What is Communication Breakdown?

might take him as an emotional

Communication breakdown refers support.
to failure in exchange of
information. It may be as a result of The linguistic differences also lead
language barrier, lack of clear to communication breakdown.
information, time pressures, Same word may mean different to
different individuals. For example:
emotions and
consider a word value.
distraction. http://www.ask.com/qu
estion/definition-of-communication-
a. What is the value of this
breakdown Laptop?
However, Ruben (1978) argued
that communication does not b. I value our relation?
break down. Machine breaks
down or quit. However, human c. What is the value of
beings continue to communicate learning technical skills?
even when they dont wish to do
so. Value means different in different
Rothwell (1992) says that The sentences. Communication
view that communication breakdown occurs if there is wrong
perception by the receiver.
breakdowns occur comes from
recognition that we do not always
2. Information Overload: Managers
achieve our goals through are surrounded with a pool of
communication. But failure to information. It is essential to
achieve our goals may occur even control this information flow else
when communication between the the information is likely to be
parties in conflict is exemplary. So, misinterpreted or forgotten or
wheres the breakdown? overlooked. As a result
communication is less effective.

Reasons for communication breakdown: 3. Inattention: At times we just not

listen, but only hear. For example a
traveler may pay attention to one
1. Perceptual and Language
NO PARKING sign, but if such sign
Differences: Perception is generally
is put all over the city, he no longer
how each individual interprets the
listens to it. Thus, repetitive
world around him. All generally
messages should be ignored for
want to receive messages which
effective communication. Similarly
are significant to them. But any
if a superior is engrossed in his
message which is against their
paper work and his subordinate
values is not accepted. A same
explains him his problem, the
event may be taken differently by
superior may not get what he is
different individuals. For example :
saying and it leads to
A person is on leave for a month
disappointment of subordinate.
due to personal reasons (family
member being critical). The HR
Manager might be in confusion 4. Time Pressures: Often in
whether to retain that employee or organization the targets have to be
not, the immediate manager might achieved within a specified time
think of replacement because his period, the failure of which has
teams productivity is being adverse consequences. In a haste
hampered, the family members to meet deadlines, the formal

channels of communication are
shortened, or messages are
partially given, i.e., not completely
transferred. Thus sufficient time
should be given for effective
communication.
5. Distraction/Noise: Communication
is also affected a lot by noise to
distractions. Physical distractions
are also there such as, poor
lightning, uncomfortable sitting,
unhygienic room also affects
communication in a meeting.
Similarly use of loud speakers
interferes with communication.
6. Emotions: Emotional state at a
particular point of time also affects
communication. If the receiver
feels that communicator is angry
he interprets that the information
being sent is very bad. While he
takes it differently if the
communicator is happy and jovial
(in that case the message is
interpreted to be good and
interesting).
7. Complexity in Organizational
Structure: Greater the hierarchy in
an organization (i.e. more the
number of managerial levels), more
is the chances of communication
getting destroyed. Only the people
at the top level can see the overall
picture while the people at low
level just have knowledge about
their own area and a little
knowledge about other areas.
8. Poor retention: Human memory
cannot function beyond a limit. One
cant always retain what is being
told specially if he is not interested
or not attentive. This leads to
communication breakdown.
http://www.managementstudyguid
e.com/communication_barriers.htm
media convergence, phenomenon
involving the interconnection
of informationand communications
technologies, computer networks,
and media content. It brings
together the three Cs
computing, communication, and
contentand is a direct
consequence of the digitization of
media content and the
popularization of the Internet.
Media convergence transforms
established industries, services,
and work practices and enables
entirely new forms of content to
emerge. It erodes long-established
media industry and content silos
and increasingly uncouples content
from particular devices, which in
turn presents major challenges for
public policy and
regulation. http://www.britannica.co
m/EBchecked/topic/1425043/media
-convergence
What is Media Convergence ?
It is important here to consider the fact
that much difficulty and disagreement had
arisen in defining the notion of media
convergence. Most theorists agree that in
general terms convergence means
coming together of two or more things,
however a variety of different arguments
have been put forward in an attempt to
define what exactly is coming together
(Grant and Wilkinson, 2009). On the one
hand, convergence can be viewed as
coming together of different equipment
and tools for producing and distributing
news (ibid.). Jenkins (2006:3), on the
other hand, defines convergence as flow
of content across multiple media
platforms, suggesting that media
audiences nowadays play a crucial role in
creating and distributing content, and
convergence therefore has to be
examined in terms of social, as well as
technological changes within the society.
According to Jenkins, media convergence
is an ongoing process that should not be
viewed as a displacement of the old
media, but rather as interaction between
different media forms and platforms
(Jenkins, 2006). Supporting this argument,
Deuze cited in Erdal (2011) suggests that
media convergence should be viewed as
cooperation and collaboration between
previously unconnected media forms and
platforms. Burnett and Marshall cited in
Grant and Wilkinson (2008:5) explain
convergence as blending of the media,
telecommunications and computer
industries or, in other words, as the
process of blurring the boundaries
between different media platforms and
uniting them into one digital form.
One question that needs to be asked,
however, is whether or not these recent
developments are beneficial for the
society and the industry itself. In other
words, whether or not media convergence
presents more opportunities than
challenges to both media producers and
consumers. One of the areas of particular
concern when examining positive and
negative consequences of media
convergence is media ownership (Jenkins,
2006). Nowadays the power to control
media industry is concentrated in the
hands of private owners and relatively
small number of big media corporations.
For example, companies, such as Warner
Bros., which used to focus on the film
industry, nowadays have control over
various aspects of entertainment industry
in general, such as computer games,
books, magazines, web sites and toys,
which is all part of the process of media
convergence (Jenkins,
2006). Consequences of this trend can be
viewed as both positive and negative. On
the one hand, it may cause the decline in
the diversity of material offered and result
in a tendency that voices of those lacking
economic power will not be taken into
account (Branston et al., 2008:179). On
the other hand, it is argued that market
driven media owned and controlled by big
media corporations can actually improve
the value of the service, the flexibility of
topics and the competence of the
contributers as well as enable
technological developments, change the
elitism of media professionals and create
new general awareness (Grant,
2009). Another aspect of media
convergence that can be seen as its major
drawback is what Jenkins (2006:23) calls
the participation gap. This concept refers
to the fact that while media convergence
in general has encouraged audiences to
participate in the process of content
creation, it requires extended access to
modern technologies, familiarity with the
new forms of media, as well as developing
certain skills (ibid.). As a result, certain
segments of the audience arguably remain
neglected and unable to fully participate
in the new media
culture.
Drawing on the definitions of media
convergence outlined above, it can be
argued that one of the ways of
understanding media convergence is in
terms of interaction between old and new
forms of media. This concept can be
explained more clearly using the example
of television industry and its development
over the years. The idea of transition from
analogue media to digital media stands at
the core of media convergence debate.
The term analogue is used to describe
something that resembles something
else (Dewdney and Ride, 2006:227),
therefore signals transmitted through
television can be seen as being analogous
to the light and sound of the actual scene
(ibid.). In the case of analogue media,
each form was separate and independent
from the others due to the need to use
different materials, properties and
apparatuses (ibid.). With the introduction
of digital code however the situation
changed rapidly and opened new
possibilities for media creation and
convergence, for example, new forms of
interaction between producers and
consumers
http://mconvergence.wordpress.com/abou
t/