Communication in Organizations
M.P.S.Ishari
M.Sc in Management (USJP), BBM (Hons) Spl. in Accountancy & Finance (UOJ),
MAATSL
Assistant Lecturer in Accountancy
Head/Department of Project Management
Advanced Technological Institute (SLIATE)
Kegalle, Sri Lanka
1
Communication is a very basic
activity for human beings
Communication in
Organizations
Organizational Communication
The most challenging task for managers
Contents
Definition
Functions of communication
Importance of communication
Communication process
Effective communication
Forms and types of communication
Barriers to effective communication
Communication skills of managers
Communication in turbulent times
Future of the communication
Manager in an organization
78% of the activities
managers do is
Communication
Out of that 90% is verbal
Communication
What is Communication ?
Communication ?
Process of exchanging ideas, opinions, symbols, data
or information between two or more parties.
The process by which an idea is effectively transferred
from one mind to another.
The process by which people attempt to share meaning
via the transmission of symbolic messages.
The process by which information is exchanged and
understood by two or more people.
Communication- Definitions
The transfer and understanding of meaning.
(Robbins,2012)
Communication is the process by which information is
exchanged and understood by two or more people, usually
with the intent to motivate or influence behavior.
(Daft.,2012).
The process of transmitting information from one person to
another.
(Griffin,2012).
Three important characteristics
Communication involves
People
Shared meaning
Media
Functions of Communication
Informational role
Controlling Role
Motivational Role
Coordinating Role
Emotional Role (changing ideas and emotions)
Importance of Communication
Essential for all management functions
to collect relevant information to make effective decisions
to inform about the decisions made to the relevant parties for
implementation
to evaluate , recruitment performance and training and
development of employees
to division of work and allocating resources effectively
to give advices and orders to employees
to motivate employees
to control
Process of
Communication
Process of Communication
Symbolic Interaction Model
Idea Message Reception Behaviour
Encoding Media Decoding Understanding
Sender Transmission Receiver
Noise
Feedback
Communication Terms
• Communication
– The transfer and understanding of a message between two
or more people.
• Sender
– Establishes a message, encodes the message, and chooses
the channel to send it.
• Receiver
– Decodes the message and provides feedback to the
sender.
Communication Terms
• Encoding
– Converting a message to symbolic form.
• Decoding
– Interpreting a sender’s message.
• Message
– What is communicated.
• Channel
– The medium through which a message travels.
Organizational Communication
Organizational Communication
All the patterns, networks and systems of communication
within an organization
Important aspects of organizational Communication
Formal Vs Informal Communication
Direction of communication Flow
Communication networks
Formal Vs Informal Communication
Formal Communication refers to communication
that take place within prescribed organizational
work arrangements.
Informal communication is organizational
communication not defined by the organization’s
structural hierarchy.
(Robbins,2012)
Formal Communication
A means of communication that is
endorsed, and probably controlled
by managers.
Formal Channels of Communication
Superior
Written and verbal reports Written and verbal dissemination
of plans, policies, procedures,
evaluations
Written and verbal Written and verbal
Peers Manager information for Peers
information for
coordination coordination
Written and verbal dissemination
of plans, policies, procedures,
Written and verbal reports
evaluations
Subordinates
Organizational Communication
Direction of Communication
• Downward
– Communication that flows from one level of a group to a
lower level.
• Managers to employees
• Upward
– Communication that flows to a higher level of a group.
• Employees to manager
• Lateral
– Communication among members of the same work group,
or individuals at the same level.
Downward communication
• Job instructions
• Information about job task and its relation
to other organizational tasks
• Information about organizational
procedures and practices
• Feedback information about employee
performance
• Information about mission and goals
Upward communication
• Problems faced by them
• Their job performance
• Attitudes towards organizational policies,
procedures etc.
• Feedback on the downward communication and
so on.
Horizontal communication
• Coordinating the activities of different
departments
• solve interdepartmental problems
• Providing emotional and social support to
employees
• Reducing the strain on vertical communication
channels
Informal communication
Fulfills the social need of individuals to
communicate with one another.
Transfer information faster than through
formal communication channels
Possibility of false rumors to be transmitted
Organizational Communication Net
works
The vertical and horizontal flows of
communication can be combined into a
variety of patterns called communication
network.
Formal Networks
Informal networks (Grapevine)
Formal and Informal Communication
Networks in an Organization
Formal Vs Informal Networks
• Connections by which information flow.
– Formal Networks.
• Task-related communications that follow the
authority chain
– Informal Networks.(The Grapevine)
• Communications that flow along social and
relational lines
Formal Communication Networks
Informal Communication
Communication within an organization that is not
officially established.
Ex. Grapevine
The various paths through which informal
communication is passed through an organization.
There are four types:
Single stand, gossip, probability and cluster
The Grapevine/ informal
communication
• 75 percent of employees hear about matters first
through rumours on the grapevine.
• Grapevine has three main characteristics:
– Not controlled by management.
– Most employees perceive it as being more believable and
reliable than formal communiqués issued by top
management.
– Largely used to serve the self-interests of those people
within it.
Grapevine Patterns
Y E C
I
J
K B
G I
C G X
E I
B
F D
B F H
D J
D
K J
C F
C
A B A A A
Single Strand Gossip Probability Cluster
Each tells One tells all Each randomly Some tell
one another tells others selected others
Source: K. Davis and J. W. Newstrom, Human Behavior at Work: Organizational Behavior, 7th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1985), p. 317. Reprinted by permission.
Effective Communication ?
The effectiveness of communication is
measures by the degree of understanding
and an appropriate response that the
recipient ultimately effect regarding the
message intended by the sender.
Required Conditions for Effective Communication
The recipient should understand the message as
intended by the sender.
The recipient should respond and behave in the
manner intended by the sender
The senders communication objectives should be
realized
The sender and recipient should be satisfied with regard
to their communication effort.
Why communication is so
crucial ?
Increasing Competition
Advancement of Information
Technology
Recognition of Information as a
strategic resource
Forms of communication
• Written
• Verbal
• Non verbal
Written Versus Verbal
Communications
Written Verbal
Tangible Less secure
Verifiable Known receipt
More permanent Quicker response
More precise Consumes less time
More care is taken Quicker feedback
with the written
word
Non-verbal Communication
Messages conveyed through body
movements, facial expressions, and the
physical distance between the sender and
the receiver
Sources of non-verbal communication
Body Language
Paralanguage
Interpersonal distance zone
Color
Dress
Physical environment
Silence
Body Language
• Facial expressions
• Postures
• Movements
• Gestures
• Eye contacts
• Touch
Paralanguage
Voice Quality
Volume
Speech rate
Pitch
Channel Richness
Refers to the capability of the medium of communication to
transmit information including the abilities to;
• Handle different cues simultaneously
• Encourage feedback
• Focus personally on the receiver
E-mail Face to
Formal
Face
report
Verbal
Low High
Channel Channel
Richness Richness
Memos Telephones
Letters
44
Barriers to Effective Communication
Perceptual barriers,
Semantic barriers,
Serial transmission barriers
Information over load.
Lack of planning to communication
Purpose
Content
Channel
Time
Receiver
Emotional influences
Poor communication skills
Poor attitudes and beliefs
Poor knowledge of the subject
Barriers to Effective Communication (Cont….)
Hearing the message with preconceived ideas
Perceptions about the communicator.
Premature evaluations
Large span of controls
Higher number of levels in the hierarchy
Geographical dispersion
Centralization
Formalization (Bureaucratic rules and regulations)
Organizational culture
Defects in channel/media
Barriers to Effective Communication
Categorized into
Barriers with the sender
Barriers with the process
Barriers with the recipient
How To Improve Communication
Two-way communication
Careful listening
Sharing of information aggressively
Honesty and sincerity
Appropriate channel selection
Prior planning
How To Improve Communication(Cont….)
• Use different channels
• Adjust the message to the receiver
• Be mindful when communicating
• Be sure your action support communication
• Follow up your communication
• Use face to face communication wherever possible
• Take the opportunity
• Use direct, simple language
• Reducing span of management
• Cutting down the number of levels of the hierarchy.
• Decentralizing authority
• Etc..
Implications in Communication
Communication barriers between
women and men?
Cross-Cultural communication
difficulties
Communication Skills
Managing conflicts
The use of communication skills and bargaining
to manage conflict and reach mutually satisfying
outcomes
Empowerment skills
Negotiation skills
Communication in turbulent
times
Open communication
Dialogue
Crisis communication
Feedback and learning
Information Technology (IT)
E-mail
Instant messaging (IM)
Voice mail
Fax
Electronic data interchange EDI
Teleconferencing
Video-conferencing
Intranets
Extranets
Wireless communications
Future of the Communication
Communication will be more and more crucial in
future
Advancement of technology changes how we
communicate
Improvement in communication may even
change the fundamentals of the business world
