BUSINESS AND MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION

1. MEANING OF COMMUNICATION.
2. DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATION.
3. MEANING OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
4. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION.
5. FEATURES OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION.
6. IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION.
7. PURPOSE OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION.
8. DIRECTION OR DIMENTIONS OF BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION.
____________________________________________________________________

MEANING

“COMMUNICATION” -A LATIN WORD “COMMUNICARE” MEANS, TO SHARE,

IMPART, MAKE COMMON OR PARTICIPATE..

1. DOWNWARD.
2. UPWARD OR OMBUDSPERSON.
3. HORIZONTAL OR LATERAL.
4. DIAGONAL OR CROSSWISE.

COMMUNICATION IS A PROCESS OF PASSING OF IDEAS OR/AND

INFORMATION BY ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER.
THUS, COMMUNICATION INVOLVES IMPARTING AN IDEA OR/AND
INFORMATION AND COVERS ANY TYPE OF BEHAVIOUR RESULTING
THEREFROM.

DEFINITION

THEO HAIMANN:

“COMMUNICATION IS PROCESS OF PASSING INFORMATION AND

UNDERSTANDING FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER”.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

MEANING:

COMMUNICATION WHICH IS USED FOR PURPOSE OF DOING BUSINESS IS

KNOWN AS
 INGREDIENTS OF
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
1. PARTICIPANTS.
2. MEDIUM OR COMMON LANGUAGE.
3. TRANSMISSION OF THE INFORMATION
4. DECODING OR UNDERSTANDING.
FEATURES OF
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

FIVE FEATURES:

1. MEANING-BASED.
2. CONVENTIONAL.
3. APPROPRIATE.
4. INTERACTIONAL.
5. STRUCTURED.

IMPORTANCE OF
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
IT FACILITATES:

1. CO-ORDINATION.
2. CO-OPERATION.
3. DECISION MAKING.
4. BUSINESS FUNCTIONS.
5. LEADERSHIP FUNCTIONS.
6. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS.
7. MORALE BUILDING AND MOTIVATION.
8. ETC..
 PURPOSE OF
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

1. TO ESTABLISH GOALS OF AN ORGANISATION.

2. TO DEVELOP PLANS FOR ACHIEVEMENT OF GOALS.

3. ORGANISING HUMAN AND OTHER RESOURCES, EFFICIENTLY AND
EFFECTIVELY.

4. TO SELECT, APPRAISE AND DEVELOP MEMBERS OF THE

ORGANISATION.
5. TO LEAD, DIRECT AND MOTIVATE MEMBERS OF AN ORGANSATION AND
TO CREATE SUITABLE CLIMATE.

6. MANAGING PERFORMANCE.

DIRECTION OR DIMENTIONS OF
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

1. DOWNWARD.
2. UPWARD OR OMBUDSPERSON.
3. HORIZONTAL OR LATERAL.
4. DIAGONAL OR CROSSWISE.

VERBAL COMMUNICATION
- ORAL –
TYPES OF ORAL COMMUNICATION

* FORMAL, AND INFORMAL.

FORMAL AND INFORMAL

ORAL COMMUNICATION

 FORMAL PRESENTATIONS,

* SPEECHES.

* MEETINGS.

* GROUP DISCUSSIONS.

* INTERVIEWS.

* NEGOTIATIONS.

*****

ADVANTAGES OF
ORAL COMMUNICATION

* IMMEDIATE FEED BACK AND CLARIFICATION.

* BUILDS HEALTHY CLIMATE BETWEEN SUPERIOR, PEERS AND

SUBORDINATES.

 SAVES TIME AS COMPARED TO WRITTEN COMMUNICATION.

* MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR BUSINESS PRESENSATIONS.

.

* VERY EFFECTIVE IN GROUP COMMUNICATION.

* ECONOMICAL.

* FACILITATES CHANGING OF WORDS,

VOICE, TONE, PITCH, ETC.

*****

DISADVANTAGES OF
ORAL COMMUNICATION

* IT MAY NOT ALWAYS SAVE TIME AND MONEY I. E. - PROLONGED

MEETING WITHOUT FRUITFUL RESULTS.

* THE EFFECTIVENESS IS SUBJECT TO THE ATTITUDE OF BOTH THE

PARTIES.

* IT DOES NOT HAVE LEGAL VALIDITY, UNLESS TAPED OR

RECORDED IN WRITING.

* CANNOT BE REMEMBERED CORRECTLY AND FOR A LONG

TIME.

* SOME TIME, IT MAY BE MISLEADING OR MISUNDERSTOOD.

* IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONVEY LONG MESSAGES ORALLY, CORRECTLY.

* IT IS ALSO DIFFICULT TO FIX RESPONSIBILITY FOR ORAL

OMISSIONS OR COMMISSIONS.

*****

VERBAL COMMUNICATION
- WRITTEN -
 ADVANTAGES OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

* PROVIDES RECORDS, REFERENCES ETC..

* MAINTENANCE OF PROPER RECORDS, HELPS PREPARATION

OF IN LEGAL DEFENCES.

* ENABLES IN FRAMING OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

* ENABLES ACCESS TO AUDIENCE AT LARGE, THROUGH MAILS.

* HELPS IN IMAGE BUILDING OF AN ORGANISATION.

* BEING ACCURATE AND UNAMBIGUOUS, IF PROPER CARE

IS TAKEN.

* IT IS PERMANENT.

* ENABLES IN ASSIGNING RESPONSIBILITIES, AND

* HELPS IN FIXING RESPONSIBILITY, IF ANY THING GOES WRONG.

*****

DISADVANTAGES OF
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
* CREATES MUCH PAPER WORK.

* MAY BECOME INEFFECTIVE, IF THE WRITER IS NOT GOOD AT

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION.

* NOT ECONOMICAL.

* IMMEDIATE CLARIFICATION IS NOT POSSIBLE.

*****

MEHRABIAN MODEL

PIONEER WORK BY
PROF. ALBERT MEHRABIAN ON UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATION.
 EFFECTIVENESS OF ORAL COMMUNICATION

7% OF MEANING IN SPOKEN WORDS

38% OF MEANING IN PARALINGUISTIC (THE MANNER IN WHICH

THE WORDS ARE SAID)

55% OF MEANING IS CONVEYED THROUGH FACIAL

EXPRESSIONS.

FEATURES OF
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

I. DEALS WITH COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SUBJECTS.

II. CONTAINS FORMAL

- TECHNICAL AND COMMERCIAL VOCABULARY.

- GRAFIC AND AUDIO-VISUAL AIDS.

- CONVENTIONAL FORMAT.

III. IMPARTIAL AND OBJECTIVE.

IV. ACCURATE AND CONCISE.

*****

CHARACTERISTICS OF
AN EFFECTIVE
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
 LIKE TWO WAY TRAFFIC.

 PROCESS ORIENTED.

 SHORT LIVED PURPOSE.

 NEEDS PLROPER UNDERSTANDING.

 DIRECTED TOWARDS ACHIEVEMENT OF ORIGINAL

OBJECTIVE.

*****

FUNCTIONS (MAIN) OF
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

- INFORMATION.

- CONTROL.

- MOTIVATION.

- EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION.

*****

ROLE OF A MANAGER
* INTERPERSONAL ROLE:

- FIGURE HEAD (CEREMONIAL).

- LEADER.
- LIAISON.

** INFORMATIONAL ROLE:

- MONITOR.
- DISEMINATOR.
- SPOKES PLERSON.

*** DECISIONAL ROLE:

- ENTERPRENEUR.

- TROUBLE SHOOTER.

- RESOURCE ALLOCATOR.

- NEGOTIATOR.

*****

COMMUNICATION PROCESS

COMPONENTS FUNCTION/NATURE
SENDERF ( ENCODER ) SELECTS, COMPOSES
MESSAGE VERBAL /
NON-VERBAL / COMBINATION
CHANNEL ORAL / WRITTEN
RECEIVER (DECODER) IDENTIFIES, COMPREHENDS,
INTERPLRETS
RESPONSE AND FEEDBACK VERBAL /
NON-VERBAL /COMBINATION

BASIC FACTS
ABOUT COMMUNICATION
  RESPONSE MAKES THE COMMUNICATION COMPLETE.

 MEANINGS UNDERSTOOD BY THE SENDER AND RECEIVER

MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE SAME.

 MEANINGS ARE IN THE MINDS OF SENDER AND RECEIVER.

 THE WORDS, SIMBOLS ETC. USED ARE NOT PERFECT FOR

DIFFERENT CULTURES.

*****

COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

 FORMAL COMMUNICATION;

I. DOWNWARD.
II. UPWARD.
III. HORIZONTAL / LATERAL.
IV. DIAGONAL / CROSSWISE.

 INFORMAL COMMUNICATION:

a. BEYOND ORGANISATIONAL
HIERARCHY.
b. INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS.
c. INFORMAL CONTACTS WITH
OUTSIDERS.

DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION

WRITTEN ORAL
INSTRUCTIONS INSTRUCTIONS
MEMORANDA SPEECHES
LETTERS MEETINGS
ANY OTHER WRITTEN FORMAT. ANY OTHER ORAL ACTIVITY.

PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS IN DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION:

PROBLEM – I:
 THE CEO /GENERAL MANAGER ASSUM THAT COMMUNICA
TION SENT DOWN THE LINE BY THEM ALWAYS REACH THE
CONCERNED OFFICIAL

FACTUALLY, THAT IS NOT THE CASE. SOME OF THE, ARE

DO NOT REACH THE PROPER PERSON OR HAVING
REACHED ARE NOT READ OR HAVING BEEN READ ARE NOT
UNDERSTOOD CORRECTLY.

SOLUTIONS:

CONFIRMATION TO THE ABOVE EFFECT SHOULD BE SOUGHT.

PROBLEM – II:

DOWNWARD FLOW OF COMMUNICATION, CONSUMES MORE TIME.

SOLUTION:

URGENT AND IMPORTANT COMMUCATIONS CAN BE SENT DIRECTLY TO

THE CONCERNED OFFICIAL FOR ACTION AND COPY CAN BE ENDORSED
TO OTHERS IN THE HEIRARCHY FOR INFORMATION.

PROBLEM – III:

DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION IS LIKELY TO BE FILTERED, MODIFIED

OR DISTORTED, AT ANY OR ALL LEVELS.

EXAMPLE:
EXTENT OF MESSAGE DISTORTION
 MESSAGE AMOUNT OF MESSAGE
PASSED DOWN
WRITTEN BY 100%
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
RECEIVED BY V.P. 63%
RECEIVED BY G.M. 56%
RECEIVED BY P.M. 40%
RECEIVED BY HOD 30%
RECEIVED BY WORKER 20%

REASON:
STATUS & POWER DIFFERENCE AND LACK OF TRUST BETWEEN
MANAGERS AND OTHERS.

SOLUTION:

MAKING EFFORTS TO INCREASE TRANSPERANCY AMONG ALL LEVELS.

PROBLEM – IV:

SOME MANAGERS HELD INFORMATION TO MAKE OTHERS DEPENDENT

ON THEM.

SOLUTIOIN:

ALL INFORMATION SHOULD BE MATAINED IN THE DEPARTMENT IN A

CENTRALISED FORM, ALLOWING EVERY ONE TO HAVE ACCESS.

EFFORTS SHOULD BE MADE TO IMPROVE INTER-PERSONAL

RELATIONSHIP.

*****

UPWARD COMMUNICATION
  INFORMATION TRAVELS UPWARD TO IMPORM
HIGHER UPS ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE
AT LOWER LEVELS.

 LOVER LEVELS SUBMITS INFORMATION OR FEED BACK,

TO HIGHER LEVELS, WHENEVER THEY ARE ASKED TO DO
SO.

EXAMPLES:

 SUGGESTION SYSTEMS.
 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES.
 COMPLAINT SYSTEMS.
 COUNSELLING SYSTEMS.
 JOINT TARGET SETTING.
 GROUP MEETINGS.
 OPEN DOOR PRACTICE.

PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS IN UPWARD COMMUNICATION:

PROBLEM – I:

HIGHER UPS DO NOT LIKE TO HEAR ANY THING AGAINST THEIR

WISHESH FROM JUNIORS.

THEREFORE, THE INFORMATION MAY BE MISUNDERSTOOD,

MISINFORMED OR SUPRESSED BY HIGHER UPS.

SOLUTION:

ADOPTION OF OPEN – DOOR POLICY OR AN OPEN COMMUNICATION

SYTEM CAN OVER COME THE PROBLEM.

APPONTMENT OF OMBUDSPERSON:
 SWEEDISH CONCEPT.
 THE COMMISSIONER INVESTIGATES THE COMPLAINTS OF
 PUBLIC AGAINST GOVT. OFFICIALS.

 G.E., AT & T AND McDONNELL

DOUGHLAS, ADOPT THE CONCEPT, RECENTLY.

OMBUDSPERSON CAN BE APPOINTED TO TAKE CARE OF THE MATTERS

OF INTEREST OF LOWER LEVELS.

HORIZONTAL OR LATERAL COMMUNICATION

 COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TWO OR MORE PEOPLE

WORKING AT SAME LEVEL

PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS IN HORISONTAL COMMUNICATION:

PROBLEM:

TWO JUNIORS DIRECTLY DEALING WITH EACH OTHER, WTHOUT THE

KNOWLEDGE OF THE HIGHER UPS, WHEN FACED WITH ANYT
PROBLEM BEYOND THEIR CONTROL, APPROACH THEIR HIGHER UPS
FOR SOLUTION. THE HIGHER UPS DO NOT SUPPORT.

SOLUTION:

THE HIGHER UPS SHOULD ALWAYS BE KEPT INFORMED.

DIAGONAL OR CROSSWISE COMMUNICATION

 COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAME LEVEL OF PEOPLE AND

ALSO AMONG DIFFERENT LEVELS, WHO HAVE NO DIRECT
REPORTING RELATIONSHIP.

FEW EXAMPLES:
ORAL WRITTEN
INFORMAL MEETINGS COMPANY NEWS MAGAZINE
FORMAL CONFERENCES BULLETIN BOARDS
TASK TEAMS GENERAL NOTICES

PROBLEM – I:

CONFLICTS OR NON- COOPERATION BETWEEN TWO JUNIORS OR A

JUNIOR AND A SENIOR AFFECTING WORKING RELATIONSHIP.

SOLUTION:

PROPER GUIDELINES TO AVOID SUCH SITUATIONS SHOULD BE LAID

DOWN AND FOLLOWED.

EVEN FOR SEEKING WRITTEN INFORMATION, ORAL MODE SHOULD BE

GIVEN PREFERENCE. TO AVOID ANY MISUNDERSTANDING AND DELAY.

*****

TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE

UPWARD AND DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION

ENSURE FOLLOWING IN RESPECT OF ALL THE EMPLOYEES:

-AWARENESS ABOUT THE VISION, MISSION, VALUES AND GOALS OF

ORGANISATION TO ALL IN THE ORGANISATION.

- STANDARD OPERATION MANUALS JOB DESCRIPTIONS.

- RERUGALR MEETINGS FOR ALL.

- YEARLY PERFORMANCE REVIEW.

- TARGETS FOR THE YEAR.

- AREAS NEEDED IMPROVEMENT.

- TAKING ACTION ON THE FEED BACK

AND INFORMATING BACK TO THE
EMPLOYEES.

- SUGGESTION SCHEME.
*****

MISCOMMUNICATION
ORAL STATEMENT GIVEN IN RUSIAN LANGUAGE BY NIKITA
KHRUSCHEV, SOVIET PREMIER, WAS MISINTERPRETED AS

“WE WILL BURY YOU” INSTEAD OF

AS “ WE WILL BE PRESENT AT YOUR BURIAL”.

MISCOMMUNICATION CAN TAKE PLACE FOR MANY REASONS, AS

UNDER:

I. WRONG INTERPRETATION OR TRANSLATION.

II. ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE WITH MANY LEVELS.

III. INADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE OF TASK AND LANGUAGE.

IV. SUPERIORITY COMPLEX OF A POSITION OR STATUS.

V. LACK OF TRUST BETWEEN SUPERIOR AND SUBORDINATES.

VI. ONE-WAY COMMUNICATION STYLE.

VII. USING IN CORRECT MEDIUM FOR COMMUNICATION.

NATURE OF MESSAGE SUITABLE MEDIA

PERSONAL (ORAL) FACE TO FACE

PERSONAL (ORAL) TELEPHONE, COMPUTERS,

ETC.

PERSONAL AND INTERPRSONAL LETTER, MEMO, REPORT,

(WRITTEN) ADDRESSED DOCUMENTS ETC..

INTERPERSONAL UNADDRESSED CIRCULAR, FLIERS, ETC.

DOCUMENTS

VIII. OVERLOADED INFORMATION.

 IX. COMPLEXITY OF MESSAGES.

X. MENTAL DISTRACTIONS.

XI. PHISICAL DISTRACTIONS.

XII. UNETHICAL COMMUNICATION.

*****

5-STEPS TO REDUCE MISCOMMUNICATION

1. CONSIDER THE RECEIPIENT OF MESSAGE.

2. ADOPT CORRECT MEDIUM FOR CONVEYING THE MESSAGE

3. SEEK TO RESTATE THE MESSAGE, IF POSSIBLE, FOR ORAL

COMMUNICATION.

4. FOLLOW UP ORAL MESSAGE.S.

5. DECIDE WHO WILL COMMUNICATE WITH WHOM.

6. ADOPT COMMUNICATION POLICY FOR THE ORGANISATION./

*****

EFFECTIVE
MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION
_______________________________________________________________________
 1. APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATION STYLE.

2. AUDIENCE – CENTERED APPROACH.

3. UNDERSTANDING OF INTRA –CULTURE

COMMUNICATION.

4. COMMITMENT TO ETHICAL COMMUNICATION.

5. PROFICIENT COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY.

6. CONTROL OVER FLOW OF COMMUNICATION.

7. REDUCING NUMBER OF MESSAGES.

*****

STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING ORGANISATION COMMUNICATION.

_______________________________________________________________________

1. ENCOURING OPEN COMMUNICATION.

2. USING SIMPLE LANGUAGE.

3. AVOIDING INFORMATION OVERLEAD.

4. WALK THE TALK.

5. BECOMING A GOOD LISTENER.

*****

MISCOMMUNICATION
ORAL STATEMENT GIVEN IN RUSSIAN LANGUAGE BY NIKITA
KHRUSCHEV, SOVIET PREMIER, WAS MISINTERPRETED AS

“WE WILL BURY YOU” INSTEAD OF

AS “ WE WILL BE PRESENT AT YOUR BURIAL”.

MISCOMMUNICATION CAN TAKE PLACE FOR MANY REASONS, AS

UNDER:

I. WRONG INTERPRETATION OR TRANSLATION.

II. ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE WITH MANY LEVELS.
III. INADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE OF TASK AND LANGUAGE.
IV. SUPERIORITY COMPLEX OF A POSITION OR STATUS.
V. LACK OF TRUST BETWEEN SUPERIOR AND SUBORDINATES.
VI. ONE-WAY COMMUNICATION STYLE.
VII. USING INCORRECT MEDIUM FOR COMMUNICATION.

NATURE OF MESSAGE SUITABLE MEDIA

PERSONAL (ORAL) FACE TO FACE

PERSONAL (ORAL) TELEPHONE, COMPUTERS,

ETC.

PERSONAL AND INTERPRSONAL LETTER, MEMO, REPORT,

(WRITTEN) ADDRESSED DOCUMENTS ETC..

INTERPERSONAL UNADDRESSED CIRCULAR, NOTICES, ETC.

DOCUMENTS

VIII. OVERLOADED INFORMATION.

IX. COMPLEXITY OF MESSAGES.
X. MENTAL DISTRACTIONS.
XI. PHISICAL DISTRACTIONS.
XII. UNETHICAL COMMUNICATION.

*****