PRACTICE ASSIGNMENT OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

PREPARED BY : ANSHITA GARG 07880303912 MBA- 1ST SEM- 2ND SHIFT SECTION B SUBMITTED TO : MS. KANICA BATHLA Q.1 Barriers of Communication ANS. INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION

The term communication has been derived from the latin word Communis which means commoners. Communication is the process of passing information and ideas from one person to another. It is the exchange of written or verbal information. Communication is thus a process by which we assign and convey meaning in an attempt to create shared understanding. This process requires a vast repertoire of skills in intrapersonal and interpersonal processing, listening, observing, speaking, questioning, analyzing, and evaluating. It is through communication that collaboration and cooperation occur.

BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION
The word barriers means hindrances or hurdles or difficulties or problems. Barriers. with reference to communication implies hurdles or problems on the way which adversely affect the transmission of information from the sender to the receiver. The way is not smooth and clear. There are many problems on the way leading to misunderstanding or non-reaching the message to the receiver. Sometimes barriers tend to distort the message and create frictions among the organizational mem bers and also adversely affect morale of the employees as well as are injurious to team-work. Some other reasons may be responsible for complete breakdown in communica1ion. A large number of organisational problems are the causes for faulty communication. It is necessary to understand communication barriers so that workable steps can be taken to remove them for effective communication. As Daniel Katz has said that physical barriers to communication are rapidly disappearing. There are several categories of barriers causing breakdown in the communication. The main barriers are organisational, managerial, psychological and language. The barriers are discussed below:

1. Organizational Barriers

These barriers arise when duties and lines of authority are not clearly defined. They arise on account of distance communication, more layers of communication, lack of instructions, heavy communication load etc. The various types of organisational barriers are as follows: a) Policy: Broad objectives and policies of the organisation are laid down by the top management. They are broad guidelines for everyone in the organization to follow. They change behaviour of the receiver. Policy is generally in writing. If the policy is not supporting the flow of communication, vertically and horizontally, it acts as hurdle in the smooth flow of communication. b) Rules and Regulations: Formal communication should follow the path to flow the communication. Organizational rules and regulations sometimes work as obstacles for transmitting message. They prescribe rigidly in the message to be communicated as well as "the channel to be followed and through which alone the communication must move. The rules are so rigid and formal that they restrict the free flow of communication and result in delay in decision-making process and action. c) Status and Position: In a tall network and flat network there are many officially designated positions in the organization structure. It, by its nature, creates a number of status levels. In two way communication status and position block the flow of communication particularly in upward flow. The reasons are non-listening attitude of the superior, non- answering and interpreting as well as withholding information etc. The superior-subordinate relationship and interaction is not smooth always. Thus status and position relationship also act as a powerful barrier. d) Complex organization: Complexity in organization structure is also equally a serious problem in the smooth flow of communication. Complexity in organization structure is a common feature in most of the big enterprises. The organizational structure has an important influence on the capacity of the embers to communicate. Complexity involves many layers of supervision, long distance, more lines, communication gap organizational distance between the workers and the top management. This is also a barrier for effective communication. e) Facilities: The management in every organisation must provide minimum facilities to handle message load and to communicate effectively. Facilities like typing pool, media,

mechanical instruments, communication carriers, cost, etc. Organisational facilities are 'indispensable for smooth, proper and a timely flow of communication. The purpose of the communication is defeated if minimum facilities for transmitting message are not provided 2. Semantic Barriers Problems of language are called semantic barriers. Semantic barriers arise on account of linguistic background and ability of the communicator. Linguistic barriers are present both in oral and written communication. Different individuals may have different educational and literacy back- ground. It is always a problem in communication between supervisors, executives, skilled, semi-skilled, unskilled. foremen etc. Perception capacity differ from person to person. A message may give a variety of meanings to different people according to their perception level. Following are the usual types of semantic barriers. a) Badly Expressed Message: The basic essential of an effective communication is clarity and precision. The absence of clarity and precision in the subject matter of communication results in badly ex- pressed message. The common causes for lack of clarity and precision are using unfamiliar words and complex words, jargon, using superfluous words, lack of unity and coherence use of unnecessary prepositions, adjec- tives and adverbs lack of simplicity longer sentences, poor language, poor construction of sentences etc. Koontz and Donnell list common faults in the words "such faults as poorly chosen and empty words and phrases, careless omissio'l1, lack of coherence, poor organization of ideas, awkward sentence structure, inadequate vocabulary, platitudes, numbing repetition, jargon, and failure to clarify implications are common." b) Faculty Translations: The message is always an abstract and intangible requires to use certain symbols. Transmitting and receiving of information is a continuous process of communication in which transmitters and receivers of message function. Encoding process translates ideas. facts, opinions, feelings into words, symbols, action, pictures and audiovisual media. Every communicator receives various types of communication from superiors, peers, subordinates and he must translate information destined for subordinates, peers, and

superiors into language suitable to each. Hence the message should be encoded into a set of symbols or words understandable to the receiver. Koontz and Donnell say that it must be put into words appropriate to the framework in which the receiver operates, or it must be accompanied by an interpretation which will be understood by the receiver. So faulty translation is a barrier on the way to effective communication. c) Unclarified Assumptions: Assumptions or propositions are bound to be there in message transmission Koontz and Donnell often overlooked but critically important are the uncommunicated assumption, which underline practically all messages.Certain implied things cannot be interpreted by the receiver correctly. Even though a message is specified., the unclarified assumptions may not be clear to the receiver. It may lead to delay in decision-making, loss of goodwill and taking no action. d) Jargon Language: All jargon in communication as far as possible should be avoided. Jargon is a language which is special to science, technology, law, commerce, etc. There is for instance legal jargon,military jargon, technical jargon etc. Special and technical personnel often use technical language of their own. This leads to isolation and limited communication and acts as communication barrier.

3. Personal Barrier:
I) Barriers to Superiors: Organizational structure creates a number of status and position levels. They may create hurdles in two-way communication. In downward communication superiors occupy key position. The basic barrier arises on account of status, relationship in every organization. The superior and subordinate relationship in the formal organization structure restricts free flow of information and exchange of ideas, suggestions and questions: Though two-way communication channel is there but is ineffective in practice in most of the cases. There are officers or executives who always think to maintain distance and Status with the subordinates. Superiors may reluctant to listen to subordinate, admit errors etc., as they may reflect adversely on their ability and intelligence. Since their hierarchical status and position and relationship with subordinates, they act as barriers in effective communication. The following are the various ways:

a) Regard and Attitude: The regard and attitudes of the superiors towards subordinates in connection with communication may affect the flow of message both in vertical and horizontal directions. This particularly adversely affects in case of oral communication. To mention face-to-face contacts it is more serious non-listening attitude of the superiors desire to keep or withhold message etc. They feel responding subordinates will lower down their prestige. So this is a serious barrier. b) To Maintain Authority: Fear of challenge of authority is a barrier in the flow of communication. It is the general preference of human beings to maintain prestige and status to satisfy ego and strategy. Managers often under-rate the understanding and intelligence of the subordinates. They often reason to withholding information partly or wholly coming the line or downward communication or going up or upward communication. People generally resist as frequent passing of information may disclose their weakness. c) Self Satisfaction: Seniors often resist smooth flow of message. They ignore anything that conflicts and like messages which confirm their beliefs and ideas. They withhold information and make the subordinates to move round the information and derive satisfaction out of it. d) Principle of Proper Channel: They mostly insist on through proper channel which is the essence of formal communication. The officially designated channel for communication is the only path for formal communication. It implies that all communications should flow through line superior. Superiors always wish to exercise their authority and they do not like by passing them in communication. Sometimes in order to avoid delay, communication may directly be sent to the concerned but superiors treat this as overlooking them. For this they often insist through proper channel. e) Prejudice: Prejudice among the superiors may stand on the way of free flow of information. Prejudice is a serious problem and a barrier. Prejudice creates a barrier for a proper understanding in the organization. f) Distrust: Distrust of communicator is a barrier. Superiors often screen or filter the information. They are noted for modifying messages. Distrust of the superior for any reasons restricts communication.

g) Yes' Superiors: There are some superiors in all organizations called as 'Yes' men, who always wish to remain neutral and non-committed. This is because they may sometimes like to be in good looks of top management. This takes the form of acting to please the boss, not seeking clarification, not expressing opinions which may lead to incur displeasure from boss etc h) Complex: Personal complexity inhibits communication. No superior likes to show his mistakes to someone else especially to his subordinates. They generally resist the advice given by the lower level people. In their view they are less competent, capable; they are not able to advice superiors. Lack of confidence in subordinate complexion is a serious barrier on the way of flow of effective communication. i) Lack of Time: 'No time', 'lack of time' are the terms frequently used by the superiors. They do not spare considerable time to talk to their subordinates. They feel, whether real or not, that they are overburdened with work. j) Message Overload: Message overload is really a hurdle in the communication process. If message overload is routine there is grave danger to orderly and smooth flow of communication. The effects of overload may be omission of message, errors, delay, filtering, approximation. They are barriers to communication. II. Barriers in subordinates: Subordinates are also equally responsible for retricting communication now particularly in upward direction. They act as harriers in a number of ways as indicated below: (a) They dislike to show mistakes. (b) People generally resist new ideas. (c) Unwillingness to communicate upward a message on personal grounds. (d) Lack of incentives and encouragement. (e) They slant information relating to their failures.

4. Psychological Barrier: The psychology of the employees in an organization is relating to security or job, dignity, peace of mind etc. Psychological needs and feelings are the prime barriers in organizational communication process. Listening, interpretation or encoding and decoding of a message depends upon psychological status of both the transmitter and the receiver. The following are some or the psychological barriers inhibiting communication: a) Distrust of Communicator: Roberts and O' Reilly observe dis-trust of the superior for any reason inhibits communication. It occurs out of ill-considered judgements, decisions not based on logic, screening and infiltration or information etc. Doing these things frequently with these messages gradually conditions subordinates to delay action or to act unenthusiastically. Though it amounts to complete communication process, it is ineffective no purpose and hence a failure. b) Inattention: Not giving attention to read bulletins, notices, minutes and reports is a common practice. The simple failure to listen to oral communication; the reason is that, non-listeners are often turned off while they are pre-occupied with other matters, like their family problems. A communication is ineffective and failure, because the receiver is not listening. Koontz and Donnell: Unfortunately, non-listening seems to be a chronic human railing. This is illustrated by the common practice of arguing about an agreed matter. The reasons vary from impressing the speaker with ones knowledge to anxiety or plain contempt for another's view point. c) Premature Evaluation: It is a barrier which takes the form of prematurely evaluating communication. Rather than to keep an uncompromised position during the interchange. Rojers and Roethlisberger in Barriers and Gateways to Communication in 1952 identified this harrier. They realised that such evaluation stops the transfer of information, leaving the message sender with a sense of futility. d) Failure of Communication: In routine communication work it may usually happen that managers often fail to transmit needed messages. There are many reasons for failure such as laziness on thc part of the communicator, assumption that "everybody knows," "procrastination" "deliberately" "to embarass" etc, Koontz and Donnel observed to the

uninitiated, this "barrier" seems both astonishing and unforgivable, and yet it is a fact that managers fail to transmit needed messages. e) Loss by Transmission and Poor Retention: When a message passes through various levels, it loses its meaning or is decreasingly accurate. When a subject matter in a communication passes through various levels in the organisation, successive transmissions of the same message are decreasingly accurate. Some studies reveal that, in.oral communications about thirty percent of information is lost in each transmission. So when word of mouth changes, its meaning also changes. So in a very tall network or flat network oral communication is not accurately dependable. Loss by transmission happens even in the case of written communication. Loss of meaning in transmission may arise as far as communications accompanied by interpretations. Similarly poor retention of information is also a barrier. Some studies reveal that employees retain about 50 per cent of message and supervisors about 60 per cent of information only. f) Emphasis on Written Message: Under reliance on written message is equally serious in effective communication. So management should not insist on company's viewpoints and policies through slick easy to read, well-illustrated publications.

5. Other Barrier
a) Resistance Change: It is a common tendency' of human being to maintain status quo. It is a general preference to resist new ideas. When the matter is transmitted to convey a new idea, the listeners may not listen to it in spirit. They ignore anything that conflicts to the present belief or idea. In case he listens to new idea, may filter in rejecting new ideas or interprets them according to his own convenience. So resistance to change is an important obstacle to effective communication. b) Perception: Different people may have different perceptions depending upon their needs, social environment, level of education, and other cultural and personal temperaments. So everyone perceives the things and approach differently. So everyone interprets, evaluates the information received from his own point of view. Lack of uniformity in perception or understanding is a great problem in communication and is a barrier to communication.

c) Closed Minds: The expression closed minds refers to thinking tendency of the people that they know everything about the issue and inhibits communication. They do not open their minds to new ideas that are placed before them. d) Fear: Fear is a clear barrier in effective communication. Subordinates fear of their superiors who have in turn to depend on subordinates for information. But there are no hard and fast rules as to kind, quality of information that the subordinates have to communicate upward. It gives discretion to them in selecting matter, it is here that fear comes into picture. Fear creates obstacle, and it is out of fear that certain information though available, may not be communicated upward. It may result in sending partial, omission of information. They may even think that the matter is not important to communicate. Fear of full disclosure or nondisclosure mislead a superior. e) Lack of Ability to Communicate: Communication is an art that can be perfected with continued experience and practice. Lack of ability to communicate is a barrier. All communicators do not have the same skills to communicate. Though essentials of communication are same, oral communication needs special skills comparing to written communication. f) Insufficient Adjustment Period: Changes in positions, status, place of work, group affect the employees till they get adjusted to changes. Shifts in the time, place, type, order of work. skills needed, shift in batch etc., are common changes in the organisation. Sufficient adjustment time should be given to think and understand the full meaning of a message. g) Distance and Time: Distance and Time are barriers to effective, communication. In case of written communication to far off places time and distance inhibit communication. Delayed messages are stale message.