Do Thi Thanh Huong

Foreign Trade University

§ Describe the four main functions of communication and differentiate
between different kinds of communications networks
§ Discuss the steps in the communications process and the requirements for
successful communication to take place
§ Differentiate between the main kinds of barriers to communication and
explain how they can reduce the effectiveness of communication
§ Describe effective listening and how to improve listening skills
§ Identify the main kinds of communication media and explain how they vary
along the dimension of information richness
§ Sharing of information with other people
§ Reaching of a common understanding
§ Accuracy, not agreement
 Providing
knowledge

Controlling/
Functions Motivating
coordinating

Expressing
feelings
§ A communication network is a set of pathways through
which information flows within a group or organization
§ The networks that can develop in groups and
organizations are the wheel, the chain, the circle, and the
all-channel network
Leader

Member
Assembly-
Line worker
Task Force Member
Top Management Team
§ Advice network: provides paths of communication for obtaining technical
information
§ Trust network: provides paths of communication for delicate information such as
information pertaining to conflicts, disagreements, and power struggles, as well as the
handling of potential and actual crisis situations such as a product recall.
§ Communication network: provides paths of communication that are used on day-
to-day basis for ordinary work-related matters such as a change in accounting
procedures or the upcoming company picnic
Verbal Communication Nonverbal Communication
§ Face-to-face oral § Facial expressions
§ Oral via telephone § Body language
§ Written via
memo, letter, § Mode of dress
report, email, fax
§ Tone of voice § Choice of words
§ Volume § Use of questions
§ Speed § Use of jokes
§ Use of pauses § Willingness to take credit for
§ Directness or indirectness ideas
§ Listening is not the same as hearing. Communication time
While hearing is a physiological
process, listening is a conscious process
that requires us to be mentally attentive
(Low & Sonntag, 2013) 9%

§ As per the researchers, a normal human 16% Listening

being spends 45% of his 45% Speaking

Reading
communication time in listening, 30% on Writing
speaking, 16% on reading, and 9% on 30%
writing.
§ Effective listening is defined as the “dynamic, interactive process of
integrating appropriate listening attitudes, knowledge, and behaviours to
achieve the selected goals of a listening event.” (Thompson et. al, 2004)
§ Effective listening is more than a cognitive process; to ‘hear’ the listener
must not only understand what is being said verbally, but also the non-
verbal communication that informs what is said.
§ Consequences of effective listening?
§ Give sender undivided attention
§ Look sender in the eye
§ Do not interrupt
§ Focus on understanding what you are hearing
§ Ask questions
§ Rephrase key points
§ Avoid distracting sender
§ Pay attention to the non-verbal signals: Tone of voice, pace, volume, style,
emphasis, body language, facial expression, posture
§ Be empathetic with the speaker’s perspective
Information richness is the amount of information a medium of
communication can carry and the extent to which it enables
senders and receivers to reach a common understanding
§ The attempt by one person or group to transmit and share information with
another person or group to get them to accept, agree with, follow, and seek
to achieve the formers’ goals and objectives.
§ Accuracy is of less importance
§ A model of persuasive communication: 5 factors
Ø the characteristics of the sender
Ø active listening
Ø the content of the message
Ø the medium or channel
Ø the characteristics of the receiver