Business Communication

Session 1 & 2
 Communication & its Process
 Functions of Organizational Communication
by
Irfan Sheikh
Communication and its role?
 Communication is a process of transferring
information from one entity to another.

 Communication is commonly
defined as "the imparting or
interchange of thoughts,
opinions, or information
by speech, writing, or signs".
 Process of Communication
 The  communication  process  consists  of  a  message  being sent
 and  received. There are five different steps of communication:
1. Sender has an idea
2. Sender encodes idea in a message
3. Message travels over channel
4. Receiver decodes message
5. Feed back travels to sender
 The Communication Process
Basic Model

5.
Feedback travels
to sender

1. 2. 3. 4.
Sender Sender Message Receiver
has idea encodes travels decodes
idea in over message
message channel
Process of Communication
 Functions of Organizational
Communication

There are two types

of organizational communication:
Internal and external.
Both have three basic functions:
 To inform
 To persuade
 To promote goodwill
 Functions of Organizational Communication( Continued)

Internal Functions

 Issue and clarify procedures and

 Inform management of progress
 Persuade employees or management to make
changes policies or improvement
 Coordinate activities and provide assistance
 Evaluate, compliments, reward and discipline
employees
 Get to know individual’s personality
 Functions of Organizational Communication(Continued)

External Functions
 Answer inquiries about products and services
 Persuade customers to buy products or services
 Clarify suppliers specifications and quality
requirements
 Issue credit and collect bills
 Respond to regulatory agencies
 Promote a positive image of the organization
 Formality:

 Formal Communication – established and

agreed procedures
 Informal Communication – channels not
formally recognised – ‘the grapevine’
 Forms of Organizational
Communication

Organizational communication may be

Oral
Written
 Oral :
 advantages - questions can be asked and
answered
• feedback is immediate and direct
• receiver can sense the sender’s sincerity
• more persuasive
 disadvantages
• can lead to spontaneous, ill-considered statements
• there is no permanent record of the communication
 Written :
 Advantages - message can be revised
 provides a permanent record
 message stays the same when sent to several
receivers
 receiver has more time to analyze the
message
 Disadvantages - sender has no control over
where, when, or if the message is read
 sender does not receive immediate
feedback
 receiver may not understand parts of
the message
 message must be longer to answer
anticipated questions
 Electronic media
 computers ‘talk’ with others electronically
 teleconferencing - groups of people in different
locations interact
 Audio-conferencing - using telephone lines
 Video-conferencing - see one another on
television monitors
 Advantages - sharing of more information
 speed and efficiency in delivering routine
messages
 inexpensive
 Disadvantages - difficulty in solving complex
problems
 e-mail most appropriate for routine messages
 unsuitable for confidential information
 Barriers to
Interpersonal Communication
There are different barriers to interpersonal
communication:
1. Lack of Language Skill
2. Lack of listening Skill
3. Physical Distraction
4. Emotional Interference
5. Frame of Reference
6. Bypassing
7. Environmental Effect
8. Attitudinal Effect
 Overcoming to
Interpersonal Communication Barriers
 There are different ways to overcome the
interpersonal communication barriers:
1. Encoding, Transmitting and
Decoding Carefully
1. Improving Language Skills
2. Improving Listening Skill
3. Questioning Your Preconceptions
4. Planning for Feedback
5. Selection of Suitable Time
6. A Good Presentation
Guess the Barriers:
Guess the Barriers:
Guess the Barriers:
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End