Classification of communication

A. On the Basis of Organizational Structure:

1. Formal Communication:
Formal communication is that which takes place through the formal channels of the
organization structure deliberately and consciously established by the management. It
implies the flow of the information along the lines of authority formally established in the
enterprise. Members of the enterprise are expected to communicate with one another strictly
as per channels laid down in the structure. For example, when the chief executive issues
decisions and instructions to the subordinates, there is a formal communication which flows
downward. In the same manner formal communication flows upward when the subordinate
reports to the superior. Such communications are generally in writing and may take any
of the following forms:

(i) Policy manuals (ii) Procedural and rule books (iii) Memoranda papers and orders (iv)
Official meetings (v) Interviews, etc.
B. On the Basis of Flow or Direction:
1. Downward Communication:
Communication between a superior and subordinate is known as vertical communication.
Vertical communication may be downward vertical communication or upward vertical
communication. Downward communication means communication which flows from a
superior to a subordinate. It follows the line of authority from the top to the bottom of the
organization hierarchy. Downward communication is a must in any organization.

It is needed:

(i) To get things done (ii) To prepare for changes; (iii) To discourage lack of understanding
and suspicion; and (iv) To let the members of the organization develop feeling of pride of
being well-informed about all organizational matters.

The important examples of downward communication are: i) Notices (ii) circulars (iii)
Instructions (iv) Orders

2. Upward Communication:

Upward communication means the flow of information from the lower levels of the
organization to the higher levels of authority. It passes from subordinate to superior as that
from worker to foreman, from foreman to manager, from manager to general manager and
from general manager to the chief executive or the board of directors. It includes opinions,
ideas, suggestions, complaints, grievances, appeals, reports, etc.

Upward communication is needed: (i) To create receptiveness of communication; (ii) To

create a sense of belongingness through active participation; (iii) To evaluate the
effectiveness of communication; (iv) To increase morale of employees; (v) To make
improvements in managerial decisions :(iv) To co-ordinate efforts and (vii) To know ideas
of each individual in the organization.

The important examples of upward communication are:(i) Reports (ii) Meetings(iii)

Interviews(iv) Conferences

Lateral or Sideward Communication:

The transmission of information and understanding between people on the same level of
organization hierarchy is called the horizontal communication. This type of communication
is also known as lateral or sideward or crosswise communication. Usually, it pertains to
inter-departmental communication, i.e. the communication between two departmental
managers working at the same level of organization or among subordinates working under
one boss.

4. Diagonal Communication:
The transfer of information between people who are neither in the same department nor on
the same level of organization hierarchy is called diagonal communication. For example,
when the Assistant Marketing Manager communicates with the accounts clerk directly, it is
the case of diagonal communication. This type of communication increases the
organizational efficiency by speeding up information and cutting across departmental
barriers.

C. On the Basis of Media or Expression:

The term communication media refers to the medium used in the transmission of message
and mutual understanding. Words, pictures and actions are the media used for exchanging
information and understanding between different persons. The most important medium
through which communication takes place is the words. Pictures in the form of charts,
models or blue prints and gestures such as smile, silence, twinkling of eyes etc., are used to
make the communication effective. The communication, purpose, audience, qualities of the
communicator and the situation must be considered in selecting the media of
communication.

The various media of communication have been studied as under:

1. Written communication

2. Oral communication

3. Gestural or Non-verbal communication.

1. Written Communication:
Communication through words, may be in writing or oral. Written communication implies
transmission of message in black and white. It includes diagrams, pictures, graphs, etc.
Reports, policies, rules, procedures, orders, instructions, agreements, etc. have to be
transmitted in writing for efficient running of the organization.

Written communication ensures that everyone concerned has the same information. It
provides a permanent record of communication for future reference. Written instructions are
essential when the action called for is vital and complicated. To be effective, written
communication should be clear, concise, correct and complete. It may take the following
forms: (i) Reports (ii) Circulars (iii) Magazines (iv) Manuals (v) Memoranda

Improving Written Communication:

Written Communication may be improved by using the following tips:

(i) Using simple words and phrases

(ii) Use short and familiar words

(iii) Give illustration and examples, use charts

(iv) Use short sentences and paragraphs

(v) Avoid unnecessary words

2. Oral Communication:
Oral or verbal communication implies the conveying of message through spoken words. It
is face to face communication between individuals and includes communication through
telephone, intercom and public speech, etc. In every organization, a great deal of
information is exchanged orally and it is generally preferred to written communication.
Theo Haimann pointed out, “the human voice can impart the message with meaning and
shading which even long pages of written words simply cannot convey.” The important
feature of oral communication is that real meaning is conveyed by manner or tone of the
voice or the facial expressions of the communicator and the communicate.

It may take the following forms depending upon the need and situation:

(i) Face to face talks.

(ii) Telephonic conversation,

(iii) Interviews. (iv) Meetings,

Gestural or Non-Verbal Communication:

Communication does not mean merely written or oral messages. It includes everything that
may be used to convey meanings from one person to another, e.g., movement of lips or the
wink of an eye or the wave of hands may convey more meaning than written or oral words.
Expression through body parts is known as gestural or non-verbal communication.

It includes facial expression, movement of lips, wink of an eye, nodding of heads,

movement of hands, a sense of humour or a mere silence, etc. Gestural communication is
also known as ‘Gesticulation’ and is frequently used as a supplementary method of
communication. It helps to make communication effective.

Elements

(i) Facial expressions:

The face is said to be the mirror of the mind. Whatever we feel reflected on our
face. The face can convey energy, anger, grief, sincerity and a host of other
feelings and emotions. A smile means friendliness, while a frown means anger.
A creased forehead shows worry while a raised eyebrow shows surprise hence it
is very important to exercise a check and control over our feelings. Although
this is a difficult task, you can get positive results with continuous efforts.

(ii) Gestures:

Gestures are small body movements that transmit some message. It can even be
the transmission of specific information. Some gestures maybe conscious while
others may be involuntary. Some gestures have an almost universal meaning,
such as a headshake for a “no” or a handshake as a “hello”.

Then there are other gestures that may have regional meanings. Strictly
speaking, gestures are a part of body language because our head and hands tend
to communicate by themselves in their own Way.

(iii) Posture:

Posture is the position adopted by the body. It helps in conveying a message.

Each movement or position of the body has expressive or defensive functions.
Thus, the posture is an important element in non-verbal communication. It
reveals a great deal about an individual.

Posture concerns the overall bearing of the body. It includes the angle of
inclination and the position of the arms and the legs. A raised head indicates
openness, while a tilted head indicates curiosity.

However, one should remember that none of these postures have any specific
meanings of their own. They acquire meanings in association with other
symbols and in the context of communication.

(iv) Clothes:

A man is often judged by his appearance. His clothes play an important role in
enhancing his personality. Shabbily dressed people may cut a sorry figure. It is
vital for one to look professional and efficient. Accessories also play a major
role in non-verbal communication.

Clothes and accessories relate to physical as well as socio-cultural

characteristics. Sometimes, clothes and accessories manage to live up to the
expectations of the receiver, while at times they send a message through a
violation of these expectations.

(v) Eye contact:

Eyes are the windows to the soul. Eye contact constitutes a very important
factor of face-to-face communication. Through eye- contact, the speaker gets
signals whether the channel of communication is open.

Discomfiture or nervousness results only in a brief eye contact; on the other

hand, a long and fixed gaze shows interest. Depending on our feelings, we have
smiling eyes, angry eyes, painful eyes, evasive eyes, and so on.

(vi) Silence:

Silence speaks louder than words. It lays down the relationship between
communicators and their attitude towards each other. Silence shows the inability
to converse further. A student who has not done his homework will stay mum
when the teacher asks him for it.

Indicators of Non-verbal Communication:

Positive:

(i) Smile

(ii) Open posture

(iii) Interested expression

(iv) Moderate eye contact

(v) Accurate pitch and volume of voice

Negative – Submissive:

(i) Floundering voice

(ii) Defensive arms / legs

(iii) Slow speech

(iv) Fretting expressions

(v) Deceitful looks

7 P ‘s of Communication

1. Concise
Being concise means being able to convey your messages in the shortest possible words.
But this doesn’t mean that you provide the information less but articulating in such a
possible way that you get to spread the message across everyone and that too in fewer
words.

It is a necessity for business communication as this C does not involve vague words and
thus the message is clearly sent to everyone. Because of conciseness, you save time as
well as you save a lot of costs.

As this C excludes the needless and excessive words it makes the main idea or the
message more understandable. For the audience also this form is more convenient and
appealing.

2. Clear
Clear or clarity is very important in business communication. Through this, you are able to
emphasise a specific message or a goal at that time. In business communication, you
cannot achieve too much in one go. That is why you need to be clear about your ideas.

Because of clarity, the understanding of ideas becomes easier. As the clarity is achieved
for ideas and thoughts, the meaning of the words is enhanced. The message becomes more
appropriate and exact.

3. Correct
The understanding of your audience is directly proportional to the correctness of your
ideas. Because correct communication of thoughts and ideas is also an error-free form of
communication. There are many ways to achieve this correctness in your sentences.

One is through a technical understanding of your thoughts and ideas. Further, the names
and titles that you have mentioned should be correct. Because of correctness the
confidence level of yours as well as your audience increases. It has more impact.

4. Concrete
Concreteness refers to the idea of being clear and particular. It avoids the basic fuzziness
and general in your ideas and thoughts. Concreteness also adds to your confidence level.
Concreteness is supported by figures and facts thus it gives your ideas a boost. As it
involves clear words only, it helps in increasing your reputation. There are little to none
chances that your message is misinterpreted.

5. Complete
A message or an idea is complete when the audience has everything that they want to be
informed. Also, this gives an authority to them to move to call of action.

The complete communication generally involves the call to action, which helps the
readers understand what you want to imply to them. It also includes all the facts and
figures in the sentences.

Due to complete communication, the reputation is enhanced for an organization. A

complete communication also involves additional information whenever or wherever it is
required. Thus, it leaves no room for doubt in the mind of the readers and audiences. It
also helps in persuading the audience.

6. Courteous
Courtesy is the respect that we show to others and in business communication also it
means the same thing. You should show respect to your reader by having courteous
communication. The individual while sending the message should be polite, sincere,
enthusiastic, and reflective.

Being courteous means that you have taken into consideration the feeling receiver as well
as your own. It also shows that you are positive and your focus is on the audience.
Courteous messages are not at all biased.

7. Coherent
The messages that you send should be logical and that is why coherent communication is
important. The message involves certain ideas and thoughts and thus when they are
coherent then only they are able to convey the main idea of the message. All the points
that you have mentioned should be relevant to the topic and connected.

Further, the flow and tone of the communication should also be consistent. What does
your message imply should be the main focus under the coherent message? When all the
above 7 C’s of communication are used, then your message becomes more effective.
Practice this more to improve your business communication.

Objectives of Communication

The objectives of business communication are stated below:

 1. To Exchange Information: The prime objective of communication is to exchange
information internally and externally i.e. to deal within the organization and outside the
organization.

2. To Achieve Goal: The goal of the organization can be obtained through effective
organizational communication. Everybody tries to acquire such a goal and therefore it
requires effective organizational communication.

3. To Maintain Coordination and Cooperation: Coordination and co-operation among

three levels i.e. corporate level, divisional level and functional level of an Organization are
maintained through communication.

4. To Plan: Planning decides what is to be done in future. All the information and data
which are required to make a plan for business can be obtained or gathered through
communication.

5. To Facilitate Direction and Motivation: The boss gives direction or order to his
subordinate. And managers need to motivate their employees to increase their
concentration and productivity. Hence, communication helps to facilitate direction and
motivation.

6. To Achieve Efficiency: Communication can provide information regarding past and

present. It also helps to anticipate the future. So, Communication increases the efficiency
of the workers by providing instant information.

7. To Solve Problems : Communication can remove the gap between employees and
employers. Fruitful communication ensures a network in an Organization to solve
problems. Fruitful communication ensures a network to solve conflict. It also removes the
gap between employee and employer.

8. To Create Consciousness: Communication helps both employer and employee to be

conscious about their respective roles, duties and activities. As a result, responsibility and
accountability is located among the concerned persons.

9. To Increase Job Satisfaction: Job satisfaction requires a better job environment and a
better job environment is possible if there exists a communication chain. Strong chain
helps to overcome job related stress and increase job satisfaction.

10. To Improve Employer-Employee Relationship: To achieve the Organizational

objectives, there must be a good relationship between employee and employer. And to
improve such relationships, there must be effective communication.
11. To Manage Human Resources: To recruit, train-up & motivate human resources
properly, There must be effective communication. Skilled manpower are professional and
work for achievement and development.

12. To Attract Customers: To knock the door of potential customers with new products
and services of an enterprise, there should exist efficient communication. So better
communication will cause more customers and more customers will cause more profit.

13.To Facilitate Join Effort: Joint effort requires unique motive. And unique motive means
mutual trust & unity arising from mutual communication.

14. To alter/Change Future Plan: In today's modern competitive world, there is a

requirement of changing the plan according to environment and communication
environment. This involves awareness through proper communication.

15. To Obtain Overall Development: The overall development of an Organization involves

the existence of efficient Internal Control Structure. And it can be possible through an
effective communication system.

16. To Provide Necessary Data for Decision-Making: Managers require different types of
data and information for decision-making. Through communication managers collect
necessary data and make accurate decisions.

17. To Educate Workers: Communication helps the Organization to train-up the

employees/workers through organized programs. For example, Orientation,workshops,
film show, internships etc.

Process of Communication
Barriers to communication

Each communication must be transmitted through an appropriate medium. An unsuitable

medium is one of the biggest barriers to communication.

Physical Barriers:—
 ● Noise: Noise in a factory, external disturbance in telecom facilities, poor
writing, bad photocopies etc.
● Time and Distance: It can also act as a barrier to communication.

Semantic Barriers:—

● Interpretation of Words: It is quite possible that the receiver of a message

does not assign the same meaning to a word as the transmitter had intended.
This may lead to miscommunication.
● Words carry different meanings, shades or flavors to the transmitter and
receiver.
● To minimize semantic barriers, we should—

o Use familiar words.

o Clarify the shades.

o As far as possible, use words with positive

connotations.

Barriers caused by different comprehensions of reality are:

● Abstracting means picking up few details and leaving out others.

● Slanting means giving a particular bias or slant to the reality.
● Inferring means drawing inferences from observation.

Socio-Psychological barriers:—

Attitude and Opinions: We react favorable or are hostile according to our personal
benefit.

● Emotions: We cannot transmit nor receive anything correctly if our mind is

agitated.
● Closed Mind: We hold our opinion so rigidly that we just refuse to listen.
● The Source of Communication: We react according to the trust we have in
the source of communication.
● Inattentiveness: We unconsciously become inattentive if communication
contains new idea or if we don‘t like an idea.
● Faulty transmission: Part of the message is last in transmission and can also
act as a barrier.
 ● Poor Retention: Oral messages in particular are lost due to poor human
retention.
● Status Consciousness: We are over-conscious of our lower or higher rank
and do not express ourselves candidly.
Cultural Barriers:
Cultural differences often come up as communication barriers. We have to be
specially careful in this regard as now we have to operate in international
environment. The same category of words, phrases, symbols, actions, colours
mean different things to people of different countries or different cultural
backgrounds.For example, in the United States people love to be called by their
first names while in Britain, and to a large extent also in India, people like to be
addressed by their last name. In the North American States a sign of ‘O’ made
with the forefinger and thumb stands for ‘OK’ while in the Southern States it is
construed as obscenity.

Loss by Transmission:
Communication often suffers or gets diluted when messages pass on from
person to person in a series of transmissions. They get diluted on the way.
Special care has to be taken that the intended message reaches the person
concerned.

Information Overload:

Unchecked inflow of information very often becomes another barrier to

communication. It may stifle the senior executive or bore and frustrate him.
When people are bogged down with too much information they are likely to
make errors.They may also delay processing or responding to
information/message at least for some time. And delay may become a habit,
causing serious communication problems. People may also become selective in
their response, and selectivity is not communication-friendly. On the other hand
it is a communication problem.

Difference between oral communication and written communication.

Oral Communication:
Oral or verbal communication implies the conveying of message through spoken words. It
is face to face communication between individuals and includes communication through
telephone, intercom and public speech, etc. In every organization, a great deal of
information is exchanged orally and it is generally preferred to written communication.
Theo Haimann pointed out, “the human voice can impart the message with meaning and
shading which even long pages of written words simply cannot convey.” The important
feature of oral communication is that real meaning is conveyed by manner or tone of the
voice or the facial expressions of the communicator and the communicate.
It may take the following forms depending upon the need and situation:

(i) Face to face talks.

(ii) Telephonic conversation,

(iii) Interviews.

(iv) Meetings,

The best thing about this mode of communication is that the parties to
communication, i.e. sender or receiver, can notice nonverbal cues like the body
language, facial expression, tone of voice and pitch, etc. This makes the
communication between the parties more effective. However, this mode is
backed with some limitation like the words once spoken can never be taken
back.

Written Communication:
Communication through words, may be in writing or oral. Written communication implies
transmission of message in black and white. It includes diagrams, pictures, graphs, etc.
Reports, policies, rules, procedures, orders, instructions, agreements, etc. have to be
transmitted in writing for efficient running of the organization.

Written communication ensures that everyone concerned has the same information. It
provides a permanent record of communication for future reference. Written instructions are
essential when the action called for is vital and complicated. To be effective, written
communication should be clear, concise, correct and complete. It may take the following
forms: (i) Reports (ii) Circulars (iii) Magazines (iv) Manuals (v) Memoranda

Improving Written Communication:

Written Communication may be improved by using the following tips:

(i) Using simple words and phrases

(ii) Use short and familiar words

(iii) Give illustration and examples, use charts

(iv) Use short sentences and paragraphs

(v) Avoid unnecessary words

The communication in which the message is transmitted in written or printed
form is known as Written Communication. It is the most reliable mode of
communication, and it is highly preferred in the business world because of its
formal and sophisticated nature. The various channels of written communication
are letters, e-mails, journals, magazines, newspapers, text messages, reports, etc.
There are a number of advantages of written communication which are as
under:

● Referring to the message in the future will be easy.

● Before transmitting the message, one can revise or rewrite it in an
organised way.
● The chances of misinterpretation of messages are very less because the
words are carefully chosen.
● The communication is planned.
● Legal evidence is available due to the safekeeping of records.

BASIS FOR ORAL WRITTEN

COMMUNIC COMMUNICATI COMMUNICATI
ATION ON ON

Meaning Exchange of ideas, Interchange of

information and message, opinions
message through and information in
spoken words is written or printed
Oral form is Written
Communication. Communication.

What is it? Communication Communication

with the help of with the help of
words of mouth. text.

Literacy Not required at all. Necessary for

 communication.

Transmission Speedy Slow

of message

Proof No record of Proper records of

communication is communication are
there. present.

Feedback Immediate Feedback takes

feedback can be time.
given

Revision Not possible Possible

before
delivering the
message?

Receipt of Yes No
nonverbal cues

Probability of Very high Quite less

misunderstandi
ng
 Key Differences Between Oral Communication and Written
Communication

The following are the major differences between oral communication and
written communication:

1. The type of communication in which the sender transmits information to

the receiver through verbally speaking the message. The communication
mode, which uses written or printed text for exchanging the information
is known as Written Communication.
2. The precondition in written communication is that the participants must
be literate whereas there is no such condition in case of oral
communication.
3. Proper records are there in Written Communication, which is just
opposite in the case of Oral Communication.
4. Oral Communication is faster than Written Communication.
5. The words once uttered cannot be reversed in the case of Oral
Communication. On the other hand, editing of the original message is
possible in Written Communication.
6. Misinterpretation of the message is possible in Oral Communication but
not in Written Communication.

7. In oral communication, instant feedback is received from the recipient

which is not possible in Written Communication.

Oral Communication is an informal one which is normally used in

personal conversations, group talks, etc. Written Communication is
formal communication, which is used in schools, colleges, business
world, etc. Choosing between the two communication modes is a tough
task because both are good at their places. People normally use the oral
mode of communication because it is convenient and less
time-consuming. However, people normally believe in the written text
more than what they hear. That is why written communication is
considered as the reliable method of communication.
Write a short note Listening Skills ?

Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the

communication process.

Listening is key to all effective communication. Without the ability to listen

effectively, messages are easily misunderstood. As a result, communication
breaks down and the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or
irritated.

If there is one communication skill you should aim to master, then listening is it.

Listening is so important that many top employers provide listening skills

training for their employees. This is not surprising when you consider that
good listening skills can lead to better customer satisfaction, greater
productivity with fewer mistakes, and increased sharing of information
that in turn can lead to more creative and innovative work.

Many successful leaders and entrepreneurs credit their success to effective

listening skills. Richard Branson frequently quotes listening as one of the
main factors behind the success of Virgin.

The Purpose of Listening

Listening serves a number of possible purposes, and the purpose of

listening will depend on the situation and the nature of the communication.

1. To specifically focus on the messages being communicated, avoiding

distractions and preconceptions.
2. To gain a full and accurate understanding of the speaker's point of view
and ideas.
3. To critically assess what is being said. (See our page on for more).
4. To observe the non-verbal signals accompanying what is being said to
enhance understanding.
5. To show interest, concern and concentration.
6. To encourage the speaker to communicate fully, openly and honestly.
 7. To develop a selflessness approach, putting the speaker first.
8. To arrive at a shared and agreed understanding and acceptance of both
sides views.

When is Listening Important?

Listening well is a skill that everyone needs, as it is required in nearly all work
activities. Areas where listening skills are important include:
● Teamwork - When team members listen to each other they are better able
to share ideas and solve problems.
● Decision Making- Making the best possible decisions requires knowing
all of the available information, and in order to know all of the
information you need to listen to it and absorb it.
● Managing and Supervising.-Managers need to listen with empathy,
compassion and respect. This will allow employees to feel valued and
trusted.
● Customer Service- Listening patiently and helping the customer fully
express their issue can provide the extra insight needed to answer
questions and solve problems in a way to satisfy the customer.
● Sales- Listening to a customer’s needs before you start talking about the
sale can provide the information you need to tailor your presentation to
the client/customer.
● Negotiation- If you listen with an open mind, you can find clues as to
what terms the other party will and won’t accept.

Process of Listening
The process of listening:

This process has five stages – sensing, interpreting, evaluating, remembering

and responding.

Sensing:

Sensing means to get in tune with the speaker, as we tune a radio the listener is
prepared and knows that he has to listen. If the listener is not sensing, one may
simply promote listening by asking, “Are you listening?”
Interpreting and evaluating:

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Listening is meaningful when a person converts the words coming to him into
ideas. The ideas make sense or no sense. The listener keeps what is useful,
separates what is useless, and keeps a note of what is unclear or incomplete.

The speaker may emphasize one thing; the listener may consider another thing
important. A complainant may worry about his troubles; the PRO may want to
know basically who erred in the organisation.

Remembering:

Listening serves a greater purpose if the message is recorded for its useful life to
aid one’s memory, one may take notes or create mental pictures, and for
example when an address is being explained. But written notes may sometimes
put the speaker on the alert and halt his communication.

Responding:

The listener may respond on the spot by making appropriate remarks: “I see,” or
“Is it so?” or “Okay.” This reassures the speaker. The listener may ask questions
to bring out the required information and complete the picture from his point of
view. Responding also means to act on the message received and to let the
speaker know this.

“Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak.” – New Testament