Business studies

Communication in business

What is communication? Why do we communicate?

Communication is when a message is transferred from someone to someone else

Communication (spending or receiving information) represents 80% of our waking time

Without communication our lives would be cataclysmic

Communication and understanding• A good definition for effective communication is to

share meaning and understanding between the people sending the message and the people receiving the message.

• Key element: “understanding”

• Have you had a communication problem or failure to communicate?

• Was it because of a lack of understanding?

Some key words

Message

Transmitter/Sender

Medium of communication

Receiver

Feedback

The communication process: the communication loop

Main steps of the communication process

Information Send the message Receive the message Understand the message Confirm the message has arrived and been

understood

One-way and two-way communication

One-way communication: when the receiver of a message has no chance to reply or respond to the message

Activity 1

A volunteer describes a diagram to the rest of the class. Volunteer must keep his/her back toward the rest of the class.

Other students listen to the description and draw the diagram.

Discussion 1

How many of us got confused and just ‘quit’ listening? Why?

Why was the one-way communication so difficult to follow?

Two-way communication: when there is a reply or a response from the receiver

Activity 2

A volunteer describes a diagram to the rest of the class. Volunteer must keep his/her back toward the rest of the class.

Other students listen to the description and can ask questions.

Discussion 2

Was the two-way communication more effective than the one-way communication? Why?

Why was the one-way communication so difficult to follow?

Internal/external communication

Internal communication:• Between people who work in the SAME

organisation

External communication:• Between people who DO NOT work in the

same organisation

Verbal/oral forms

Written forms

Visual forms

Body language

Which one is the best?Which one is the most appropriate

Different ways of communicating: the medium/media of communication

Verbal/oral communication

=> Example: face-to-face, phone, meeting, classroom, video conference

Efficient Opportunity to provide immediate feedback Body language can help to a better

understanding

BUT• Not appropriate when a record is needed• Takes longer than written communication if

feedback is long/time-consuming

Written communication Letters

Reports

Notices

Faxes

Emails (internet/intranet)

Written communication

Advantages:

‘Hard’ evidence of the message that can be used later

Appropriate for complicated messages Message can be sent to many receivers

(copy/paste)

Example of written communication

(From Bernard Merialdo)

Written communication

Disadvantages:

• Language used can be difficult for some receivers to understand

• Not so easy to check that the message was well received

• No opportunity for body language

Visual communication

Films, videos, PowerPoint presentations, charts and diagrams (ex: organisational chart)

Advantages: attractive, people may pay more attention, can support a written message

Example of visual communication

Visual communication

Disadvantages: charts and graphs may be difficult to be understood

Formal/Informal communication

1. Formal communication: channels of communication set up and recognized by an organisation

2. Informal communication: messages going through informal channels of communication (ex: I heard that…, we discussed that during lunch time, etc.)

Activity

1. Find examples of informal/external communication

2. Find examples of informal/internal communication

3. Find examples of formal/internal communication

4. Find examples of formal/external communication

Barriers to communication

Have you ever been talking to someone and they misunderstand what you were saying? Why do you think that happens?

Barriers to communication: internal and external

Internal barriers: fatigue, poor listening skills, lack of interest in the message, fear, mistrust, past experiences, problems at home, lack of emotions, etc.

External barriers: noise, e-mail not working, bad phone connection, too many technical words for the audience, etc.

=> How to overpass these barriers?

Barriers to communication

Barriers can happen at anytime in the communication process

Communication nets

“The ways in which members of a group communicate with each other.”

=> Who communicates with you?

Chain network: activity

As a class you are going to form grapevines and spread rumors about people. You will spread rumors from person to person in your line and when you reach the end of the line, the last person will spread the rumor to the teacher.

Then we shall assess the accuracy of the message.

Communication nets

Wheel network:

Activity

Match the most appropriate communication nets to each management style:

Chain network Democratic

Wheel network Autocratic

Connected network Paternalistic

Laissez-faire

Activity

On the diagram, identify which areas are chain/wheel/connected networks.

Activity

Answer the following questions

Activity

What is meant by communication?

Activity

What is meant by communication?

Activity

Outline the four features necessary for communication to be effective.

Activity

Explain the difference between one-way and two-way communication.

Activity

Explain the difference between internal and external communication.

Activity

List three media that can be used for written communication.

Activity

Which method of communication would you use if you wanted to:

• Give an instruction to a large number of people• Explain a detailed plan for a few other people• Obtain a very quick reply to your message to another

member of staff• Inform all staff about health and safety regulations• Tell an applicant for a job what the conditions of

payment are

Activity

Draw two examples of communication nets- and state one advantage of each.

Activity

Define barriers of communication