TypesAndChannelsOfCommunication

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Unit2
Structure
2.1 2.2 Introduction Objectives TypesofCommunication

TypesAndChannelsOfCommunication

2.2.1 VerbalCommunication 2.2.2 NonverbalCommunication SelfAssessmentQuestions 2.3 ClassificationofChannelsofCommunication 2.3.1 SelectionoftheAppropriateChannel 2.3.2 ComparisonofOralandWrittenChannels SelfAssessmentQuestions 2.3 Summary TerminalQuestions AnswerstoSAQsandTQs 2.1Introduction Intheintroductoryunit,welookedatthecommunicationprocessindetailandexaminedeachofthe elementsofcommunication.Thechannelormediumofcommunication,wasmentionedasoneofthe keyelements.Itwaspointedoutthatselectionofawrongchannelcanleadtocommunicationfailure. Infactthereisasayingthatthemediumisthemessage.Thismeansthatthechoiceofachannel itselfcanspeakvolumes,withoutawrittenorspokenmessage.Forexample,advertisingaproductin an exclusive magazine conveys the message that the product is of high quality. Given their importance,thisunitwillfocusentirelyonchannelsofcommunication.Therelativeadvantagesand disadvantagesofthedifferenttypesof channelswillbeexplainedandguidelineswillbeofferedon howtochoosetherightchannelinaparticularbusinesssituation.

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LearningObjectives: Afterstudyingthisunit,youshouldbeableto.

1. Distinguishclearlybetweenthedifferenttypesofcommunication 2. Understandtheadvantagesandlimitationsofeachtypeofcommunication 3. Categorizethedifferentchannelsofcommunication 4. Decidewhichchanneltouseindifferentsituations,asabusinesscommunicator

2.2 TypesOfCommunication Broadly,communicationmaybedividedintotwoareasverbalandnonverbalcommunication. Verbalcommunication,orcommunicationthroughwords,providestheopportunityforpersonal contact and twoway flow of information. A large part of our communication, whether at work or outside,isverbalinnature.Verbalcommunicationinturn,maybedividedintotwoareasoraland writtencommunication. Oral communication may be defined as a process whereby a speaker interacts verbally with oneormorelisteners,inordertoinfluencethelattersbehaviorinsomewayortheother. ExampleInabusinesscontext,amanagerdoingaperformanceappraisalwithanemployee,ora salesmanagermakingasalesplanpresentationtohissalesteam.Inthefirstexample,themanager maypointoutareasforimprovementandinthesecondcase,thesalesmanagermaybeexplaining howtoachievenewsalestargets. Oralcommunicationinabusinesscontextcantaketheformofmeetings,presentations,onetoone meetings,performancereviewsandsoon. Writtencommunicationisaprocesswherebyawriterinteractsverballywithareceiver,in ordertoinfluencethelattersbehavior. Example A manager writing a letter ofapology in response toa customers complaint regarding poorservice.

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Written communicationat the workplace can take several forms suchas letters, memos, circulars, notices,reportsandemail.Wewillexaminesomeoftheseinmoredetailinlaterchapters. Nonverbalcommunication,ontheotherhandmaybedefinedascommunicationwithoutwords.It refers to any way of conveying meanings without the use of verbal language. The game of dumbcharadesisaperfectexample.Nonverbalcommunicationisgenerallyunintentional,unlike verbal communication. All of us tend to communicate silently and unknowingly send signals and messages by what we do, apart from what we say. Gestures, facial expressions, posture and the waywedress,areallpartofnonverbalcommunication. Nonverbal communication can have a greater impact than verbal communication, since how you say something is sometimes more important than what you say. Although nonverbal communicationcanaffectbothourpersonalandbusinessrelationships,itisparticularlyimportantin theworkplace. Considerthefollowingexample

Yourbosshasaskedyoutomakeapresentationonyoursuggestionsfor improvingtheorganization.Youtakehimathiswordandcomepreparedwith anelaboratepresentationandalistofideas.However,asyoumakeyour presentation,heyawnsrepeatedly,sitsbackcasually,looksoutofthewindow, clencheshisjawmusclesandbeginstofrown.Attheendofyourpresentation, herisesabruptlyfromhischair,saysthankyouforyourideasinanangry voiceandgivesyouacurthandshake

Intheexample,theboss,throughhisnonverbalbehavior,conveysamessagebeyondthespoken wordthathedoesnotreallywanttohearyoursuggestions. Therefore,whilethespokenorwrittenwordsmaybeperfect,thenonverbalaspectscouldconvey theexactoppositemeaning.Wewilldiscussthedifferentaspectsofnonverbalcommunicationin moredetail,laterinthisunit.

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2.2.1VerbalCommunication We communicate most of our ideas to others through verbal messages, i.e., through spoken or written messages. However, verbal messages have some drawbacks the message may not be properlyworded,orthemessagemaybemisunderstood,orinterpreteddifferentlyfromitsintended meaning. Forexample,evenasimplestatementlikeletsdiscussthismattertomorrowmightbeinterpreted byonepersonasletsmeettomorrowandbyanotherasletsdiscussthisoverthephone. Miscommunicationthroughverbalmessagescouldbeavoidedbyfollowingafewsimpleguidelines

Avoid Words with Multiple Meanings : Wordssometimestend to havedifferent meanings in different cultures. Therefore, when communicating in a crosscultural context, it is particularly important to avoid literal translation of words, since they might have a negative meaning in anotherculture.

Example:TheadvertisingcampaignforElectroluxvacuumcleanerswiththesloganNothingsucks like an Electrolux, was introduced without any changes in the American market. However, the product failed since the word sucks which is American slang, has a negative connotation which meansbad. Even simple words used in the same cultural context could have multiple meanings and be interpreteddifferently. Example:IfIaskyouWhatkindofshapeareyouin?,youmightunderstandittomeanwhatkind of financial position you are in, whereas the intended meaning might have been What kind of mentalorphysicalshapeareyouin?. Therefore,whencommunicatingverbally,itisimportanttousewordsthatareprecise,unambiguous andhaveasingleacceptedmeaning.

EnsureClaritythroughHighlySpecificStatementsInsteadofdescribinganobjectorideain general terms or in abstract language, use highly specific language to avoid a variety of interpretations.

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Example If you are calling the IT support staff in your organization to fix a problem with your computer,insteadofsayingMycomputerdoesntwork,itisbettertostateinmorepreciseterms thatIgetamessagesayingthatmycomputerisnotresponding.

AvoidoveruseofJargon:Jargonreferstotechnicaltermsorspecializedvocabulary.Every profession has its own jargon which only experts in thatfield can understand. For example, IT expertsusetermslikecomputerarchitecturewhichthelaypersonmaynotunderstand.Theuse of jargon depends on the audience with whom you are communicating. A certain amount of jargon may be permissible when writing a technical report for example, but should be avoided whencommunicatingwithageneralaudience,sincethetermsmaynotbeunderstood.Aboveall, neverusejargonjusttoimpressyouraudience.

AvoidBiasedLanguageandOffensiveWords:Languagehasthepowertoarousenegative feelings,ifitisnotusedwithcare.Thiscanhappenwhenthewordsusedseemtobeobjective, butactuallycontainanintentionalorunintentionalbias. Forexample,referringtoacoworkeraswishywashyifheisnotquickinmakingadecision, couldleadtomisunderstandingandconflict.

Similarly, certain words may have a sexist connotation and be taken in an offensive way for example,referringtoaladyreceptionistasthatfemale. SelfAssessmentQuestion1 Arethefollowingstatementstrueorfalse? 1.Twobroadareasofcommunicationareoralandwrittencommunication. 2.Whatyousayismoreimportantthanhowyousayit. 3.Verbalcommunicationismorelikelytogowronginacrossculturalcontext. 4.Jargonreferstowordswithmultiplemeanings

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2.2.2 NonVerbalCommunication Wehavedefinednonverbalcommunicationearlierinthisunit.Letusnowtakealookatsomeofits characteristics,whichdistinguishitfromverbalcommunication. *NonverbalCommunicationCannotBeAvoided Whileonecanavoidverbalcommunicationby refusingtospeakorwrite,itisnotpossibletodothesamewithnonverbalcommunication.Thatis becausenonverbalcommunicationisnotalwaysintentional,unlikeverbalmessages,aspointedout earlier.Sometimes,silenceitselfmayconveyalotofmeaning. Example A speaker making a presentation may find that the audience is not very interactive. Insteadhenoticespeopleyawningduringhispresentation.Attheendofthesession,whenheasks forsomefeedback,thereistotalsilence. The message conveyed in the above example is that theaudience is bored with the session. The silenceindicatesthattheyhavenotlistenedtothesessionandthatthefeedbackisnegative. * Nonverbal Communication is Powerful Nonverbal communication helps us to form first impressions and make judgments of others. First impressions generally tend to be lasting impressions. Letussayyougoforajobinterviewfifteenminuteslatedressedininformalattire.Whenaskedsome questions,youavoideyecontact.Thisimmediatelyreflectsyourattitudeandtheimpressionformed ofyouisthatofapersonwhotakesthingscasually,isinsecureandlacksknowledge. * Nonverbal Communication is Ambiguous While precise words can be used in verbal communicationtoensurethatthatthemessageisclearlyunderstood,nonverbalcommunicationis notalwaysclearandeasytounderstand. For example, sitting back in a relaxed posture may be a signal of boredom or fatigue. Similarly, avoiding eye contact with your audience could mean that you either are nervous or guilty of something! Thereforeitisnotpossibletoaccuratelyunderstandthemessagesconveyedbynonverbalbehavior.

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* Nonverbal Communication Cannot Express All Messages Nonverbal behavior can only express a persons feelings, attitudes, level of interest, liking or dislike for something. Certain messages about ideas or concepts can only be expressed through the spoken or written word. Considerthefollowingexample Asalesmanagerwantingtoreportthatsalesforthecurrentyearhasexceededtargets,canonlydo sothroughawrittenreportororalpresentation.Ifheismakinganoralpresentation,hisnonverbal behaviorcanonlyindicatehowpleasedheisabouttheincreaseinsales. *NonverbalCommunicationVariesAcrossCulturesWhilecertaintypesofnonverbalbehavior areuniversal,othersmaybedifferentindifferentcultures. ExamplesTherearedifferentrulesregardingtheappropriatenessofthehandshakeinorientaland westerncultures.Generally,inorientalcultureslikeIndia,anyformofphysicalcontactisnotcommon andisinterpretedasbeingintimate,whileitisanacceptedthinginwesterncountries. Similarly,anodoftheheadmeansyesinsomeculturesandnoinothercultures. Inthisageofbusinesscommunicationacrosscultures,itisimportantforyoutounderstandthese differences, especially when doing business overseas. Failure to do this could lead to costly blunders. ClassificationofNonverbalCommunication Wehaveseenhow nonverbal communicationplays an important role inbusinesscommunication. Given its importance, an understanding of the different types of nonverbal communication is essential. There is a common misconception that nonverbal communication is synonymous with bodylanguageandincludesonlybodylanguage.Thefactisthatitisavastareawhichhasbeen widely researched and includes several aspects. The table below lists the different types of non verbalcommunication,withthecorrespondingcommunicationterminology

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TypesofNonverbalCommunication

Description

CommunicationTerminology

BodyLanguage

Kinesics

PersonalSpaceandDistance

Proxemics

MeaningAttachedtoTime

TimeLanguage

ToneofVoice

Paralanguage

PhysicalEnvironment

PhysicalContext

Letusnowlookateachoftheaboveaspectsofnonverbalcommunicationindetail 1. Kinesics This is the most often studied and important area of nonverbal communication and refers to body movements of any kind. Different body movements can express inner states of emotion. FacialExpressionscanconveyfeelingsofsurprise,happiness,angerandsadness.Ifyoumeeta long lost friend and say Im very happy to meet you again, but with a sad facial expression, it conveystheexactoppositemeaning.

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Eye Movements, such as wide open pupils express feelings of surprise, excitement or evenfear. Theimportanceofeyecontactwithonesaudiencewaspointedoutearlier.Directeyecontactisan indicationofintensityandinterest,whilelackofitcanconveyfeelingsofnervousnessandguilt. Gestures, such as movement of the hands while giving a lecture or presentation indicates a high level of involvement in what you are saying. On the other hand, shuffling of the feet is a sign of nervousness and speaking with ones hands in ones pockets is considered to be casual or even rude. Head Movements like nodding the head can convey interest, appreciation, agreement or understanding. BodyShapeandPostureBodyshapeisnotwithinonescontrolbutcanbestereotypedtoconvey certain meanings. For example, someone who is strong and muscular is generally thought to be athletic,asopposedtoapersonwhoisshortandfat! Postureontheotherhandiswithinourcontrol.Informalsettingssuchasjobinterviewsorclassroom settings, it is essential that you maintain an erect posture to convey that you are attentive, since slouchingorarelaxedpostureconveysacasualattitude. PhysicalAppearanceOuroutwardappearance,includingthewaywedressandthejewelryand makeupthatwewearcanconveyanimpressionofformalityorinformality.Goingtoajobinterview dressedinbluejeansornotstickingtoastipulateddresscodeattheworkplacecanconveythatyou arearebel,nonconformistoraverycasualperson. Therefore,itisimportanttotakecareofyourappearance,sothatyouconveytherightmeaningto others. 2. Proxemics Proxemics is derived from the word proximity or closeness and is the communicationtermforpersonalspaceanddistance.Thespaceanddistancewhichwechoose tokeepfrompeopleisalsopartofnonverbalcommunication.Eachofushasourowninnerand outercircles,whichdifferfordifferentpeople.

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Ourinnermostcircleisanintimatespace,intowhichwegenerallyadmitonlyselectpeoplesuch asfamilyandclosefriends.Nextcomesapersonalspacewhichmightincludeotherfriendsand colleaguesorcoworkers.Thesetwospacesinvolvecommunicationofaninformalnature. Most of us also have a social and public space, which includes official or workplace relationships,wherethecommunicationisofamoreformalnature. In a business context, it is more relevant to understand the concept of fixed space and semi fixedspace.

Fixedspacemeansthatthephysicalfeaturesoftheworkenvironmentsuchasfurniture,roomsize and seating arrangement are permanent. This conveys an impression of formality. On the other hand, semifixed space means that certain elements of the environment can be changed for example,theseatingarrangementcouldbechangedandthisconveysanimpressionofinformality. Sometimes,useofspaceattheworkplacecandetermineleadershippositions.Forexample,seating attheheadofthetableconveysleadershiporauthority.Aroundtablemeeting,however,conveys theideaofequality,sincenoonecanbeseatedattheheadofthetable!Allpointsofacirclearethe same.Thatiswhywhenheadsofstatemeet(asinUNSecurityCouncilmeetings),itisalwaysa roundtablediscussion,sinceallheadsareequal. Space should therefore be used carefully in a work environment, so as to convey the right impressions. 3. Time Language This refers to the meaning or importance attached to time and varies betweendifferent people. Oneperson may value time more than another.Similarly, time language alsovariesacrosscultures. In most western culturesfor example, punctuality is considered to be important. Arriving late for a businessmeetingisinexcusable.Inothercultures,itismorerelaxedandtimeisnotgiventhatmuch importance.

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We convey messages to others through the time we spend on a work related activity or by the importance that we give to time. Arriving early at work or for a job interview shows interest, involvementandseriousness.Spendingtimewithanemployeeandgivinghimsuggestionsonhow toimprovehisperformanceshowsinterestandinvolvementinhiscareergrowth. 4.ParalanguageParameanslikeorsimilarto,thereforeparalanguagemeanslikelanguage. Of all theforms of nonverbal communication, paralanguage is closest to verbal communication. It refers to the tone of voice with which something is said. In other words, it is how something is said,andnotwhatissaid.Thetoneofvoiceincludesthepitch(highorlowpitch),thepace(slowor fast) the emphasis on words and the volume (soft or loud) and can convey different moods and emotions,asmentionedearlierinthisunit. Example:ThestatementIpracticegoodbusinesscommunicationcanbeunderstoodindifferent ways,dependingontheemphasisoncertainwords. SayingIpracticegoodbusinesscommunicationmeansthatIalonepracticeitaboveanyoneelse. Ontheotherhand,sayingIpracticegoodbusinesscommunicationcouldbeinterpretedtomean thatyoucommunicateparticularlywellinabusinesscontext,ratherthaninageneralcontext. The important point to keep in mind regarding tone of voice is to avoid mixed signals that is, makingsurethatwhatyousayisconsistentwithhowyousayit. 5.PhysicalContextThisreferstothephysicalenvironmentorsurroundingswithinwhichwe communicateandincludestwoaspects1)colorandlayoutand2)design. Colors are known for their symbolic meaning and have associations with different feelings. For example, colors like black and grey are associated with death, mourning and negative feelings. Yellowandgreenareassociatedwithmorepositivefeelings.Ofcourse,thesecanalsovaryacross cultures. The point to remember is that you can make the right impressions with use of the right colors. Layoutinaworkenvironmentreferstothesizeofanoffice,orthearrangementoffurniture.Design referstothetypeofchairs,desksorcarpeting.Allthesecanconveystatus,formalityorinformality.

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We have seen how the types of nonverbal communication outnumber the types of verbal communication.Nonverbalcommunicationisanimportantsupplementtoverbalcommunicationand canenhanceverbalcommunication,ifusedinapositiveway.Thesendershouldusetherightnon verbal cues to convey a positive message, while the receiver should learn to look for unintended messagesconveyedbynonverbalcommunication. SelfAssessmentQuestion2 Matchthefollowing

1.Noddingtheheada.Paralanguage 2.Timelanguageb.Kinesics 3.Abossvisitinganemployeesofficefordiscussionc.Arrivinglateforameeting 4.Anexecutivechairandacarpetedroomd.Personalspaceanddistance 5.Speakingloudlye.Physicalcontext 2.3ClassificationOfCommunicationChannels Sofarwehavebeendiscussingthetwobroadareasofcommunicationverbalandnonverbal,in detail.Wewillnowgointothespecificsofthechoiceofchannelsfordifferentbusinesssituations. As a business communicator, within oral and written communication, you will have a choice of a varietyofchannelsthroughwhichtodeliveryourmessage.Asmentionedearlier,oralcommunication could take place through a facetoface meeting, telephone or teleconferencing. Written communicationcouldtaketheformofletters,reports,memosoremail.Abasicunderstandingofthe natureofthedifferentchannelsisrequired,soastobeabletochoosetherightchannelinagiven situation. Communicationchannelscouldbeclassifiedbasedonthreecriteria1)whetherthecommunication is oral, written or nonverbal, 2) the level of feedback and 3) the personal nature of the communication.

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1. Twoway, facetoface channels Here the communication is oral and nonverbal, immediatefeedbackispossibleandthecommunicationisofahighlypersonalizednature. This type of channel could taketheform ofonetoone meetings (a superior doingaperformance appraisalwithanemployee),meetingsinvolvingsmallgroupsofpeople(boardmeetings)orlarge gatherings ( a speaker making a presentation to a large audience).The advantage of using this channelisthatnonverbalcommunicationsuchasgestures,facialexpressionsandtoneofvoicecan beusedtomakethecommunicationmoreeffective.Asecondadvantageisthatimmediatefeedback is possible in the form of questions, clarifications or suggestions. Yet another advantage is the personal quality of the communication. This is especially true of onetoone meetings, where problemsandconflictscanbeeasilyresolved. The disadvantage of this type of channel is the difficulty in getting people together and arranging facetofacemeetings.Personalmeetingsarealsoexpensiveandtimeconsuming,especiallywhen peopleareseparatedbydistances. 2.Twoway,butnotfacetofacechannelsWiththeadventofnewtechnologies,communication cannow be two way, without beingface toface, when distance makes such meetings impractical. Teleconferencing, telephone andemail communication are all examples of this type of channel. In thiscase,thecommunicationispurelyoral,sincenonverbalcuescannotbeusedtoenhancethe communication, in the absence of facetoface contact. Immediate feedback is however, possible,aswiththefacetofacechannel,sincethereceivercanreactimmediatelytothesenders telephoneoremailmessage.Thistypeofcommunicationisofanimpersonalnature,duetolackof facetofacecontact. Teleconferencingisalmostasgoodasfacetofacecommunication,sinceitenablestwopartiesin different locations to see ( if there is videoconferencing facility) and speak to each other. Today, many large Indian organizations make use of this technology. While teleconferencing has the advantage of saving time and costs involved in travel, it cannot replace facetoface meetings completely. Some types of interaction such as brainstorming, negotiation, persuasion and problem solvingcanbeconductedbetterthroughfacetofacemeetings.

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Telephone communication has the advantage of being able to contact people who would be impossible to reach in person. It is also relatively inexpensive, compared to facetoface communication.Thedisadvantageisthatitishardtoholdthelistenersattentionfortoolong. Email is another twoway, but not facetoface channel that allows senders and receivers to send andrespondtooneanothersmessagesalmostinstantaneously.Withinanoffice,emailisusedas analternativetotelephonecommunicationandpersonalmeetingsandiscalledtheintranet.Email hastheadvantageoflowcost,speedandtheabilitytosendmessagestoseveralpeopleanywhere in the world. The disadvantagesare its impersonal nature and the lackof confidentiality, since the messagescanbestoredorpassedontoothers. 3.Oneway,notfacetofacechannelsAllformsofwrittencommunicationmentionedearlier letters, reports, memos, notices, etc. may be classified under this type of channel. Written communicationislargelyonewaycommunication,sincethereisusuallynoinstantaneousfeedback betweenthesenderandthereceiver.Itisalsopurelyverbal,sincenonverbalcommunicationisnot possible, in the absence of facetoface contact. It lacks the personal quality of facetoface communication,althoughitcouldbepersonalizedtoanextentinsomeformssuchasletters. Forexample,asalesletteraddressedtoacustomercouldbemadehighlypersonal,byaddressing thecustomerbynameandcustomizingaproducttohisneeds. 2.3.1SelectingTheAppropriateChannel

Letusnowdiscusstheappropriatenessofeachofthesechannelsfordifferentbusinesssituations. Although there is nohardand fast rule, thefollowing guidelines would be useful when selecting a channelforaparticularsituation

When trying to solve problems or improve relationships, oral facetoface communication is generally the most effective form of communication. This is because of the personal nature of facetoface communication, which makes it more suitable than the other channels of communication.

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Whenthereisaneedforvisualsupportinexplaininganidea,oralfacetofacecommunicationis the most appropriate channel. For example, highlighting the unique features of a product may require actual product demonstration through facetoface contact. Explaining a concept may requireshowingphotographsordiagramsthroughaslidepresentation,whichisbestdoneface toface.

Formakingimmediatecontact,oralfacetofacecommunicationisrequired.Forexample,ifyou want to havethefunds in anaccount released now, you would have to meet abank manager personally.Puttingyourrequestinaletterorthroughatelephonecallmaynotbeofmuchhelp.

When you want to command a high degree of control over the receiver, oral facetoface communicationworksbest.Thisisbecause,asaspeaker,youwillhavegreatercommandovera listenersattentionthanifyouwritealetterorareport,whichmaynotbereadatall.

Whenthereisneedforimmediatefeedback,oralcommunication,eitherfacetoface,ornonface toface,suchastelephone,teleconferencingoremail,maybeequallyappropriate.

Ontheotherhand,thefollowingcriteriawouldjustifytheneedforaoneway,nonfacetoface,i.e., writtenchannel

When you want the tone of the communication to be formal, written communication is more appropriate than oral communication. For example, communication with the government regarding compliance with tax matters, or with the bank regarding funds for expansion should alwaysbeofahighlyformalnature,throughwrittenlettersorreports.

When you want to explain complicated ideas that require a lot of study and thought by the receiver,writtencommunicationisbest.Forexample,explainingthefeaturesofamachineisbest donethroughatechnicalreportgivingdetailsandtechnicalspecifications.

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Whenyouwanttoconveyalargeamountofinformation,writtencommunicationismostsuitable. Itwouldbedifficulttoconveythisthroughalengthyoralpresentation,sincethespeakerwouldbe unable to command a captive audience for too long. The same is true of telephone communication,whichshouldbekeptbrief.Ontheotherhand,itispossibletoincludeanumber ofdetailsinawrittenreportthatthereceivercanreadandreread,atleisure.

The written channel is also more appropriate when you wish to keep a permanent record of happenings. For example, the minutes of a business meeting should always be recorded in writing written appointment letters should be given to new employeesat the time of joining an organization.

2.3.2 ComparisonOfOralAndWrittenChannels
It is evident that oraland written channels bothhave their relativeadvantagesand disadvantages. This is summed up in the table below, which rates each of these channels as high or low on differentdimensions

Characteristic/Dimension

OralCommunication

WrittenCommunication

Interactivity

High

Low

LevelofFeedback

High

Low

FormalNature

Low

High

PersonalNature

High

Low

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Low PermanentNature

High

Cost

High

Low

ControloverReceiver

High

Low

Effectivenessfor ComplexMessages

Low

High

EffectivenessforDetailed Messages

Low

High

Communication channels should be selected with care, keeping in mind the requirement of the situation at hand, as well the inherent advantages and disadvantages of each channel. In some cases, it may be necessary to use a combination of channels, in order to make sure that the message reaches the sender. For example, providing a written research report along with a presentationonfindingsofastudy,ormakingafollowupphonecallaftersendinganemailmessage isboundtohavemoreimpactandtoensurethatthemessageiswellunderstood. SelfAssessmentQuestion3 1.Ajobinterviewbetweenanemployerandaprospectiveemployeeisanexampleofa ________________________________communicationchannel. 2.Inaonewaynonfacetofacechannel,thecommunicationis_______________and __________________innature.

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3.Whenyouwantthereceivertopayattentiontoyourmessage,_________________ communicationisbetterthan__________________communication. 4.Whenusingalotofjargon,____________________communicationismoresuitable than___________________communication.

2.4

Summary

Communicationcanbedividedintotwobroadareasverbalandnonverbalcommunication.Verbal communication comprises oral and written communication, which inturn cantake manyforms ina businesscontext.Oral communication could take place through presentations, meetings oroneto onemeetings,whilewrittencommunicationcouldbeintheformofletters,reports,memos,notices, circularsoremail. Verbalcommunicationhasthedisadvantageofbeinginaccurateormisunderstood,unless the message is carefully worded. Therefore, certain guidelines should be followed when communicatingthroughtheoralorwrittenword.Itisimportanttoavoidwordsthatmayhavemultiple meanings,avoidjargonanduselanguagethatishighlyspecific,unbiasedandinoffensive. Nonverbal communication refers to communication without words and plays an important role in businesscommunication.Itisunintentionalandifusedwithcare,canconveypositivemessagesand thusenhanceverbalcommunication.Itisavastareathatincludesmorethanjustbodylanguageor kinesics. Proxemics or personal space and distance, time language, paralanguage or tone of voiceandphysicalcontextaresomeoftheotheraspectsofnonverbalcommunication. Withinthetwobroadtypesofcommunication,thereareavarietyofcommunicationchannelsopento a business communicator. A proper understanding of these channels is essential, so that the appropriateonemaybeusedinagivensituation.Channelsmaybeclassifiedintothreetypestwo wayfacetoface,twowaynonfacetofaceandonewaynonfacetoface,dependingonwhetherthe communicationisoral,writtenornonverbal,whetherimmediatefeedbackispossibleandwhetherit ispersonalorimpersonalinnature. Someofthecriteriaforselectionofachannelinclude Theaimofresolvingconflictsorimprovingworkrelationships Theneedforvisualsupportwhilecommunicating Theurgencyofthesituation

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Theneedforquickfeedback Thecomplexityandvolumeofinformation Theformalorinformalnatureofthecommunication Thepermanentnatureofthecommunication Therequirementforkeepingthingsonrecord

Oralandwrittenchannelshavetheirinherentadvantagesanddisadvantagesinanygivensituation. However,somesituationsmaydemandtheuseofbothtypesofchannelsformaximumeffect. TerminalQuestions 1.Whataresomeoftheadvantagesofverbalovernonverbalcommunication? 2.Describeasituationthatyouexperiencedwherecommunicationwentwrongbecause thenonverbalbehaviorsentconflictingsignals.Whichaspectofnonverbal communicationwasresponsibleforthecommunicationfailure?Howwouldyourectify this? 3.Whichchannelofcommunicationwouldbeappropriateinthefollowingsituations? Justifyyouranswer. a) Notifyingemployeesofafireinthebuilding b) AnnouncingtoemployeesthatIndependenceDayisapaidholiday c) Criticizinganemployeeforpoorperformance AnswerstoSelfAssessmentQuestions SelfAssessmentQuestions1

1. False 2. False 3. True 4. False

SelfAssessmentQuestions2

1. b 2. c 3. d
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4. e 5. a
SelfAssessmentQuestions3

1. Twowayfacetoface 2. Verbal/writtenimpersonal 3. Oralwritten 4. Writtenoral

AnswertoTerminalQuestions4 1.Refer2.2,2.2.1and2.2.2 2.Refer2.2.2 3.Refer2.3.1

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