2.5. Business communication

Question 1

Define effective communication

Answer 1

the exchange of information between people or groups with feedback

Question 2

Why is effective communication important?

Answer 2

• Staff motivation - if staff are encouraged to participate through group discussion => aid motivation => productivity
• The number and quality of ideas generated by the staff
• Speed of decision making - the more people who have to receive and react to message, then the slower it will be
• Speed of response to market changes
• Reduces risks of errors - misintepretation/misunderstanding of message will lead to incorrect responses
• Effective coordination between departments

Question 3

Define communication media

Answer 3

methods used to communicate a message

Question 4

4 main communication methods

Answer 4

• Oral
• Written
• Visual
• Electronic

Question 5

Oral communication

Answer 5

• E.g. one to one conversations, interviews, appraisal sessions, group meetings, team briefings
• Allows 2 way communication and feedback
• Instantaneous => correct any misunderstandings
• Allows body language
• Might be no written record
• Costly in terms of time
• Can be quickly forgotten

Question 6

Written communication

Answer 6

• E.g. memos, notices on boards, reports, diagrams
• Accurate record and allow for transmission of detailed data
• More structured
• Eliminate body language
• Do not allow for immediate feedback
• Often no evidence that message has been received/understood

Question 7

Electronic

Answer 7

• E.g. internet, intranet, fax messages, video conferencing, mobile telephones (allows oral as well)
• Speed
• Ignores boundaries
• Written record
• May require staff to be trained
• Reduce social contact and can create a sense of isolation
• Staff may use company time to send personal messages
• Security issues with computer technology
• Leads to information overload as a result of the speed and low usage costs. Too many messages prevent the important messages from being noticed and acted upon on

Question 8

Define information overload

Answer 8

so much information and so many messages are received that the most important ones cannot be easily identified and quickly acted on - most likely to occur with electronic media

Question 9

Visual communication

Answer 9

• E.g. diagrams, pictures, charts
• Used to accompany and support oral, written or electronic communication
• Interactive
• Demands attention
• Often easy to rmb
• Creates greater interest
• Not always clear
• Interpretations by receivers can vary

Question 10

Factors influencing choice of appropriate media

Answer 10

• Importance of the message e.g. legal contract
• Advantages to be gained from staff input
• Cost
• Speed
• Quantity of data
• Whether more than one method should be used. e.g. telephone call followed up an official letter
• Size and geographical spread of the business

Question 11

Define communication barriers

Answer 11

reasons why communication fails

Question 12

What are the communication barriers?

Answer 12

• Failure in one of the stages of the communication process
• Poor attitude of either the sender or receiver
• Physical reasons:
  
  • Distraction from external environment
  • Geographical distance

Question 13

Failure in one of the stages of the communication process

Answer 13

• Medium chosen might be inappropriate
• Too much information => receiver forgot part of the message
• Misleading or an incomplete message
• Excessive use of technical language or jargon
• Channel of communication is too long => distortion

Question 14

Poor attitudes of sender or receiver

Answer 14

• Sender is not trusted perhaps due to previous misleading messages
• Unmotivated or alienated workers will not want to take the trouble to ensure communication is effective
• Intermediaries - those on channel may decide not to pass on message or to change it. e.g. supplier’s query about customer complaint

Question 15

How to reduce communication barriers?

Answer 15

• Ensure the message is clear and precise but adequately detailed
• Keep communication channel as short as possible
• Make sure that channels of communication are clear to all involved
• Build in feedback to solve misunderstandings
• Establish trust between senders and receivers
• Ensure that physical conditions are appropriate for messages to be received

Question 16

Define formal communication networks

Answer 16

• The official communication channels and routes used within an organisation
• Passed through ‘line’ and ‘staff’ relationships
• These information flows will be concerned with the content of the jobs and may be in one of several forms, spoken, written, or electronic for example.

Question 17

Types of formal communication networks

Answer 17

• Vertical network
• Wheel network
• Circle
• Integrated or connected network

Question 18

The vertical network

Answer 18

Boss has four subordinates and communicate with them directly but individually -> no group network-> used in small department or narrow span of control

Question 19

The wheel network

Answer 19

• Leader at the centre of the network -> in control and can limit formal contact between others
• 2 way communication between leader and other parts of the wheel
• Used when regional manager communicates with other branch managers

Question 20

The circle

Answer 20

• Each person communicates with only 2 other people
• Decentralised network, no obvious leader
• Slow rate of communication
• No assurance that messages have been received

Question 21

The connected network

Answer 21

• Team meeting sessions
• Assist solving complex problems where inputs of everyone is necessary
• 2 way communication between any group member
• Allows participative style of decision making

Question 22

Define informal communication

Answer 22

refers to the unofficial channels of communication that exist in a business (often spoken as opposed to written communication). This is often referred to as the ‘grapevine’.

Question 23

Role of informal communication in business

Answer 23

• Organizational Solidarity: The existence of informal communication proves that the workers are interested in their association. The important fact is that they talk among themselves and help to promote organizational solidarity. If properly used, it may raise the morale of the workers.
• Supplement to other channels
• Increased Efficiency: Such communication helps to solve various complex issues existing in any organization. It opens the door for mutual communication between superiors and subordinates. Therefore, subordinates feel free to interact frankly which can influence their efficiency.

Question 24

Define horizontal communication

Answer 24

refers to contacts and flows of information between people at the same level in the business

Question 25

Define one way communication

Answer 25

Where there is no facility for feedback, (often under an authoritarian management style) then this is referred to as one-way communication.

Question 26

Advantages of horizontal communication

Answer 26

• Co-ordination of activities from departments
• End of misunderstanding
• Quick communication and solutions to problems
• Linking with different areas of expertise

Question 27

Disadvantages of horizontal communication

Answer 27

• Lack of understanding
• Ignoring vertical communication
• Overload of info due to both flows - vertical and horizontal
• Different departments may not understand culture, ways of working or technical language
• The outlook and objects of different department can create conflict