Unit-II:

according to the prescribed patterns depicted in an organization chart

Corporate communication is the set of activities involved in managing and orchestrating all internal and external communications aimed at creating favorable point-of-view among stakeholders on which the company depends. It is the messages issued by a corporate organization, body, or institute to its audiences, such as employees, media, channel partners and the general public. Organizations aim to communicate the same message to all its stakeholders, to transmit coherence, credibility and ethic. Corporate Communications help organizations explain their mission, combine its many visions and values into a cohesive message to stakeholders. The concept of corporate communication could be seen as an integrative communication structure linking stakeholders to the organization. Corporate communication -Formal & Informal communication, Networks, Grapevine, Barriers in communication, Group discussion, Mock interviews, Seminars, Individual & group Presentations. Formal and Informal Types of Communication Formal communication is that which devices support from the organisation structure. It is associated with the particular positions of the communicator and the recipient in the structure. Formal communications are mostly of the written type such as company manuals, handbooks magazines, bulletins annual reports and are designed to meet the specific needs of the organisation. Informal communication is based on the informal relationships that grow up in an organisation and is commonly referred to as "the grapevine". It may be conveyed by a nod, a glance, a gesture, a smile, and even silence. Whereas formal communication is generally more articulate, direct and has got official backing, informal communication is more indirect, less explicit and somewhat spontaneous and flexible. It serves the social needs of the individuals in the organisation and a manager can utilize the grapevine as a positive aid. However it may also contain distorted information and may even degenerate into gossip and rumour and other negative outlets of expressions by people in the organisation. The speed at which information flows through a grapevine is often astounding. The grapevine cannot be destroyed and hence should receive conscious attention of management. Formal Communication the process of sharing official information with others who need to know it,

Formal Communication
President

Instructions and directives

Information

Vice President

Vice President

Manager

Manager

Manager

Manager

Efforts at coordination
Copyright 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. Formal and Informal Channels of Communication 11/18/2003

Type of Formal Communication downward communication: instructions, directions, orders feedback

upward communication: data required to complete projects status reports suggestions for improvement, new ideas

horizontal communication: coordination of cooperation

Centralized Networks One central person Unequal access to information Central person is at the crossroads of the information flow

Decentralized Networksdd Information can flow freely No central person All members play an equal role in the transmittal of information

Prof. Amit Kumar amit040985@gmail.com FIT Group of Institutions

Page 1

An organizations informal channels of communication, based mainly on friendship or acquaintance origin: American Civil War [grapevine telegraphs]

Informal Communication Structures Deviation from the planned communication structure Direction of the flow of information Leaving out people in the communication line Integrating people into the communication line

Grapevine 1. 2. a secret means of spreading or receiving information the informal transmission of (unofficial) information, gossip or rumor from person-to-person -> "to hear about s.th. through the grapevine" a rumor: unfounded report; hearsay

3.

Informal Networks
K Y

E G F

C H I J X J B D Cluster C A F

E C B D F A Gossip

G H J K I A Probability I

Network Performance Informal Communication information shared without any formally imposed obligations or restrictions if an organizations formal communication represents its skeleton, its informal communication constitutes its central nervous system (Behaviour in Organizations, p. 307) eng. grapevine

C B A Chain

McGraw-Hill

Formal and Informal Channels of Communication

2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

11/18/2003

Grapevine Characteristics oral mostly undocumented

Prof. Amit Kumar amit040985@gmail.com FIT Group of Institutions

Page 2

open to change fast (hours instead of days) crossing organizational boundaries

dont try to control or restrict it use it to supplement formal channels Tapping the Grapevine identify and make use of key communicators ( bridgers) monitor what is happening in the organization use the grapevine to give new ideas a trial run

Grapevine Characteristics inaccuracy: levelling

deletion of crucial details sharpening

Preventing Rumors provide information through the formal system of communication on the issues important to the employees supply employees with a steady flow of clear, accurate and timely information present full facts keep formal communication lines open and the process as short as possible

exaggeration of the most dramatic details while the grapevine generally carries the truth it seldom carries the whole truth Grapevine Figures 70% of all organizational communication occurs at the grapevine level estimated accuracy rates: 75-90% the incorrect part might change the meaning of the whole message though an estimated 80% of grapevine information is oriented toward the individual while 20% concerns the company

Formal Media Company newsletters Employee handbooks Company magazines Formal meetings

Positive Aspects of the Grapevine social function reduction of anxiety release mechanism for stress identification of pending problems early warning system for organizational change vehicle for creating a common organizational culture desired information can be circulated quickly to a large group of subordinates (inofficially!)

Informal Media Face-to-face discussions Telephone Voice messaging (voice mail) E-mail Instant messaging (chat)

The Nature of Informal Communication mostly brief interactions mainly opportunistic ( coordination, initiation) often time-lags between informal interactions ( maintenance and re-establishment of context)

Coping or Managing the Grapevine the grapevine cannot be abolished, rubbed out, hidden under a basket, chopped down, tied up, or stopped (Managing the Grapevine, p.222)

Prof. Amit Kumar amit040985@gmail.com FIT Group of Institutions

Page 3

occur between frequent interactants who often share large amounts of background knowledge communications in offices more frequent than in public areas majority of roaming interactions self-initiated interruptability (importance of prior activity) interactions are very often terminated by a third party joining an existing conversation role of deixis documents involved in 53% of all Own Office interactions 3. 2.

breakdown. Same word may mean different to different individuals. For example: consider a word value. a. b. c. What is the value of this Laptop? I value our relation? What is the value of learning technical skills?

Value means different in different sentences. Communication breakdown occurs if there is wrong perception by the receiver. Information Overload: Managers are surrounded with a pool of information. It is essential to control this information flow else the information is likely to be misinterpreted or forgotten or overlooked. As a result communication is less Inattention: At times we just not listen, but only hear. For example a traveller may pay attention to one NO PARKING sign, but if such sign is put all over the city, he no longer listens to it. Thus, repetitive messages should be ignored for effective communication. Similarly if a superior is engrossed in his paper work and his subordinate explains him his problem, the superior may not get what he is saying and it leads to disappointment of subordinate. Time Pressures: Often in organization the targets have to be achieved within a specified time period, the failure of which has adverse consequences. In a haste to meet deadlines, the formal channels of communication are shortened, or messages are partially given, i.e., not completely transferred. Thus sufficient time should be given for effective communication. Distraction/Noise: Communication is also affected a lot by noise to distractions. Physical distractions are also there such as, poor lightning, uncomfortable sitting, unhygienic room also affects communication in a meeting. Similarly use of loud speakers interferes with communication. Emotions: Emotional state at a particular point of time also affects communication. If the receiver feels that communicator is angry he interprets that the information being sent is very bad. While he takes it differently if the communicator is happy and jovial (in that case the message is interpreted to be good and interesting). Complexity in Organizational Structure: Greater the hierarchy in an organization (i.e. more the number of managerial levels), more is the chances of communication getting destroyed. Only the people at the top level can see the overall picture while the people at low level just have knowledge about their own area and a little knowledge about other areas Poor retention: Human memory cannot function beyond a limit. One cant always retain what is being told specially if he is not interested or not attentive. This leads to communication breakdown.

Communication Barriers Communication is a process beginning with a sender who encodes the message and passes it through some channel to the receiver who decodes the message. Communication is fruitful if and only if the messages sent by the sender is interpreted with same meaning by the receiver. If any kind of disturbance blocks any step of communication, the message will be destroyed. Due to such disturbances, managers in an organization face severe problems. Thus the managers must locate such barriers and take steps to get rid of them. There are several barriers that affects the flow of communication in an organization. These barriers interrupt the flow of communication from the sender to the receiver, thus making communication ineffective. It is essential for managers to overcome these barriers. The main barriers of communication are summarized below. Following are the main communication barriers:

4.

5.

6.

1.

Perceptual and Language Differences: Perception is generally how each individual interprets the world around him. All generally want to receive messages which are significant to them. But any message which is against their values is not accepted. A same event may be taken differently by different individuals. For example : A person is on leave for a month due to personal reasons (family member being critical). The HR Manager might be in confusion whether to retain that employee or not, the immediate manager might think of replacement because his teams productivity is being hampered, the family members might take him as an emotional support. The linguistic differences also lead to communication

7.

8.

Prof. Amit Kumar amit040985@gmail.com FIT Group of Institutions

Page 4

WHAT IS GROUP DISCUSSION? Nowadays Group Discussion is being extensively used along with personal interviews for the final selection of candidates. It plays a main role in selecting the best among the best. Having scored high marks, students who get selected for a higher/another course or employment are placed on a par - on equal footing - based on their age, qualification and experience. It becomes necessary to conduct further screening for choosing a few among many. It is here, the Group Discussion plays an important part. It helps in choosing the socially suitable candidate among the academically superior achievers. It is one of the best tools to study the behavioral and attitudinal responses of the participants. Rightly speaking, Group Discussion is more a technique than a conventional test. In fact it is one of the most important and popular techniques being used in a number of personality tests. It is a technique or a method used for screening candidates as well as testing their potential. It is also designed as a situation test wherein a sample of a candidate's group worthiness and potential as a worker comes out quite explicitly Features Of Group Discussion 1.Group Discussion, as the name itself indicates, is a group activity carried out by participating individuals. It is an exchange of ideas among the individuals of a group on a specific topic. 2 It is used as reliable, testing device - mainly as a tool to assess all the candidates in a group at one go -in order to select the best in comparative perspective. 3.Group Discussion is an informal discussion in which participants of the same educational standard discuss a topic of current interest. 4.It is also known as leaderless discussion. It means its aim is to find out the natural leadership level of the candidates. Strictly speaking, no one from the group or outside will be officially designated as leader or president or chairman or anything of the sort. Even the examiner or supervisor who launches the discussion will retire to the background. No one will participate or intervene in the deliberations of the group. Essentials for Group Discussion/How to be a good speaker in GD: 1)Adequate matter/ Subject matter is essential : Speaker should have subject knowledge and be well aware of the latest happenings around him, To be in a better position, make sure that you have in-depth knowledge on the subject. Subject knowledge is a pre-requisite while preparing for a group discussion because it is the power to steer the conversation to whichever direction you want to. memorizing some relevant

data, it will be an added advantage. 2) Read Widely: Being an avid reader will help you in group discussions. Last minute preparations you are strictly a no no, while you are preparing for group discussions. You should read over a period of time. Reading not only adds to your knowledge database, but enhances your vocabulary skills as well. Plus reading over a period of time, helps in your understanding of a particular subject/ topic better.

3) Choose Magazines that are Rich in Content: Always opt for magazines that are content rich and not just full of advertisements. Often magazines have columns which are promoting a particular institute etc. Avoid such magazines, do some research and buy the best that will be beneficial for you in the long run.

4) Be Aware of Topics that are Repeated: Often, there are topics which re-appear with minute changes and minor variations. Be aware of such topics well in advance so that you have ample time to prepare for the same. For example the issues of terrorism, gender inequality, poverty, Ayodhya conflict, liberalization and privatization, reservations in educational institutions etc often appear as GD topics. Make sure you know these topics well and can come up with some unique, insightful points along with dates, stating facts. 5) Work on your Communication Skills: You should be well versed in your communication skills. You should have a good vocabulary and a decent command over English. Much before your actual group discussion, rehearse well. You can sit with a group of friends and choose a topic and indulge in a friendly banter. Not only will this increase your knowledge, you will be a better speaker by the time it is time for your GD. 6) Listen to the Topic Given During GD Carefully: Listen to the topic carefully and understand it... Be alert and vigilant. Sometimes, the topic may be really simple but the manner in which it is presented to you, can be baffling. The first thing that you should do after hearing the topic is by structuring it on the sheet that is given to you to make notes. Make a rough sketch of the points that you would like to speak aloud. You will be at an advantage if you open the discussion, but then beware of what you speak. Deviating from the main topic, or passing strong statements like I agree/ or disagree should be avoided. Your strategy should be to test the waters and make a generic statement relevant to the topic. If you can, back it up by relevant data. 7) Try and Maintain a Balance in your Tone: Besides what you are saying, remember that the panellists are observing your

Prof. Amit Kumar amit040985@gmail.com FIT Group of Institutions

Page 5

body language as well. If you do not agree with the other students point of view, do not raise your tone in objection. Listen to his point of view and instead of dismissing it upfront, try and draw a common ground. . 8) Listening Skills are Essential: Carefully listen to what others have to say. Just speaking throughout the discussion doesnt make you smart, you should also give others a chance to speak. Try and listen to him/her, respect their view point too. If the speaker is making an eye-contact with you remember to acknowledge him by saying yes, you agree or just by nodding your head, so that the speaker is aware that his listeners are listening to him and paying full attention. This will also show that you are vigilant and are an active participant in the discussion. 9) Body Gestures are very Important: The panellists observe the way you sit and react in the course of the discussion. . Body gestures are very important, because your body language says a lot about you.In a GD, sit straight, avoid leaning back on to the chair or knocking the table with pen or your fingers. Also, do not get distracted easily. For example, if the door in room you are sitting in opens, do not look back to see who it is , this will show how distracted you are. 10) Be the first and also the Last to Speak: As mentioned earlier, initiating a GD is an advantage. Closing it too also adds brownie points. If you can grab the opportunity to close the discussion, then you should summarize it. If the group has not reached a conclusion try concluding it . MOCK INTERVIEWS: Mock job interviews based on an actual job interview. The mock interview includes the job description, interview questions, answer tips, and interview resources. Also available are more interview questions, more interview help for specific jobs, and interview guides by job and company. PREPARATION FOR MOCK INTERVIEWS: From Career Services, obtain a list of questions that the interviewer might ask, and think about possible responses. Don't memorize your answers, but be prepared to respond to the interviewer's questions by describing past experiences that will help give the interviewer a better idea of your qualifications. Also obtain a list of interviewee questions. It would be a good idea either to attend the workshops on interview skill development, prior to scheduling the mock interview, or to watch the interviewing technique videotapes in the Career Services library. Dress for the mock interview. This is a good chance to try out that new interview suit and to see how it feels and looks.

Books on appropriate interview dress are available in the Career Services library. Be on time, or early, and bring a copy of your resume. Enjoy the experience, and tell your friends am certain that you will find this to be an extremely valuable and worthwhile way of developing those necessary and critical interview skills. SEMINAR A seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is requested to actively participate. Seminars are simply a group of people coming together for the discussion and learning of specific techniques and topics. Usually there are several keynote speakers within each seminar, and these speakers are usually experts in their own fields, or topics. Several topic reviews are scheduled each day throughout the seminar, and attendees can usually make their choice of topics from among these scheduled events. Many individuals attend seminars each year, some attending several times a year. The topics of seminars can be as varied as the groups attending them, but in particular, there has been a rise of Internet Marketing Seminars over the past five years, due to the increased interest in this field. What then are the advantages and disadvantages of seminars if you choose to attend or if you're thinking of attending? Types of Seminar Seminars are conducted in various stages. Based on the size and organizational aspects the seminars can be classified in to four types. viz. 1. Mini seminar 2. Major seminar 3. National seminar 4. International seminar Mini seminar: Its coverage and scope are small and simple. A small population is enough to hold this seminar. A discussion held over the topic taught or to be taught with the students is known as Group discussion. Such group discussions held in an organized way within a class room, it is called mini seminar. This mini seminar gives the students training in questioning skills, organizing the information and presentation skills of seminar. A mini seminar is felt necessary because it gives good experience to conduct a major seminar at Institutional level. Major seminar: The seminar conducted at an institutional or departmental level for a specific topic or subject is known as Major seminar. Usually students and teachers are participating in this type of seminar. This major seminar can be organized at department

Prof. Amit Kumar amit040985@gmail.com FIT Group of Institutions

Page 6

level for every month. A specific topic or subject is selected for the theme of the seminar. National seminar: An association of any kind particularly with academic or professional interest or an organization (Government, Firm, etc.,) conducts the seminar at National level is called National seminar. The subject experts are invited to the seminar for discussion. The Secretary of the seminar prepares the schedule and functionaries for seminar. International seminar: Usually the seminar conducted by an international organization or agency is known as International seminar. Theme of this seminar has wider aspects. Globalization, Renovation, Atomic energy agreements, Policies implementation and modification etc., are examples for themes of International seminars. A Nation or its body can conduct or organize the international seminar. Advantages: 1. A wealth of knowledge usually, presented by many speakers at one time in one place. A lot of "learning" at one clip, with most material compressed into two or three days' worth of time. 2. A sense of camaraderie, where individuals can meet others with the same interests/problems/concerns that they may have in their chosen field. 3. A sense of renewed hope and inspiration (this is especially true for Internet marketing seminars), as sometimes business concerns are lessened by sharing experiences with others. Being with others that "understand" individual's problems or concerns, is usually a great morale booster! 4. A great way for those that don't like to read, or attend classes, to improve their knowledge of a specific subject. 5. A nice vacation, in usually, a good hotel. Most seminars take place in quality hotels, as this is part of the incentive to attracting attendees. Disadvantages: 1. Cost, of course, as all attendees must absorb their own costs. The seminars themselves sometimes also have an entry fee that can be quite high. All travel costs, food costs, hotel costs, and other miscellaneous costs must be absorbed by the attendees. 2. The chance that the speakers may be sharing incorrect knowledge, or not at all knowledgeable themselves (it pays to make your own assessments of presented topics, not just blindly "follow the pack"). Tips, tricks, and strategies need to be weighed as to "worth" and "accuracy" before using these. Careful thought rules here.

3. The time spent away from your actual business, or life, to attend. Time is always a concern when scheduling activities and some individuals simply can't spare the time away from their lives for activities such as this. 4. The chance that the topics may not actively help your business or your concerns, and that the seminar will be a waste of time, where nothing you learn is of any use to you. 5. The chance that attendees will expect too much from a seminar and thus be disappointed. Realism must rule here. These are not "instant answers" to anything. Overall, seminars, if chosen carefully, can be a good experience. They are not miracle cures to business problems or other problems, however, and this must be kept in mind when deciding to attend a seminar. These are, after all, optional events, and success or failure in business or life will probably not hinge on attendance at seminars! Many different methods of learning business strategies and life strategies exist for those that don't have the time flexibility or money flexibility to attend. Just visit your local library or local community college, and you'll find a wealth of knowledge on all subjects. Read a book concerning your issues, or take a class, and you'll find these can be great alternatives to seminars. INDIVIDUAL & GROUP PRESENTATIONS organization on the rise youre likely to encounter many situations that require you to work with others and then present your information to an audience. Group presentations usually involve both interacting within the group and speaking to those outside the group. A group is a collection of individuals who interact and depend on each other to solve a problem, make a decision, and achieve a common goal or objective. In this class, you may have worked in groups to develop various skills associated with public speaking, such as brainstorming for topics or analyzing your audience. Your instructor might also assign a group presentation. Working in groups in the classroom setting and giving group presentations prepare you for participating in teambased organizations and other professional contexts. Well-managed presentations, as part of academic courses, can be used developmentally to improve both skills and confidence levels. You may be able to demonstrate your personality in a way that is not possible as a passive listener in a lecture. Presentations can help you to be noticed and stand out from the rest of the group. They enable you to show your individuality. You can learn to deal with nervousness in a positive way that can help to reduce your fears and anxieties. With regular practice, you will improve your confidence and enter employment with some of the interpersonal and communication skills that employers value.

Prof. Amit Kumar amit040985@gmail.com FIT Group of Institutions

Page 7