BSBBABATAAN HEROES COLLEGE

Module No.6

COMMUNICATING
ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

ENG’R. ISAGANI C. FLORES

Department of Engineering and Architecture
 BATAAN HEROES COLLEGE

MODULE 6 COMMUNICATING

Module Description
The module deals with why communication is a vital function of the engineer manager
and how communication is used to serve the information function, motivation , control and
emotive functions of an organization.

Objectives of the module :

After completing the module, the student must be able to :
1. Explain how important is communicating as a function of the engineering
management
2. Enumerate the steps in the communication process
3. Differentiate the forms of communication
4. Identify the barriers to communication and how they may be overcome

Introduction
The achievement of the objectives of the engineering organization will depend on the
performance of the human and non-human elements attached to it. The task of management is to
“program” these elements correctly so that each will respond accordingly to their assigned tasks.
Standard programming methods have already been adapted by technologist for most machines
and equipment.
The programming approach to the human element is different and must be dealt with
using methods espoused by behavioral scientist. Employees will perform according to the
dictates of their minds. If this is really so, then management must reach them through powerful
means of persuasion under an atmosphere conductive to effective communication.
The issue now will be “is management using the communication option effectively?” The
answer must be “yes”, for if not, trouble may be forthcoming, if it has not yet arrived.

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1. WHAT COMMUNICATION IS?

Morris Philip Wolf and Shirley Kuiper define communication as "a process of sharing
information through symbols, including words and message."
Communication may happen between superior and subordinate, between peers, between a
manager and a client or customer, between an employee and a government representative, etc. It
may be done face-to-face, or through an electronics device like the telephone, etc.
In management, Communication must be made for a purpose and because it has a cost
attached to it, it must be used effectively.

2. FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION
Communication may be used to serve any of the following functions:
2.1 Information function
Information provided through communication may be used for decision-making at
various work levels in the organization. A construction worker, for instance, mat be given
instructions on the proper use of certain equipment. This will later provide him with a
guide in deciding which equipment to use in particular circumstances.
Another concern is the manager who wants to make sure that his decision in
promoting an employee to a higher position is correct. Through communication, the
information provided will minimize if not eliminate the risk.
2.2 Motivation function
Communication is also oftentimes used as a means to motivate employees to
commit themselves to the organization's objectives.
2.3 Control
When properly communicated, reports, policies, and plans define roles. Clarify
duties, authorities and responsibilities. Effective control is, then, facilitated.
2.4 Emotive function
When feelings are repressed in the organization, employees are affected by
anxiety, which, in turn, affects performance. Whatever types of emotions are involved,

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whether satisfaction, dissatisfaction, happiness, or bitterness, communication provides, a

means to decrease the internal pressure affecting the individual.
3. THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
The communication process consists of eight stepswhich are as follows:
develop an idea, encode, transmit, receive, decode, accept, use, and provide feedback.

Fig. 6.1 The communication Process

1. Develop an Idea
The most important step in effective communication is developing an idea. It is important
that the idea to be conveyed must be useful or of some value. An example of a useful idea is how
to prevent accidents in workplaces.

2. Encode
The next step is to encode the idea into words, illustrations, figures, or other symbols
suitable for transmission. The method of transmission should be determined in advance so that

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the idea may be encoded to comfort with the specific requirements of the identified method. An
example of an encoded message using telefax as a means of transmission is shown in Figure 6.2.

3. Transmit
After encoding, the message is now ready for transmission through the use of an
appropriate communication channel. Among the various channels used include the spoken word,
body movements, the written word, television, telephone, radio, an artist's paint, electronic mail,
etc.
Proper transmission is very important so the message sent will reach and hold the
attention of the receiver. To achieve this, the communication channel must be free of barriers, or
interference (sometimes referred to as noise).

4. Receive
The next step is the communication process is the actual receiving of the message by the
intended receiver. The requirement is for the receiver to be ready to receive at the precise
moment the message relayed by the sender.

Fig. 6.2 An example of an encoded Message for Telefax Transmission

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The message may be initially received by a machine or by a person. In case,

communication stops when the machine is not turned or turned on to receive the message does
not listen or pay attention properly.

5. Decode
The next step, decoding, means translating the message from the sender into a form that
will have meaning to the recipient. If the receiver knows the language and terminology used in
the message, successful decoding may be achieved. Examples of various terms encoded and
decoded are shown in Figure 6.3
If the receiver understands the purpose and the background situation of the sender,
decoding will be greatly improved. In legal practice, for instance, the declarations of a dying
person have more weight.

6. Accept
The next step is for the receiver to accept or reject the message. Sometimes, acceptance
(or rejection) is partial. An example is provided as follows:
A newly-hired employees was sent to a supervisor to accept the employee into his unit
and to provide the necessary training and guidance.
As the supervisor feels that he was not consulted in the hiring process, he thinks that his
only obligation is to accept the employee in his unit and nothing more.
The factors that will affect the acceptance or rejection of a message are as follows:
1. The accuracy of the message;
2. Whether or not the sender has the authority to send the message and/or require action; and
3. The behavioral implications for the receiver.
Fig. 6.3 Example
of Encoded and Decoded
Information

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7. Use
The next step is for the receiver to use the information. If the message provides
information of importance to a relevant activity, then the receiver could store it and retrieve it
when required. If the message requires a certain action to be made, then he may do so, otherwise,
he discards it as soon as it is received. All of the abovementioned options will depend on his
perception of the message.

8. Provide Feedback
The last step in the communication process is for the receiver to provide feedback to the
sender. Depending on the perception of the receiver, however, this important step may not be
made.
Even if feedback is relayed, it may not reach the original sender of the message. This may
be attributed to the effects of the communication barriers.

4. FORMS OF COMMUNICATION
Communication is consists of two major forms:
1. verbal and
2. nonverbal.

4.1 Verbal Communication

Verbal communications are those transmitted through hearing or sight. These modes of
transmission categorize verbal communication into two classes: oral and written.

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Oral communication mostly involves hearing the words of the sender, although
sometimes, opportunities are provided for seeing the sender’s body movements, facial
expression, gestures, and eye contact. Sometimes, feeling, smelling, tasting, and touching are
involved.
An alternative to oral communication is written communication where the sender seeks to
communicate through the written word. The written communication is, sometimes, preferred
over the oral communication because of time and cost constraints. When a sender, for instance,
cannot meet personally the receiver due to some reason, a written letter or memo is prepared and
sent to the receiver.
The written communication, however, has limitations and to remedy these, some means
are devised. Perfume advertisers, for instance, lace their written message with the smell of their
products. In the same light, the now popular musical Christmas card is an attempt to enhance the
effects of the written note.

4.2 Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication is a means of conveying message through body language, as
well as the use of times, space, touch, clothing, appearance, and aesthetic elements. Body
language consists of gestures, bodily movement, posture, facial expression, and mannerisms of
all kinds.
Nonverbal expressions convey many shades of meaning and it is to advantage of the
communicator to understand what message are relayed.

5. THE BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

Various factors may impede the efficient flow of communication. Any, or all, of these
factors may, at any point, derail the process. Even if the message is transmitted by the channel,
the timing and the meaning of the message may be affected by the factors.
The barriers to communication may be classified generally as:
1. personal barriers
2. physical barriers
3. semantic barriers

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5.1 Personal Barriers

Personal barriers are hindrances to effective communication arising from a
communicator’s characteristics as a person, such as emotions, values, poor listening habits, sex,
race, socioeconomic status, religion, education, etc.
Emotions cloud the communicator’s ability to judge correctly the real meaning of
messages received. People with different values will find it hard to communicate with each other.
Poor listening habits of a receiver frustrate the communication efforts of a sender.

5.2 Physical Barriers

Physical barriers refer to interference to effective communication occurring in the
environment where the communication is undertaken. The very loud sound produced by a
passing jet temporarily drowns out the voice of a guest delivering a speech. Such distractions do
not allow full understanding of the meaning of the entire message and is an example of a
physical barrier.
Physical barriers include distances between people, walls, a noisy jukebox near a
telephone, etc. An office that is too tidy may sometimes inhibit a person from meeting the
occupant of the office face-to-face. A menacing pet dog (or secretary) posted near the door may
also prevent a person from directly communicating with the objects person behind the door.
A communication channel that is overloaded may also prevent important information to
reach the intended user. Another physical barrier to communication is wrong timing. For
instance, how many one expects a person who has just lost a loved one to act on an inquiry from
a fellow employee?

5.3 Semantic Barriers

Semantics is the study of meaning as expresses in symbols. Words, pictures, or actions
are symbols that suggest certain meanings. When the wrong meaning has been chosen by the
receiver, misunderstanding occurs. Such errors constitute a barrier to communication.

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A semantic barrier may be defined as an “interference with the reception of a message

that occurs when the message is misunderstood even though it is received exactly as
transmitted.”
For example, the words “wise” and “salvage” will have different meanings to an English-
speaking foreigner than to an ordinary Filipino.

6. OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

When communication barriers threaten effective performance, certain measures must be
instituted to eliminate them. To eliminate problems due to noise, selective perception, and
distraction, the following are recommended:
1. Use feedback to facilitate understanding and increase the potential for appropriate action.
2. Repeat message in order to provide assurance that they are properly received.
3. Use multiple channels so that they accuracy of the information may be enhanced.
4. Use simplified language that is easily understandable and which eliminates the possibility
of people getting mixed-up with meanings.

7. TECHNIQUES FOR COMMUNICATING IN ORGANIZATIONS

Communication may be classified as to types of flow of the message which are as
follows: downward, upward, or horizontal. Each of the types of message flow has its own
purposes and techniques.

7.1 Downward Communication

Downward communication refers to message flows from higher levels of authority to
lower levels. Among the purposes of downward communication are:
1. to give instructions
2. to provide information about policies and procedures
3. to give feedback about performance

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4. to introduce or motivate

Among the techniques used in downward communication are as follows: letters,

meetings, telephones, manuals, handbooks, and newsletters.
Letters are appropriate when directives are complex and precise actions are required.
When orders are simple but the result depends largely on employee morale, techniques that
provide personal, interchange like meetings and the telephone, are appropriate. Modern
technology has made it possible for people to hold meetings even if they are thousands
kilometers apart from each other.
Manuals are useful sources of information regarding company policy, procedures, and
organization. Unlike using persons as sources of information, manuals are available whenever it
is needed.
Handbooks provide more specific information about the duties and privileges of the
individual worker. It has also the advantage of being available whenever needed.

N e w s l e t t e r s
new hiring, promotions, birthdays of employees, questions and answers about work related
issues are presented.
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7.2 Upward Communication

There is a need for management to provide employees with all the necessary material and
non-material support it can give. The first requirement, however, is for management to know the
specific needs of the employees. This is the primary reason for upward communication.
Upward communication refers to messages from persons in lower-level positions to
persons in higher position. The message sent usually provide information on work progress,
problems encountered, suggestions for improving output, and personal feeling about work and
non-work activities.
Among the techniques used in upward communication are formal grievance procedures,
employee attitude and opinions surveys, suggestion systems, open-door policy, informal gripe
sessions, task forces, and exit interviews.

Formal Grievance Procedures.Grievance are part of normally operating organizations

provide a system for employee to air their grievances.
Holley and Jennings define grievances as “any employee’s concern over a perceived
violation of the labor agreement that is submitted to the grievance procedure for eventual
resolution” Grievances represent an open, upward, communication channel whereby employees
can offer suggestions to management.
Depending on the size and the nature of the company. The grievance procedure may
consist of a single step or a number of steps. Companies with a collective bargaining agreement
with its union must refer to the grievance procedure spelled out in the law on labor relations.
Employee Attitude and Opinion Surveys. Finding out what the employees think about the
company is very important. The exercise, however, requires expertise and the company may not
be prepared to do it. If the organization’s operation is large enough to justify such activity, then it
must be done if the assistance of an outside research firm is considered, a benefit-cost analysus
must be used as a deciding factor.
Suggestion Systems. Suggestions from employees are important sources of cost-saving
and production enhancing ideas. Even if majority of the suggestions are not feasible, a simple
means, of acknowledging them contributes to employee morale.

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Open-Door Policy. An open-door policy, even on a limited basis, provides the

management with an opportunity to act on difficulties before they become full-blown problems.
Informal Gripe Sessions.Informal gripe sessions can be used positively if management
knows how to handle them. When employees feel free to talk and they are assured of not being
penalized for doing so, then management will be spared with lots of efforts determining the real
causes of problems in the company.
Task Force. When a specific problem or issue arises, a task force may be created and
assigned to deal with the problem or issue. Since membership of task forces consist of
management and non-management personnel, integration and teamwork are fostered, creativity,
is enhanced, and interpersonal skills are developed.
Exit Interviews. When employees leave an organization for any reason, it is to the
advantage of management to know the real reason. If there are negative developments in the
organization that management is not aware of exit interviews may provide some of the answers.

7.3 Horizontal Communication

Horizontal communication refers to messages sent to individuals or groups from another
of the same organizational level of position.
The purposes of horizontal communication are:
1. to coordinate activities between departments
2. to persuade others at the same level of organization
3. to pass on information about activities or feelings

Among the techniques appropriate for horizontal communication are: memos, meetings,
telephones, picnics, dinners, and other social affairs.

8. MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM

It was mentioned at the beginning of this chapter that communication may be used to
serve the information function. This means that a way must be devised to allow the organization

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to absorb information necessary for effective decision-making. In this regard, companies of

various sizes have organized systems to gather information that will be useful to management.
Management information system (MIS) is defined by Boone and Kurtz as “an organized
method of providing past, present, and projected information on internal operations and external
intelligence for use in decision-making.”
The MIS currently used by corporate firms consists of “written and electronically based
systems for sending reports, memos, bulletins, and the like.” The system allows managers of the
different departments within the form to communicate with each other.

Fig .6.5 The MIS and its Relation with the Different Departments of the Organization

8.1 The Purposes of MIS

The MIS is established for various reasons. Wheelen and Hunger enumerate them as
follows:
1. To provide a basis for the analysis of early warning signals that can originate both
externally and internally.
2. To automate routine clerical operations like payroll and inventory reports.
3. To assist managers in making routine decisions like scheduling orders, assigning orders
to, machines, and reordering supplies.
4. To provide the information necessary for management to make strategic or non-
programmed decisions.

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REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What is communication? How may it be done?

2. What are the steps in the communication process?
3. List the classifications of communication.

Assessment
1. How important is communication as a function of the engineering management ?
2. For what purposes may communication be used in the organization /
3. How may emotions affect communication ?
4. How may communications barriers be overcome ?

Assessment Tool

This will help your instructor to check your output. In this module, holistic rubric is used
to determine and measure your learning through the activities set by your instructor. A
holistic rubric is the most general kind. It lists three to five levels of performance along
with a broad description of the characteristics that define each level. (Gonzales, 2014)

Rubric No. 3 : Freestyle Activity

Criteria Indicators %
Knowledge of How well does the student understand the 50
the concept concept? How well does the presentation
reflect this understanding?
In what way, does the student organize the 20
Organization covered information chronologically and
meaningfully?
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Creativity How well does the student inject creativity in 30

his/her presentation ?

Rubric No. 4 : Answering and Justification

Value Indicators
3 The student’s answer with organized supporting details/ examples
that shows higher intellectual competencies (critical, analitycal,
and creative thinking, and multiple forms of expression.)
2 The student justified well his/her answer with little evidences that
result to moderate intectual competencies.
1 There is no clear or detailed explanation in answer to the question.
The answer is considered as fragment.

Reference :

1. Engineering Management by Roberto G. Medina

Answers to review Questions

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1. Communication is “a process of sharing information through symbols including words and

messages. “ Itmaybe done face-to-face, or through printed materials, or through an electronics
device like the telephone, etc.

2. The communication process consists of eight steps :

a. develop an idea
b. encode
c. transmit
d. receive
e. decode
f. accept
g. use
h. provide feedback

3. Communication barriers :
a. personal barrier
b. physical barrier
c. semantic barrier

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