Managerial Communications in Changing Global

Culture 66

Factors Affecting the Nature of Communications

in a Business Organization

Copyright
Protected by S. M.
Ikhtiar Alam
1. Nature of business (Vision and Mission) and size of business:

The efficiency and effectiveness of business-

related formal communication significantly varies
from organization to organization depending on
the very nature of the business activities of the
organizations. By nature of business, company’s
vision and mission are meant. In some cases, the
strategies a company adopts from time to time
are also become a part of it. Managerial
communications in an NGO dealing with
microcredit are very different from a hospital
(such as United Hospital).
1. Nature of business (Vision and Mission) and size of
business Continues

In addition, as the company in

question grows bigger, its
managerial communications also
change in terms of channel,
language, format, etc. Managerial
communications in a SOHO is
dominantly verbal (face-to-face)
and via telephone, where as in a
large corporate business
organization has to largely depend
on formal written communication,
2. The Product(s) of the
Organization:
A company makes profit by selling
something. There are 18 types of
products along with “services”. There
are 21 types of recognized services.
What a company is producing and/or
selling to make profit determines the
very nature of managerial
communications of that company.
Although the types of products a
company deals with are mentioned in
its mission statement, it is vital to
mention this as a separate point to
better indicate the relationship between
2. The Product(s) of the Organization
Continues
For example, the nature of
managerial communications in a
hospital is completely different
from that of a manufacturing
company, ceteris paribus, only
because of the fact that one is
selling healthcare services and
the other is selling physical
goods.
3. Operating Plan of the
Company:
The way an organization
organizes its entire operations
determines the nature of its
managerial communications. A
fast food store organizes its
entire business in one way and a
commercial bank in another way.
Their managerial
communications are different in
terms of channel, form,
language, etc.
4. The broader environment of
the business operations:
The broader environment of the
business operations of the company
determines the nature, form,
language, etc. of the company’s
managerial communications. A
company has to conduct its business
operations subject to a broader
environment consisting of suppliers,
retailers, customers, and a set of
laws, norms, and practices. These
elements of the broader environment
of business operations determine the
5. Geographic Dispersion:
Compare a local organization and a global
organization such as Sony. When a company is
operating in a very large geographically
dispersed areas, such as a global company or
a organization like “Swanirvar Bangladesh”
which operates in entire Bangladesh directly
need to communicate in a very especial way to
succeed. However, an online company, such as
eBay, eBaggs (these are global), Daraz.com in
Dhaka are different from a geographically
dispersed company since these zero inventory
based online companies are really located on
just a desk in a room.
6. People:
Number of people, their
socio-religious background,
heritage, authority, types of
the job they are doing as per
nature of the company
business such as Microcredit
Operation vs. Research
Activities, etc. affect the
managerial communications
7. Company Culture:
Organizational culture is
defined as “a system of
shared meaning and beliefs
held by organizational
members that determines, in
large degree, how employees
(and other members) act”,
behave, and communicate.
7. Company Culture Cont..
Managerial communication in Agora is
quite different from Jordan (a leading retail
chain store in USA) only due to cultural
differences. In a research oriented
organization managerial communication
will be very different from that of a large
retail store in terms of channel, message,
feedback, etc. Messages regarding
recruitment, promotion, demotion,
supervision, performance evaluation, etc.
vary significantly as per culture of the
organization.
8. The Linking Pins in the
Organogram:
Closed to operating plan, another
factor that affects both the operating
plan and its efficiency, effectiveness,
and the very desirability of a message
in an organization is “to what extent
the Organogram and the linking pins
thereof are correct and sufficient to
ensure smooth flow of information
within the organization and between
the organization and outside
audiences.”
9. Leadership Style:
Given the company culture, the
operating plan, and all other
things, many academics and
professionals argue that the
leadership style in an
organization extremely affect
the nature of managerial
communication in that
organization. In an organization,
many different leadership styles
may coexist.
9. Leadership Style
Continues
Top level leadership style may
vary significantly from that in
different departments at mid
and lower levels. The nature of
leadership style at top level and
the coexistence of multiple
leadership styles create a very
chaotic managerial
communication process that is
inefficient, ineffective, and
undesirable for the organization