INTRODUCTION TO

COMMUNICATION
PROF. KARAN BHATT
DEFINATION

 “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more

persons.” – George R. Terry
 “Communication is any behaviour that results in an exchange of meaning.” – The
American Marketing Association
 “Communication is the transfer of information from one person to another person. It is
a way of reaching others by transmitting ideas, facts, thoughts, feeling and values.” –
Keith Davis
 Thus, communication is the process of exchange of information, ideas feeling and
understanding among human beings. It is a systematic process of conveying, listening
and understanding something between two or more person through words, figures,
symbols, pictures and body language etc.
NEED OF COMMUNICATION

 Increase employees job performance and effectiveness by updating their knowledge.

 Promote employees sense of belonging and commitment.
 Effect changes smoothly.
 Motivate and create a sense of identification with organization and its goals.
 Inform and convince employees about decisions and the reasons behind those
decisions.
 Develop employees clear understanding of future growth opportunities in the
organization.
 Empower employee's with information on development and relevant activities
PURPOSE OF COMMUNICATION

 To inform: The basic purpose of Communication is to keep the people informed.

 To persuade: Persuasion may be defined as an effort to influence the attitudes,
feelings or beliefs of others.
 To educate: Communication may have a purpose to educate the people
 To train: Training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skill for a particular task,
communication is an integral part of training
 To motivate: motivation is creating and releasing work energy within an individual.
High level of morale and motivation are must to ensure high level achievements
 To integrate: where large number of people working altogether, communication
helps them to work in an integrated manner
 To relate:
 To entertain:
IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION

 Efficient/Smooth functioning of the undertaking

 Facilitates decision making
 Proper planning
 Minimize organisational conflicts
 Job satisfaction and higher productivity
 Democratic management
 To establish better labor relations
 Enhance motivation and morale
FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

ON THE BASIS OF
ON THE BASIS OF ON THE BASIS OF
ORGANISATIONAL
DIRECTION EXPRESSION
STRUCTURE

DOWNWAR
D
UPWARD VERBAL NON VERBAL
FORMAL INFORMAL
HORIZONT WRITTE
AL
DIAGONAL ORAL
N
On the basis of Organisational Structure

 In the organization structure of an enterprise communication may be of two types.

a) Formal communication
b) Informal Communication
FORMAL COMMUNICATION

 Formal communication is a flow of horizontal

information through formally established
channels in an organization.
MD
 It is mainly controlled by managers or
people occupying higher position in an TOP
organization. MANAGEME
NT
 It is hierarchical in nature and associated
with the superior and subordinate MIDDLE LAYER
relationship. MANAGEMENT
 It is generally linked with formal status
and positions of person in the
LOWER LEVEL
organisation.
MANAGEMENT
 It may be upward, downward and
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

ADVANTAGES  It is helpful in maintaining direct contact

 with subordinates.
It follows principle of unity of command
 DISADVANTAGES
It is a systematic and orderly flow of
information  It is a time consuming process
 It helps in fixing responsibilities for  It lacks personal contacts and
results. relationship, thus does not satisfy human
 needs
Managers have full control on direction,
nature and speed of communication.  It may be resisted and distorted
 It helps in maintaining authority  It delays the message due to formal
relationship procedure
 The flow of orders, instructions etc. are  It obstructs free, smooth and accurate
very specific, clear and definite. circulation of information
 INFORMAL COMMUNICATION

 Herbert Simon writes, “The informal  Informal communication is a result of social

communication system is built around the interaction and satisfy natural desire of
social relationship of the members of the people to communicate with each other.
organisation”  Informal communication is helpful in
 Informal Communication refers to countering the effects of work fatigue and
communication on the basis of personal monotony and serving as a source of job
relations. related information.
 It is unstructured, unofficial and unplanned.  It is also referred to grape wine
 communication. Grape wine communication
It does not follow the formal channels
carries unofficial information.
established by the management, it often
flows between friends and intimates and  It is not a reliable source of communication.
related with personal rather than ‘positional’ Managers should be very careful about such
matters. communication
 It cannot be demonstrated on chart and not
regulated by formal rules and procedure.
PICTOGRAPH
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Advantages  It leads to success of organisation if used

 carefully
It is flexible and fast channel of
communication. Disadvantage
 It creates mutual co-operation.  It creates mis-understanding and uncertainty.
 It may work as a valuable aid in  Due to different perceptions of the persons
communicating organizational rules, values involved in whispering, chain interpretations of
and morale. information may change.
 It is helpful in building harmony and teamwork  It is difficult to believe on information as its
in the organisation. source cannot be identified.
 It provides an effective feedback to manager.  It sometime leads to leak secret information
 It supplements formal communication.  The information passes through it is inaccurate
 and distorted.
It creates successful public relations in
organisation.  It is difficult to control it as its flow and
direction cannot be checked.
ON THE BASIS OF DIRECTION

On the basis of directions communication may be of four types :

 Downward Communication
 Upward Communication
 Horizontal Communication
 Diagonal Communication
DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION

 When the message is flowed from top to the bottom of the organisational hierarchy it
is known as downward communication, such communications may be in the form of
orders, instructions, policies, programmes etc. It may be written or verbal.
 The following messages are induced in this type of communication:
a) Confirmation regarding performance
b) Work assignment and directions
c) Orders, guidance and responsibilities
d) Ideological type of information
e) Organisation Procedure and practices.
 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

 Advantages  Disadvantages
i) It is helpful in controlling the subordinate. i) It tends to promote one way
communication.
ii) It explains the plans and policies of the
organisation to employees. ii) It is time consuming because information
passes through various levels
iii) It is a tool to delegate authority.
iii) Sometimes manager may filter the
iv) It is helpful tie among employees at
information or holdback some of the
different level.
information due to fear that it might be
v) It encourages effectiveness of upward unpalatable.
communication through feedback.
iv) As the life of communication is very long,
vi) It helps in preparing the people to sometimes message becomes ineffective
introduce change. due to and some time lost significance
unreasonable delay.
v) It is often marred by either under
communication or over communication.
UPWARD COMMUNICATION

 When message are transmitted from

bottom to top of the organisational
hierarchy, it is known as upward
communication.
 The main function of upward
communication is to supply information
to top management.
 It is essentially participative in nature
and can flourish only in democratic
organisational environment.
 It may be in the form of progress report,
suggestions, grievances, complaints etc.
Advantage
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

 Advantages vi) The managers are able to evaluate the

impact of communication
i) It provides feedback of employees and make
management able to find response of the  Disadvantages
procedure and plans adopted by
i) Subordinate provides only that information
management.
which is favourable to upper management.
ii) It provides opportunities to subordinate to
ii) It may be discouraged due to lack of proper
communicate their views to top
response of top management.
management.
iii) It takes a lot of time to communicate the
iii) This communication system encourages
problems at higher level due to various
innovative ideas and suggestion.
levels from which it has to pass,
iv) There arises harmony and mutual co-
iv) There may be wilful manipulation of
operation among management and
information to attain personal goals.
subordinate.
v) There arise a threat that superior may react
v) It is helpful to formulate better future plans
negatively
on the basis of subordinate feedback.
HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION

 When communication takes place between two or more persons who are working at
same levels it is known as horizontal communication.
 This kind of communication takes place mostly during committee meeting or
conferences.
 The main object of such communication is to establish interdepartmental co-
ordination.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

 Advantages
a) It helps in avoiding duplication of work.
b) It solves inter-department conflicts.
c) It facilitates in establishing co-ordination between different departments of
organisation.
d) Communication process is computed smoothly without any barrier.
e) It helps in maintaining social and emotional support among peer group.
 Disadvantages
a) There is lack of motivation to communicate.
b) Usually they hide information due to rivalry between them.
c) It lacks authoritativeness.
DIAGONAL COMMUNICATION

 Diagonal communication is exchange of

information between the persons at
different level across departmental lines.
 This kind of communication is used to
spread information at different levels of
organization to improve understanding
and co-ordination so as to achieve
organisational objectives.
 Thus, where the persons who are neither
working in the same department nor has
similar level are communicating, it is said
to be diagonal communication.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

 Advantages
(i) It increases organisational effectiveness.
(ii) It facilitates organisational change.
(iii) It creates integrity and harmony in the organisation.
(iv) It helps to speed up action and save time.
 Disadvantages
(i) It violates the principle of unity of command.
(ii) It is an unsystematic manner of communicate
On the basis of Mode of Expression

 On the basis of expression communication may be of two types:

1. Non Verbal Communication
2. Verbal Communication
NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

 Communication through expressions, gestures or posture is nonverbal communication.

 It refers to flow of information, through facial expressions, tone of voice and other
body movements, In other words, it is a manner of communication otherwise than
words.
 It conveys feeling, emotions, attitude of a person to another.
 A person can communicate his feeling to other quickly and economically by using non-
verbal from of communications.
Some important of nonverbal communication are
a) Body Language - Posture, Gesture, Eye Contact, Silence etc.
b) Proximies - Space (intimate space, public space), Time, Surroundings etc.
c) Para Language - Voice, Volume, Pause, Pitch, Proper stress etc
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

 Advantages iii) It requires physical presence of both

parties
a) It is reliable source of information
iv) Long and detailed message cannot be
b) Message may be conveyed quickly
conveyed.
c) It is an economic way of communications
v) The meaning of gesture changes
d) It creates better understanding according to time and place, thus it is
 Disadvantages difficult to understand universally.

i) Expressions and gestures are seen by vi) There is no written proof in case of any
anyone so it lacks secrecy. dispute in future.

ii) It creates mis-understanding due to non

understanding of the gestures.
VERBAL COMMUNICATION

 It is exchange of information by words either written or oral. Verbal communication

consists of speaking, listening, writing, reading etc. It is most preferred mode of
communication. It may be of two types:
a) Oral Communication
b) Written Communication
ORAL COMMUNICATION

 When message is expressed through spoken words, it may be either through face to
face conversations or with the help of electronic mode such as telephone, cellular
phone, etc.
 It may also be in the form of informal conversation, group discussions, meeting etc.
 It is more effective means of exchange of information because the receiver not only
hears the message but also observes the physical gestures of the speaker.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

 Advantages be sought immediately.

i) Oral communication is useful in providing good  Disadvantages
leadership.
1. It requires presence of both parties, i.e. sender
ii) It provides an opportunity to participate all the and receiver.
members in decision making.
2. The major drawback of this type of
iii) It saves time and message reach to the communication is lack of proof, thus it has no
receiver very quickly legal validity.
iv) It is an economic source of communications. 3. It is not suitable when the messages are
lengthy.
v) It is more effective as body language can be
observed along with the hearing of the 4. It does not provide sufficient time for thinking
message. before conveying the message
vi) Reaction can be received easily and quickly. 5. It involves high cost if both parties are at
distance place 6. The message can be
vii) The message can be conveyed clearly because
distorted.
in case of any confusion, the clarification can
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

 When opinions are exchanged in written form, rather than by spoken words, it is
knows as written communication.
 It may be expressed through charts, pictures and diagrams. It includes newspapers,
reports, letters, circulars magazines etc.
 While using written communication, words should be select very carefully because
message ones sent can not be altered.
 It is formal in nature and cannot be overlooked.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

 Advantages document.
i) It provides future reference. It becomes permanent  Disadvantages
record and beneficial for formulating new policies.
i) It is a time and money consuming way of
ii) It is accurate. Mistakes are not likely to occur as it is communication.
open for verification and its authenticity can be
ii) It lacks secrecy, because message passes through
checked.
various hands, thus, it is said to be doubleedged
iii) It does not require physical presence of both parties. weapon.
iv) It ensures transmission of information in uniform iii) It is not useful in emergency circumstances.
manner.
iv) It has no chance to alter the message ones
v) It is useful to transmit complex information and it transmitted.
facilitates the assignation of responsibilities.
v) It is not possible to get immediate feedback.
vi) It usually removes conflicts and misunderstanding.
vi) It becomes unimpressive if drafted poorly.
vii) It facilitates to convey message to a large number
vii) It may be interpreted in wrong manner.
of persons at the same time.
viii) It requires unnecessary formalities.
viii) Written communication is acceptable as a legal