Communication - Chapter 6 - Human Behavior in Organizations PDF

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CHAPTER 6COMMUNICATIONTABLE OF CONTENTSI. What is Communication II. The Importance of Communication III. The Communication Process IV. Basic Methods of Interpersonal Communication V. Functions of Communication VI. Basic Goals of Effective Communication VII. Kinds of Communication Flow VIII. Improvin...

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CHAPTER 6 COMMUNICATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS I. What is Communication II. The Importance of Communication III. The Communication Process IV. Basic Methods of Interpersonal Communication V. Functions of Communication VI. Basic Goals of Effective Communication VII. Kinds of Communication Flow VIII. Improving Communication in Organizations

“Communication is an essential element of organizations. Without communication, organizations cannot exist.”

Communication is a requirement for survival and growth not only of people but also of organizations. Modern organizations consider communication as an important factor in motivating their employees to improve productivity and to meet competition.

WHAT IS COMMUNICATION? Communication is defined as the transfer of information including feelings, and ideas from one person to another. The goal of communication is to have the receiver understand the message as it was intended.

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION Individual members of the organization will know important concerns such as:  what their organization is  what objectives their organization wants to achieve  what their roles are in achieving the organization’s objectives  how they will achieve those objectives  who the individual members of the organization are

It is also through communication that the organization can relate with its external environment which include customers, suppliers, competitors and the government. An effective communication system provides management with answers to questions related to what motivates its workers to perform

effectively, what products or services the customers want, what products or services the suppliers are providing, and many others.

THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS Communication is a two-way process in which a sender reaches a receiver with a message. To make communication effective, there is a need for people in organizations to have knowledge of the communication process.

Components of an Effective Communication: 1. The Communication Source or Sender o is a person who makes the attempt to send a message which could be spoken, written, in sign language, or nonverbal to another person or a group of persons. The degree of attention the message will receive will depend on the perceived authority and experience of a sender.

2. The Message o is a purpose or an idea to be conveyed in a communication event. The message is the actual physical product as a result of encoding.

How the message is received is influenced by the following factors: 1. clarity of the message 2. alertness of the receiver 3. complexity and length of the message 4. how the information is organized The message has two components: 1. The thought or conceptual component of the message 2. The feeling or emotional component of the message 3. The Channel o is the medium through which the message travels. It consists of various types which are as follows:

1. face-to-face 2. telephone and cellphones 3. e-mail 4. written memos and letters 5. posted notices 6. bulletins There are two types of channel: formal and informal. 4. The Receiver o the person receiving a message. He must be able to interpret and understand the message.

5. The Feedback o refers to the process of communicating how one feels about something another person has done or said. A feedback provides a clue to the sender of information whether the message he sent was received as intended.

6. The Environment o refers to the circumstances in which messages are transmitted and received.

THE NOISE Noise refers to anything that disrupts communication, including the attitude and emotions of the receiver. This includes loud music, the feeling about a sick relative, children playing in the background, and many others.

BASIC METHODS OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUICATION 1. VERBAL COMMUNICATION  Is a major means of sending messages.  The delivery of verbal communication is quick and it provides the opportunity for a quick feedback.  A major disadvantage of verbal is the distortion of the message when it passes to several people.

2. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION  Include memos, notice-boards, and letters to staff, emails, faxes, internal newspapers, and instant messaging.

3. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION  Communication that takes place through facial expressions, body movements, eye contact, and other physical gesture is referred to as nonverbal communication. This type of communication reveals what the sender really mean or thinking.

FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION Four major functions within a group or organization: 1. Information function – communication provides information needed in decision making.

2. Motivation function – communication is a means used to encourage commitment to organizational objectives. 3. Control function – communication clarifies duties, authority, and responsibilities, thereby permitting control. 4. Emotive function – communication permits the expression of feelings and the satisfaction of social needs.

BASIC GOALS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Effective communication is a way to achieve certain goals consists of the following: 1. To gain goodwill 2. To inquire 3. To inform 4. To persuade

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION Barriers that may impede communication efforts consist of the following: 1. Filtering – refers to the manipulation of information so that it will be seen more favourably by the receiver. 2. Selective perception – receivers selectively see and hear messages based on their needs, motivations, experience, background, and other personal characteristics. 3. Information Overload – condition in which information inflow exceeds an individual’s processing capacity. 4. Emotions – receiver’s feelings affect his ability to understand any message sent to him.

5. Language – words do not always mean the same thing to different people, which pose a barrier to communication. 6. Communication Apprehension – refers to undue tension and anxiety about oral communication, written communication, or both. 7. Absence of feedback – without feedback, the sender will not know if the message was received at all and it does not provide the sender the opportunity to correct misimpressions about the message sent. 8. Physical Separation – refers to interferences to effective communication occurring in the environment where the communication is undertaken. Physical barriers include the following: a. Distance between people b. Walls c. An office that is not conducive to communication d. An intimidating person posted near the door e. Wrong timing 9. Lack of Credibility of the Sender – if the sender has low credibility, the message, even if it gets through, will likely be ignored.

KINDS OF COMMUNICATION FLOW A. Downward Communication – message flows from higher levels to lower levels. Their purposes are:

1. To give instructions 2. To provide information about policies and procedures 3. To give feedback about performances

4. To indoctrinate or motivate

Various techniques used in downward communication are: 1. Letters, meetings, and telephone or cellphone 2. Manuals 3. Handbooks 4. Newsletter

B. Upward Communication – messages from persons in lower level positions to persons in higher positions. Its purposes are: 1. To provide feedback to higher-ups 2. To inform higher-ups of progress towards goals 3. To relay current problems

Techniques used: 1. Performance reports 2. Suggestion system 3. Informal gripe sessions 4. Open-door policy 5. Exit interviews

C. Horizontal Communication – messages sent to individuals or groups from another or the same organizational level or position. Its purposes are: 1. To coordinate activities between departments 2. To persuade others at the same level of organization 3. To pass on information about activities or feelings

Techniques used: 1. Memos 2. Telephones or cell phones 3. Picnics 4. Dinners and other social affairs

Ineffective communication can affect people involved in it negatively. To avoid such unwanted effects, the following tips could be useful:

1. message should be improved 2. skills in receiving messages must also be improved...