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User Name: RIYA GAUR

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Book: Business Communication

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Chapter 1 : Business Communication, Management, and

Success
 (pp. 2-16)
Business Communication, Management, and Success: Chapter Objectives 
Objectives
① Define communication and describe significance of communication in business.

② Explain the communication process model and the ultimate objective of the communication process.

③ Describe the three principal models of communication.

④ Discuss the different types of channels used in communication.

⑤ During communication how one adapts the message to the audience.

Significance of Communication 

objective ① Define communication and describe the significance of communication in business.

We communicate to satisfy needs in both our work and non-work lives. Each of us wants to be heard, appreciated, and
wanted. We also want to accomplish tasks and achieve goals. Obviously, then, a major purpose of communication is to
help people feel good about themselves and about their friends, groups, and organizations. The classic purposes of
communication are to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. However, in business, entertainment is often limited to
celebratory occasions and products or services that are being marketed to customers and clients. Two additional purposes
of communication in an organizational setting are establishing credibility and goodwill, or positive and productive
relationships with others.

What is communication? Communication is the process of exchanging information and meaning between or among
individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, and behavior. Other words used to describe the communication
process

  P. 2
 

include expressing feelings, conversing, speaking, corresponding, writing, listening, and exchanging. Studies indicate
that managers typically spend 60 to 80 percent of their time involved in communication. In your career activities, you
may communicate in a wide variety of ways, including

Attending meetings and writing reports related to strategic plans and company policy.
Collaborating with others to make decisions and accomplish tasks.
Establishing productive working relationships with coworkers, supervisors, clients, customers, and outside
vendors.
Presenting information to large and small groups.
Explaining and clarifying management procedures and work assignments.
Coordinating the work of various employees, departments, and other work groups.
Evaluating and counseling employees.
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Promoting the company's products/services and image.

Whatever your chosen career field, communication

skills will be an important requirement for you as a job applicant and an employee. © Somos/Veer/Jupiterimages  

  P. 3
 

The Communication Process 

objective ② Explain the communication process model and the ultimate objective of the communication process.

Effective business communication is essential to success in today's work environments. Recent surveys of executives
document that abilities in writing and speaking are major determinants of career success in many fields.1 Although
essential to personal and professional success, effective business communication does not occur automatically. Your own
experiences have likely taught you that a message is not interpreted correctly just because you transmitted it. An
effective communicator anticipates possible breakdowns in the communication process—the unlimited ways the message
can be misunderstood.

This mind-set provides the concentration to design the initial message effectively and to be prepared to intervene at the
appropriate time to ensure that the message received is on target. However, the responsibility to ensure effective
communication does not end with the sender. The receiver of the message also is responsible for ensuring that he or she
received the message as intended by providing feedback, asking for clarification, and checking for correct understanding.

Consider the communication process model presented in Figure 1-1. These seemingly simple steps actually represent a
very complex process.

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F igure 1-1 The

Communication Process Model  

Encoding the Message

The sender carefully designs a message by selecting (1) words that clearly convey the message and (2) when using
channels other than writing, choosing nonverbal signals (gestures, stance, tone of voice, and so on) that reinforce the
verbal message. The process of selecting and organizing the message is referred to as encoding . The sender's primary
objective is to encode the message in such a way that the message received is as close as possible to the message that is
intended. Knowledge of the receiver's educational level, experience, viewpoints, culture, and other information aids the
sender in encoding the message in such a way so that it is received as intended. If information about the receiver is
unavailable, the sender can put himself or herself in the receiver's position to gain fairly accurate insight for encoding the
message. Encoding, to a large extent, also depends upon the way we think. Our attitudes, values, beliefs, and past
experiences act like a cognitive filter influencing all the information that passes through it, and this impacts the way we
encode and decode messages.

  P. 4
 

Communication Breakdown

Various behaviors can cause breakdowns in the communication process at the encoding stage, such as when the sender
uses

Words not present in the receiver's vocabulary.

Ambiguous, nonspecific ideas that distort the message.
Nonverbal signals that contradict the verbal message.
Expressions, such as “uh” or grammatical errors, mannerisms (excessive hand movements, jingling keys), or
dress styles that distract the receiver.

Lack of awareness of the sender's cognitive filter and thereby the inability to consciously make efforts to mitigate its
influence also acts like a barrier in communication.

Channel Selection and Message Transmission

To increase the likelihood that the receiver will understand the message, the sender carefully selects an appropriate
channel for transmitting the message. Three typical communication channels are two-way, face-to-face; two-way, not
face-to-face; and one-way, not face-to-face.

Selecting an inappropriate channel can cause the message to be misunderstood and can adversely affect human relations
with the receiver. In some cases, to ensure clarity, it is also a good idea to choose one channel and to follow up with
another. For example, for a complex subject, a sender might begin with a written message and follow up with a face-to-
face or telephone discussion after the receiver has had an opportunity to review the information.

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Two-Way, Face-to-Face

Examples of two-way, face-to-face communication include informal conversations, interviews, oral presentations,
speeches, and videoconferences. Two-way, face-to-face communication has several advantages. It provides instant
feedback, the potential to establish a personal connection, and information from nonverbal signals. For these reasons,
two-way, face-to-face communication is the richest channel of communication. (Experts say that more than 90 percent of
two-way, face-to-face communication can be transmitted nonverbally.) Because of these advantages, two-way, face-to-
face communication can be especially appropriate and effective for conveying sensitive or unpleasant news.

Two-Way, Not Face-to-Face

Two-way, not face-to-face communication includes telephone conversations, online chats, and text messaging, all of
which provide instant feedback using a real-time connection. Often, this type of communication is a comparably
inexpensive form of communication, particularly when communicating over long distances. Physical absence creates
disadvantages, however. Nonverbal elements are lacking, so the message must be particularly clear and forms of
feedback and clarification should be used to ensure correct understanding. That means this channel of communication is
not a good choice for certain situations, such as conveying sensitive or unpleasant news.

© Stockbyte/Getty Images  

One-Way, Not Face-to-Face

One-way, face-to-face communication includes letters, memos, reports, and electronic communications, such as email,
fax, voice mail, and web pages, and has the advantage of being considered more permanent and official. Written
documents thus are required when legal matters are involved and written records must be retained. However,

  P. 5
 

because nonverbal elements and the chance for instant feedback are missing, possible confusion must be anticipated and
prevented by ensuring that the message is very well written.

Causes of Interference
Senders and receivers must anticipate other factors that may hinder the communication process and attempt to eliminate
or reduce their effect. These factors are referred to as interferences  or barriers to effective communication.
Interferences may occur at various stages of the communication process. For example,

Differences in educational level, experience, culture, and other characteristics of the sender and the receiver
increase the complexity of encoding and decoding a message.
Physical interferences occurring in the channel include a noisy environment, interruptions, and uncomfortable
surroundings.
Mental distractions, such as preoccupation with other matters and developing a response rather than listening.

Both the sender and the receiver of messages should be aware of these additional barriers to communication and attempt
to remove them, by changing the setting or even making arrangements to communicate at a different time when fewer
distractions exist.

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Decoding the Message

The receiver's task is to interpret the sender's message, both verbal and nonverbal, with as little distortion as possible.
The process of interpreting the message is referred to as decoding . Because words and nonverbal signals have different
meanings to different people, countless problems can occur at this point in the communication process:

The receiver does not understand the words being used or the words are ambiguous or nonspecific.
The nonverbal signals may be distracting or contradict the verbal message.
The receiver is intimidated by the position or authority of the sender, resulting in tension that prevents the
receiver from concentrating effectively on the message and failure to ask for needed clarification.
The receiver may be from another culture and his or her cognitive filter may not interpret the message as intended
because of differing values and practices.
The receiver prejudges the topic as too boring or difficult to understand and does not attempt to comprehend the
message.
The receiver is close-minded and unreceptive to new and different ideas.
The receiver may have preconceptions about the sender or his or her organization or product that interfere with
his or her ability to be open-minded and receptive.

The infinite number of breakdowns possible at each stage of the communication process makes it challenging for
effective, mutually satisfying communication to occur. The complexity of the communication process amplifies the
importance of the next stage in the communication process—feedback to clarify understanding.

Giving Feedback
When the receiver responds to the sender's message, the response is called feedback . The feedback may prompt the
sender to modify or adjust the original message to make it clearer to the receiver. Feedback may be verbal or nonverbal.
A remark such as “Could you clarify …” or a perplexed facial expression provides clear feedback to the sender that the
receiver does not yet understand the message. Conversely, a confident “Yes, I understand” and a nod of the head likely
signal understanding or encouragement.

  P. 6
 

Communication Models 

objective ③ Describe the three principal models of communication.

There are several models of communication which differ from each other with respect to the degree of detail in
describing the communication process. They range from a simple one-way linear approach to a two-way interactional
approach to communication. In the following section, three popular models of communication will be discussed.

Linear Model of Communication

One of the earliest models of communication was designed to mirror radio and telephone technologies consisting of three
primary components—sender, channel, and receiver. This is a one-way model to communicate which assumes that
communication begins when the sender encodes a message and with the help of a channel transmits the message to a
receiver—at which point the communication ends. The linear model of human communication has given way to more
advanced models of communication, and the two prominent models are Shannon–Weaver model (1949) and Laswell
model (1948) that are discussed in detail.

Shannon–Weaver Model of Communication

According to this model, communication is conceptualized as two-way and cyclical process where the sender sends a
message through a channel to the receiver in a one-way communication; and when the receiver responds or gives
feedback to the sender it becomes the two-way communication. The ongoing communication back and forth between the
receiver and sender is a cyclical process, where the two individuals who are communicating become the sender and the
receiver, alternatively.

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F igure 1-2 Shannon-

Weaver Model of Communication  

The cyclical process of communication shows that the sender initiates and encodes the message which is sent through a
medium or channel, which after being received by the receiver is adapted to before being sent back as feedback. One of
the drawbacks of the model is that it conceptualizes the receiver playing a secondary role in comparison to the sender
and they only respond to the message sent but do not initiate new communication. Shanon and Weaver also considered
the fact that all communication does not occur in an ideal environment and there would be several factors that could
disrupt the free flow of communication which they called noise. These could be contextual factors such as disturbance in
technology, break down in the channel, and also barriers related to human reasons. Shannon and Weaver model of
communication continues to be considered as a standard model for understanding the basic process of communication.

  P. 7
 

Laswell Model of Communication

Harold Dwight Laswell (1948), was an American political scientist and his model of communication is derived from his
work in mass media. According to Laswell, there are five critical questions which must be considered in any kind of
communication and suitable answers regarding each will ultimately determine the effectiveness of communication.
These are as follows:

Who is intending to and initiates communication?

What is it that is being communicated?
Which is the channel that is being used to transmit the message?
To whom is communication being directed?
What is the effect of communication?

The answers to the five questions require five levels of analysis. The first is who is the person, organization or system
controlling the communication. Secondly, focussing on what is being said is a detailed content analysis. Decisions about
the channel or medium used to transmit the content is called media analysis. Fourthly, the audience analysis involves
understanding to whom the message is being communicated. And lastly effect analysis is the determining the outcomes,
consequences, and results of the analysis. While Laswell model is easy to understand, it makes no reference to feedback
and noise, which is shortfall of the model, which has been discussed in Shannon–Weaver model.

Based on the several models of communication, a meta model of communication describing the entire process of
communication can be derived consisting of the following elements:

1. Sender-encoder. Sender-encoder initiates by encoding a message for the receiver in the form of symbols that can
be transmitted through a medium. The encoding depends upon:
External stimuli such as the purpose contained in the letter, memo, fax, or telephone.
Situational factors such as weather, noise, discomforts, status, prevailing culture, and emotions.
Cognitive filter—mental state comprises attitudes, values, and beliefs past experiences, likes, dislikes and
experiences.
Skills and capabilities, language and skills.
2. Message. The message includes, the content to be conveyed, and the effect it needs to have on the receiver.
3. Medium. Message needs to pass through some hardware such as vocal chords, telephone, Internet, telephone,
paper, fax, telex, etc.
4. Receiver-decoder. Just like the sender, the receiver decodes the message which is perceived through the senses
organs. The internal and external factors affect the decoding.
5. Feedback. The receiver encodes reply and sends it to the sender and this is feedback.
6. Noise. All factors that can possibly disrupt the flow of communication is noise or barriers.

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Communication Channel 

objective ④ Discuss the different types of channels used in communication.

The number of communication channels available to a manager has increased over the last decade. Video conferencing,
mobile technology, electronic bulletin boards, fax machines, corporate blogs, web sites and social networking sites are
some of the new possibilities. A challenge which managers face today is to determine what type of communication
channel should they opt for in order to carryout effective communication.

Typically, there are three types of channels which can be used classified as formal, informal, or unofficial channels.

Formal communication channels transmit information such as the goals, policies, and procedures and all official
directives following a chain of command. An example of a formal communication channel is a company's newsletter, an
inter-office memo, appointment letter,

  P. 8
 

and practically all official letters. A business plan, customer satisfaction survey, annual reports, employer's manual, and
review meetings are all formal communication channels.

Informal communication channels of communication are not initiated by the company, but exist among employees
through which they communicate. While this type of communication channel may disrupt the chain of command, a good
manager tries to find the fine balance between the formal and informal communication channel as both are valuable
sources of information. An example of an informal communication channel is what people share during lunchtime at the
organization's cafeteria/canteen, in lifts, smoking areas and so on. Quality circles, team work, and different training
programs are outside the organization also fall under the category of informal communication channels. The unofficial
communication is the organization's ‘grapevine’ and it is often through which rumors circulate. Also those engaging in
‘grapevine’ discussions often form groups, which translate into friendships outside of the organization, or cliques and
cartels within the organization working at cross purpose with organizational objectives. While the grapevine may have
positive implications, more often than not information circulating in the grapevine is exaggerated and may cause
unnecessary alarm to employees. A good manager should be privy to information circulating in this unofficial
communication channel and should take positive measures to prevent the flow of false information.

Unofficial communication channels are media reports such as television news, magazines, and newspaper articles, trade
reviews carry information and news of an organization initiated by some agency other that the organization. Sometimes
paid public relations also are regarded as unofficial communication channel through which the company communicates
unofficially with the employees and stakeholders such as customers, trade analysts and government.

Effective Use of Channels

Channels must be adapted to the audience and there are several guidelines for this. Factors such as speed and accuracy,
transmission cost, number of messages that can be carried by the channel are important considerations while choosing
channel. Likewise, number of people reached by the channel and efficiency and ability to promote goodwill also need to
be considered. The bigger your audience, the more complicated choosing a channel becomes. Ultimately, the purposes,
the audience, and the situation will determine which channel may be better than another.

Researches have shown that use of written messages is effective when specific detail, extensive or complex data are to be
communicated. Different communities may prefer different channels for the same message, for instance, computer
scientists and researchers want the information to be online, while blue-collar workers prefer instructions on paper.
During conflict and negotiations verbal channel is useful as it enables discussions and a two-way communication, which
facilitates answering questions, resolving conflicts, and build consensus. Use of emotions as a channel is effective when
one has to persuade the audience or obtain an immediate action. Finally, messages on paper are more formal than e-mail
messages, the latter more appropriate for routine messages to people you already know. Paper is usually better for
someone to whom you're writing for the first time and definitely for all important messages.

Barriers in Communication 
Barriers in communication are called noise and it is due to them that there is variance between what the sender has
encoded and the receiver has decoded. Barriers lead to misunderstandings, which ultimately negatively impact business
and are a cost to the organizations. Understanding communication barriers can help in making efforts to correct them,
which are classified below in broad categories.

Physical Barriers

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Open offices where seating arrangements facilitate visibility of all employees are regarded beneficial for communication,
and close doors and spatial distance separated by walls generally go against the goal of effective communication and are
barriers. Removing physical barriers is the first step towards open communication where collaborative communication
flourishes. Purposefully designed architecture, that has an “open office” plan with low rise partitioned cubicles with
central open space for meetings benefits communication.

  P. 9
 

Perceptual Barriers
The human mind is a cognitive filter and all information is processed before sense is made and understanding of what has
been received is gained from what was communicated by the sender. The filter is like a predisposition which is made of
up attitudes, values, beliefs, and the learning of past experiences through which the receiver perceives the message sent
by the sender. Perceptual differences in the sender and receiver leads to distortion of understanding from the point of
view of the sender of the message, which is a barrier. A common type of perceptual bias is stereotypes which are
inferences about out groups shared by in groups. It is common for people of one group to attribute certain qualities to all
members of another group. For example, we have stereotypes related, class, race, gender, and other types of group which
distort our judgment. Perceptual differences are normal and become a barrier in communication if we refuse to
acknowledge them, which make us closed and frozen in our thinking. A flexible open and receptive mind coupled with
empathy is the best way to deal with barriers that are caused by perceptual differences in people.

Barriers Related to Information Processing

Inorder to deal with excessive information, the human brain engages in processes such as abstracting, generalization, and
making inferences. In abstracting, the brain processes information by reducing it and in generalization, we extrapolate
our understanding from one situation to another but similar situation. Finally, while making inferences we substitute
missing information from our past experiences in the present situation. While all these are necessary and inescapable
processes of the brain, they help us deal with excessive information or even lack of it to make sense in the present. But
we can still commit errors if we are not skilled in these processes and only then they lead to distortions in
communication.

Emotional Barriers
When a human being experiences negative emotions such as anger, fear, shame, the cognitive processes get affected
making us say and do things which we may regret later. Anger may make you use abusive language, threaten, or
intimidate which leads to communication breakdown, and fear may make you not say something that is important at that
time. Similarly, communicating during excessive joy or euphoria may make you commit something that you cannot
honor in future. When we experience strong emotions, the human body is in control of hormones, which divert blood
flow from the brain inhibiting its processing capabilities which is why emotions are treated as barriers in communication.

Cultural Barriers
Lack of information about another culture may make you say things which are taboo or censured in another culture
leading to breakdown in communication. Apart from possessing an attitude of receptivity, empathy, and openness toward
other cultures, we also need to have knowledge and information about other cultures. These two aspects give us cultural
sensitivity which enables communication in culturally diverse environments and absence of which is barrier.

Language and Sematic Barriers

Words have both connotative and denotative meaning and in communication it is imperative to use words that have a
strong denotativemeaning and minimum or nil connotations. Denotative words are free of emotional and judgmental
baggage, while connotative words have hidden meaning which may lead to undesirable consequences if used in any form
of communication. Words like table are free of connotation unlike a word like gay. Connotative words may lead to
charges of libel or defamation.

  P. 10
 

Barriers Related to Speaking Style

Interrupting is a good thing when you want to get something that has just been said, to be clarified. But most of the times,
people interrupt another person to express their own views and to oppose what has been said or are plain impatient.
Frequent interruptions or changing the subject too early when some one is speaking may make the speaker feel that you
are no longer interested in what they are saying. Accusing and blaming are the most destructive forms of communication.
When accusing, the other person feels that you assume he/she is guilty, even without hearing their side of the story.
Similarly, sarcasm, taunts, and misplaced humor while communicating demeans the other person, which is a potential
barrier in communication.
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Breakdown in Communication Channel

A breakdown in the communication channel leads to an inefficient flow of information where employees are unaware of
what the company expects of them and remain uninformed about what is going on in the organization. This will cause
them to become suspicious of the motives and any changes in the company. Also without effective communication,
employees become department minded rather than company minded, and this affects their decision making and
productivity in the workplace.

Adapting Your Message to Your Audience 

objective ⑤ During communication how one adapts the message to the audience.

PAIBOC Analysis
PAIBOC is a technique which can help practitioners craft suitable messages for different kinds of audience. The premise
of PAIBOC is that when each step entailed is implemented, communication effectiveness is ensured. Each alphabet of
the acronym stands for a particular activity which the individual or entity that wants to communicate should follow:

P-Purpose
A-Audience
I-Information
B-Benefits
O-Objections
C-Context

Purpose
What is your purpose or your purposes? What do you want your audience to know, think, or do after receiving the
message?. What must this message do to solve the organizational problem? These are some of the questions which must
be answered by the sender before designing a message for a receiver. It is important to list all your purposes and specify
exactly what you want your reader to know, think, or do after receiving the message. Specify exactly what kind of image
of yourself and of your organization you want to project through the message.

Audience
Who is your target audience? Describe the typical person in the audience group. What personal characteristics of your
target audience are relevant to this message? What characteristics of your readers are relevant for your message?
Understanding your audience is fundamental to the success of any message. You need to adapt your message to fit the
audience's goals, interests, needs, values, and beliefs. It is important to also know details of the audience demographic
profile such

  P. 11
 

as education level, rural-urban background, age, gender, and so on as it is natural that these factors do shape audience
perceptual filters. Take the time to analyze your audience and to revise your draft with your analysis in mind. You can
adapt your message's strategy, organization, and style to meet the audience's needs.

Information
What information must you include in the message in order to help the audience react in the desired way? Audience
analysis coupled with organizational purpose you wish to achieve through the communication will dictate what contents
must be part of the communication.

Benefits
The sender of the message should be clear about what reader's benefits can be used to support your position in the
message? When readers benefit becomes part of the message then the receiver is motivated to act on the message. With
no reader benefit evident, the receiver may be inclined to disregard the message and not act on it, thus defeating the
purpose of communication.

Objections
Knowing about the objections any audience has towards communicated messages are useful inputs while designing a
message. One can deemphasize the negative aspects of the message objections and also creatively present the same so
that the message appears favorable.
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Context
Finally, it is important to consider the context of the receiver while communicating. Status, nature of relationship
between sender and receiver, circumstances such as organizational morale, etc. plays a role in not only encoding of
messages but also decoding. In effective communication, we need to factor in these context variables.

Audience Analysis 
Audience analysis is the study of audience composition with respect to knowing what is their knowledge levels interests,
attitudes, and along with how the audience can be differentiated with respect to several demographic variables. The best
way to collect data for audience analysis is through observation, asking questions, interviewing, and using written
questionnaire. Audience analysis is usually done at three levels.

1. Demographic audience analysis involves focuses on identifying the general demographic features of your
audience and gauging the importance of those features to a particular speaking situation. Factors to be considered
could be age, sex, religious orientation, sexual orientation, income levels, racial, ethnic, occupational, or cultural
background.
2. Situational audience analysis considers information related to audience size, physical setting where the audience
is situated, length of presentation to be made and also the audience disposition toward the topic.
3. Nonverbal audience analysis includes the analysis of eye contact, facial expression, restless movement, nonverbal
responsiveness, verbal responsiveness while making the presentation. This analysis helps in gauging the
audience's engagement with what is being said, and can provide guidelines regarding what can be done to
increase responsiveness in the audience.

  P. 12
 

Business Communication, Management, and Success: Objective Questions 

True/False
1. Studies show that communication is an important managerial activity, with managers typically spending up to
half their time communicating.
2. A major purpose in communication is to help people feel good about themselves and their friends, groups, and
organizations.
3. The sender's primary objective is to decode the message so that the message received is as close as possible to the
message that is sent.
4. As a communication channel, the grapevine should be considered an ineffective communication channel.
5. If a person refuses to develop sensitivity to other cultures, he or she could be labeled an ethnocentrist.

Multiple Choice
1. Differences in education level, experience, and culture or distractions such as noise, uncomfortable room temperature,
and interruptions are examples of

a. feedback.

b. interference.

c. interception.

d. decoding.

2. Carol, an executive traveling on an international flight, is preparing e-mail instructions to her staff during the flight.
Carol is in the act of

a. giving feedback.

b. interfering.

c. encoding.

d. decoding.

3. Javon explains a new policy to his staff which prohibits the use of office computers for personal e-mail. Several of the
employees frown at the news and one staff member makes a sarcastic remark. Steve's staff is

a. giving feedback.

b. interfering.
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c. decoding.

d. encoding.

4. Jeff receives an email from his boss, Carol, who is on an international flight. As Jeff interprets the instructions from
the e-mail he is in the act of

a. giving feedback.

b. interfering.

c. encoding.

d. decoding.

5. A supervisor notices that an employee has been late to work for three days this week. What should the supervisor do to
foster open communication?

a. Call the employee to ask him or her about the lateness.

b. Write the employee a disciplinary memorandum about the lateness.

c. Meet with the employee face-to-face to discuss the lateness.

d. Send the employee an e-mail message about his or her lateness.

  

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Business Communication, Management, and Success: Review Card 

Learning Objectives
LO1: Define communication and describe significance of communication in business.

Communication is the process of exchanging information and meaning between or among individuals through a common
system of symbols, signs, and behavior. Managers spend most of their time in communication activities.

LO2: Explain the communication process model and the ultimate objective of the communication process.

People engaged in communication encode and decode messages while simultaneously serving as both senders and
receivers. In the communication process, feedback helps people resolve possible misunderstandings and thus improves
communication effectiveness. Feedback and the opportunity to observe nonverbal signs are always present in face-to-
face communication, the most complete of the three communication levels.

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LO3: Describe the three principal models of communication.

There are three types of communication models which describe the communication process in three ways. The earliest is
linear model of communication which consists of three primary components–sender, channel, and receiver in a one-way
communication flow that begins with the sender and ends with the receiver. The Shanon-Weaver model conceptualizes
communication as two way and cyclical process where the sender sends a message through a channel to the receiver in a
one-way communication, and when the receiver responds or gives feedback to the sender it becomes a two-way
communication. The third model described by Laswell emphasizes that answers to five critical questions determine the
effectiveness of communication. These are related to who is the one who initiates communication, what is the content
and channel of communication, and finally who will receive the communication and its impact.

LO4: Discuss the different types of channels used in communication.

There are three broad categories of communication channels—formal, informal, and unofficial channels. Formal
channels follow the chain of command and examples of which are company's newsletter, inter office memo, appointment
letter, and practically all official letters. A business plan, customer satisfaction survey, annual reports, employer's manual,
review meetings are also formal communication channels. The informal communication channelizes the organization's
“grapevine”—which is conversations over coffee, meal times, and other such settings among employees of the
organization.

The unofficial communication channel is media communication, press reporting, and experts views about the
organization.

Key Terms
Encoding the process of selecting and organizing the message
Interferences (barriers) other factors that may hinder the communication process
Decoding the process of interpreting the message
Feedback the response the receiver gives to the sender of a message
Organizational communication communication concerned with the movement of information within the
company structure
Internal messages messages intended for recipients within the organization
External messages messages directed to recipients outside the organization
Intrapersonal communication communication that occurs within oneself
Interpersonal communication communication that occurs between two people

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LO5: During communication how one adapts the message to the audience.

Understanding your audience and adapting the message—audience's goals, interests, needs, values, and beliefs—
contributes to communication effectiveness. Through audience and situation analysis one gets to know the demographic
profile such as education level, rural-urban background, age, gender, and other relevant details along with the
circumstance and context of recipients of messages.

Grammar Quiz
Identify the weakness in each sentence and write an improved version.

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1. It is essential that you sign and return the enclosed form.
2. I am submitting an editorial to the newspaper, which I wrote last summer.
3. The work team wants to quickly bring the project to a conclusion.
4. To operate efficiently, you must perform periodic maintenance on your computer.
5. Protect your online privacy by use of effective password protection, clearing temporary menus regularly, and
encryption of sensitive information.

Quiz Solutions

  

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Business Communication, Management, and Success: Exercises 

1. Use the communication process model and describe a personal experience in which you failed to achieve your
objectives owing to ineffective communication.
2. Analyze your strengths and weaknesses in communication at the following five levels:
Intrapersonal (with self)
Interpersonal (with others)
Group (with teams members)
Organizational (with superiors and subordinates at various levels)
Public (with various stakeholders)

Business Communication, Management, and Success: Questions 

1. Write a short note on:
Levels of culture in communication
2. Discuss how communication plays a critical role in the progress and growth of an organization.
3. Write a short speech on “Communicating in India” (200 words).

Business Communication, Management, and Success: Projects 

1. Take three different types of organizations (MNC, NGO, educational institutions, etc.) and examine the channels
through which communication flows. Now make flow diagrams to depict the differences in the flow of
communication in the three organizations.

Footnotes
1. The challenges facing workers in the future. (1999, August). HR Focus, 6.

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© 2007 Cengage Learning Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this work may by reproduced or used in any form
or by any means - graphic, electronic, or mechanical, or in any other manner - without the written permission of
the copyright holder.

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