OLD HARBOUR HIGH SCHOOL

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION MRS. J. LEWIN

COMMUNICATION PART 3
GRADE 10 BUSINESS/GENERAL
NOVEMBER 22,2021

TOPIC: BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

WHAT ARE COMMUNICATION BARRIERS?

• Barriers to Communication are anything that impedes, block or otherwise interferes with

the communication of a thought from one individual to another.

• Barriers to Communication are things that hinders the transmission and/or receipt of

information.

• A communication barrier is anything that impedes the communication process.

Barriers to Communication

• Perceptual bias – means bias against or for something based on sensory inputs (sight,

hearing, smell, taste, touch). For example you may love a radio station and your parents may

think its too much noise.

• Cultural bias – making judgments based on your own culture.

• Personal bias – is your own beliefs and responses.

• Semantics – are caused when people of different cultures or language cannot identify with the

meaning of a word or expression.

• Language – if one person is talking to another in a language that he/she

doesn’t understand.

• Literacy skills – poor literacy skills affects effective communication.

• Internal and external barriers – miscommunication within and outside the organization.

Forms of Business Structure

• A basic responsibility of the management of an organization is to develop an effective business

structure. Forms of decision–making business structures:

OLD HARBOUR HIGH SCHOOL
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION MRS. J. LEWIN
COMMUNICATION PART 3
GRADE 10 BUSINESS/GENERAL
NOVEMBER 22,2021
• Centralised: Entreprenuerial/centralised.
OLD HARBOUR HIGH SCHOOL
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION MRS. J. LEWIN
COMMUNICATION PART 3
GRADE 10 BUSINESS/GENERAL
NOVEMBER 22,2021

• Decentralised

1. pyramid;

2. matrix; and,

3. independent.

Centralised: Entreprenuerial/centralised.

In a centralised organization, the main responsibilities and decisions are carried out by the head
office.

• Decentralised – Departmental managers can make their own decisions without going

through any chain of command.

Forms of Decentralised Structure

• pyramid – shows an organization that has progressively more people at each lower level. Strategic
decisions will be made by senior managers at the top level, but day-to-day decisions will

be made by staff lower down the pyramid.

 Executives

 Middle Management

 Supervisor

 Staff/employees

Forms of Decentralised Structure

• Matrix – is often found in organizations that deal with special “one-off” projects. These companies

may be working on several projects at once such as building a hotel, a sports facility and shopping

centre in different Caribbean territories.

• Independent – exists when individuals can make their own decisions about their operations, even

if they work as a part of a large enterprise.