Business Communication ( Channels Of

Communication )
Channels of Communication
Types of Communication: Internal and External
Need for Internal Communication
Organize
Decision-making
Motiation
Morale
!educe la"our turnoer
!educe a"seentism
#armony
Channels of Communication
Management can use one or more c$annels to communicate %it$ $is employees and o"tain a
feed"ack&'ome experts prefer to use t$e p$rase (lines of communication) instead of c$annels of
communication&
*e $ae +p%ard , Do%n%ard,-ertical, and $orizontal&
#orizontal Communication: Communication "et%een people of e.ual and compara"le status is kno%n
as $orizontal communication& In eery Organization unimportant and routine matters are dealt %it$ "y
t$e employees %it$out trou"ling t$eir seniors& Eg& Manager to manager, Departmental $ead to
departmental $ead& Communication "et%een trade union leader and manager &
T$e need for $orizontal communication %it$in a organization is ery great as %it$out it t$ere %ill "e no
coordination and cooperation among t$e different units&
T%o %rong ideas a"out #orizontal communication in India:
/& *$eneer t$ere is effectie $orizontal communication t$e management s$ould not interene&
0& 1ttitude of t$e managers and executies to%ards t$is type of communication &T$ey discourage t$is
type of communication since t$ey feel t$at t$e %orkers mig$t get friendly and unite against t$e
management&
Eg& 2ritis$ used t$e diide and rule policy&
Vertical or two way communication.
Management gies directions and sends information do%n%ards and also receies periodic information
from t$e su"ordinated a"out t$e effectieness of t$eir directies and t$eir progress in t$e organization&
2ecause of t$is exc$ange of information ertical communication is also kno%n as t%o-%ay
communication&
Downward communication
*$en orders, directions, instructions and information flo% do%n%ard from superiors to su"ordinates it
is kno%n as do%n%ard communication&
*$y is it necessary3 It unites and "inds t$e different leels of aut$ority %it$in t$e organization and
preseres organizational and communication structure&
If a top executie "ypasses t$e sectional $eads and tries to communicate directly %it$ t$e %orkers all
t$e time $e is only initing trou"le ,for t$e sectional $eads %ill lose aut$ority and responsi"ility and t$e
result %ill "e indiscipline and dissatisfaction&
Why do we need downward communication?
To gie instructions and orders
To inform su"ordinates a"out t$eir performance
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Business Communication ( Channels Of
Communication )
To gie "ackground information a"out t$eir 4o"
To explain policies and organization structure
To issue %arnings and reprimands or to express appreciation&
When communicating downwards managers should take care to see that:
T$ey are ery clear in t$eir mind a"out order or information t$at is passed do%n
T$at it is passed do%n to t$e correct person in t$e $ierarc$y
Orders are expressed in clear and lucid %ords&
T$at information is not of a confidential or controersial nature suc$ as trade union
loyalty, religion or politics&
Problems of downward communication
Oer communication
+nder communication
Time consuming
5oss of information
Distortion
!esistance
Vehicles:
6 Notice "oards, posters , manuals, $and"ooks&
6 Circulars, letters, reports , memos, oral and telep$one talks, film s$o%s, group gat$erings,
employee meeting and counselling representaties, annual meetings of s$are$olders&
Upward communication
T$is communication flo%s from su"ordinates to superiors&
+seful:
#o% is t$e %ork of t$e %orkers progressing, ac$ieements, failures
+nsoled %ork pro"lems on %$ic$ su"ordinates re.uire $elp and guidance
'uggestions for improement %it$in t$e department anf t$e company
How workers feel about their jobs, associates, their supervisors and their company.
6 Managers prepare a list of items on %$ic$ t$ey expect t$eir su"ordinates to proide information
and c$eck periodically, if t$ey $ae $eard from eery"ody& Management uses seeral met$ods
"ut care s$ould "e taken to see t$at t$e first line of superisors is not "y passed&
Most commonly used methods of upward communication
!eports
Open Door policy
7roup gat$erings
Complaints and suggestion "oxes
Direct correspondence
Counseling
+sing M2*1
Exit Interie%s
7rapeine
Upward Communication
Advantages
6 -alua"le information for decision making
6 Improed performance
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Business Communication ( Channels Of
Communication )
6 Encourages employees to take interest and participate in t$e %ork of t$e organization
6 8eed"ack
Problems:
6 1%e and fear of aut$ority
6 +n%illingness to admit failure&
6 'lanted stories
6 '$ort- circuiting aut$ority
6 Inattention to up%ard communication
6 1nonymous communication
6 1ttitude of superiors&
Formal Communication
Messages are sent along t$e c$annels %$ic$ $ae "een deeloped "y t$e management& 8ormal
communication systems are c$aracterized "y t$e importance t$ey gie to aut$ority, responsi"ility and
delegation of duties& In formal communication lines of aut$ority "ecome t$e lines of communication for
information and messages are passed slo%ly and formally from managers to officers, officers to clerk
etc&
1n organization cannot only function only on t$e "asis of its formal c$annels and it $as "een found t$at
%$et$er management likes it or not informal c$annels emerge %$ereeer t$ere is a group of men and
%omen %orking toget$er&
Informal Channels
Informal c$annels spring up "ecause of t$e common interests "et%een people in organizations& T$ese
interests may $ae somet$ing to do %it$ t$e %ork and social or outside relations$ips&
T$ese informal c$annels are kno%n "y t$e interesting term ( grapeine) and an intelligent management
%ill not attempt to cur" or supress t$e grapeine "ut %ill try to use t$e grapeine to ac$iee "etter
communication %it$ its employees and t$ere"y fulfill its o%n o"4ecties
Informal Channels
Experience says: !elia"le and formalised systems %it$in t$e organization are often defeated "y a
tendency among %orkers to set up t$eir o%n informal c$annels of communication& T$e %ise "usiness
man %ill t$erefore decide t$at if you cannot "eat t$em, you s$ould 4oin t$em and $e %ould try to use
t$e grapeine $imself&
ypes of informal channels
T$e 7rapeine: Dictionary meaning says ( means of secret communication)
It is a kind of ine on %$ic$ grapes gro%&
7rapeine is an informal c$annel of communication&
7ossip, $earsay, rumours, all of t$em constitute t$e grapeine&
9ust like t$e plant grapeine spreads $orizontally and rapidly to eery part of t$e organization and it is a
secret communication in t$e sense t$at information is supposed to spread %it$out t$e kno%ledge of t$e
aut$orities&
!rape"ine
It is a kind of $orizontal communication and it consists of a complex net%ork of informal contacts t$at
occur all day long on t$e 4o",spontaneous c$annels t$roug$ %$ic$ facts , $alf trut$s and rumours pass&)
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Business Communication ( Channels Of
Communication )
It is possi"le for suc$ rumours to result up%ard and do%n%ard communication "ut t$e general direction
is $orizontal as suc$ communication takes place "et%een persons %$o kno% and trust eac$ ot$er&
Characteristics of #rape"ine
T$e follo%ing need to "e studied as t$ey may "e instrumental in "ringing a"out peace and $armony in
t$e organization&
T$e ne%s fed into t$e grapeine s$ould "e fres$ and not stale
;eople are ne%s and people like to talk a"out ot$er people&<
;eople are interested in information t$at concerns t$eir %orking conditions, salaries or t$e %ork itself&
;eople in close proximity to one anot$er at %ork are said to "e in t$e same grapeine&<
Managers s$ould neer ignore t$e grapeine&
It acts as an emotional safety ale so t$at tension does not "uild up among %orkers %$o resent t$e
aut$oritarian attitude of t$eir "osses&
$ow can a mana#ement control #rape"ine communications that harm
it?
2y taking .uick, igorous steps to c$eck false rumours
2y making t$e management<s formal communication liely and efficient
2y informing t$e employees regularly a"out t$e organization<s actiities t$roug$ company "ulletins or
ne%spapers&
Cases: Murli
Consensus and Consultation
*$en t$ere is common agreement of opinion among a group of persons it is kno%n as consensus&
Consensus communication is ery necessary at t$e management leel as t$e management of an
organization $as to present t$e outside pu"lic and its o%n employees %it$ an image of solidarity and
unity&it %ould not do for t$e secretary to issue a circular letter to s$are$olders if t$e c$ief accountant
sent anot$er to t$e s$are$olders contradicting %$at t$e secretary $ad %ritten& In t$e same %ay
employees cannot "e gien contradicting instructions "y t%o directors&
T$ere are many specialists at t$e management leel and mutual respect is s$o%n "y accepting and
supporting t$e ie% of t$e specialist een if one priately disagrees&
8re.uent consultations are re.uired at t$e management leel as %it$out t$ese t$e executies %ill not
kno% eac$ ot$er<s point of ie% and express consensus
1not$er aspect of t$e process of mutual respect and mutual consultation is t$e acceptance of aut$ority
of t$e c$airman or t$e president un.uestioningly&
T$e demerit of t$is process is o"ious t$at t$e consensus process often "ecomes one of mutual
accommodation&
%d"anta#es
It is ery profita"le "y managements %$ile dealing %it$ t$orny issues suc$ as "onus, retrenc$ment,
serice conditions, "y consulting t$e union leaders and %orker representaties&
2y consulting t$e %orkers t$eir sense of participation in t$e management process is increased&
It $elps to "uild and deelop managerial skills among 4unior officers and su"ordiantes
It fosters industrial democracy and peace&
It $elps to "ring unity and $armony in t$e organization&
Disad"anta#es
It "ecomes an exercise of mutual accomodation&
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Business Communication ( Channels Of
Communication )
It mig$t gie t$e %orker t$e impression t$at t$eir superisors are not a"le to take decisions on t$eir
o%n&
It mig$t create a serious pro"lem if su"ordinates %$o are accustomed to "eing consulted are not
consulted on one or t%o occasions& T$ey are likely to resent t$e attitude of t$e management and turn
nasty or cynical&
he need for multiple channels of communication.
1n efficient and progressie enterprise uses multiple c$annels of communication "ot$ formal and
informal& It is not adisa"le to $ae only one c$annel of communication since t$is %ould result in
"ottlenecking and a definite fall in t$e leel of efficiency as a result of poor information circulation&
to meet t$e need for multiple c$annels of communication most modern organizations set up a net%ork
of communication c$annels&
1 communication net%ork refers to a particular set of persons or groups %it$in t$e communication
system %$o may gat$er, com"ine, transmit, or manipulate information&
T$ree of t$e "etter kno%n net%orks are t$e %$eel net%ork, t$e circular flo% net%ork and t$e free
net%ork&
&'ternal communication
T$e external communication of a "usiness organization takes t%o forms: Out%ard and In%ard&
1 "usiness oraganization $as to communicate %it$ numerous people and parties t$at are outside,
namely, customers, "anks, goernment officials, post office, insurance companies, police, municipality,
etc&
T$e communication takes place in t$e form of letters, telegrams, p$one calls or t$e company may use
mass media suc$ as ne%spapers, radio and teleision& 1dertising is t$e most structured form of
external communication&
In%ard communication is said to take place %$en t$e organization receies letters, telegrams, p$one
calls and isits from outside parties& 1ll t$ese are carefully attended to since t$ey are t$e feed"ack t$at
t$e company receies to all t$at it $as "een doing or saying&
&'ternal Communication
2ot$ in%ard and out%ard communication are to "e $andled "y t$e pu"lic relations department of t$e
company&
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