Communication and

Organization Structure

Chapter 2
 Forms of Communication
• External and Internal
– External: outside organization with other
companies, government, general public etc
– Internal: inside organization
• Formal communication
– Flows along prescribed channels which all members desirous
of communicating with one another are obliged to follow
• Informal communication
– An equally effective means of communication; often called as
grapevine, because it runs in all directions (Horizontal,
Vertical, Diagonal).
 Formal Communication
• Advantages
– Ensures maintenance of authority and
accountability of executives
– Develop relationship between immediate boss and
subordinate
– Uniformity in dissemination of information
– Systematic flow of information
– Information is trustworthy as source is known
 Formal Communication
• Disadvantages
– Increase workload of managers
– Widens communication gap between executives
and employees at lower level
– Time consuming as it follows scalar chain of
command
 Downward Communication
• Benefits
– Help explain employees
methods and information
required to do the job
– Help convey what is expected
from employees
– Acts as means to control the
activities of the employees
and give feedback
– Provides motivation to
subordinates
• Problems
– Message can be distorted
– Delay in transmission if entity is not
available
– Creates dissatisfied employees with
increased workload.
• How to make it effective
– managers should be adequately
informed
– Managers should be clear about
how much to communicate
– Delegate authority to lower levels
– Information to be passed to
correct person
 Upward Communication
• Benefits • Problems
– Provides feedback to – Employees fear their
superiors criticism may be
– Introduction of new interpreted as their
schemes without unduly weakness
opposition from the – Bypassed superiors feel
employees insulted
– Bring harmony among – Great possibility of
employees and message distortion
management
– Problems and grievances
are addressed
 Methods/ Channel of Upward
Communication
• Discussions with • How to make it
superiors effective
• Grip/drop boxes – Superiors should take
initiative to get close to
• Social gatherings subordinate
• Letters to superiors – Keep line of
• Counseling communication as short
as possible
– Timely readdress the
grievances of the
employees
Horizontal/ Lateral
Communication
 Horizontal/Lateral
Communication
• Communication at same hierarchal level
• Benefits
– Creates mutual trust and confidence among
employees
– Increase coordination among employees
• Problems
– Creates rivalry among departments or employees
– Proximity may create biases
– Biasness may exist in multicultural organizations
 Methods of Horizontal
Communication
• Face to face Discussion
• Telephonic conversations
• Periodical meetings
• Memorandum
 Consensus
• When number of people irrespective of their status,
sit down with one another to arrive at a decision
acceptable to all it is called consensus.
• Benefits
– Decisions are taken after consultation so they are easy to
accept
– Promotes harmony and reduces conflict
• Disadvantages
– Member is subscribed to a view he does not hold
– Project false image of the management to employees.
 Grapevine/Informal
Communication
• Factors responsible for grapevine
– Lack of direction when company s going through a
difficult period
– Lack of self confidence among employees
– Favored group by management giving feeling of
insecurity to employees
 Forms of Grapevine
Communication
• Single Chain
 Forms of Grapevine
Communication
• Star Chain
 Forms of Grapevine
Communication
• Cluster Chain
 Forms of Grapevine
Communication
• Probability chain
 Grapevine/Informal
Communication
• Merits • Demerits
– Message travel faster – Distortion of message
– Feedbacks are quick – Transmission may be
– Promote harmony incomplete
– Employees feel • How to make it
emotional relief effective
– Try to spot leaders
– Involves workers in
decision making process
– Use official channels to
contradict rumors.
 Barriers to Communication
• Wrong choice of medium
• Physical barrier
• Semantic Barrier
– Interpretation of words
– Bypassed instructions
– Denotation and connotations
• Socio psychological Barriers
– Attitudes and opinions
– Emotions
– Closed mind
– Status concious
– The source of information
– Faulty transmission
– Poor retention
7 C’s of Written Communication
• Clarity
– Clarity of expression
• Use simple words
– (compensate/pay, facilitate/help)
• Use single words for long phrase
– (at all time/always, previous to/before)
• Use verbs for nouns
– (come to a conclusion/ conclude, make a decision/decide)
• Avoid double entry
– (actual fact/ fact, end result/ result)
• Avoid ambiguity
– ( go, slow work in progress/ go slow, work in progress).
7 C’s of Written Communication
• Completeness
– The 5 W’s
• Conciseness
– Include relevant facts, organize your message well
• Consideration
– Adopt you attitude
• Thank you for your kind words
– Avoid gender biases
• Chairman/chairperson
7 C’s of Written Communication
• Courtesy
– Answer letters promptly
– Omit irritating expression
• (you neglected, you irresponsible, you are unaware)
– Apologize sincerely/ thank enormously for favor
• Correctness
– Give correct facts
– Send your message at correct time
– Send your message in correct style
• Concreteness
– Always use specific facts and figures
– Message should be vivid and definite
– Avoid exaggerations
 7 C’s of Oral Communication
• Clear
– Talk distinctly with right pronunciation
• Concise
– Do not over communicate
• Complete
– The 5 w’s
• Correct
– Right source of the information
 7 C’s of Oral Communication
• Concrete
– Avoid exaggerations and be culturally sensitive
• Courtesy
– You attitude, apologize for mistake appreciate the
favors, no discriminatory sentences
• Candid
– Be open, frank and straight about issues but not
hurting anyone’s sentiments.