisions by transmitting the data to identify and evaluate alternative choices.
All the above four functions are equally important. It order to ensure that groups
perform effectively, they need to maintain some form of control over members, simulate
members to perform, provide a means for emotional expression and make decision choices.
ORGANIZATIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT RELY ON AN EXCHANGE OF VIEWS AND
FACTS.
1. Setting goals and objectives; Organizations rely on communication among
employees at all levels it decide on and implement their goals
2. Making and implementing decisions,; Managers make decisions by collecting
facts and analyzing them, often with the help of lower level employees.
Implementing these decisions requires communication between managers and
others.
3. Measuring results;
Keeping track of results requires the transmission of information from lowerlevel employees to management.
4. Hiring and developing staff:
Organizations attract, train, motivate and evaluate their employees by
communicating with them.
5. Dealing with customers:
both written and oral communication is essential to an organizations
interactions with customers.
6. Negotiating with suppliers and financiers: Organizations rely on communication
to obtain needed supplies at favorable prices and to attract investment capital.
7. Producing the product: The production process is, in part, a communication
process.
8. Interacting with regulatory agencies: Government regulation and services
depend on a two-way flow of information.
Factors Influencing the Effectiveness of Organizational Communication
There are certain factors that are unique to organizational communication, which
are as follows.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Formal channels of communication.

Organizations authority structure.
Job specializations.
Information ownership.

1. Formal channels of communication :

These channels influence the effectiveness of communication in the following

two ways:
a) The formal channels cover the widening that usually occurs when the
organizations develop and grow.
b) The Formal channels inhibit the free flow of information between
organizations level
2. Organizations authority structures: Authority structure in the organization
influences the effectiveness of communication. The content and accuracy of
information are also affected because of the differences in authority and status.
3. Job Specializations: is also affects the effectiveness of communication. Members
belonging to the same work group use the same jargon and understand each
other better while communication between highly differentiated groups is a
problem for both.
4. Information ownership: It refers to the unique knowledge and information
about the jobs possessed by the individual. For many individuals such
information is kind of power that helps them functions more effectively than
others. They are often reluctant to share the information with others therefore
open communication is not always possible in the organization.

WHAT IS ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

The formal study of communication within an organization is called Organizational
Communication. Organizational Communication is distinct from other types of human
communication in the sense that it occurs in highly structured setting. It takes place within
an organization and between an organization and its environment.
In Organizational contexts, messages typically have a definite objective; to motivate,
to inform, to teach, to persuade, to entertain, or to inspire. This definite purpose is, in fact,
one of the principal differences between casual conversation and managerial
communication. Effective communication in the organization centers on well-defined
objectives that support the organizations goal and mission.
Definition and meaning:
The generally accepted definition of Organizational Communication is the process
of creating and exchanging messages within a network and interdependent relationships to
cope with environmental uncertainties
Organizational communications tend to be mostly interested in the work
environment. Organizational Communications begin from the perspective that we all
interact within identifiable environment that have
formal and Informal networks
of communication that in turn produce specific social worlds.
Organizational Communication is the process of creating and exchanging messages
within a network of interdependent relationships so we can reduce uncertainty as we
confront environment.

Key Concepts:
Process it is fluid, ongoing.
Creation and exchange of messages these messages serve no purpose until
people assign meaning to them. Communication can fail when people dont assign
the same meaning to a message.
Interdependence if it affects one, it affects all, i.e. ripple effect.
Uncertainty we need information to make good decisions.
Open system It is dependent on the environment, people outside the
organization E.g. banks provide loans; the public provides manpower etc.
IMPACT OF TECHNOL0GY ON ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION
Information Highway
In a country like India there is a lot of change in our communication
methods. The emphasis is on shifting from print media to electronic media. Due to
this computers and satellites are gaining importance, which in turn is having a wideranging impact on business as whole. The Information Highway is direct link
between the telephone, computer and the television which one hears so much about
these days, has come to India also.
The broad respects in which technology making its impact felt is as follows:
The technology is making its impact felt on the public Relations and
communication Industry in three broad respects:
1). In the speed of communications resulting in faster decision making at the corporate
industry and government levels
2).The vast data being channelised, being scanned with the aid of technology and analyzed
in depth.
3).Business communications are becoming more action oriented compared to the previous
years. Therefore one needs to forget the conventional approaches and change in the
following respects :
In attitude, i.e. one should accept the fact and have the desire to change.
In use of communication techniques and tools i.e. adoption of Technology at all levels
In approach to communication problems and solving them i.e. linking Technology and
Creativity.
Manager have traditionally spent the majority of their. Time communicating in one form
or another like meetings, face-to-face discussions, memos, letters, reports, etc.Today,
however, communication practices and technologies have become more important in
organizations.

Features of new technology include speed, geographic dispersion, asynchronous

communication, and ways of addressing messages, memory storage and retrieval, and
cue availability.
How the Internet Facilitate Communications
The Internet offers business a wide of choices for online communication:
E-mail: Electronic mail (e-mail) enables users to create, send and read written messages
entirely on computer. The e-mail document may be a simple text message, or it might
include complex files or programs.
Discussion mailing lists:
These are discussion groups to which you subscribe by sending a message to the lists email address. From them on, copies of all messages posted by any other subscriber are
sent to you via e-mail; its like subscribing to an electronic newsletter to which everyone
can contribute.
Newsgroup:
consisting of posted messages and responses on a particular subject, Usenet newsgroups
differ from discussion mailing lists in two ways. Fist, messages are posted at the group
site, which you must access by using a newsletter program Second messages posted
newsgroups can be viewed by anyone. You can think of a newsgroup as place you visit to
read posted messages, whereas a discussion mailing list delivers posted messages to you.
Instant messaging and chat:
An organizations encourage the use of instant messaging and chat for work purposes.
Within a few years, more than 200 million employees will be using instant messaging for
job-related communication.
Videoconferencing:
More business is using online videoconferencing to replace face-to-face meetings with
colleagues, customers, and suppliers.
Telnet:
The class of Internet application program allows you to communicate with other
computers on a remote network, even if your computer is not permanent part of that
network. For instance, you would use telnet to access your city librarys electronic card
catalog from you home computer.
Internet telephony:
Internet users can converse vocally over the web using Internet telephony. Converting
traditional voice calls to digital signals and sending them over the Internet is much less
expensive that calling over standard phone lines. It can also be more efficient, allowing an
organization to accommodate more users on a single line at once. Internet telephony is
growing very rapidly.
File transfers:

An internet service known as file transfer protocol (FTP) enables you to download files
(transfer data from a server to your computer) and upload files (transfer data from your
computer to another system.) FTP also allows you to attach formatted documents to your
e-mail messages and download formatted files.
In addition, organizations can use intranets i.e. some types of websites specifically design
internal or external communication.

INTERCULTURAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Introduction
Worldwide acceptance of Market economy. WTO and Globalization of Business has
necessitated international interaction between people with diverse religion, culture,
traditions, customs and beliefs. People migrate on large scale to foreign lands or within
the country to other regions for business, work and education or for political reasons.
Most of the times they have superficial knowledge of the place they are migrating. Even
though English has become international language, the way it is spoken, written and
understood differs even within England. Adopted language exhibits stamp of particular
country, region and people. Ignorance of local lingo, ethnic/religious customs, traditions
and beliefs are likely to cause inadvertent misunderstanding damaging relationships.
It has become pre-requisite for business organization to understand cultural diversity to
avoid cultural shocks and to transact global business successfully.
DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURE
Even when two people speak a common language, and share common experiences and
knowledge of customs and traditions, the communication process may not be as effective
as one would like to be. It is so not only because of the language complications, but also
because of cultural differences. Such experience is common to individuals studying or
working in foreign countries.
Everyone has his or her own ways of thinking, feeling and reacting. Most of it is learnt in
early childhood, when one is most open to learning. Such conditionings starts through the
family and continues through the local neighborhood, friends, school, peers, social groups,
work place and religion, and of course, the media.
Values are among the first things learnt, not consciously, but implicitly. Developmental
psychologists believe that by the age of ten most children would have their basic value in
place and after that, changes are hard to make. These values remain embedded in
subconscious and manifest in the behavior and responses. They are apparent in the way
things are done. These basic values and attitudes have been passed down from generation to
generation, and are often shaped by the environment in which we live.

There are many cultural groups around the world with different patterns of behavior,
values and rules which are culture specific i.e. different cultural develop different rules for
similar actions and people attach different meaning to the same events. The same actions
or habits are thus evaluated in different terms for example, spiting on the streets and
sneezing into a handkerchief and putting it into a pocket, handshake, kissing in public.
When people cross culture boundaries they do not leave their home culture behind. They
continue to choose actions consistent with the way they have been `uncultured and
continue to interpret actions of others in terms of their own culture. It is inevitable that
communication across cultural boundaries will cause unintentional misunderstanding
unless people can recognize and understand cultural diversity and take action to
overcome it. They must recognize that one culture cannot be judged by the standards of
another. It is important to understand this concept of cultural relativism and not judge
others according to your own values.
PRACTICAL REASONS TO STUDY INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
a) Adapting to global and domestic workforce diversity.
b) Engaging in creative problem solving: a synergistic perspective combines the best
cultural approaches.
c) Enhancing intercultural relationship satisfaction as the dramatic rise of intercultural
relationships is fertile ground for cultural shock and clashes.
d) Deepening self-awareness across people: tends to deepen self-awareness of values,
perspectives.
e) Fostering global and intra-personal peace, which is often disturbed due to ethnic,
religious, cultural, regional and linguistic differences and misunderstanding.
f) To understand and adopt the concept Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
That is, world is a family... Global understanding and acceptance of this concept can
happen through dialogues and deeper contacts with other nations or cultural and ethnic
groups. Obviously, if at peace with ourselves, well have more compassion and caring for
others.
NEED AND IMPORTANCE OF INTERCULTURAL
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS
The ability to interact with and understand people of other cultures is referred to as
intercultural or cross-cultural communication. Today there is great need for good
intercultural communication skills in the workplace. Good communication skills must
encompass cultural awareness because our world and our workplaces are becoming
culturally more diverse and interdependent all the time.
The proliferation of email, instant messaging, satellite, and facsimile technologies have
enabled rapid and instant communication between individuals at any time regardless of
their location. The proliferation latest communication technologies across the world such
as cell phones, email, Laptops, satellite, and facsimile technologies have enabled rapid and
instant communications between individuals and organizations at any time, anywhere in
the world. A new global marketplace is established where people across the world can
interact and transact business, irrespective of their ethnic, cultural, religious, linguistic

diversity. Contemporary transformations in the world of work have made it Essential to

pay attention to human relationship aspects of doing business.
Todays world of work has witnessed three emerging trends in business organizations:
(1) Business is increasingly globalizes:
This trend is evident looking at rising number global mergers and acquisitions in India
and aboard, increasing international companies and trade figures.
(2)Business is increasingly knowledge-based: With unprecedented pace of technological
advancement in every field it is essential to update knowledge for survival of any business.
(3)Talent is increasingly mobile:
Rising trend in global outsourcing. Current mobility of IT and Biotech Professionals,
Doctors, Engineers.
As a consequence of these three factors, managers and professional in the modern
workplace are being expected to do value-enhancing work in collaboration with mere
acquaintances, which are almost unknown entity as to their personality, culture, country
or even a continent. Yet, the nature of their work requires, human relationship, a
meeting of the minds that intends to accomplish something far more complex, noble
and lasting than merely extracting a business deal. Thus, it has become increasingly
important to improve cultural sensitivity and cultural literacy in addition to information
literacy, to avoid misunderstandings and communications breakdowns. It is important
that individuals become sensitive to cultural differences among the people with whom
they deal, both at home and abroad. Intercultural business communication skill
determines, how efficiently and effectively individuals get along with one another, respect
each others ideas, and solve their inevitable professional and personal differences. These
can determine the difference between success and failure in doing international business.
In order to understand that best practices in intercultural communications, it is necessary
to appreciate cultural differences in my areas such as punctuality, greeting, gift giving,
politeness, conducting meetings, business protocol, web site design, presentation of
business materials, and conversational norms.
Todays managers and professionals need to learn Intercultural Business Communication
skills to deal with culturally diverse audiences and build positive business relationships
using tools and techniques that help in correctly interpreting verb

UNDERSTANDING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

The concept of culture helps to understand how individuals learn about one another, that
facilitate understanding each other in an easy and successful manner. To study the hidden
components of language and to develop the trust and knowledge sharing needed to
understand others, we need to observe behaviors, ask clarification questions and reflect
on the information. By developing these skills, we will be able to engage in positive and
authentic communication that can restore the trust needed to work together in business
organizations.

Fundamental Patterns of Cultural Differences

There are six fundamental patterns of cultural differences
(1) Different Communication Styles:
The Way people communicate varies widely between, and even within, cultures. This us
more to with reference to language style, and importance given to non-verbal
communication.
Language usage: One aspect of communication style is language usage. Across, cultures,
some words and phrases are used in different ways. For example, even in countries that
shares in English language, the meaning of yes varies from maybe, Ill consider it to
definitely so with many shades in between. Portuguese are in the habit of saying `I
know after every sentence when they speak in English. Similar is the way Hindi spoken in
different parts of India. Typical Indian English (Hinglish) is not so well understood by
foreigners.
Importance Given to Non-verbal communication:
Another major aspect of communication style is the degree of importance given to nonverbal communication includes not only facial expressions and gestures: it also involves
social protocol, seating arrangements, personal distance, and sense of time. In addition,
different norms regarding the appropriate degree of assertiveness in communicating can
add to cultural misunderstandings, for instance, some while Americans may react with
greater alarm to a loud discussion than would members of some American ethnic or nonwhite racial groups.

(2) Different Attitudes Towards Conflict

Some cultures view conflict as a positive thing, while others view it is something to be
avoided. In the western countries, conflict is not usually desirable; but people often are
encouraged to deal directly with conflicts that do arise.
In fact, face-to-face meeting is customarily recommended to work out whatever problems
exist. In contrast, in many Eastern countries, open conflict is experienced as
embarrassing or demeaning; as a rule, differences are best worked our quietly.
(3) Different Approaches to Completing Tasks
From culture to culture, there are different ways that people move towards completing
tasks. Some reasons are availability of resources; different value judgments associated
with reward of task completion, different notions of time, and varied ideas about how
dynamics of relationship building and task-orientation should work.
Regarding working effectively on a task a team, cultures differ with respect to the
importance placed on establishing relations. Asian and Hispanic cultures tend to attach

more value to developing relationships at the beginning of a task of more emphasis on

task completion toward the end as compared to European- Americas. EuropeanAmericans tend to focus immediately on the task at hand, and let relationships develop as
they work on the task. This does not mean that people from any one these cultural
backgrounds are more or less committed to accomplishing the task or value relationships
more or less; it means they may pursue them differently.
(4) Different Decision-Making Styles.
The roles individuals ply in decision making vary widely from culture to culture. For
example, in the U.S. , decisions are frequently delegated to a subordinate. In many
Southern European, Latin American, Asian and Middle East countries, there is a strong
value placed on holding decision-making responsibilities oneself. When decisions are
made by group of people majority rule is a common approach in the U.S; in Japan
consensus is the preferred mode. In rural India, on social issues, majority rule of
`Panchayat is common. Be aware that individuals expectations about their own rules in
shaping a decision may be influenced by their cultural frame of reference.

(5) Different Attitudes towards Disclosure

The variation among cultures in attitudes toward disclosure is also something to consider
before you conclude that you have an accurate reading of the views, and goals of the
people with whom you are working.
In some cultures, it is not appropriate to be frank about emotions, about the reasons
behind a conflict or a misunderstanding, or about personal information. Keep this in
mind when you are in a dialogue or when you are working with others. When you are
dealing with a conflict, be mindful that people may differ in what they feel comfortable
revealing. Questions that may seem natural to you may seem instrusive to others.

(6) Different Approaches to Knowing

Notable differences occur among cultural groups when it comes to the ways people come
to know things.
European cultures tend to consider information acquired through cognitive means such as
counting and measuring more valid than other ways of coming to know things.
African culture prefers affective ways of knowing, including symbolic imagery and
rhythm
Asian culture tend to emphasize the validity of knowledge gained through striving
towards transcendence. .
Different approaches to knowing could affect ways of analyzing a problem or finding
solution to it. Some may believe in library research to understand a problem better and
identify possible solutions. Others may prefer to work at ground level, touch, taste and

listen to what has worked elsewhere by visiting places and people who have experienced
similar problem.
In addition, some other factors deserve attention,. For instance, interpersonal space and
turn taking in conversation.

COMPETENT INTERCULTURAL CONFLICT SKILLS.

Four critical skills for competently dealing with intercultural conflict are face work
management, mindful listening, cultural empathy, and mindful reframing.
1. Face work Management
1) Core issues of protecting our communication identity during conflict and dealing with
others communication identity.
2) Self-oriented face-saving behaviors ; to regain or defend ones image after threats to
face or face loss
3) Other-oriented face-giving behaviors ; to support others face claims and help
prevent further face loss or restore face
4) Giving face; not humiliating others communication identity in public.
2. Mindful Listening
1) Mindful listening ; learn9ing to listen responsively or ting ( a Chinese word that
means attending mindfully with our ears, eyes focused heart)
2) Creating new categories: learn to apply culture-sensitive concepts to interpret conflict
variation behaviors.
3) Paraphrasing skills involve:
a. Verbally summarizing content meaning of the message.
b. Nonverbally echoing your interpretation of emotional meaning.

3. Cultural Empathy:
Learned ability to understand others self-experiences, convey understanding effectively
It is very important to develop empathetic listening habits.
4. Mindful Reframing
1) Highly creative, mutual-face honoring skill.
2) Mindful process of using language to change how person defines or thinks about
experiences and views the conflict situation.

MANAGING DIVERSITY: STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNICATING ACROSS

CULTURES

The strategy for communicating across cultures in ones own country or aboard is:
Maintaining Formality,. Showing reverence, Clear communication and valuing diversity.

1. Maintain Formality
Various cultures value and respect a Formal approach to business dealings. People in the
organization are generally called by their tittles and family names, in order to maintain
decorum. This does not mean that the Formality should be equated with coldness. Hence
if the employees in an organization are too informal and friendly it may hamper the flow
of work and the final objective of achieving the organizational goal will not be attained.
How ever the Formal relationship amongst the employees should not be misunderstanding
or misinterpreted as rule or harsh behavior towards one another.
2. Showing Reverence
When a new employee joins the organization he/she should keep in mind that attitudes
held by an entire culture are based on sound reasoning. This means that there could be a
reason based upon which the other existing employees behave in a certain specific manner
towards the new employee.
When any employee communicates anything to the other employee then he/she should
listen carefully to what is being communicated and also show empathy towards the other
person.
If a new employee is joining in an organization in another country i.e. host county then
he/she should study its geography, form of government, largest cities, culture, current
events etc.
3. Clear Communication
To ensure that oral and written messages are understood following guidelines should be
implemented.
Slang language, jargons and other figures of speech should be avoided.
Any Communication should be specific and should be illustrated with concrete examples.
Feedback should always be given and taken whenever necessary.
After a meeting all the points covered in the meeting should be summarized in the form of
a written document.
Whatever has been said should be paraphrased by the sub-ordinates.
Questions should be encouraged during the meeting hand outs should be distributed
before the meeting to allow time for reading, audio visual aids and models can also be
used.

Humors should be avoided.

All the points should be spoken plainly and slowly.

4. Value-ing Diversity
Cultural diversity always provides a rich environment for solving problems and for
expanding horizons. I a person belongs to a majority culture or the minority culture
where he works, he will have to share his work and leisure hours with people who are
different from him having different values, mannerisms and speech habits etc. Hence a
person who is knowledgeable about different cultures and comfortable with them is a
more effective manager because he/she can avoid misunderstandings, which will provide
satisfaction to one and all.
Thus, developing intercultural communication skill is both an interesting as well as
challenging area, which requires special efforts. Overcoming the bottlenecks indeed tries
ones patience at times. However, rewards of developing these skills are great.
Persistence pays in this fascinating field, and the motto is `Never ever give up.
Try and try again till you succeed in developing communication competence. In fact,
developing effective communication skills may at times try your Patience and persistence
help in building competence. Wish you all the best in your efforts to become ` Competent
Communicators !!!
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CORPORATE COMMUNICATION FOR

INTEGRATION IN COMPETITIVE MARKETING

Dr. G.C.Banik, I.I.S. ( Retd.)

M.A. M.B.A. Ph.D
Former Chief General Manager/VSNL
& Director, IMCOST, Thane

1.

Background
The policy adopted by the Government after the liberalization of Indian economy
and globalization of markets, released the economy from the shackles of License Raj
and bureaucratic controls to a great extent.
The main objective of the liberalization was to replace the regulations of the
Government by the regulation of the market. We were so long working under a
situation of the monopoly of information. Slowly, the monopoly of information has
started vanishing. The affairs of the company have now become more and more
people-oriented.
The sense of monopoly and confidentially have started changing in the new context
of liberalization. The Corporate Sector in India is undergoing tremendous change
with the advent of private operators and opening up of the markets for Competition.
Corporate Communication today need to satisfy a diverse section of public to
achieve their desired corporate objectives.

2.Scenario of the Corporate India Today :The scenario of the Corporate India is changing very fast. It is now emerging as a
Competitive Market rather than monopolistic experiences. In the Public Sector the
disinvestments is in the process, resulting in many more shareholders rather than
one shareholder i.e. Government.
For Effective Communication Strategy in competitive environment, three factors
are very important:a) PR & Corporate Communication to Partner with Customer Relations
Management (CRM)
Customer Relations plays a vital role in the competitive environment and PR in
Partner with CRM helps the organization to make significant achievement
b). Secondly to Partner with Human Resource Management (HRM)
Similarly PR partners with HRM for effective communication for Men Power involvement
and HR motivation.
C). And finally, Partnership of role of PR and HR for Merger and Acquisition :In Merger and Acquisition, Integration of Culture is vital and PR and Corporate
Communication supports HR for effective Internal communications

In Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) , after purchasing of TYCO, an American

Company and TELE-GLOBE, an Canadian Company, integration of Cultures became a
challenge because three cultures i.e. India-the Owner as India Multinational, Tyco with
majority of Americans and Tele-Globe with maximum Canadian Employees had to
integrate together and PR played a vital role with their effective Internal communication
strategies in integrating the Employees of these Companies together successfully.

Communication plays a vital role for successful business promotion. Competition in

KELLOGS-Conflex as Breakfast, MC-DONALDS for Fast-Foods, BARISTRA for Coffee
and Snacks and CAF Coffee Day for Coffee are some examples who are market leaders in
their respective marketing segments because of their excellent and innovative corporate
communication strategies.
3.Objective of Corporate Communication :The Corporate Communication objectives should take into account the
organizations overall Goals and PR must support what the organization wants to
achieve. It is generally assumed that PR professional will be more effective if he or
she has the knowledge of the organizational Goals because confusion about the
objectives creates problems to achieve the organizational objectives.
A company without clear Objectives is like a ship without a rudder. But in India ,
the corporate objectives in majority of the organizations are not properly defined,
resulting in difficulties for PR to set priorities to achieve desired corporate Goals.

4.Determining the Corporate Communication Strategy :Determining the PR Strategy is the most significant area of management decisionmaking. In the dynamic environment today, it is not only desirable but rather
essential for any organization to have Communication strategy. The Indian
Companies now have geared up to operate in the Competitive Environment. This
requires a new set of PR Competencies and outlook. One of the important
consideration in formulating Corporate PR Strategy is the Competitive Advantage.
Unless a Company has a competitive advantage, it will fail to achieve its Goals of
the market- shares and profitability.
5.Need of Corporate Communication Strategy:Corporate Communication Strategy is an aid to the management in dealing with the
problems and dilemmas posed by an increasingly complex and Competitive
environment. Strategy can also be defined as the determination of the missions
and long-time Goals and Objectives of an organization. The courses of actions and
policies are necessary for adoption and achieving of those missions and objectives.

In competition, it is necessary to Add some Values for the Corporates and their
products and services and also to create an environment so that the existence of the
Corporation is felt and appreciated and thereby to create better Corporate image.

Case Experiences:
-----------------------Fault found in Nokia Battery, a challenge to Corporate Communication:There are about 100 Nokia Batteries found defective and it became a crisis of Image
Management of the Company. Though there were only small quantity of Batteries
were defective , Nokia decided to call back almost all the Batteries numbering about
4 millions of that lot, to save and maintain their Corporate Image. In this crisis
situation, Corporate Communication of Nokia had a challenging task to save the
damage of Corporate Image. PR and Corporate Communication had to use the best
communication strategies to maintain regular communication not only in their
country but throughout the World by all possible tools of Press and Media including
press conferences and regular press briefing, release of press notes, talk in the
Television etc. PR in Nokia had been working round the clock to over-come this
crisis situation and to maintain the existing Image and also to convert this weakness
into strength and opportunities for the company by effective corporate
communication strategies. They ultimately succeeded in availing of the best
advantage for their company out of this challenging situations.
6.Utility of PR & Corporate Communication:The need for PR today, is inherent in the very nature of present day Business, Industry and
the Government as also in social, political and cultural areas. As it is happening in other
parts of the world, all these are becoming more and more complex and Competitive. The
many publics with their varied and often conflicting interests need to be managed by
professional PR with information and result-oriented communication in different media.
Because of the emerging corporate India , as in Marketing and Advertising, PR methods
and techniques need to be developed and fine-honed to be more professional and effective.
Case Examples:------------------The example of Corporate Communication of M/S Pantaloon Retail Marketing for Brand
Building is worth mentioning for case comparision. The CEO of this Future Group of
Companies Mr.Kishore Biyani when hired the service of a very senior Corporate
Communication Practitioner, it was difficult to feel the utility of such extra-campaign. But
today there are Chain of Retail Marketing Shops and customers enter any Retail Shop with
some expectation of additional benefits and hence the need of Corporate Image building of
each Brand is the top priority of very company. M/S Pantaloon well on time successfully
created and generated these values for their Brand through their effective corporate
communications.

7.Priorities of Corporate Communication :In Todays emerging corporate world the definition of organizational purposes and
missions is one of the most important and difficult tasks of the management. Corporate
strategy is concerned with the total company consisting of a number of business units. The
strategic planning process begins with the delineation of tentative organizational purposes,
essentially a mission statement describing the Business that the organization might
pursue in the future. This statement, preliminary in nature, is intended to put boundaries
on future opportunities and to provide a point of departure from which the future
opportunities can be assembled and evaluated.
Without understanding the corporate objectives clearly, it becomes difficult to fix PR
priorities. For example, the objective of Public Sector is to serve society, the nation, but it is
also expected to ensure an adequate return on investments. So, it is necessary to clearly
define the objective. Effective PR is greatly enhanced if the objectives are clearly defined
and these are made known internally among the employees and externally among its
various publics.
8.Need of Internal Communication:Communication of strategy to different levels in the organization is very important for its success.
This is so because strategy is implemented through people who ought to be clear about the roles
they have to play. This should be done as clearly as possible to avoid doubts and confusion as
confusion may lead to people working without direction. The challenges of communications are
really great in a turnaround strategy when morale is low and a vision is to be created promising a
brighter future.
Multinational companies and big business houses have developed highly sophisticated system for
internal communication. Today the companies can afford economically two-way closed-circuit
television for business sessions, involving marketing or operational people in any countries.
They will be talking to, listening to and seeing each other as if they all are in the same room.
In Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL), after every quarters financial results was declared,
the Managing Director, Director (Finance) and Director (Operations) used to talk with the
employees, situated at different States in India through Video-Conferencing. This is a direct
communication between the Management and the employees when even junior employee get an
opportunity to talk directly with the CEO.
9.Need of External Communication:
External Communication, as the name suggests, is concerned with people outside the
organization, they are customers, shareholders, Government, opinion leaders, mass media,
community at large, civic and government bodies, financial institutions, citizens action
groups and the public at large. Depending on the programme or problem, it is necessary to
identify groups whom an organization should communicate to achieve the desired
objectives.
Today, the companies can transmit information via satellite to an affiliate or to any of its
offices anywhere in the world or send messages and data and graphics into the affiliates
computers instantaneously and easily. The Corporate Communication today is Global and

the Image of the corporate needs to be built Globally. International PR Agencies are
engaged to create this Global awareness in various countries. With the tremendous growth
of business and commerce, the need for external Communication today is very high.

Case Examples :-------------------During the crisis days of number 9 and 11 when the World Trade Center was attacked,
during that period the Mayor of New York City used to communicate to the people and
Media of America and the entire World at large every-day so beautifully that the Image of
the New York city Administration and America at large went up in many ways. That was
one of the finest Corporate Communication Example set up by the Mayor of New York City
in dealing the Media so effectively and successfully during that crisis situation.
10.Conclusion :In this emerging scenario, the Communication Professionals will be think-tanks of the
future organizations, with a major responsibility of not only reacting to corporate policies
and problems ( like crisis) of organizations, but also looking into and being pro-active to the
future of the organizations and emerging issues concerning it.
Managing change is one of the biggest challenge for a Company. PR as a management
function, now actively collaborates with the management in managing the process of
change, specially in the competitive environment, more smoothly and effectively by skillful
management of communications strategies.
Today, Corporate Communication is accepted as a strategic management function and
considered as an indispensable tool in management. Corporate Communication acts not
only as a source of information, but also as the interpreter of its official policy to the people.
Corporate Communication strategy of the organization is tied up with its business strategy.
Corporate Communication bridges the concerns of the management, the public and the
media. The key to success of the management and thereby to the success of the company in
the competitive environment lies in the ability to use PR and Corporate Communication
strategies effectively.
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