Chapter No 2

The Environment
BUSINESS ORGANIZATION AND CHANNELS
Analyze your organization
How people work together
What goals people work toward
Analyze the Channels of Communication
Directional flow
Communication channels
Analyze Changes in the Business Environment
Electronic communication
International communication
Nondiscriminatory communication

Environment

Communicator

HOW TO ANALYZE YOUR ORGANIZATION

Figure out:

How
people

By looking at the:

Formal

Organization

HOW TO ANALYZE YOUR ORGANIZATION

work
together
Figure out:

Informal
By looking at the:

Networks

What goals

Formal

Brochures

Informal

Myths

people work
toward

Business Environment
1. Electronic Communication
Gathering information
Writing
Speaking
Use of different electronic equipments
2. International Communication
Language
Different approaches involving emotions and feelings, greeting styles etc.
3. Nondiscriminatory Communication
What you should avoid?
What you should prefer?
Examples
Aviod
Miss / Mrs
Chairman / Woman
Man-hour
Manpower
Prefer
Chairperson
Ms
Working hour
Workforce
Avoid any sort of racial, color, gender discrimination.

DIRECTIONAL FLOW OF COMMUNCATION

Some research evidences show that:
Information gets distorted as it flows upward.

 Most information gets lost as it flows downward.

Lateral communication may be blocked by rivalry and jealousy among peers.
1. Downward Communication
Purposes
To explain set standards.
To provide feedback to employees.
To encourage participation.
To motivate or inspire.
Pitfalls
Information may get grabbed on the way.
Mostly it is one way, feedback is not received.
Subordinates lose the chance to express their own point of view.
It loses mutual trust.
2. Upward Communication
Purposes
To report on activities or accomplishments.
To offer suggestions and opinions.
To increase participation in management functions.
It helps in building the trust.
Remember: Once you have established upward communication with your seniors,
try to maintain it and avoid pitfalls.
Pitfalls
Employees try to conceal their opinions, ideas and problems from their
supervisors.
Employees fear of trouble or some sort of punishment from their seniors for
their honest opinion.
Lack of trust between managers and employees.
Suggestions
Try to establish relationship of trust with your boss.
Establish guidelines with your boss
Avoid arguments and maintain pleasant attitude.
Try to meet the work targets.
Remembers:
Your boss, in fact the organization itself, will benefit from your ability to
communicate upward, and will be able to make better decisions with better
information, exercise more efficient control, and plan more effectively for the future.

3. Horizontal / Lateral Communication

Purposes
Communication between the people at the same hierarchical level but in
different functional areas.

It helps in better coordination among various functions and encourages

teamwork.
Major Blocks
Jealousy or rivalry between groups.
Departmental isolation.
Lack of time and communication opportunities.
Suggestions
Keep the flow of communication open
Avoid possible conflicts or bottlenecks.
Try to share your problems in an amicable way and develop better
understanding.
4. Outward (external) communication
It includes communicating to many different audiences outside the firm such
as suppliers, dealers, manufactures, costumers, government agencies etc.
It is done by advertisements, press releases, direct mailings or personal
agencies etc.
It deals with answering questions, attending complaints, receiving requests
or making requests for information.
All communications regardless of their directional flow use one or more of the three
channels:
Writing
Speaking to one person
Speaking to a group
Make the selection of the channel keeping in view the following factors:
Time
Cost
Place
Detail.
Primacy
Relationship
Permanent record
Response.
Write if :
You have time to prepare, your audiences time is limited. Secretarial, material and
postage costs factors. You need to communicate detailed information, you need a
permanent record. You do not need an immediate response or no response at all.
Make it Clear. Focus it on the interest of the reader. Keep in mind the
characteristics of the reader.
Speak if:
To a group: You have time to prepare, your audience has time to attend. It does not
involve too much cost. You need the same people to discuss the same information.
You want to build a group relationship and you want group response.
To a person:
You do not have time to prepare. You need a very fast answer.
Other factors like telephone cost etc. You do not need to communicate detailed
information. You want to build your individual relationship. You do not need a
permanent record and you need immediate feedback.