INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

What is communication?
Communication is sending and receiving information between two or more people. The person
sending the message is referred to as the sender, while the person receiving the information is
called the receiver. The information conveyed can include facts, ideas, concepts, opinions,
beliefs, attitudes, instructions and even emotions.
Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place to another.
Communication is about passing messages between people or organisations. Messages between a
sender and receiver take place using a medium such as email or phone.
Communication is the process of passing information and understanding from one person to
another to bring about commoners of interest, purpose and efforts communication as not
complete unless the receiver of the message has understood the message properly and his
reaction or response is known to the sender.
Communication is a process of exchanging information, ideas, thoughts, feelings and emotions
through speech, signals, writing, or behavior. In communication process, a sender(encoder)
encodes a message and then using a medium/channel sends it to the receiver (decoder) who
decodes the message and after processing information, sends back appropriate feedback/reply
using a medium/channel.
According to Neaman and Summer communication is defined as "an exchange of facts, ideas,
opinions (or) emotions by two or more persons/'
According to Charless E Redfield "communication is the bread field of human interchange of
facts and opinions and not the technologies of telephone, telegraph, radio etc".
According to the Keith and Gulcllini, communication is defined as "In its Everyday meaning,
communication refers to the transmitting of information in the form of words or signals or signs
from a source to a receiver".

One-way communication is when the receiver cannot respond to a message. Two-way

communication is when the receiver can respond to a message. This allows confirmation the
message has been both received and understood.
Two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange
(encode-decode) information, news, ideas and

feelings

but

also create and share meaning.

In general, communication is a means of connecting people or places. In business, it is a

key function of management--an organization cannot operate without communication between
levels, departments and employees.

Importance of Business Communication

Communication plays an important role in business organization. The success of an enterprise
depends upon the effectiveness of communications, it is said to be the new system of the
enterprise. Nothing happens in business until communication takes place. Every manager must
communicate, in order to get things done through others. It has few established that manages
spend about 75% to 95% of the working time in communicating with others. Communication is
as indispensable for all meaning and controlling.
1.

Basis of decision-making and planning

Communication is essential for decision for decision making and planning. It enables the
management to secure information without which it may not be possible to take any decision
without effective communication it may not be possible to issue instructions and orders to the
subordinates effective communication helps in proper implementation of plants and policies of
the management.
2.

Smooth and Efficient working of an organisation

According to George R. Terry. "It service as the lubricant, fostering for the smooth operations of
management process.'' Communication makes possible the smooth and efficient working of an
enterprise. It is only through communication that the management changes and regulate the
actions of the subordinates in the desired direction.

3.

Promotes co-operation and industrial Peace

Effective communication creates mutual understanding and trust among the members of the
organization. It promotes co-operation between the employer and the employees without
communication, there cannot be sound industrial relations and industrial peace. It is only through
communication suggestions to the management.
4.

Motivations and morale

Communication is the means by which the behavior of the subordinates is modified and change
is effected in their actions. Through communication workers are motivated to achieve the goals
of the enterprises and their morale is boosted. Although motivation communication.
Example: proper drafting of message, thing of communication and the way of communication
etc.
5.

Job Satisfaction

Effective communication creates Job satisfaction among employees as it increases mutual trust
and confident between management and the employees. The gap between management and the
employees is reduced through efficient means of communication and since of belongingness is
created among employees. They work with Zeal and Enthusiasm.
6.

Increases productivity and reduces cost

The effective communication saves times are effort. It increases productivity and reduces cost
large scale production involves a large number of people to work together in a group and achieve
the benefits of large scale production.
7.

Public relations

In the present business world, every business enterprise has to create and maintain a good
corporate image in the society. It is only through communication that management was present a
good corporate image.
Effective communication helps management in maintaining good relations with workers,
customers, suppliers, shareholders, government and the community at large

Components of communication process

Communication is a process of exchanging verbal and non-verbal messages. It is a continuous
process. Pre-requisite of communication is a message. This message must be conveyed through
some medium to the recipient. It is essential that this message must be understood by the
recipient in same terms as intended by the sender. He must respond within a time frame. Thus,
communication is a two way process and is incomplete without a feedback from the recipient to
the sender on how well the message is understood by him.

Communication Process

The main components of communication process are as follows:

1. Context - Communication is affected by the context in which it takes place. This context
may be physical, social, chronological or cultural. Every communication proceeds with
context. The sender chooses the message to communicate within a context.
2. Sender / Encoder - Sender / Encoder is a person who sends the message. A sender makes
use of symbols (words or graphic or visual aids) to convey the message and produce the
required response. For instance - a training manager conducting training for new batch of
employees. Sender may be an individual or a group or an organization. The views,
background, approach, skills, competencies, and knowledge of the sender have a great
impact on the message. The verbal and non-verbal symbols chosen are essential in
ascertaining interpretation of the message by the recipient in the same terms as intended
by the sender.

3. Message - Message is a key idea that the sender wants to communicate. It is a sign that
elicits the response of recipient. Communication process begins with deciding about the
message to be conveyed. It must be ensured that the main objective of the message is
clear.
4. Medium - Medium is a means used to exchange / transmit the message. The sender must
choose an appropriate medium for transmitting the message else the message might not
be conveyed to the desired recipients. The choice of appropriate medium of
communication is essential for making the message effective and correctly interpreted by
the recipient. This choice of communication medium varies depending upon the features
of communication. For instance - Written medium is chosen when a message has to be
conveyed to a small group of people, while an oral medium is chosen when spontaneous
feedback is required from the recipient as misunderstandings are cleared then and there.
5. Recipient / Decoder - Recipient / Decoder is a person for whom the message is
intended / aimed / targeted. The degree to which the decoder understands the message is
dependent upon various factors such as knowledge of recipient, their responsiveness to
the message, and the reliance of encoder on decoder.
6. Feedback - Feedback is the main component of communication process as it permits the
sender to analyze the efficacy of the message. It helps the sender in confirming the
correct interpretation of message by the decoder. Feedback may be verbal (through
words) or non-verbal (in form of smiles, sighs, etc.). It may take written form also in
form of memos, reports, etc.
Barriers to Effective Communication
Recognizing barriers to effective communication is a first step in improving communication
style. Do you recognize these barriers from your own personal and professional experience?
Encoding Barriers. The process of selecting and organizing symbols to represent a message
requires skill and knowledge. Obstacles listed below can interfere with an effective message.
1. Lack of Sensitivity to Receiver. A breakdown in communication may result when a message
is not adapted to its receiver. Recognizing the receivers needs, status, knowledge of the subject,

and language skills assists the sender in preparing a successful message. If a customer is angry,
for example, an effective response may be just to listen to the person vent for a while.
2. Lack of Basic Communication Skills. The receiver is less likely to understand the message
if the sender has trouble choosing the precise words needed and arranging those words in a
grammatically-correct sentence.
3. Insufficient Knowledge of the Subject. If the sender lacks specific information about
something, the receiver will likely receive an unclear or mixed message. Have you shopped for
an item such as a computer, and experienced how some salespeople can explain complicated
terms and ideas in a simple way? Others cannot.
4. Information Overload. If you receive a message with too much information, you may tend
to put up a barrier because the amount of information is coming so fast that you may have
difficulty comfortably interpreting that information. If you are selling an item with twenty-five
terrific features, pick two or three important features to emphasize instead of overwhelming your
receiver (ho-hum) with an information avalanche.
5. Emotional Interference. An emotional individual may not be able to communicate well. If
someone is angry, hostile, resentful, joyful, or fearful, that person may be too preoccupied with
emotions to receive the intended message. If you dont like someone, for example, you may
have trouble hearing them.
Transmitting Barriers: Things that get in the way of message transmission are sometimes
called noise. Communication may be difficult because of noise and some of these problems:
1. Physical Distractions. A bad cellular phone line or a noisy restaurant can destroy
communication. If an E-mail message or letter is not formatted properly, or if it contains
grammatical and spelling errors, the receiver may not be able to concentrate on the message
because the physical appearance of the letter or E-mail is sloppy and unprofessional.
2. Conflicting Messages. Messages that cause a conflict in perception for the receiver may
result in incomplete communication. For example, if a person constantly uses jargon or slang to
communicate with someone from another country who has never heard such expressions, mixed
messages are sure to result. Another example of conflicting messages might be if a supervisor

requests a report immediately without giving the report writer enough time to gather the proper
information. Does the report writer emphasize speed in writing the report, or accuracy in
gathering the data?
3. Channel Barriers. If the sender chooses an inappropriate channel of communication,
communication may cease. Detailed instructions presented over the telephone, for example, may
be frustrating for both communicators. If you are on a computer technical support help line
discussing a problem, it would be helpful for you to be sitting in front of a computer, as opposed
to taking notes from the support staff and then returning to your computer station.
4. Long Communication Chain. The longer the communication chain, the greater the chance
for error. If a message is passed through too many receivers, the message often becomes
distorted. If a person starts a message at one end of a communication chain of ten people, for
example, the message that eventually returns is usually liberally altered.
Decoding Barriers. The communication cycle may break down at the receiving end for some of
these reasons:
1. Lack of Interest. If a message reaches a reader who is not interested in the message, the
reader may read the message hurriedly or listen to the message carelessly. Miscommunication
may result in both cases.
2. Lack of Knowledge. If a receiver is unable to understand a message filled with technical
information, communication will break down. Unless a computer user knows something about
the Windows environment, for example, the user may have difficulty organizing files if given
technical instructions.
3. Lack of Communication Skills. Those who have weak reading and listening skills make
ineffective receivers. On the other hand, those who have a good professional vocabulary and
who concentrate on listening, have less trouble hearing and interpreting good communication.
Many people tune out who is talking and mentally rehearse what they are going to say in return.
4. Emotional Distractions. If emotions interfere with the creation and transmission of a
message, they can also disrupt reception. If you receive a report from your supervisor regarding
proposed changes in work procedures and you do not particularly like your supervisor, you may
have trouble even reading the report objectively. You may read, not objectively, but to find

fault. You may misinterpret words and read negative impressions between the lines.
Consequently, you are likely to misunderstand part or all of the report.
5. Physical Distractions. If a receiver of a communication works in an area with bright lights,
glare on computer screens, loud noises, excessively hot or cold work spaces, or physical
ailments, that receiver will probably experience communication breakdowns on a regular basis.
Responding Barriers- the communication cycle may be broken if feedback is unsuccessful.
1. No Provision for Feedback. Since communication is a two-way process, the sender must
search for a means of getting a response from the receiver. If a team leader does not permit any
interruptions or questions while discussing projects, he may find that team members may not
completely understand what they are to do. Face-to-face oral communication is considered the
best type of communication since feedback can be both verbal and nonverbal. When two
communicators are separated, care must be taken to ask for meaningful feedback.
2.

Inadequate Feedback. Delayed or judgmental feedback can interfere with good

communication. If your supervisor gives you instructions in long, compound-complex sentences

without giving you a chance to speak, you may pretend to understand the instructions just so you
can leave the stress of the conversation. Because you may have not fully understood the
intended instructions, your performance may suffer.
Categories of Business Communication
In a business context, all communication can be divided into two categories namely, External
Communication and Internal Communication.

External Communication
An organization, when it communicates with Governmental agencies, oth organizations,
customers, clients and Public it is called external communication The media employed may be
written media like letters, reports, proposals or visual media like posters, advertisements video
tapes or electronic media like faxes, telegrams, e-mails, telexes. The communication might also
be through teleconferences, face-to-face meetings, panel discussions or presentations, exhibitions
and such events.
Advantages of External Communication
External communication helps an organization to keep its outsourcing agencies like distributors,
wholesalers, retailers and clientele well informed about the companys products, services,
progress and goals. The information gets continuously updated and accurate. All organizations
have to maintain cordial relationships with government agencies, licensing authorities, suppliers
of raw materials, ancillary industries and financial institutions. Continual and updated
information without any communication gap is essential for business houses.
Internal Communication
Every organization has the necessity to maintain appropriate communication with its branches,
staff and employees. This is generally called internal communication. Internal communication is

an essential feature of an organizations administrative structure. In modern times, the Human

Resource Department plays an important role in maintaining internal communication.
In the new millennium, particularly in the context of globalization, business has become highly
competitive. Business houses have the need to maintain good channels of internal
communication. The central organization or corporate office should keep its branches well
informed of new policies and policy changes. The growth in business, the future projections for
business, increased specializations make a great demand on the central office to maintain an
uninterrupted flow of internal communication. Employees need to be motivated and exposed to
the business objectives and ethical ideas of a company so that they get an involvement in the
work they do. Employees on production line should be aware of the targets so that they
overcome obstacles. Even the shifting of the canteen and a re-adjustment of the lunch-breaks and
tea-breaks have to be informed well in advance to the employees. In turn, employees should be
able to tell people at higher levels their grievances, expectations and difficulties. Effective
internal communication forges a strong bond between the employees and management, promotes
co-operation among different sections in an establishment. It removes misunderstanding and
aids the growth of the organization at a desirable and optimum level. Internal communication in
short, ensures involvement of all the people without alienating any section.
Directions of Communication
In olden days communication was unidirectional. The boss gave the order and the employees
executed it. In fact, uni-directional communication has its origin in the feudal system. The lord
directed the vassal (a slave or bondman) to carry out a job. Business and industry continued the
age old tradition of the feudal system even after the industrial revolution. But soon areas of
conflict got promoted by sectarian interests (of homogenous groups) within an organization. The
barrier between the management and employees became an iron curtain. It has been discovered
that a multidirectional communication system demolishes the barriers and removes friction.
Business depends on such anew communication paradigm (pattern or model) to ensure the
success of business and the realization of even difficult objectives.
Downward Communication

Downward communication means the flow of communication from the top echelon (level or
rank) of an organisation to the lower levels of employees. Downward communication not only
recognizes and accepts a hierarchical structure but also is based on the assumption that people at
the higher level have the ability and authority to direct the employees on all dos and donts.
Downward communication has its own shortcomings, if it is not complemented by other
directional communications. The shortcomings will be pronounced if an organization adopts only
unidirectional communication namely downward communication. Downward communication, if
practised without complementing it with upward communication, will fail because it accepts the
premise The boss is always right. Moreover, it may get delayed or distorted as it goes down
through the various levels of the hierarchical set up as all decisions are taken without any proper
feedback. But it helps in creating an awareness among employees of the objectives, targets and
goals. It also helps in establishing a certain authority in the organization and discipline. In the
armed forces and police department, mostly, only downward communication exists.
Upward Communication
Communication maintained from lower level of employees to higher-ups is called upward
communication. Upward communication gives scope for the employees to offer their
suggestions, opinions, make complaints and seek redressal of their grievances. Upward
communication helps an organization to receive and reset its objectives at realistic levels.
Upward communication may cause ego problems to persons in higher hierarchical positions. It
may also lead to meaningless criticisms of the policies by disgruntled employees. But on the
whole, modern management recognizes the need for healthy upward communication to make the
organization responsive to suggestions and ideas. Some organizations invite the opinions of
personnel at the lower level. Jhs personnel department, the HRD section and the Swedish type of
Ombudsman Office (Official appointed by a government to investigate and report on
complaints made by citizens on Public authorities) take steps to see that a healthy and acceptable
upward communication system is adopted by organizations.
Horizontal / Lateral Communication

The interaction among peer groups is called horizontal communication. Inter departmental
communication is also horizontal communication. Sales department, production department,
quality control department and the stores department have to constantly interact and coordinate
among themselves. Horizontal communication leads to a better understanding among individuals
and departments, cooperation and coordination.
Diagonal or multi-directional Communication
Diagonal communication means the use of upward, downward and horizontal communication. It
is a healthy practice not to depend on any one mode. Diagonal communication leads to better
feedback at all levels. It promotes understanding, motivates employees and gives a sense of
belonging and involvement to all people at all levels. But such communication should not be
allowed to degenerate to a meaningless criss-cross communication which will lead to chaos and
confusion. All modes have to be maintained at the appropriate and optimum level.
Formal and Informal Channels of Communication
Every business organization adopts some formal channels of communication which may be
upward, downward, or horizontal or all the three. They are usually in the form of notices,
announcements, reports, official or demi-official letters, advertisements, etc. Formal channels are
officially recognised and organised. They make the working of the organisation transparent.
They motivate the employees. They provide the necessary feedback. But formal channels operate
with some limitations. A continuous maintenance of a formal channel is time and resource
consuming. At ordinary times, they exist for their own sake without any objective, as a formality
and routine. Sometimes, free flow of information gets affected by personal factors.
Grapevine
Large organizations, where there are a large number of people working closely, generate certain
informal or unofficial channels of communication. These channels exist with or without official
patronage. Even if they are officially and secretly patronised, they are not authentic. This type of
communication is generally called Grapevine communication. Grapevine communication is an

informal, unofficial, horizontal channel of communication because generally peer groups

participate in it.
Types of Grapevine Communication

Grapevine communication is of four different types. It can seep from individual to individual in a
strictly linear fashion. Information takes time to spread in this fashion. It is called Single Strand
Chain.
In some situations, an individual goes around communicating the message / information he
thinks he has obtained. This is called Gossip Chain. The listeners are a chosen few only. In some
other situation, an individual passes an information without any restriction to all those with
whom he comes into contact. This is called Probability Chain and the information / message
passed on may be interesting but not important.
In yet another situation, one person communicates to a few chosen associates who in turn
communicate the same to yet another group. This is called Cluster Chain
Advantages of Grapevine Communication
Grapevine communication brings about a strong bond among peer groups. It develops because of
the involvement of the persons connected with an organization. It gives mental satisfaction to the
participants and gradually reduces emotional outbursts and reactions. It keeps the employees
anticipating and acts as a buffer against Shockwaves. It is fast and can supplement formal
channels. It provides informal feedback on the changes contemplated by the Management.
Disadvantages of Grapevine Communication

Grapevine, is definitely dangerous to the health of an organization if allowed to grow without

monitoring. Grapevine channel distorts or exaggerates the content of a message. It has the
potential to spread unnecessary gossip. It may result in character assassination and personal
vilification of individuals. It may provoke sudden unwanted and unexpected reactions from
emotionally unstable people.
Grapevine channels can be moderated but not eliminated. A transparent administration policy,
employee-friendly attitude, fruitful peer group meetings, inter-action sessions, parties and
outings where all those connected with the organisation participate are some of the strategies to
monitor grapevine and use it to the advantage of the organization. Business houses and industries
adopt one or several of these strategies to keep grapevine under reasonable control so that it does
not degenerate into a rumour mill and promote unwanted gossip sessions among the employees.