COMMUNICATION

Basic function of management is

communicating

► Ideas

► Strengths

► Opportunities
Communication is necessary to all functions of

management. But specially it is considered as a

sub function of directing

 Management

Planning Organizing Directing Staffing Controlling

Communication
Communication

Derived from Latin word “communist” which

means common. It translates the meaning of
transfer, meaning and information.
 The process through which two or more
persons come to exchange ideas and understanding
among themselves

According to Koontz and O.Donnel,

“The transfer of information from one person

to another with the information being
understood by both the sender and the
receiver”
The elements of communication are
The sender, receiver and the channel
The information, message or ideas and
The understanding element by the receiver

The communication is said to be completed only

when the sender receives the response or feed back

from the receiver that message has been understood

properly
Sender Encoding Transmission Channel Receiver Decoding
of message

Feed Back
The elements of communication

► SENDER: The person who intends to make contact with

the objective of passing information, ideas to other
persons is known as sender.

► IDEAS: This is the subject matter of communication.

This might be opinion, attitude, feelings, views,
suggestions, orders, etc.
► Encoding: Subject matter is abstract and intangible, its
transmission requires the use of certain symbols such
as words, actions, pictures, etc. Conversion of the
subject into these symbols is the process of encoding.

► Channel: Symbols are transmitted through certain

channels. Eg. Radio, telephone, air etc.

► Receiver: The person to whom the message is meant

for and sent by the sender
► Decoding: The symbols encoded such as words,

action, pictures etc. are decoded by the receiver.

Feed Back:

Feed back indicates that the message was

received and also it indicates whether the message
was received in correct meaning.
 Message

Sender Feed Back

Feed Back

Desired Feed back

Noise: It disturbs, confuses or interferes with communication

Message

Sender Feed Back

Feed Back

No Desired Feed back

 Role of communication

ORGANISATION

MANAGER

Superiors Subordinates Creditors Customers Suppliers

Peter F.Drucker

“Good communication is the foundation for

sound management.”
 COMMUNICATION

PLANNING ORGANISING STAFFING CONTROLLING

►Mission ►Clear organization ►Recruitment ►Standards

structure ►Selection
►Objectives ►Correcting
►Delegation ►Training
►Policies deviations
►Decentralisation
►Estimation ►Promotions ►Measuring
►Line &Staff
of sales performance
relationship
COMMUNICATION PROCESS

Sender’s
Encoding Channel Decoding
thought

Response Noise
Receiving

Response Understanding
Decoding Channel Encoding By
Transmission
Receiver

Feed Back
Channel and Transmission

Most common → Light and sound

Outside
In Organisation Organisation
Face to face conversations Letters
Written memos Circulars
Telephonic conversations Magazines
Group meetings Radio and T.V.
programmes
Receiver and Decoding

Receiver interprets and translates the

message into thoughts, understanding
and desired response.

One of the factor which affects the

decoding of the receiver is the past experience
of the receiver and his expectations.
 The homogeneity or similarity in attitudes,
experience, knowledge, environment, and
socio-cultural, background between the sender
and receiver avoids false communication.
 The total of the channels connecting
various positions in the organisation are
called communication network.

COMMUNICATION NETWORK

Formal Informal
 Formal communication

Downward Upward Diagonal Cross One way

One Line Organisation
Superior to Subordinate
division and and outside
subordinate to Superior
parties
►Instructions ►Reporting to staff
►suppliers
►Directions another
►Govt
►Customers
Communication networks in formal communication

a) Wheel
b) Chain
c) Circle
d) Y
 WHEEL
(Star network)

Subordinate Subordinate
1 2

Administrator

Subordinate Subordinate
3 4

No interaction between subordinates

 CHAIN

No member can influence other

 CIRCLE

E B

D C
 Y TYPE

A B

E
 The channel of communication under
the formal structure is narrow but it allows
flow of essential information.

It is easy to maintain, orderly in

nature, supports the authority of the
superior, provides closeness of contact. It
helps in exercising control over
subordinates and in fixing responsibility.
Limitations of formal communication

► Enhancing organisational distance

► Greater possibility of errors in
transmission
► Screening at various filter points
INFORMAL COMMUNICATION OR GRAPEVINE

Communication that takes place without

following the formal lines of communication is
called as informal communication. This system of
communication also called as grapevine because
it spreads throughout the organisation with its
branches going out in all directions.
 The grapevine transmits information from
one person to group of persons rapidly in a
cluster chain arrangement. The cluster chain is
made up of individuals who act as information
sources. Each individual passes the informatin to
several others, some of them repeat the message
to others.
Cluster Chain Network
CHARACTERISTICS OF GRAPEVINE

► People talk most when the news is recent

► People talk about things that affect their work

► People talk about people they know

► People working near each other are likely to be on

the same grapevine

► People who contact each other in the chain of

procedure tend to be on the same grapevine

LIMITATIONS OF INFORMAL COMMUNICATION

► Less orderly and less static

► Sometimes messages are so erratic that they may

lead to some difficult situations

► The origin and direction of the flow of information

is hard to find out

► It is difficult to assign responsibility for false

information
TYPES OF INFORMAL COMMUNICATION

a) Cluster

b) Gossip

c) Probability

d) Single chain
 CLUSTER
In this, the individual communicates with those
individuals whom he trusts and have good
relationships. This is most popular system
 GOSSIP
In this, the individual communicates non-
selectively. Gossip is different from Rumor.
Rumor is grapevine information which is
communicated without any standard of evidence
being present.
 PROBABILITY

In this, the individual communicates

randomly with other individuals according to
the law of probability.
 SINGLE CHAIN NETWORK

In this network, individual communicates with

other person through intervening persons.
FORMS OF COMMUNICATION
► Verbal communication
► Non-verbal communication

A communication in which words are used

can be called as verbal communication. This
type takes place in case of long distance.

The non verbal communication refers to the use of

body language in communicating ideas from the
sender to the receiver. Non verbal communication
mostly takes place unconsciously.
FORMS OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION

► Oral communication
► Written communication
 ORAL COMMUNICATION

► Exchanging ideas form sender to receiver through

oral words through face to face or through
mechanical or electrical device
► Helpful for clarifying ideas opinions and doubts of
both parties

► Disadvantage: Consumes time in meetings, not

taken seriously by the receiver, sometimes
misunderstood by the receiver because the spoken
words may not clearly heard or understood.
 WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

► The process of communication which is in writing

called as written communication. Written words,
graphs, diagrams, pictures, etc., may taken the form
of letter, circulars, notes, manuals etc.
► It is orderly and binding on subordinates and
superiors to take suitable actions in the organisation
Advantages of written communication

► Easily verified
► Precise and accurate
► As it permanent record, it can be used for future
reference
► Lengthy and complicated messages are better
understood if they are put in writing
Disadvantages of written communication

► Time consuming
► Possibility of lack of clarity
► Consumes money and energy
► Indirectly indicates a lack of trust among the
employees
 NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

It refers to the use of body language in communicating

ideas from the sender to the receiver.

In a typical message between two persons

► 7% of the meaning carried out by oral words

► 38% of the meaning carried by one’s voice

(pacing, timing, pauses, accent)
► 55% part carried out in the form of non verbal
communication
 GESTURE
It communicates message without having
any singular word.
Examples:
► Hand shake
► Smiling
► Speaking at a low voice
► Maintaining eye contact
► Nodding the head in agreement
► Clapping when important points are noticed
 Some of the non verbal actions that oppose the
communication are given below.

► Looking away or turning away from the speaker

► Closing eyes

► Using an unpleasant tone of voice

 The transfer of information from sender to
receiver may sometimes be affected by noise. So the
communication fails and there is a communication
gap which the information not passed to receiver
fully. The communication gap arises because of
certain barriers between the sender and the receiver.
In order to make a communication effective the
barriers must be controlled or managed.
Three kinds of barriers are popular.
They are

■ Semantic barriers

■ Psychological or emotional barriers

■ Organisational barriers
 SEMANTIC BARRIERS

Most of the misunderstandings in

communication arise because the same word or
symbol means different things to different
individuals. Semantic barriers are the obstructions
caused in the process of receiving or understanding
of the message during the process of encoding and
decoding ideas and words.
The following are some of the semantic barriers

→ Badly expressed messages

→ Faulty translations

→ Unclarified assumptions

→ Specialists languages
BADLY EXPRESSED MESSAGE

Lack of clarity in a message makes communication

badly expressed. Awkward sentence structure,
inadequate vocabulary, repetitions, failure to clarify
implications are some common faults found.

Example: To give tablet to a person a faulty communication

was given as below, which led to opposite meaning

Actual message: Give tablets, not discharge him

Perceived message: Give tablets not, discharge him
Actual message: God is now here

Perceived message: God is no where

Actual message: Hang him, not leave him

Perceived message: Hang him not, leave him

Faulty translations

Every person should know the appropriate words to

be put into the frame work in which the receiver
operates. Every hospital administrator receives
various types of communications from superiors,
peers, subordinates and he must translate
information described for subordinates, peers and
superiors. This needs a good understanding and
knowledge of linguistic patterns.
Unclarified assumptions

There are certain assumptions which are not

clarified practically in messages. Though a message
appears to be specific, the assumptions which
underlying the message may not be clear.
Specialists language

The persons who are specialist in their respective

field for example a doctor writes a prescription in
different handwriting. The characters in the
prescription can be only identified by pharmacists.
The tablets name, quantity, dose, only doctors and
pharmacists know. The doctor writes prescription
for patient. But the prescription is for pharmacist
only. The pharmacist must communicate the doctors
advice and dosage to the patient.
 PSYCHOLOGICAL OR EMOTIONAL BARRIERS

The barriers with regard to the minds of the persons

involved in the communication process are called
psychological barriers. The effective relationships
between the people depends upon the balancing nature
and understanding levels of the people. Each individual
has his/her own psychological status and wavelength.
Barriers may occur between two persons because of
the difference in their psychological determinants i.e.,
difference in personality, motivation, learning,
perceptions values and attitudes.
The emotional barriers are of six types.

They are
► Premature Evaluation
► Inattention

► Poor retention
► Undue reliance on the written word

► Distrust of communicator
► Failure to communication
Premature Evaluation

It is the tendency of prematurely evaluating

communications. Such evaluation stops the
transfer of information. This barrier can be
rectified through “empathy”
Inattention

When the mind of the receiver is not attentive

and was preoccupied by some other aspect it results
into non-listening from the side of the receiver. This
is a major psychological barrier where people do not
react or respond to even important communication.
Poor retention

Generally the supervisors or the employees of the

organisation receives only a part of the message
communicated to them. This is due to the individual
perception on the idea event or situation. It is shown
that employees retain about 50% of information only
whereas supervisors retain about 60% of the
information conveyed to them.
Undue reliance on the written word

Employees of the organisation usually do not reply

upon the written communication i.e. communicated
to them through publications policies, etc. The
employees strongly believe on face to face contact
and develops fair degree of mutual trust and
confidence. Hence the written communication might
fail to explain the purpose of order, procedure or
directive.
Distrust of communicator

Sometimes the sender sends the message with ill

considered judgment or illogical decision. The repeated
experience of the receiver with such type of
communication from the sender makes the receiver to
receive unenthusiastically and unwillingly. This creates
a gap and barriers between the sender and receiver
Failure to communication

Managers often fail to send message which is

needed to their subordinates. This might be because
of laziness, carelessness, or assuming that everybody
knows or feeling embarrassing etc.
ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS

The communication from organization may be in

the form of designing the organizational
arrangements for performance of various activities,
prescribing of various policies, rules, regulations
and procedures, laying down of norms of behavior,
instituting a reward and punishment system etc.
The emotional barriers are

► Organisational policy

► Rules and regulations

► Status relationship

► Complexity in organisation structure

► Organisational facilities
Organisational Policy

When the policies of the organisation are only in

the form of written documents and not behaviour it
causes the barrier. The policy has to be interpreted
from the behaviour of organisation members,
particularly people at top.
Rules and regulations

The rules of the organisation may restrict the

flow of certain messages and may leave many
important issues. On the other hand
communication through proper channel in a
specified way prescribed by these rules delays it
and works against the willingness of persons to
convey the message.
Status relationships

The position given to the people in the formal

organisation structure also blocks the flow of
communication and more particularly in upward
directions. This is due to greater differences in
status, and positions of people in different places
Complexity in organisation structure

In an organisation where there are number

of levels of organisation, the communication gets
delayed. The communication may be filtered at
some points. This is more incase of upward
communication
Organisational facilities

Facilities provided by the organisation for

smooth running should be clear, adequate and
timely. Sometimes the barriers occur in knowing
about facilities. The meetings, conferences,
complaint box,. Suggestions from employees and
people of the organisation to overcome this barrier.
Govt Hospital
1 0 km
Chidambaram