A report on:

Communication Barriers in Grameen Phone

Prepared and Submitted by ZEROGRAVITY

Course Teacher Dr.Faheem Hasan Shahed

Ackno !ed"ement

This is our humble attempt to present gratitude in writing this !eport". #e ha$e trul% drawn upon our own e&perience as student o' Business Communication. #e ha$e also recei$ed help 'rom number o' persons in preparing this report and we would li(e to than( them all. First) we would li(e to e&press our gratitude to Shahed# $r% &aheem 'asan who let us prepare this report on this topic. #e are also than('ul to the authors) whose *ournals we ha$e consulted in preparing this dissertation. +ast but not the least, we would li(e to than( (r% Stein )ae*da!+,arsen# Chie- (arketin" O--icer o' GP (r% .ha!id 'asan# $irector Re"u!atory / Corporate A--airs / Rubaba $o !a (otin# 'ead o- 0rand along with all the persons who ha$e helped us pro$iding the in'ormation related to our topic. #e li(e to e&press our heartiest gratitude to all o' them. #e also li(e to special than(s the person whom gi$es us the data about our pro*ect topics. Than we also Finall%) we li(e to add 'ew more words sa%ing that) this report is prepared b% no$ice and naturall%) there could be unwilling errors and omission which are e&tremel% belonging to us.

Table Contents:
Forwarding letter Acknowledgement Preface Abstract

C'APTER
-..: /0T1D2CT/10 -.-: 1!/G/0 1F TH3 !3P1!T -.4: 1B53CT/63 -.4.-: G303!A+ 1B53CT/63 -.4.4: P!153CT 1B53CT/63 -.7: 83TH1+1G9 -.7.-: P!/8A!9 DATA -.7.4: S3C10DA!9 DATA -.:: +/8/TAT/10 -.:.-: +AC; 1F D3S/!3 T1 S2!63 TH3 ACT2A+ /0F1!8AT/10 4.-: B!/3F H/ST1!9 1F G!A8330PH103 4.4: B2S/03SS P3!F1830C3 4.7: TH3 6/S/10 1F G!A8330PH103 4.:: 8/SS/10 STAT3830T 4.<: TH3 P3!P1S3 1F G!A8330PH103 4.=: TH3 ST!A/3G9 4.>: TH3 P31P+3 4.?: G!A8330PH103@S 6A+23S 4.A: G!A8330PH103@S CHA++30G3 4.-.: TH3 1B53CT/63 4.--: TH3 !3S2+T C10C+2T/10

/0T!1D2CT/10
-.1!/G/0 1F TH3 !3P1!T

This term paper is prepared 'or Shahed# $r% &aheem 'asan course instructor o' the 2ndergraduate program) School o' Business at American /nternational 2ni$ersit% Bangladesh BA/2BC as a partial reDuirement o' 0usiness communication% This report is prepared during the 'all) 4..? semester and would be submitted in the same semester. The standard procedure 'or the long) 'ormal report is 'ollowed here as per the instruction o' the course instructor. -.4 1%2%1 1B53CT/63S Genera! Ob3ecti*e4

The primar% ob*ecti$e o' this pro*ect is to enable to learn about organiEational beha$ior) in practice) and to use the (nowledge to o''er some e$aluation o' these acti$ities. The main ob*ecti$e o' the research is the communication barrier and its practices in Grameen Phone. 1%2%2 Pro3ect Ob3ecti*e4 To gi$e detailed in'ormation about the Communication barrier, To 'ocus on the ma*or acti$ities o' the Communication barrier practice in its department, To show how these acti$ities supports the organiEation o$erall strateg%) and how it is lin(ed to other acti$ities within the organiEation,

4 To 'ocus on the nature o') and triggers 'or) an% changes in the acti$ities o$er time, To (now the manager@s perception o' the o$erall e''ecti$eness o' the acti$ities, and

To 'ocus on the e&tent and nature o' an% 'ormal e$aluation o' the acti$it%@s e''ecti$eness.

-.7 1%5%1

83TH1D1+1G9 Primary $ata4 methods to collecting the data 'or our research purpose. #e use Duantitati$e Be.g. sur$e%C and Dualitati$e Be.g. 'aceFtoF'ace inter$iews, 'ocus groups, site $isitsC Case studies both wa%s 'or our data collection.

As it is a pro*ect wor( in a group we collect the data in a group. #e use two

1%5%2

Secondary $ata4

/n'ormation was also ta(en 'rom boo(s and *ournals and also 'rom /nternet.

-.: 1%6%1

+/8/TAT/10S ,ack o- desire to ser*e the actua! in-ormation4

The ma*or limitation 'actor 'or this report was primaril% the reluctance and strict adherence to con'identialit% maintenance attitude shown b% the o''icials o' Grameen Phone. Furthermore) some in'ormation was withheld to retain con'identialit% o' the companies.

-. Bul( o' the data was gathered 'rom inter$iews with o''icials who withheld some o' the in'ormation on grounds o' con'identialit%. 4. GP has a lot o' emplo%ee where we cannot access a$ailable in'ormation about our selected topics because o' the permission o' the GP.

7. /n e$er% compan% has o''icial website but the% don@t mentioned their emplo%ee and their ratio i' others operator in this sector pro$ide the ratio o' emplo%ee in website or an% other media li(e *ournal or an% report which is a$ailable 'or us we can compare it with a$ailable in'ormation which enrich our research much more better than an% other.

:. +imited (nowledge o' organiEational o$er$iew and beha$ior pre$ented us 'rom presenting a more detailed report.

<. +imited time 'rame is another problem because we ha$e to maintain both class and others when we wor( along the report.

What is Communication Barrier?

Communication Barriers are those 'actors such as language or sociocultural relationship) which inter'ere) in the meaning'ul interpretation G transmission o' ideas between indi$iduals or groups. /t can also be de'ined as Aspects o' or conditions in a wor( place that inter'ere with e''ecti$e e&change o' ideas or thoughts. Such barrier includes: Status di''erences Gender di''erences Cultural di''erences Pre*udices 1rganiEational 3n$ironments.

The Barriers that inter'ere with e''ecti$e communication are: -. Ph%sical Distraction 4. Semantic problems 7. 8i&ed messages. :. Cultural di''erences <. Absence o' 'eedbac( =. Status e''ects. #hen people are under stress) the% are more apt to in*ect communication barriers into their con$ersation. These barriers can e&ist on a dail% basis as we ma% wor( with people who ha$e di''erent opinions) $alues) belie's) and needs than our own. 1ur abilit% to e&change ideas with others) understand other@s perspecti$es) sol$e problems and

success'ull% utiliEe the steps and processes presented in this article will depend signi'icantl% on how e''ecti$el% we are able to communicate with others. < The act o' communicating in$ol$es $erbal) non$erbal) and Para $erbal components. The $erbal component re'ers to the content o' our message H the choice and arrangement o' our words. The non$erbal component re'ers to the message we send through our bod% language. The Para $erbal component re'ers to how we sa% what we sa% F the tone) pacing and $olume o' our $oices. /n order to communicate e''ecti$el%) we must use all three components to do two things: -. Send clear) concise messages. 4. Hear and correctl% understand messages someone is sending to us.

Communication Involves Three Components: 1% Verba! (essa"es + the words we choose 2% Para*erba! (essa"es + how we sa% the words 5% )on*erba! (essa"es + our bod% language.

Objective of the report:

The taste o' using mobile phone people o' Bangladesh has been not that much good got 'rom be'ore the arri$al o' Grameen Phone) there is a single compan% so people ha$e no choice to use cellular mobile phone ser$ice. But a'ter the entrance o' Grameen Phone there is now more than = operators pro$ides this ser$ice. 1ur main ob*ecti$e o' the report is about the communication barrier. For this we need to go to the GP o''ice a lot o'

time. #e tr% to prepare the best as mentioned b% our course instructor he has a high e&pectation 'rom us but we don@t (now can we or not. For our research we ha$e a good = e&perience about the corporate world and outsiders. /n wor(ing the group we easil% appl% 'orming stage than we are in storming stage than we are worming stage than we are per'orming stage and ad*ourning stage. Our main ob3ecti*e o- the report is to -ind out4 #hat t%pes o' Communication Barriers the% 'aceI #hat are the steps ta(en b% GPI How the% a$oid itI #h% the% don@t ta(e an% legal stepsI #hat are the obstacles to proceeding legal stepsI /' situation arise what steps ta(en b% GPI #hat is the responsibilit% o' the emplo%ees to co$er up the barriers in e''ecti$e communicationsI

4.

B!/3F H/ST1!9 1F G!A8330PH103: )o*ember 11# 1778: GrameenPhone was o''ered a cellular license in Bangladesh b% the 8inistr% o' Posts and Telecommunications. (arch 28# 1779: GrameenPhone launched it@s on the /ndependence Da% o' Bangladesh.

177: ;une4 +aunched mobile to mobile ser$ice B#ithout PST0 accessC. 1777 Au"ust4 ,aunched -irst Prepaid Ser*ice in the country% 2<<5 Au"ust4 !eached 1ne million Subscribers. > 2<<5 October: +aunched prepaid product with PST0 connecti$it%. 4..: August: !eached 4 million Subscribers 4..< April:Reached 5 mi!!ion Subscribers# ,aunch o- =d3uice># a youth brand# -or the -irst time in 0an"!adesh

Au"ust4 !eached : million subscribers September4 +aunched 3DG3 and 6oice S8S 'or the 'irst time in Bangladesh October4 !eached < million subscribers. 4..= : 5anuar%: +aunch o' Business SolutionsF segmented o''ering 'or the Business Segment) !eached = million subscribers September: +aunch o' C/C 0o$ember: Celebrated -.million subs in -. %rs G launched 0ew +ogo) +aunch o' Health line December: +aunched Smile Prepaid G e&plore Postpaid) +aunch o' Bill Pa% 4..> &ebruary4 Business Solution !eFlaunched April: D*uice !eFlaunched

4.4

B2S/03SS P3!F1!8A0C3:

Between -AA- and -AA=) mobile telephone ser$ices in Bangladesh were pro$ided b% a single compan%) Paci'ic Bangladesh Telecom +td. BPBT+C that targeted the countr%@s relati$el% small urban elite. The mar(et e&panded signi'icantl% when new licenses 'or relati$el% small urban elite. The market e?panded si"ni-icant!y GS( net orks hen ne !icenses -or ere a arded in 1778. Howe$er) Grameen Phone@s competitors ha$e

not been able to e&pand be%ond subscriber bases in the tens o' thousands. GrameenPhone) meanwhile) has e&perienced rapid growth.

? 4.7 TH3 6/S/10 1F G!A8330PH103: ith

=To be !eadin" pro*ider o- te!ecommunication ser*ices a!! o*er 0an"!adesh satis-ied customers and shareho!ders# and enthusiastic emp!oyees%>

4.:

8/SS/10 STAT3830T: idespread# con*enient mobi!e and here

GrameenPhone ,td% aims at pro*idin" re!iab!e#

cost e--ecti*e te!ephone ser*ices to the peop!e in 0an"!adesh irrespecti*e o-

they !i*e. Such ser$ices will also help Bangladesh (eep pace with other countries including those in South A'rica region and reducing her e&isting disparit% in telecom ser$ices between urban and rural areas. 4.< TH3 P2!P1S3 1F G!A8330PH103:

GrameenPhone has a dua! purpose: To recei$e an economic return on its in$estments.

To contribute to the economic de$elopment o' Bangladesh where telecommunications can pla% a critical role.

2%8

TH3 ST!AT3G9:

GrameenPhone@s basic strate"y is co*era"e o- both urban and rura! areas . /n contrast to the island" strateg% 'ollowed b% some companies) which in$ol$es connecting A isolated islands o' urban co$erage through transmission lin(s) Grameen Phone builds continuous co$erage) cell a'ter cell. Ahi!e the intensity o- co*era"e may *ary -rom area to area dependin" on market conditions# the basic strate"y o- ce!!+to+ce!! co*era"e is app!ied throu"hout Grameen Phone@s net ork.

4.>

TH3 P31P+3: ho are makin" it happen+ the emp!oyees+ are youn"# dedicated and e!! educated at home or abroad# ith both se?es e!! represented . The% (now in

The peop!e

ener"etic. A!! o- them are

B"endersC and minority "roups in 0an"!adesh bein"

their hearts that Grameen Phone is more than *ust about phones. This sense o' purpose gi$es them the dedication and the dri$e) producing the biggest co$erage and subscriberF base in the countr%. Grameen Phone (nows that the talents and energ% o' its emplo%ees are critical to its operation and treats them accordingl%.

4.?

G!A8330PH103@S 6A+23S: Caring 'or customers /ntegrit% Sense o' 2rgenc%

 . 4.A

Creati$it% Speed% Honest% 3mpowerment Courage G!A8330PH103@S CHA++30G3:

The 'amous slogan o' Grameen Phone is J =Connecti*ity is Producti*ity>%

4.-.

TH3 1B53CT/63S:

Grameen Phone be!ie*es in ser*ice# a ser*ice that !eads to "ood business and "ood de*e!opment. Telephone helps people wor( together) raising their producti$it%. This gain in producti$it% is de$elopment) which in turn enables them to a''ord a telephone ser$ice) generating a good business. Thus de$elopment and business go together.

4.--

TH3 !3S2+T:

0y brin"in" e!ectronic connecti*ity to rura! 0an"!adesh# Grameen Phone is de!i*erin" the di"ita! re*o!ution to the doorsteps o- the poor and unconnected% B% being able to connect to urban areas or e$en to 'oreign countries) a whole new world o' opportunit% is opening up 'or the $illagers in Bangladesh% Grameen Ban( borrowers who pro$ide the ser$ices are upli'ting themsel$es economicall% through a new means o' income generation while at the same time pro$iding $aluable phone ser$ice to their 'ellow $illagers. The te!ephone is a eapon a"ainst po*erty.

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Conc!usion4
Grameen Phone is one o' the most renowned telecom organiEations in the countr%. /tKs true that with in such a short period o' time it is not possible to 'ind out all problems what the authorit% e&pects. /n spite o' shortcomings / tried m% le$el best to ma(e the report Fruit'ul. / apologiEe 'or ma(ing errors in the report. / wish total success o' Grameen Phone !td# and Special than(s to all 3mplo%ees o' 0anani 0ranch# $haka%

Probab!e recommendation:
As it@s a big compan% with high pro'ile o''icial and the% are highl% trained up we don@t gi$e an% suggestion. From our research we gi$e his suggestion to our audience and the reader whom are read the report. Fell 'ree to tal( about an% issue in communication. Accelerate deregulations o' Telecom mar(et. 3stablish industr% run telecom consumer agenc% 'or complaints. !emo$e common communication barriers between emplo%ees G upper le$el managements.

GSM cell phone technolog is a highFcost solution 'or uni$ersal access in rural areas. +imited cellular co$erage o' rural areas ma onl be viable un!er the current set of cumbersome regulator practices F once the regulator% en$ironment impro$es) cellular phone technolog% ma% not be the most $iable and e''icient means o' pro$iding uni$ersal ser$ice. GS8 cell phone technolog% also places much higher tari''s on rural phone users than would be the case 'or -4 wireless local loop B#++C technologies. #ithout regulator% impro$ements) cellular technolog% is a practical solution.

Cellular phone technolog% is currentl% not a viable option for ine"pensive email#Internet#!ata connectivit . #++ and other options can pro$ide much better bandwidth and cost o' ser$ice. /t appears that Grameen Communications and Grameen Telecom will e&pand their pilot telecentres in rural areas Bsuch as the pilot 6illage Computer and /nternet Programme launched in 5une -AAA in 8adhupur $illage) TangailC. /' this programme e&pands on a largeFscale) gi$en current cellular data capabilities) a nonFcellular connecti$it% solution will clearl% be reDuired. The 8adhupur telecentre recentl% acDuired a #++ terminal 'rom B!TA and is reporting signi'icantl% impro$ed /nternet connections.

W$$ terminal village phones Bsimilar to cell phone strateg%C

%CO operations & Communication shops including phone) 'a&) email) /nternet) computer training) photocop%ing) etc.

B!TA and Sheba do not appear to be $er% interested in operating endFuser technologies F during inter$iews we heard clearl% that the% pre'er the more technical *ob o' suppl%ing operating ser$ice and ha$ing a straight'orward method o' collecting re$enue. This pro$ides a substantial mar'et opportunit for facilitating the operation of en!&user technologies an! services) especiall% those that pro$ide consistent) highFDualit% and lowFcost ser$ices and which

enable the operator to simpl% pro$ide technical ser$ice without the worries o' re$enue collection and rural ser$ice at the $illage le$el. Grameen TelecomKs technical sta''s e&press a strong desire to impro$e their understanding o' a$ailable technologies and options 'or rural uni$ersal access solutions. Technica! sta-- ou!d bene-it immense!y -rom a rura! te!ecom+ !earnin" pro"ramme that could include stud% tours) $isits with eDuipment $endors) and dialogue with independent rural telecom anal%sts. -7

0ib!io"raphy4

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G!ossary4

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Inde?4

0 B!/3F H/ST1!9 1F G!A8330PH103 BPAG3F =F>C B2S/03SS P3!F1830C3 BPAG3F>C C C10C+2T/10 BPAG3F--C G G!A8330PH103@S 6A+23S BPAG3FAC G!A8330PH103@S CHA++30G3 BPAG3F-.C I /0T1D2CT/10 BPAG3F-C , +/8/TAT/10 BPAG3F 7F=C ( 83TH1+1G9 BPAG3F4C

8/SS/10 STAT3830T BPAG3F?C O 1!/G/0 1F TH3 !3P1!T BPAG3F-C 1B53CT/63 BPAG3F-C P P!153CT 1B53CT/63 BPAG3F-C P!/8A!9 DATA BPAG3F4C

S S3C10DA!9 DATA BPAG3F4C T TH3 1B53CT/63 BPAG3F-.C TH3 !3S2+T BPAG3F-.C TH3 P3!P1S3 1F G!A8330PH103 BPAG3F?C TH3 ST!A/3G9 BPAG3F?C TH3 P31P+3 BPAG3FAC TH3 6/S/10 1F G!A8330PH103 BPAG3F ?C