Business communication

Question 1

Effective communication

Answer 1

the exchange of information between people or groups with feedback

Question 2

Feedback

Answer 2

the response to a message by the receiver

• without feedback the effectiveness of the communication cannot be judged

Question 3

External effective communication

Answer 3

the processes responsible for communicating with people and entities outside your organisation

Question 4

Internal effective communication

Answer 4

communication between different groups of people within the organisation

Question 5

Why is effective communication important

Answer 5

• staff motivation
• the number and quality of ideas generated by the staff
• speed of decision making
• speed of response to market changes
• reduces the risk of errors
• effective coordination between departments

Question 6

Communication media

Answer 6

the methods used to communicate a message

Question 7

Oral communication

Answer 7

one-to-one conversations, interviews, appraisal sessions, group meetings or team briefings

Question 8

Advantages of oral communication

Answer 8

• allows for two-way communication and feedback - encourages staff motivation
• instant communication and evidence of who attended the meeting
• allows reinforcing the message with appropriate body language

Question 9

Disadvantages of oral communication

Answer 9

• no written record of what is said
• not appropriate for complicated and technical matters
• costly in terms of time

Question 10

Written communication

Answer 10

any communication that involves writing in letters, memos, notices, boards, reports and diagrams for technical matters

Question 11

Advantages of written communication

Answer 11

• can be referred to more than once
• should be an accurate record
• allow for the transmission of detailed data

Question 12

Disadvantages of written communication

Answer 12

• eliminate supporting body language
• do not follow for immediate feedback
• no evidence of the message being received and understood

Question 13

IT / web-based media

Answer 13

any form of communication that involves the Internet and email use, Intranets, video conferences and smartphones

Question 14

Advantages of IT / web-based media

Answer 14

• great speed
• interactive
• messages can be sent to many people
• overcomes global boundaries
• good image for external communication

Question 15

Disadvantages of IT / web-based media

Answer 15

• cannot always be received
• expensive in hardware
• security issues
• risk of information overload

Question 16

Information overload

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Visual communication

Answer 17

the practice of using visual elements such as diagrams, pictures and charts to communicate information and ideas

Question 18

Advantages of visual communication

Answer 18

more interactive
creates greater interest
demands attention
often easier to remember

Question 19

Disadvantages of visual communication

Answer 19

needs close attention
sometimes too fast
not always clear
interpretation by receivers may vary

Question 20

Communication barriers

Answer 20

reasons why communication fails

Question 21

Failure in one of the stages of the communication process

Answer 21

• medium chosen is inappropriate
• receiver forgot part of a long message given to them
• a misleading message may lead to poor understanding
• too much information
• channel of information is too long

Question 22

Poor attitudes of the sender or receiver

Answer 22

• sender is not trusted
• alienation of workforce
• those on the communication channel may decide not to pass the message
• poor opinion or perception of the receiver that no effort is made to ensure clarity of message

Question 23

Physical reasons

Answer 23

• noisy factories are not good for communication
• geographical distance may restrict effective communication

Question 24

Three broad reasons to communication barriers

Answer 24

1. failure in the communication process
2. poor attitudes of the sender or receiver
3. physical reasons

Question 25

How to reduce communication barriers. (Name the six steps)

Answer 25

1. message is clear and precise 2. communication channel as short as possible 3. channels of communication are clear to all involved 4. build in feedback for the communication process 5. establish trust between sender and receiver 6. ensure physical conditions are appropriate

Question 26

Formal communication network

Answer 26

the official communication channels and routes used within an organisation

Question 27

The chain network

Answer 27

One person starts off the communication message and this is passed down to the next person in the lower level

Question 28

The vertical network

Answer 28

the owner has a number of subordinates and communicates with them directly but individually

Question 29

The wheel network

Answer 29

leader is in the centre of the wheel, two way communication between the leader and each part of the wheel

Question 30

The circle network

Answer 30

each person or department can only communicate with two others

Question 31

The integrated network

Answer 31

full two-way communication between any of the individuals or departments

Question 32

Which of the formal communication networks are centralised and decentralised

Answer 32

Centralised - chain - vertical - wheel Decentralised - circle - integrated

Question 33

One way communication or two way communication

Answer 33

1WAY - do not allow the receiver to question the orders - do not allow the receiver to ask for further explanation - no assurance for the sender that the message is received and acted upon 2WAY - staff motivation - can be time consuming

Question 34

The effect of effective communication on motivation

Answer 34

motivation -> effective communication - if staff is more motivated they are more likely to give feedback to messages and have more accurate communication with the manager effective communication -> motivation - if there is more effective communication, staff feels more involved and will receive constant feedback which increases motivation

Question 35

Vertical and horizontal communication

Answer 35

Vertical - when people of different levels of hierarchy communicate with each other Horizontal - when people of the same level of hierarchy but different areas of responsibility communicate with each other

Question 36

Informal communication

Answer 36

unofficial channels of communication that exist between informal groups of an organisation

Question 37

FOR and AGAINST informal communication

Answer 37

FOR - creates sense of belonging and social cohesion - managers can use this to test out new ideas for the business - clarifying official messages with friends AGAINST - wastes valuable working time - spreads gossip and rumours which leads to feeling insecure - informal groups may band together and resist the formal management