27 Communication, Nature types and Barriers

Prof. Geeta Bansal

 

1.      Module 1:Meaning and Process of Business Communication

 

2.      Learning Outcome

 

3.      Introduction

 

3.1 Definition Of Communication

 

3.2 Functions Of Communication

 

4.      Process Of Communication

 

5.      Methods Of Communication

 

5.1 Channels Of Communication

 

6.      Communication  Networks

 

6.1 Formal Communication Networks

 

6.2 Informal Communication Networks

 

7.      Barriers Of Communication

 

8.      Summary

 

 

2.  LEARNING OUTCOME

  • After going through the lesson, you should be able to:
  • Define Communication and outline the important Functions of Communication in the organization
  • Delineate the Process of Communication
  • Find out the different Methods of Communication and the Channels of Communication
  • Understand the formal and the informal Communication Networks being used in the organizations.
  • Understand the Barriers which can impact the effectiveness of Communication and what can be done to overcome it.

 

3. INTRODUCTION

 

In simple words, communication can be understood as evoking of a shared or a common meaning for the persons interacting with each other. Interpersonal communication is of immense significance for everybody interacting in the organization for the successful achievement of the organizational objectives. Unless there is effective communication between the parties, there are chances of breakdown in the whole organizational system. It is therefore very important that there are proper channels of communication for the smooth flow of information and knowledge and the process of communication is followed properly where the receiver decodes the message in the same meaning as sent by the sender. If the meaning is not interpreted in the same manner, the purpose of communication is defeated and it remains incomplete.

 

3.1 Definition of Communication

 

Communication is the process of transmission of a message and understanding of information between two or more people; the sender and the receiver.

 

3.2 Functions of Communication

 

Communication being one of the most important functions of management, contributes significantly towards the achievement of organizational objectives. It performs various functions which aids the organizational setting, encompassing motivating , leading and directing the teams and the individuals, controlling the various organizational processes, enabling people to express themselves emotionally and helps in sharing information and knowledge amongst the individuals and the groups . It also helps in understanding the human behavior which is at the core of organizational behavior. Some of these functions are discussed below. See figure 1.

 

1.  Motivating people in the organization: One of the most important tasks of a manager is to motivate his subordinates, by sharing information with regard to their performance and telling them the changes required in their contribution by giving them constructive feedback from time to time and motivating them for higher levels of performance

 

2.  Leading and directing people in the organization: It is again very important to lead your team towards the achievement of the organizational objectives by providing them guidance on various matters from time to time. The managers are supposed to be facilitators for their subordinates and their teams. There are autocratic, democratic and laissez faire leaders in the organizations who lead according to their leadership styles depending upon the situations and the level of commitment and competence of their subordinates which requires ample amount of communication between the parties concerned.

 

3.  Controlling the Various Organizational Processes: Controlling entails giving out elaborate directions on the rules and regulations to be followed by people in the organization. This involves sharing information either in implicit or explicit terms which requires communication both written and verbal and various channels and networks including formal and informal networking.

 

4.Enabling People to Express Themselves Emotionally : Since the organizations have both formal and informal settings , it enables the people to share their professional and personal experiences and concerns with each other, acting as an outlet for emotional expressions which is very important for the enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of the team members and the individuals .

 

5.And Helps In Sharing Information and Knowledge Amongst The Individuals And The Groups: Since today’s organizations are a wonderful pool of diverse workforce coming from different religions, ethnic backgrounds, gender ,diversified experiences etc, each one equipped with immense sources of knowledge and information, it becomes all the more imperative that these cross functional teams share knowledge and information with each other to bring out the best and contribute towards organizational efficiency. This is possible only if there are open channels of communication between the members and people are open to listening and are receptive to others ideas which is a prerequisite for effective communication.

Figure 1 : Functions Of Communication

4. PROCESS OF  COMMUNICATION

 

The process of communication starts with the need for sharing some information with others on the part of the sender who encodes the message and sends it to the concerned party in the chosen mode and channel, which is decoded by the receiver in the same meaning and connotation as desired by the sender. The receiver then receives the message and gives the feedback on the same and thus the communication process is concluded. There could be a number of barriers in communication with regard to the language used, the semantics, and the socio cultural barriers which might defeat the very purpose of communication. But this is not an important issue which cannot be resolved and taken care of.

 

The process of communication is shown in figure 2 below, which starts with the ideation, the formation of the message, encoding the message, choosing an appropriate channel, and finally decoding the message.

Figure 2 : Process of Communication

 

5. METHODS OF COMMUNICATION

 

In today’s high tech digital age there are newer methods of communication that are being used by the organizations with much élan confidence and efficiency producing far reaching and better results than ever before. Apart from the traditional oral and written black and white format of communication, use of technology in transmitting information in color is the norm of today. Be it your mobile, computer, i-pad i-pod or telephones, all have made communication much faster and efficient and connecting and communicating with others personally or professionally is just a touch away.

 

In a formal organizational set up, there are two important methods of communication, Oral communication and written communication.

 

The oral form of communication can be of two types ; verbal and non verbal communication .

 

Verbal communication is the most used method , where almost all the discussions are carried on to reach a consensus on any matter and then the final decisions are recorded in the written form which are usually the plans, policies, strategies, rules and regulations etc outlined by the organizations to be followed by the members of the organization. Most of the times it is the written communication which is disseminated in the organization for sharing information and sending notices etc in the formal setting, while the information shared in the informal setup orally is not recorded anywhere. The oral communication has the advantage of being faster but it may not be as reliable as the written communication which is more authentic and legally sound for all professional and official purposes.

 

Non verbal communication: They say that your actions speak louder than your words, and it is very true in the organizational set up as well. Communication takes place between two or more members and when they convey their feelings and expressions through their body language, it is called non verbal communication. A positive and a negative body language say a million words. Non verbal communication is your body language, facial expressions, gesture, a smile, a frown or indifference in attitude, inattentive listening, lackadaisical attitude towards somebody, not showing interest in their talk etc , all these could be negative signs, similarly positive body language could be smiling, nodding your head in agreement, clapping, showing a thumbs up etc. non verbal communication is also exhibited in the form of physical distance between the communicating parties .

 

Written communication: This is the most important form of communication whereby all the communication is done in black and white format. This is a formal method which is used to give and disseminate information and notices on everything and every matter which is to be recorded and should be made available in written form for all types of references in the organization.

 

Thus it is quite important to choose the right method of communication, depending upon the situation, the availability and the physical presence of the person concerned and the quality and quantity of communication to be carried out. If it is something of paramount importance to be recorded for the organization then, written communication would be more appropriate and if it involves a lot of brainstorming and discussions, then oral communication would be acceptable. It is notable at this point that these days most of the important oral communications are also audio and video recorded for future references to provide for evidences in certain sensitive and strategic matters .e.g. the committee meetings are recorded for various purposes in the organizations.

 

With the advent of technology it has become quite challenging for the organizations to find a balance between these three methods of communication, so that it can be used for the utmost benefit of the organization

 

5.1 CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION

 

The effectiveness of the chosen channel will depend entirely upon how well it is executed. Be it oral written, non verbal, electronic, computer etc. some people feel that there is no alternative to face to face communication and they have also found an alternative in video conferencing when people are located across various cities and countries for discussing and sharing information and taking strategic decisions. Most of the people are relying on electronic media for faster quicker and efficient communication. However the efficacy of a particular channel can be gauged by its characteristics which are outlined as below:

 

Characteristics of communication channels

 

Channel Capacity: This refers to the amount of information that can be transmitted through the channel without much

hassle and distortion.

 

Channel Modifiability: This refers to the degree of modifications that can be introduced in the channel while the message is

in progress or being transmitted.

 

Channel Duplication: This involves the usage of sub channels to repeat or elaborate on the message while it is being

transmitted.

 

Channel Speed: The speed of the message to be transmitted is also of paramount importance in communication.

 

Channel Feedback: This refers to the facility of providing feedback along with the communication thus facilitating two way

communication and easing the mode and producing faster results and conclusions.

 

Channel Appropriateness: This refers to choosing the right channel depending upon the suitability of the situation.

Needless to mention that today’s breed of young managers are very fast and can very well communicate with each other

keeping in mind all the things discussed above thus leaving very little scope for communication breakdown. In fact they are

overloaded with information and need to filter it to be more effective and efficient, for too much of communication is also

hazardous to the organizational health and safety.

 

6. COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

 

The communication that takes place between groups of people in the organization formally or informally are called linkages and the communication network is a series of interconnected linkages. These linkages together connect individuals or groups in the communication process. There are two types of communication networks which are the most prevalent in the organizational setup. These are formal communication networks and informal communication networks, which are discussed in some detail below.

 

6.1 FORMAL COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

 

The organization as such being a formal setup calls for formal networks of communication which can take the form of either vertical communication (from boss to subordinate ),horizontal communication( between two subordinates at the same level), diagonal communication ( cutting across the boundaries in the organization). See figure 3 below .

Figure 3 : Formal Communication Networks

 

 

Apart from the above mentioned networks, there are other types of networks as well , which can be either in the nature of a chain, a Y network, a circle, a wheel or a star , which are briefly discussed as following :

 

A Chain Network, a simple network which is used most frequently when vertical communication is required. There is a possibility of feedback in a chain network where many linkages exist between the sender and the receiver which might lead to distortions in the communication. The chain networks are usually slow but they are accurate and are subject to information overload. The outcome of such networks is slow decision making but at the same time the quality of the decisions would depend upon the leader .

A chain network

 

A “Y” Network, in this type of network two people of equal status are positioned either at the top or at the bottom as is shown in an inverted Y. This network is better than the chain network in the sense that it is not as slow as the chain and the information flow is not subject to much distortion because fewer linkages are required, but it provides for feedback and the quality of the decision would depend upon the leader. Y introduces a measure of centralization with one member having direct access to the other three members. This results in considerable information overload for the person in the centre.

 

A “Y” Network

 

A Circle Network, this network allows each member to communicate directly with other two members. This network leads to better decision making over Y and star network as there is greater exchange of information, but at the same time it suffers from distortions in communication and leads to information overflow for all the members.

 

A Circle Network

 

A Wheel Network, this type of network has the greatest amount of centralization vis avis other networks as the person in the centre of the wheel can communicate directly with all the other members . it is important to mention here that the wheel network leads to faster decision making, though there is information overload for the person at the centre , it is not of much problem for the other members in the group. Again in this type of network the dependence on the leader is quite high for ensuring the quality of decisions.

A Wheel Network

 

A Star Network, in this type of network members can communicate directly with each other. This can be considered as one of the best networks as it allows for making very quality decisions with relatively fewer distortions. Here the dependence on the leader is also quite less as compared to other networks and information overflow is not an important issue. The only disadvantage of a star network is that it leads to slow decision making because of too much of information overflow as in the case of a chain network. This type is the least centralized of all the networks and is not a problem unless one person or a leader wants to maintain constant control over the other group members.

A Star Network

 

 

 

6.2 INFORMAL COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

 

Well all of us indulge into informal communication more than the formal communication and we enjoy it also even more than the formal ones. I’m sure you will agree with me. Remember the last time you met your office colleague /friend in the lift, on the ramp in the staircase, in the corridors or say when you are coming to the office in a pooled car and talked endlessly about actually every damn little thing, that is what we call informal communication. There are so many instances which gives you ample scope and pace to enter into informal communication regarding your personal as well as your professional woes. Some of the most common indulgences are in the form of a grapevine, when you meet at the official and personal social gatherings and when you are moving around in the organization premises. These informal communications are not easy to control however and are responsible for all the gossip taking place in the organization. This is the fastest mode of transmitting information of any sort very quickly and is often laced with a lot of rum ours and idle talk which is not productive most of the times. It takes away a lot of productive time of the members if they are not discouraged for doing so. Let us discuss these networks in a bit more detail as exhibited below in figure 4.

Figure 4: Informal Communication Networks

 

The only advantage of a grapevine could be that it leads to strengthening of the human and personal bonds between the members of the organization and it helps in better and more rational decision making when it comes to formal communication and decision making.

 

7. BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION

 

There are certain factors which could lead to ineffectiveness of communication due to certain reasons which are termed as barriers to communication. These could be due to human or technical barriers which should be taken care of to make communication more effective and without any hazards to the organizational health and decision making. These barriers could be in the nature of interpersonal, intrapersonal, organizational or technological factors as shown in figure 5.

 

Let us discuss these barriers in some detail

 

1.      Intrapersonal factors: These are the factors which arise out of the personality of the individuals that might contribute to act as communication barriers.These barriers occur due to;

 

Selective perception of the individuals

 

Individual differences in personality, values attitudes, thinking, level of motivation and learning and unlearning abilities leads to adding different dimensions and meanings to the messages conveyed.

 

Differences in the communication skills of the individuals also act as a barrier to effective communication.

 

The individual’s emotional stability quotient and their action and reactions in emotionally charged up situations also affects the communication between the parties.

 

Use of different frame of reference for understanding communication

 

Presence of preconceived ideas affects the interpretation of the message.

 

2.  Interpersonal factors: These are the barriers which arise when two or more individuals communicate with each other in the organizational setting. These barriers occur due to;

 

Lack of conducive climate for effective and open communication. Lack of trust between the parties concerned.

 

Lack of credibility of the source of information.

 

Lack of interpersonal sensitivity amongst the members .

 

Inability of the members to give full attention to the speaker and turning their attention away while the other person is still speaking.

 

Semantics can be another problem where people tend to give different meanings to the same words, which hampers the communication to large extent.

 

There is another term called Chinese whispers which we used to play when we were young. The idea behind it was to see how much information is distorted while being transmitted from a number of persons and it usually turned out that the original word was transformed into an altogether new word. This is what happens in the real world as well. The communication tends to take new dimensions as it flows through different individuals, obviously owing to nothing else but individual differences.

 

Cultural differences in the diversified workforce of today is another major barrier to effective communication when people fail to understand each others perspectives with an open and a more receptive mind.

 

3.  Organizational factors: These are the factors in the organizational structure and design which may facilitate or hamper effective communication. These barriers could be due to;

 

The status attached to the position occupied by the person

 

The hierarchical set up also poses a number of difficulties in communication The unmanageable size of the working group.

 

The distance between the two employees which limits or ease their interaction with each other

 

4. Technological factors: These are the elements in the medium of communication, its content, the message, the mode of delivery of the message and the quantity of information to be passed on for effective communication. These barriers could be due to;

 

Language and its meaning, The extent to which communicators assign similar meaning to the same word would determine its accuracy.

 

The information overload for the individuals could also act as a barrier to effective communication.

 

The breakdown in the internet system is a major barrier.

 

Too much usage of technology has taken away the personal touch in communication.

 

Sometimes people with whom you are interacting may not be as tech savvy as the other person impacting the very efficacy of the communication itself.

 

The above listed barriers may not be all exhaustive and the list could be more elaoborate depending upon the situations and the individuals and the organization culture and leadership .

 

Overcoming the barriers to communication

 

The above mentioned barriers to communication could be taken care of by the following metheods;

 

By setting clearly the goals of communication well in advance.

 

By making use of acceptable jargon and commonplace language. By ensuring the credibility of the senders

 

By encouraging constructive feedback

 

By developing a climate of trust and faith amongst the members By choosing the right channel of communication.

 

By avoiding entering into evaluative judgements

 

By listening to the entire communication before jumping to conclusions By providing feedback from time to time.

 

Thus it is not difficult to ensure that all the communication that place in the organization proves to be fruitful and enables to formulate the right policies plans and strategies for the organization.

 

SUMMARY

 

Communication can be understood as evoking of a shared or a common meaning for the persons interacting with each other. Interpersonal communication is of immense significance for everybody interacting in the organization for the successful achievement of the organizational objectives. . It performs various functions which aids the organizational setting, encompassing motivating , leading and directing the teams and the individuals, controlling the various organizational processes, enabling people to express themselves emotionally and helps in sharing information and knowledge amongst the individuals and the groups. The process of communication starts with the need for sharing some information with others on the part of the sender who encodes the message and sends it to the concerned party in the chosen mode and channel, which is decoded by the receiver in the same meaning and connotation as desired by the sender. The receiver then receives the message and gives the feedback on the same and thus the communication process is concluded. There are two types of communication networks which are the most prevalent in the organizational setup. These are formal communication networks and informal communication networks. The formal communication can be in the form of either vertical communication (from boss to subordinate), horizontal communication ( between two subordinates at the same level), diagonal communication ( cutting across the boundaries in the organization, There are other types of formal networks as well , which can be either in the nature of a chain, a Y network, a circle, a wheel or a star network. There are so many instances which gives you ample scope and pace to enter into informal communication regarding your personal as well as your professional woes. Some of the most common indulgences are in the form of a grapevine, when you meet at the official and personal social gatherings and when you are moving around in the organization premises. There are certain communication barriers which could be in the nature of interpersonal, intrapersonal, organizational or technological factors which should be taken care of to ensure the smooth flow of information in the organization.

 

Learn More:

  • Adler, N.J. International dimensions of organizational behavior, 3 rd ed., south western college publishing.
  • Bard , j. and P. bradley. styles of management and communication: a comparative study of men and women.
  • Berlo. D.k. the process of communication, new York