2. Definition of Terms
Communication- the exchange of information and understanding
Verbal Communication- refers to oral and written communication
Non-verbal Communication- refers to communication through
body movements, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, or body
contact
Elements of Communication Process
1. Input
2. Sender
3. Code
4. Channel
5. Noise
6. Receiver
7. Output
8. Feedback
3. Communication applies to all management functions and its general purposes for
the organization to bring positive changes that influence activities leading to the
firm’s welfare.
The communication process starts with the sender who has an idea or a
message, which is then transmitted through a selected channel to the receiver,
who in turn has to be ready for the reception of the message, so that it could be
decorated into thoughts. Accurate communication occurs when the sender and the
receiver understand one another, according Hobbins and Coulter (2009).
4. Types of Communication
Communication may be verbal or non-verbal.
It may also be classified as formal, if communication takes place
within prescribe, routine organizational work arrangements, or informal, if
communication is not defined by an organization’s hierarchical structure.
Communication is formal when the manager gives an assignment to a
subordinate and informal when employees talk to their friends in the office
about a weekend party or a vacation which they plan to take.
5. DirectionandFlowof Communication
Communication flows in different directions within an organization. Communication may be
vertical, upward, downward, horizontal/lateral, or diagonal.
• Vertical communication- involves communication flow between people
belonging to different organizational levels.
• Upward communication- is the flow of information from an employee who
belongs to a lower hierarchical level to the boss/manager who belongs to a higher
hierarchical level. Employees/subordinates may communicate upward regarding
their personal problems, request that they would like the boss to approve, issues
with coworkers, and others.
• Downward communication- is the flow of information from the manger, who
belongs ta a higher hierarchical level, to the subordinates/employees, who belong
to lower hierarchical levels, Examples are when the boss gives orders to
subordinates to finish certain tasks, communicates organizational policies and
practices, and commers about work performance among others.
• Horizontal/lateral communication- takes place among employees
belonging to the same hierarchical level. Members of cross-functional teams who
belong to different units/departments but occupy the same organizational level
make use of this type of communication in order to save time and facilitate
coordination.
6. • Diagonal communication- entails communicating with someoneor others who
belong to different departments/unitsand different hierarchical levels. For example, an
employee belongingto the company’sfinancial managementdepartment
communicates directly with the head of the human resources departmentabout his
personalcomplaint against a marketing departmentemployee. Take note of the
different departments and different organizationallevels of the personscommunicating
with each other. Diagonalcommunicationis said to be beneficial because of its
efficiency and speed; however, it may also cause some confusion.
Communication Network in Organization
Communication networks are varied patterns of combined horizontal and vertical
flows of organizational communication. Types of communication networks include
the following:
Chain network- where communication flows according to the usual formal chain of
command, downward and upward.
Wheel network- where communication between a leader and other members of
their group/team.
All-channel network- where communication flows freely among all members of a
team.
7. It has been observedby communication researchers that there is no single network
that could be considered applicable or fit for all circumstances in an organization.
Organizationmembers also communicate through other networks and mean such
as the grapevineand computer networks.
The grapevine is an informal communication network in an organization.An
example is gossip/rumorwhich could quickly disseminate information. Managers must stay
aware of the grapevine’sflow and patterns, and could use it to transmit important
information. They, however, should also be conscious in their company.Negative effects of
rumors maybe minimized by practicing transparency and communicating openly with
employees.
Meanwhile, computer networks presentsanother means of communication among
organizationmembers. Information technology has made it possiblefor managerto
communicate with each other and with subordinatesand for employeesto communicate
with each other anytime, regardless of distance. Examples of computer communication
applications are e-mail, blogging, teleconferencing,and intranet.
8. Barriers to Communication
Organization members may encounter various types of barriers that can alter the meaning of
communications that they receive. These barriers include filtering, emotions, information overload,
defensiveness, language, and national culture.
Filtering- the shaping of information communicated in order to make it look good or advantageous
to the receiver.
For example, a sales agent may report to his manager the big amount of sales that he
was able to make with one of their customers, but fails to report the complaints he received from
other costumers regarding their product.
Emotions- The interpretation of communications which may be influenced by extreme emotions
felt by the receiver.
For example, a manager who is in a very bad mood and receives good news may not see
the positive aspects of it because his rational thinking process is affected by his emotional
judgement.
9. Information overload- another barrier to good communication since there are too many pieces of
information received by an individual may have a negative effect on a person’s processing
capacity.
For example, the hundreds of job applications received by human resource manager
through e-mail may be too many for them to read
Defensiveness- the act of self-protection when people are threatened by something or someone.
Due to this feeling, people may resort to communicating lies in order to protect themselves
or to interpret communications differently to defend their interests, thus, reducing mutual group.
Language- could also hamper good communications because words used may have different
meanings to different people belonging to different age, educational background, or cultural group.
Diversity of background of organization members may influence the language or the words
that they use. For example, the world “hello” may just be an ordinary greeting to the older
members of an organization; but the same word, “hello” may have a negative connotation to the
younger group of employees depending on the context.
10. National culture- just like language, the prevailing national culture may also cause a
problems in communication among members of an organization, especially if it is
multinational company
Certain office practices, like sending formal memoranda to employees, may
ne negatively interpreted by employees coming from another country with a different
culture that values face-to-face interpersonal communication. Such negative
interpretation may, in turn, cause employee dissatisfaction and less motivation to
perform their work well.
11. Overcoming Communication Barriers
To avoid conflicts resulting from communication problems, managers try to overcome
communication barriers through the following means:
Using feedback- This is usually done by asking questions about a memo sent to
subordinates or by asking them to give their comments or suggestions. In doing so, they are
able to determine whether the communication they sent out was understood the way they
originally intended.
Using simple language- This is done by avoiding uncommon terms and flowery
words that may just cause misinterpretation. Language used must fit the level of
understanding of the intended recipients of the communication. Effective communication is
achieved when the message is understood by those who received it.
Active listening- This means listening well in order to grasp the full meaning of the
communication. Hearing without giving full attention to what others seek to communicate
usually results in misinterpretations and communication distortions.
12. Controlling emotions- This is another method of overcoming communication
misinterpretation. When the receiver is affected by extreme anger, his interpretation of a
message received may not be accurate. On the other hand, when the sender is affected
by extreme emotions he/she may also send or transmit inaccurate information. Therefore,
it is important to practice emotional restraint.
Observing body language- This also influences how communication is
interpreted. Actions of the message receiver, like throwing away a letter delivered to him,
betrays his negative feelings regarding its message, even if he says “yes” or “okay” to
what is requested. Nonverbal cues must always be watched because, as the saying goes,
action speak louder than words.
