28 Communication: Process, Types, Barriers

Tejinder Sharma

Introduction:

The word communication has been derived from the Latin word ‘communis’ which means ‘common’ which indicates common understanding. It is understood as a process of exchange of ideas, views, facts, feelings etc., between people to create common understanding.

“Communication is transfer of information from the sender to the receiver with the information being understood by the receiver.”-Harold Koontz & Heniz Weihrich

“Communication is a process by which people create and share information with one another in order to reach common understanding”-Rogers

“ Communication is the sum of all things one person does when he wants to create understanding in the mind of another. It involves systematic and continuous process of telling, listening and understanding.”– Louis Allen

“Communication is transfer of information from one person to another, whether or not it elicits confidence. But the information transferred must be understandable to the receiver”– G.G. Brown.

“Communication is defined as an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons.”– Newman & Summer

Importance of Communication

i. It helps the subordinates in better planning by identifying the weaknesses and merits of the plans.

ii. Decisions are improved by effective communication as communication makes the larger participation possible.

iii. Communication helps in improving the motivation as the feedback provides an opportunity to the manager to understand the feelings, behavior, temperament, capabilities and limitations in better way.

iv. Communication improves the public relations as it helps in minimizing the misunderstandings and doubts.

v. Communication helps in integrating the people and an aid to coordination.

vi. Communication process transmits ideas, decisions and orders of managers on one hand and receives response, reaction of subordinates on the other.

vii. Communication renders the complexity of business intelligible and workable.

Elements of Communication

There are 6 elements in the process of communication which drive the communication by sharing the ideas, information and attitudes with someone. Following are the elements:

i. Sender: It is the person who conveys his message to other persons. The sender may be superior, a subordinate, a peer or any other person.

ii. Message: it contains ideas, feelings, suggestions, order etc., which is to be passed to the receiver from the sender.

iii. Encoding: it is the process in which the message is to be converted into symbols such as words, pictures, gestures etc.

iv. Media/Channel: It is that path through which the encoded message is transmitted by the sender in the written form, face to face, phone call, internet etc.

v. Decoding: it is the process of converting the encoded symbols of the sender.

vi. Receiver: It is the person to whom the symbols are transmitted.

vii. Feedback: Feedback is necessary to ensure that the receiver has received the message and understood it in the same sense as the sender intended.

Process of Communication

Following are the models which are used to understand communication process:

A. Shannon-Weaver Model: This model is specially designed to develop the effective communication between sender and receiver. Also they find factors which affecting the communication process called “Noise”. The model deals with various concepts like Information source, transmitter, Noise, channel, message, receiver, channel, information destination, encode and decode.

Elements of the model:

i. Information Source: selection of desired message from all the messages.

ii. Transmitter: he changes the messages into signal.

iii. Channel: medium through which signals are transmitted.

iv. Reciever: he decodes the message from the signal.

v. Destination: to whom the message was originally intended.

vi. Noise: any interference with the message travelling along the channel which may lead to the signal received being different from that send.

According to this model, communication problem can arise at any one of the three levels:

Fig. Shannon-Weaver Communication Model

Berlo model (S-M-C-R Model): This model is also known as dynamic process model.

A. Source: Source is the originator of the message. The source encodes his message with the help of:

Communication skills: It is the individual’s skill to communicate (ability to read, write, speak, listen etc…)
Attitude: The attitude towards the audience, subject and towards one self.
Knowledge: The knowledge about the subject one is going to communicate.
Social system: The Social system includes the various aspects like values, beliefs, culture, religion and general understanding of society. It is where the communication takes place.
Culture: Culture of the particular society also comes under social system.

B. Message: When an individual converts his thoughts into words. A message is created. It contains contents, elements, treatment, structure and code.

C. Channel: It actually refers to the medium how the information flows from the sender to the receiver. It is nothing but the five senses. The five senses which we use are

a) Hearing

b) Seeing

c) Touching

d) Smelling

e) Tasting

D. Receiver: it is the one who receives, understands, analyses, and interprets the message. It is also known as the listener, audience, or the decoder. According to Berlo’s model, communication will take place properly if the receiver is on the same level with the sender.

C. Transactional Process Model: This model is based on the social approach of organizational behavior. The reciprocal determinism of social learning is very similar to transactional approach of communication.

Channels of Communication

Channel means the medium through which the information flows. Channels of communication are of different types. These can be classified according to the organization structure, flow of information and on the basis of medium of transmission.

A. As per Organisation Structure

i. Formal Communication: Formal communication is based on formal organizational relationships. All have to follow the prescribed system only. In an organization structure, for example, the Sales Manager can communicate to Production Manager only through his immediate superior say General Manager and not directly. This system of communication is called formal communication system.

Advantages of Formal Communication:

It locates the responsiblitiy.
Helps in maintaining secrecy.
It strengthens the authority-responsibility relationship.

Disadvantages of Formal Communication:

It leads to delay in decision making.
It affects the quality of information given at various levels.
Faces difficulty in fixing the responsibilities.

ii. Informal Communication: Informal Communication emerges out of the social interactions among the people. Informal communication spreads information fast. It also leads to Rumors which is a fast passenger. This system is called grapevine. Grapevine communication may follow different type of networks. Some of these networks are shown in fig. given below:

_{Figure-Grapevine Communication Networks}

Single Strand network: each person communicates to the other in sequence.

Gossip network: each person communicates with all on non-selective basis.

Probability network: the individual communicates randomly with other individual.

Cluster network: the individual communicates with only those people to whom he trusts. This is the most popular network amongst the four.

Following is the difference between formal and informal communication.

Formal Communication	Informal Communication
1. It is based on authority-responsibility relationship	It is based on interpersonal or individual relationship.
2. Official secrecy is maintained.	Official secrecy is not maintained.
3. Decision-making is slow.	It is quicker and faster.
4. It facilitates delegation of authority.	It has no role in delegation of authority.
5. It is not very flexible.	It has no rigidity.
6. It is expensive.	It is less expensive.
7.Formation can flow only upward and downward direction.	Information can flow in all directions.

B. Communication Channels as per Flow of Information

i. Upward Communication: It is often called “bottom-up” communication. The direction of flow of this communication is pointed from bottom (lowest) level to successively higher levels in the organizations. The subordinates use upward communication to convey their problems and performances to their superiors.

Grievance Redressal System, Complaint and Suggestion Box, Job Satisfaction surveys etc. all help improving upward communication.

ii. Downward Communication: It is frequently called as “ top-down” communication. In this communication channel normally instructions are issued to subordinates to carry out the work.

Downward communication is used by the managers for the following purposes –

Providing feedback on employees performance
Orders and instructions about job.
Directions about understanding the job.
Organizational policies and procedures.
Communicating the mission and vision to the employess.

Organizational publications, circulars, letter to employees, group meetings etc are all examples of downward communication.

_{Figure: Downward Communication}

iii. Horizontal Communication: Horizontal communication is also called as “cross communication”. It is the flow of information between persons of the same hierarchical level. Managers have to be in constant touch with one another and communicate speedily and effectively about the plan of action and attain organizational goals.

C. As per Medium of Communication

i. Oral Communication (Verbal Communication): Oral means by spoken words., i.e. by speech. Following are the ways of verbal communication:

Face to face discussion
Telephone, intercom. Mobile phone
Meeting, conference
Announcement

Advantages of Oral Communication:

Least cost
Speed is fast
Easier decision-making
Reduces misunderstanding
It is effective if the sender is able operator.

Disadvantages of Oral Communication:

It the sender does not express the information well, it leads to confusion.
Limited sized messages can be transmitted orally.
It distance is far then it is not efficient to use this type of communication.

ii. Written Communication: it means passing the information by written words. It may be in the form of letters or office memo, circulars, bulletins, board notices, policy and procedural manuals, employee hand-books and performance appraisal.

Advantages of Written communication:

Distance is immaterial in case of written communication.
It can be preserved as record for future.
It is an easy reference and is always readily available.
It can be read and understood clearly.
They are cost effective.
Improves the decision making.

Disadvantages of Written communication:

Costly for small organizations.
Difficulty in interpreting the tough and high language.
Secrecy is reduced.
Difficult to amend once it is issued.
Lead to confusion and misunderstanding.

iii. Gestural Communication:

This implies conveying the information by using gestures or postures like warm handshake, hugging and pat on the back within the limits of decency which help in communicating or motivating.

Barriers in Communication

A. Semantic Barriers: The word ‘semantics’ comes from the Greek word, ‘semantikos’, which means ‘significant’. Semantic barriers occur when the sender and receiver have different understandings of the message sent. For example, a person who uses the word “bimonthly” might take the meaning as twice per month while the person hearing it thinks it means every other month. Semantic barriers arise due to following reasons:

i. Holding different meanings of symbols.

ii. Badly expressed messages due to lack of clarity, careless omission, lack of coherence, inadequate vocabulary, jargons etc.

iii. Wrong interpretations.

iv. Physical Noise: The semantic problems arise because the channel is blocked by noise which lies in environment.

v. Faulty translations lead to impaired efficient and heavy costs.

vi. Unclarified Assumptions, which may not be clear to the receiver and sender.

B. Psychological Barriers: also called as emotional barriers. The state of the mind of both sender and receiver of communication reflects in the effective communication. Following are some of the psychological barriers:

i. Premature evaluation: it means taking the different meaning of message before the completion of the message.

ii. Lack of attention.

iii. Loss due to transmission and poor retention power of communication.

iv. Distrust between communicator and communicate acts as a barrier.

C.Organisational Barriers: Following are the organizational barriers:

i. If the organizational policy of an organization is not supportive in nature then it may affects the effectiveness of the communication.

ii. Rigid rules may be a hurdle to communication.

iii. Status or level of superior may create psychological distance between him and his subordinates.

iv. Due to more number of levels in the organization it can cause delay in communication.

v. Lack of good facilities for smooth communication can hamper the communication.

D.Personal Barriers:

i. Attitude of superiors towards communication affect the flow of messages in different directions if it is not in his favor.

ii. Due to lack of confidence of superior on his subordinates, they may not able to seek their advices or opinions.

iii. Due to unwillingness of superiors to communicate to the subordinates may affect he communication process in organization.

iv. If there is no motivation or incentive for communication or incentive for communication, subordinates may not take initiatives to communicate.

v. Due to overburden with work, subordinates may not get the time to communicate also hamper the communication.

E. Physical Barriers:

i. Poor Hearing
ii. Distance

Modes of Communication

i. Interpersonal Mode: Participants observe and monitor one another to see how their meaning and intentions are being communicated. Adjustments and clarifications can be made accordingly. For example, exchange information via letters, e-mail/video mail, notes, conversations or interviews on familiar topics (e.g., school events, weekend activities, memorable experiences, family life).

ii. Interpretive Mode: The interpretive mode is focused on the appropriate cultural interpretation of meanings that occur in written and spoken form where there is no recourse to the active negotiation of meaning with the writer or the speaker. For example, follow directions, instructions and requests (e.g., recipes, travel directions, prompts on ATMs).

iii. Presentational Mode: The Presentational Mode refers to the creation of messages in a manner that facilities interpretation by members of the other culture where no direct opportunity for active negotiation of meaning between members of the two cultures exists.

Modes of Communication

a. Electronic Communication called as E-mail- it uses the internet to transmit and receive computer-generated text and documents. Its growth has been spectacular, and its use is now so pervasive that it’s hard to imagine life without it.

b. Instant Messaging and Text messaging: Like e-mail, instant messaging and text messaging are electronic messages. Unlike e-mail, IM and TM are either in “real” time or use portable communication devices.

c. Networking Software : Facebook has 30 million active users and composed of separate networks based on schools, companies or regions. More than 100 million users have created accounts at MySpace. This site averages more than 40 million hits per month. MySpace profiles contain “blurbs”: “About Me” and “Who I’d Like to Meet” sections. Profiles can also contain “Interests” and “Details” sections, photos, blog entries, and other details.

d. Web Blogs: A weblog, sometimes written as web log or Weblog, is a Web site that consists of a series of entries arranged in reverse chronological order, often updated on frequently with new information about particular topics. The information can be written by the site owner, gleaned from other Web sites or other sources, or contributed by users.

e. Video Conferencing: it permits employees in an organization to have meetings with people at different locations. Live audio and video images of members allow them to see, hear, and talk with each other. Video conferencing technology, in effect, allows employees to conduct interactive meetings without the necessity of everyone being physically in the same location.

Essentials of Effective Communication System

i. Clarity of ideas before communicating .

ii. Superior and subordinates should adjust the level of the communication according to their understanding and education.

iii. Language used in communication must be clear and understandable to the receiver in such a way it does not hurt their sentiments.

iv. While conveying the messages to others, it is better to know the interests and needs of the people to whom the communication is made.

v. The communication can be improved by giving proper feedback.

vi. The communication should aim at future goals of the enterprise.

vii. There should be regular follow up and review on the instructions given to subordinates.

viii. A communicator must be a good listener means he must give chance to others to speak.

ix. Proper attention should be given to the timing and timeliness of the communication.

x. The system of communication should be kept open and alive all the year round. It is only by honest attempts that good communication relations can be developed.

Summary

To sum up, communication is an important management function and all managers need to perform it effectively to achieve the organizational objectives. There are six elements of communication – sender, receiver, encoding, message, decoding, and feedback. Each of them have an important role to play in the process of communication, which transmits an idea and gets the feedback from the receiver. Communication can be in many forms – written, verbal, and nowdays technology assisted communication channels are also emerging very fast. Managers need to understand that there can be several barriers to communication, which can include the semantic, personal and organizational barriers. These need to be overcome to achieve effective communication in the organization.

References:

Kaul, A. (2013). Effective Business Communication. New Delhi-110092: PHI Learning Private Limited.
Kaul, A. (2000), Business Communication, second ed. ,Printice Hall publication, New Delhi
Krizan. A. C., Merrier. P., Logan J., Willaims K., (2008) .Effective Business Communication. New Delhi-110001 :Cenegage Learning India Private Limited.
Madhukar, R.K. (2005) Business Communication, 2nd ed., Vikas publishing house, Delhi.
Raman, M. & Singh, P. (2006), Business Communication, Oxford University Press.
Young, D. J. (2007). Foundation of Business Communication: An Integrative Approach. New Delhi 110008 : Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited