BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

11th edition
by
Raymond V. Lesikar

CHAPTER: 1
Communication in the Workplace
 What is Business Communication?
● Business communication is the -
Communication between the people in the organization
for the purpose of carrying out the business activities.

● For efficiency in an organization, all the people of the organization

must be able to convey their message properly.

● The exchange of –
ideas and understanding within and outside the organization
to achieve the business goals is known as business communication.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS NEEDED IN BUSINESS

● Speaking well

● Writing well

● Displaying proper good manners

● Listening attentively

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 The Basic Forms Of Communication
● Nonverbal communication:
● Facial
● Gesture
● Personal appearance
● Touching behavior

● Verbal Communication:
● speaking and writing
● Listening and Reading
 Why Business Needs to Communicate?
● Communication is vital to every part of business.

● Employees:
- process information with computers,
- write messages,
- fill out forms,
- give and receive orders, and
- talk over the telephone.

● Executives:
- initiate business with customers and other companies
- respond to incoming messages.
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Why Business Needs to Communicate? – cont…..

● Written communication:
- letters,
- email messages,
- memos
- reports, and

- internet documents.
 Characteristics Of
Effective Organizational Communication
● An Open Communication Climate

● A Commitment to Ethical Communication

● An understanding of Intercultural Communication.

● A Proficiency in Communication Technology

● An Efficient Flow of Communication Message

Main forms of Communication in Business

a. Internal-Operational Communication

b. External-Operational Communication

c. Personal Communication

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 a. Internal-Operational Communication
● All the communication –
that occurs in conducting work within a business
is classified as internal operational.

● This is the communication among the business’s workers

that is done to implement the business’s operating plan.

e.g. - provide a service,

- manufacture a product,
- sell goods, etc.

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 Internal-Operational Communication – cont …….

● Internal-operational communication takes many forms.

It includes:
● the orders and instructions -
that supervisors give workers

● reports that workers prepare concerning -

- sales,
- productions,
- inventories, etc.

● the email messages –

that employee write in carrying out their task.
 b. External-Operational Communication
● This is the work-related communication that a business
does with people and groups outside the business.

● Example: when business executives communicate with

- suppliers,
- service companies,
- customers, and
- the general public.

● External-operational communication includes -

all of the business’s efforts -
- at direct selling
- telephone callbacks,
- follow-up service calls, etc.
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 External-Operational Communication – cont ……

● It also includes the advertising the business does,

example –
- radio and television messages,
- newspaper and magazine advertising,
- website advertising, etc.

● Also in this category is all –

that a business does to improve its public relations,
- planned publicity,
- the community service,
- the environmental friendliness of its products and
- facilities.
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 c. Personal Communication

● Personal communication is -
the exchange of information and feelings in which
we human beings engage whenever we come together.

● The employees’ attitudes towards each other,

directly affect their productivity.

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 Personal Communication – continue ……..

● In a work situation, where

heated words and flaming tempers are often present,
the employees are not likely to make their usual productive efforts.

● However, a cheerful work situation is likely to have

an equally bad effect on productivity.

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Communication Network of the Organization
● In a workday –
an organization feeding on a continuous supply of information.

● Most of the information flow of –operational communication

is downward and follows the formal lines of organization.

e.g. from the top executives down to the workers.

- This is so because –
most of the information, instructions, orders, and such needed
to achieve the business’s objectives originate at the top
and must be communicated downward.

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Communication Network of the Organization – cont….

● Most good companies –

- recognize the value of open upward communication.

- Their executives use open channels of communication

to be better informed of the status of things on the front line.

- They also have found that –information from the lower

levels can be important in achieving company work goals.

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Communication Network of the Organization

● Two forms of network in an organization:

● A. Formal

● B. Informal

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 A. Formal Network
● The business has well-established channels of information flow.

The main lines of operational communication are -

both internal and external.

● Specifically, the flow includes the:

- upward,
- horizontal (lateral), and
- downward movements of information by
- report,
- email,
- records and
- such within the organization.
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 Formal Network – Continue ….

● It also includes:

- orders, instructions, and messages:

down the authority structure;

- working information:
through the organization’s email or intranet; and

- extremely directed messages:

sales presentations, advertising, and publicity.

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 B. Informal Network
● The informal network is a secondary network
consisting primarily of personal communication.

● It comprises thousands of personal communications that

support the formal communication network of a business.

● Informal network is not a single network

but a smaller networks consisting of groups of people.

● It carries much gossip and rumor, for this is the nature of

human conversation.

● Wise managers recognize the presence of the grapevine.

that is, they keep in touch with the grapevine and
turn it into a constructive tool. 20
Formal and Informal Communication
Division Manager

Department Department
Manager Manager

Straight lines = Formal Network

Curved lines = Informal Network

Fig 1: Formal and Informal communication Networks in a

Division of a Small Business. 21
Variation in Communication Activity by Business

● Just how much communicating a business does

depend on several factors:

1. The Nature of the Business: Example:

a. Insurance companies have a –

great need to Communicate with their customers,
especially through letters and mailing pieces,

b. House cleaning service companies have –

little such need.
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 Variation in Communication Activity by Business – cont….

2. Geographic dispersion of the operations of a business:

Internal communication in a business with multiple
locations differs from that of a one-location business.

3. People who make up a business:

- Every human being is unique.

- Each has unique communication needs and abilities.

Thus, varying combination of people will produce
varying needs for communication.
 What are the BARRIERS that affect the flow of
communication in an organization?
● There are several barriers that affect the flow of communication
in an organization.

● These barriers interrupt the flow of communication

from the sender to the receiver, thus making
communication ineffective.

● It is essential for managers to overcome these barriers.

Communication Barriers between People

● Difference in perception

● Incorrect filtering

● Language problem

● Poor listening

● Different emotional states

● Different background
Communication BARRIERS between Organization

● Information Overload

● Inattention

● Time pressure

● Distraction/Noise

● Emotions
Communication Barriers between Organization – cont…

● Complexity of Organizational structure

● Poor retention

● Differing Status

● Lack Of Trust

● Inadequate communication structure

● Incorrect Choice Of Medium

● Closed communication Climate

Communication Barriers between Organization – cont…

● Information Overload:
* Managers are surrounded with a pool of information.

* It is essential to control this information flow

else the information is likely to be
misinterpreted or forgotten or overlooked.

* As a result communication is less effective.

Communication Barriers between Organization – cont…

● Inattention:
* All times we just not listen, but only hear.

* Repetitive messages should be ignored

for effective communication.

* Similarly if a superior is engrossed in his paper work and

his subordinate explains him his problem,
the superior may not get what he is saying and
it leads to disappointment of subordinate.
Communication Barriers between Organization – cont…

● Time Pressures:
* In organization -
targets have to be achieved within a specified time period,
the failure of which has adverse consequences.

* In a haste to meet deadlines,

the formal channels of communication are shortened,
or messages are partially given,
or messages are not completely transferred.

* Sufficient time should be given for effective communication.

Communication Barriers between Organization – cont…

● Distraction/Noise:
* Communication is also affected a lot by noise to distractions.

* Physical distractions are also there such as,

- poor lightning,

- uncomfortable sitting,

- unhygienic room also affects communication in a meeting.

Communication Barriers between Organization – cont…..

● Emotions:
* Emotional state at a particular point of time
also affects communication.

* If the receiver feels that communicator is angry,

he interprets that the information being sent is very bad.

- while he takes it differently –

if the communicator is happy and jovial
(in that case the message is interpreted to be good and interesting).
 Communication Barriers between Organization – cont…

● Poor retention:

* Human memory cannot function beyond a limit.

* One can’t always retain what is being told,-

specially if he is not interested or not attentive.

* This leads to communication breakdown.

Communication Barriers between Organization – cont.…

● Complexity in Organizational Structure:

* Greater the hierarchy in an organization
more is the chances of communication getting destroyed.
(i.e. more the number of managerial levels),

* Only the people at the top level can see the overall picture
about the people at low level:
- just have knowledge about their own area
AND
- a little knowledge about other areas
 Some difference between oral and written
communication
In face-to-face communication - cycles occur fast,
- often in rapid succession.

In written communication :
- some delay occurs.

- while instant and text messaging may be read

within a few seconds of sending,

- fax or email messages may be read a

few minutes after they are transmitted,

- letters in a few days,

- Written communication is more likely to involve creative effort.
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 Some Basic Truths about Communication
(Errors in Communication)
● - No two minds have identical filters.

- No two minds have identical:

- storehouses of words,

- gestures,

- facial expressions or

- Because of these differences in mind,

errors in communications are bound to occur.
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 Some Basic Truths about Communication
(Errors in Communication) – cont………

● Communication is also imperfect because -

communicators vary in their ability to convey thoughts.

● Some peoples find very difficult -

to express their simplest thoughts.
 How To Improve Communication
● A Good Communicator should have these five traits:
▪ Perception
▪ Precision (accuracy)
▪ Credibility
▪ Control
▪ Congeniality(personality)

● Create the message carefully

● Minimize the noise

● Facilitate feedback
 Importance of Business Communication to
you and for Business
● High communication skill and leads high income
● Improving your commutation ability –
helps to improve your overall success
● Communication is vital to every part of business
● Different professional use communication as a tool
to correspond with their colleagues, superiors and juniors
● Business managers use communication –
to contact their stakeholders.
● Information is managed and exchanged –
thorough many oral, written and electronic form.