UNIT - 1 ROLE OF COMMUNICATION FOR FIRST MBA FIRST SEM
INTRODUCTION
The word “communication” derived
from the Latin word ‘communicare’ that means to impart, to participate, to
share or to make common. It is a process of exchange of facts, ideas, opinions
and as a means that individual or organization share meaning and understanding
with one another. In other words, it is a transmission and interacting the
facts, ideas, opinion, feeling and attitudes. It is the ability of mankind to
communicate across barriers and beyond boundaries, that has ushered the progress
of mankind. It is the ability of fostering speedy and effective communication
around the world that has shrunk the world and made ‘globalization’ a reality.
Communication had a vital role to play in ensuring that people belonging to a
particular country or a culture or linguistic group interact with and relate to
people belonging to other countries or culture or linguistic group.
Communication adds meaning to human life. It helps to build relationship and
fosters love and understanding. It enriches our knowledge of the universe and
makes living worthwhile
ROLE OF
COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS:
The term business communication is used for all messages
that we send and receive for official purpose like running a business, managing
an organization, conducting the formal affairs of a voluntary organization and
so on. Business communication is marked by formality as against personal and
social communication. The success of any business to a large extent depends on
efficient and effective communication. It takes place among business entities,
in market and market places, within organizations and between various group of
employees, owners and employees, buyers and sellers, service providers and
customers, sales persons and prospects and also between people within the
organization and the press persons. All such communication impacts business.
Done with care, such communication can promote business interests. Otherwise,
it will portray the organization in poor light and may adversely affect the
business interest.
Communication is the life blood of
any organization and its main purpose is to effect change to influence action.
In any organization the main problem is of maintaining effective communication
process. The management problem generally results in poor communication.
Serious mistakes are made because orders are misunderstood. The basic problem
in communication is that the meaning which is actually understood may not be
what the other intended to send. It must be realised that the speaker and the
listener are two separate individuals having their own limitations and number
of things may happen to distort the message that pass between them. When people
within the organization communicate with each other, it is internal
communication. They do so to work as a team and realise the common goals. It
could be official or unofficial. Modes of internal communication include
face-to-face and written communication. Memos, reports, office order, circular,
fax, video conferencing, meeting etc. are the examples of internal communication.
When people in the organization communicate with anyone outside the
organization it is called external communication. These people may be clients
or customers, dealers or distributors, media, government, general public etc.
are the examples of external communication.
DEFINITIONS OF COMMUNICATION
Communication may be defined as
interchange of thought or information between two or more persons to bring
about mutual understanding and desired action. It is the information exchange
by words or symbols. It is the exchange of facts, ideas and viewpoints, which
bring about commonness of interest, purpose and efforts.
American Management Association
defines, ‘Communication is any behavior that results in an exchange of
meaning’.
Peter Little defines communication
as, ‘Communication is the process by which information is transmitted between
individuals and/or organizations so that an understanding response result’.
Newman and Summer Jr. state that,
‘Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or
more persons’.
According to Keith Davis, ‘The process of
passing the information and understanding from one person to another. It is
essentially a bridge of meaning between the people. By using the bridge a
person can safely across the river of misunderstanding.
Therefore, the main purpose of
communication is to inform, or to bring around to a certain point of view or to
elicit action
PURPOSE
OF COMMUNICATION:
1. For instruction:
The instructive function unvarying
and importantly deals with the commanding nature. It is more or less of
directive nature. Under this, the communicator transmits with necessary
directives and guidance to the next level, so as to enable them to accomplish
his particular tasks. In this, instructions basically flow from top to the
lower level.
2. For integration:
It is consolidated function under
which integration of activities is endeavored. The integration function of
communication mainly involves to bring about inter-relationship among the
various functions of the business organization. It helps in the unification of
different management functions.
3. For information:
The purposes or function of
communication in an organization is to inform the individual or group about the
particular task or company policies and procedures etc. Top management informs
policies to the lower level through the middle level. In turn, the lower level
informs the top level the reaction through the middle level. Information can flow
vertically, horizontally and diagonally across the organization. Becoming
informed or inform others is the main purpose of communication.
4. For evaluation:
Examination of activities to form an
idea or judgment of the worth of task is achieved through communication.
Communication is a tool to appraise the individual or team, their contribution
to the organization. Evaluating one’s own inputs or other’s outputs or some
ideological scheme demands an adequate and effective communication process.
5. For direction:
Communication is necessary to issue
directions by the top management or manager to the lower level. Employee can
perform better when he is directed by his senior. Directing others may be
communicated either orally or in writing. An order may be common order, request
order or implied order.
6. For teaching:
The importance of personal safety on
the job has been greatly recognized. A complete communication process is
required to teach and educate workers about personal safety on the jobs. This
communication helps the workers to avert accidents, risk etc. and avoid cost,
procedures etc.
7. For influencing:
A complete communication process is
necessary in influencing others or being influenced. The individual having
potential to influence others can easily persuade others. It implies the
provision of feedback, which tells the effect of communication.
8. For image building:
A business enterprise cannot isolate
from the rest of the society. There is interrelationship and interdependence
between the society and an enterprise operating in the society. Goodwill and
confidence are necessarily created among the public. It can be done by the
communication with the different media, which has to project the image of the
firm in the society. Through an
effective external communication system, an enterprise has to inform the society about its
goals, activities, progress and social responsibility.
9. For employees orientation:
When a new employee enter into the
organization at that time he or she will be unknown to the organization
programs, policies, culture etc. Communication helps to make people acquainted
with the co-employees, superior and with the policies, objectives, rules and
regulations of the organization.
10. Other: Effective decision-making is
possible when required and adequate information is supplied to the
decision-maker. Effective communication helps the process of decision- making.
In general, everyone in the organization has to provide with necessary
information so as to enable to discharge tasks effectively and efficiently
THE COMMUNICATION
PROCESS/CYCLE
The transmission of sender’s ideas
to the receiver and the receiver’s feedback or reaction to the sender
constitute the communication cycle. The process of communication begins when
one person (the sender) wants to transmit a fact, idea, opinion or other
information to someone else (the receiver). This facts, idea or opinion has
meaning to the sender. The next step is translating or converting the message
into a language which reflects the idea. That is the message must be encoded.
The encoding process is influenced by content of the message, the familiarity
of sender and receiver and other situation of factors.
After the message has been encoded,
it is transmitted through the appropriate channel or medium. Common channel in
organization includes meetings, reports, memorandums, letters, e-mail, fax and
telephone calls. When the message is received, it is decoded, by the receiver
and gives feedback to the sender as the conformation about the particular
message has been carefully understand or not.
E LEMENTS
OF COMMUNICATION
The process of communication involves the
following elements:
1. Sender or transmitter:
The person who desires to convey the message is known as sender.
Sender initiates the message and changes the behavior of the receiver.
2. Message:
It is a subject matter of any
communication. It may involve any fact, idea, opinion or information. It must
exist in the mind of the sender if communication is to take place.
3. Encoding:
The communicator of the information
organises his idea into series of symbols (words, signs, etc.) which, he feels
will communicate to the intended receiver or receivers.
4. Communication channel:
The sender has to select the channel
for sending the information. Communication channel is the media through which
the message passes. It is the link that connects the sender and the receiver.
5. Receiver:
The person who receives the message
is called receiver or receiver is the person to whom the particular message is
sent by the transmitter. The communication process is incomplete without the
existence of receiver of the message. It is a receiver who receives and tries
to understand the message.
6. Decoding:
Decoding is the process of
interpretation of an encoded message into the understandable meaning. Decoding
helps the receiver to drive meaning from the message.
7. Feedback:
Communication is an exchange
process. For the exchange to be complete the information must go back to whom
from where it started (or sender), so that he can know the reaction of the
receiver. The reaction or response of the receiver is known as feedback.
8. Brain drain:
On whole process there is a
possibility of misunderstandings at any level and is called brain drain. It may
arise on sender side if they do not choose the adequate medium for delivery of
message, by using default channel and it may also arise when receiver does not
properly decode the message. In other words, we can say that it is breakdown of
cycle at any level.
IMP
QUESTIONS: 21st October, 2013
1.
How do you define communication?
2.
Discuss the elements of
communication process.
3.
What is the role of communication
in management of business?
