I MBA MCSS II UNIT

NIMRA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

I MBA :  Managerial Communication and Soft Skills NOTES

DR. SHAIK SHAHEEN TAJ

MBA., MA., M PHIL., PHD.

EMAIL ID : taj.mam@gmail.com

http://www.Knowledgeable-arts.blogspot.com

UNIT – 2

MANAGING ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

Organizational communication is a subfield of the larger discipline of communication studies. Organizational communication, as a field, is the consideration, analysis, and criticism of the role of communication in organizational contexts. Its main function is to inform, persuade and promote goodwill. The flow of communication could be either formal or informal. Communication flowing through formal channels are downward, horizontal and upward whereas communication through informal channels are generally termed as grapevine

A. Communication According to Organizational Structure:

1. Formal Communication:

Such a communication is that which is associated with the formal organization structure and the official status or the position of the communicator and the receiver. It travels through the formal channels officially recognized positions in the organization chart. Formal communication is mostly in black and white.

Thus, it is a deliberate attempt to regulate the flow of communication so as to ensure that information flows smoothly, accurately and timely. Formal communication is a deliberate attempt to regulate the flow of communication so as to ensure that information flows smoothly, accurately and timely.

We frequently come across the phrase ‘through proper channel’. It emphasizes the essence of formal channel of communication. For example, when the General Manager issues instructions (because of his senior position in the organization), it is formal communication.

The forms of formal communication are as under:

 (i) Departmental meetings,

(ii) Conference,

(iii) Telephone calls,

(iv) Company news bulletins,

(v) Special interviews and special purpose publications and messages.

The main advantage of the formal communication is that the official channels enable the routine and standardized information to pass without claiming much of managerial attention. Essentially, executives and managers may devote most of their precious time on matters of utmost significance.

But at the same time, the weakness of formal communication should not go unaccounted. Communication through channel of command greatly obstructs free and uninterrupted flow of information.

2. Informal Communication:

Informal communication is also known as ‘Grapevine’. It is free from all sorts of formalities because it is used on informal relationships between the parties, such as friendship, membership in the same club or association.

Persons at the executive levels also use informal communication when they find it difficult to collect information from the workers. Such communication includes comments, suggestions etc. It may be conveyed by a simple glance, gesture, smile or mere silence.

Managers and executives also favour the growth and development of informal network of communication off and on. This process, In fact, serves a very useful purpose in disseminating certain information which, in the general interest of the organization, cannot be transmitted through the official channels.

Apart from that, it also offers the high and higher ups a clearer insight into what the subordinates think and feel. But at the same time, the weaknesses of the informal communication are also worth noting. It may be mentioned that this process very often tends to pass distorted, misinterpreted, and inaccurate and half- truth information and facts, depending on the circumstances and the message. But still, executives and managers cannot do away with informal communication.

Types of Communication: Each business house is concerned with two types of communication: External and Internal. Externally, it has to communicate with other business houses, banks, government offices, the press, customers and general public. Internal communication consists in transmitting information within the organization.

Internal communication could be of two types: Formal and Informal. Staff Meetings, Union Management Meeting, Branch Managers Conferences Periodical Sales Review Meetings and Customer Meets fall under Formal Communication. Informal Communication takes place through chats, conversations, informal talks etc. Grapevine is the best example for informal communication.

VERTICAL, HORIZONTAL, GRAPEVINE, CONSENSUS

 DOWNWARD / UPWARD

Downward Communication:  Downward Communication moves from top to the bottom, i.e., from a superior to a subordinate .The Managing Director communicating with the departmental Heads, a Manager giving a directive to an Assistant Manager or a Superior, a Foreman instructing a worker etc are engaged in the process of downward communication. Orders, Individual Instructions, Policy Statements, Job-Sheets, Circulars, etc, fall under downward communication.

Upward Communication:  Any communication that moves from Employees to Supervisors, Supervisors to Managers, Managers to Executives, Regional Manager to General Manager and so on is known as the upward communication. It moves from bottom to top levels in the hierarchy. Employee suggestions, market reports, performance reports, feedback on new products and requests for facilities or instructions are all examples of upward communication. Channels of upward communications are; Superiors keep an open door complaints-and suggestions boxes, social gatherings, direct correspondence, reports and counseling.

Horizontal Communication: Communication between departments or people on the same level in the managerial hierarchy of an organization may be termed as Horizontal or Lateral Communication. It is both upward now downward but proceeds in a horizontal manner and takes place among equals and at peer level. It is carried on through face-to-face discussion, telephonic talk, periodical meetings and memos.

Grapevine Communication: Grapevine is informal channel of communication. It doesn’t follow any set lines or nay definite rules. It spreads like the grapevine, in any direction anywhere, and spreads fast. It spreads by way of gossip and rumors. Primarily grapevine is a channel of horizontal communication but it can flow even vertically and diagonally. Specialists in this field have identified four types of grapevine chains.

(1) Single Strand Chain: It flows like a chain, i.e., ‘A’ tells something to ‘B’ who tells it to ‘C’ and so on.

(2) Gossip Chain: One person tells everybody else. This chain passes a message regarding a ‘not-on-job’ nature.

(3) Probability Chain: here information may move from anybody to anybody. This chain is found when the information is somewhat interesting but not really significant.

(4) Cluster Chain: This moves through selected groups. ‘A’ tells something to a few selected individuals and then some of these individuals inform a few other selected individuals. Cluster chain is the dominant grapevine pattern in an organization. Most informal communication flows through this chain.

Importance of Grapevine: It gives emotional relief. It transmits information very speedily. The managers or top bosses of an organization get feedback regarding their policies, decisions, memos etc. the feedback reaches them much faster through the informal channel than through the formal channel. The grapevine functions as a supplementary or parallel channel of communication. Whatever is deemed to be unsuitable for the formal channels can be successfully transmitted through the grapevine.

Demerits: The information spread through grapevine is less credible than the one given by the formal channel. It doesn’t always carry the complete information. It often misinforms as its origin lies in the rumor mill. It may spread any kind of stories about responsible people and thus may spoil the image of the organization.

Effective use of Grapevine: The manager should organize fruitful group activities so as to enhance the self-worth of the employees and update their knowledge. The manager should keep an eye on rumor-mongers. He should tactfully identify the leaders and won their confidence. As far as possible, the employees, through their leaders, should be made partners in the decision making process. A tactful manager will keep the employees well informed so that they may not spread rumors. The manager should try to get feedback on his style of functioning and work for continuous improvement. A manager must be a good empathic listener. This way the employees or the leaders will feel free to talk to him rather than indulge in rumor mongering.

Consensus: The consensus process is often used to bring about agreement between the managements and the trade unions. Consensus is the process of arriving at agreement through consultation. Here a majority of people subscribe to a particular view which all the members are willing to accept in the larger interest of the organization. Consensus decisions promote harmony. It checks conflicts and splits.

One very obvious disadvantage of the consensus process is that a member is forced to subscribe to a view he does not hold. Dissent is often stifled in the name of consensus. It may degenerate into process of mutual accommodation. It may project a false image of the management.

Model for Interpersonal Communication

Exchange Theory

Exchange theory provides a conceptual frame work by considering what is being exchanged in interpersonal relations. This concept holds that interpersonal motives depend on the reward value gained from the relationship and that individuals involved in a relations need to feel that each is contributing equally i.e, other rewards are equal to what is given. If over a period of time one person feels he or she is contributing too much or too little to a relationship that person is likely to discontinue that relationship. In this theory, one was view interpersonal acts as commodities to be exchanged. Such commodities would include information, expertise, status and love, as well as money.

Example: A manager allows his or her subordinate to break some company rules of little consequence like taking unactivised break if they above completed a job. When a comes up where a little extra effort is need from the workers the manager is in a position to ask them for extra effort since they have received something from the manager in exchange.