BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

UNIT -2

Channels of Communication
Irrespective of the mode, communication happens through different channels. There are usually
formal channel and informal channel of communication.

Formal communication, as the very name represents, takes place between superiors and their
reporting staff in organizations or the organization and its customers in a formal manner.
Formal communication involves fixed standards and guidelines which have to followed in
order to communicate a message.

Informal Communication has no fixed standards or guidelines but happens in a haphazard

manner in organizations. Informal Communication prevails more in the middle and lower rings
of the organizations.

Types of Communication
Based on the nature and flow of Communication, it can be divided into three types namely
Upward Communication, Downward Communication and Horizontal Communication.

Upward Communication is the concept of new age Management and is also termed as
Upstream Communication. When the employees down below are able communicate about their
grievances and complaints to their higher ups, it is termed as Upward Communication.

Horizontal Communication can said to be the backbone of organizations. Also termed as

Lateral Communication, this type of communication happens between heads of the Department
who are in decision making capacities.

Downward Communication happens from the top level to the bottom level employees.
Announcing policy changes from time to time, modifications in strategies and other employee
related communication falls in this category.

Group discussion
Group discussion is formed by combining two different words i.e. group and discussion. Here,
group means a number of people or things that are put together considered as a unit whereas
the word ‘discuss’ is derived from the Latin ‘discutere’, which means to shake or strike. Thus
‘discussion’ refers to examine the topic thoroughly to reach a conclusion. Collectively, it is
called Group discussion which means the exchange of ideas by participated candidates on a
specific subject or topic. The whole concept is to bring collectively a unit of people on a
common platform to share their ideas.

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Assistant professor & Administrative coordinator
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
UNIT -2
Generally, group discussion is a method used by the companies or organizations to check
whether the candidates have certain personality or skills which are must for their members or
employees. Nowadays, group discussions have become a main stage in the recruitment process.
In this discussion, the group of applicants or candidates is given a topic or a scenario and few
minutes are provided them to think about the same, and then asked to discuss the situation
among them for a limited time. Organizations conduct group discussion after the written test
so as to test the interactive skills of the candidates and how good they are at interacting with
other people. Group discussion also tells about how candidates behave, participate and
contribute in a group. Also, recruiters come to know about how much importance applicants
give to the team objectives as well as their own, how well they listen to viewpoints of others
and how open-minded are they in accepting the views contrary to their own. Group Discussion
is conducted to evaluate your following skills:

 Confidence.
 Effective Communication.
 Quality of Language.
 Listening Skills.
 Assertive Attitude.
 Paraphrasing Skills.
 Leadership.

Types of Group Discussion

Generally, group discussion categorized into two categories i.e. Topic-based group discussion
and Case-based group discussion as discussed below.

 Topic-Based Group Discussion: In this discussion, a topic is provided to the candidates

about what they have to perform the discussion. This logic has been drawn from the actual
work scenarios. In this discussion, the given topics are of three kinds i.e. Factual topics,
Controversial topics and Abstract topics (related to intangible things).
 Case-Based Group Discussion: Instead of the topics, small cases are handover to the
candidates which leads to the questions and they have to discuss those questions. This will
help in finding out the problem-solving abilities of the candidates.

Purpose of Group Discussion

There are several purposes for group discussions. Some of them are listed below:

 To reach a solution on an issue of concern.

 To generate new ideas for solving a problem.
 For choosing the applicants after the written test for a job or for admission to educational
institutes.
 To train ourselves in various interpersonal skills.

Importance of Group Discussion in Education and Learning

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Assistant professor & Administrative coordinator
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
UNIT -2
Group discussion plays a vital role in a student’s life. Group discussions in the classroom are
not only beneficial for a student’s social skills only but also enhance their educational
development and learning too. Some of the benefits of GD in a student’s life are discussed
below.

 Enhance Critical Thinking: Group discussion is used in a classroom to improve learning,

asking open-ended questions will encourage critical thinking and help students think for
themselves
 Help with Understanding: Group discussion use to help students to understand a topic or
concept deeply which will stay for a long time in their minds.
 Improve Communication Skills: It is also used to improve communication skills as it can
encourage students to become more confident in speaking up and asking questions. This
will help them improve their communication in the long run because it should make them
more confident to ask if they’re stuck and need help.
 Improve Interest in Lessons: It improves learning, as group discussion invites the students
to be the speakers. This helps students as it can maintain their focus and concentration to
hear another voice instead of listening to the same teacher, which holds their attention.
 Provide the Feedback: When learners discuss and explain the concepts to each other aloud
in a group, it helps the teacher to hear if they have learnt a concept or not. This is a perfect
feedback on teaching. It means that, if the teacher sees that they don’t understand something
clearly, they can help them by stepping in and adding some more context or information in
their discussion.

Importance of Group Discussion in Business

Group discussion also has a significant role in the business. As group discussions are organized
in the companies to talk over the new strategies about the growth of the business and to find
out the valid solution to the problems related to the company’s business. Some of the
advantages of the GD are mentioned below in terms of the business.

 Suggestions: It is through group discussions that a meaningful and practically

implementable solution can be reached. The Collaboration of these suggestions gives rise
to a new one, creating a space for the best possible output.
 Wide Approach: Group discussion helps to provide a wide approach to any concern under
consideration, as it includes employees from different sections of a particular business
organization.
 Decision Making: Group discussion helps in evaluation of a problem and reaches to a
suitable decision, based on suggestions presented by the members. It also makes it easier
for the boss or chairperson to able to take even the toughest of decision with an ease because
by group discussion he/she can know that the decision to be taken will be supported by
other members of the company also.
 Exchange of Ideas: With the help of group discussion the exchange of ideas is taken place.
As every member participated in the discussion put his/her thoughts on the table and this
makes the diversity in the ideas.
 Productive Activity: Group discussion is always supposed to be a productive way in terms
of business concern. It is the proven method which always helps to procure the best possible
decision for a concern.

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Assistant professor & Administrative coordinator
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
UNIT -2
Importance of Group Discussion in Selection Process
Nowadays group discussion is being used along with personal interviews and written exams
for the final selection of applicants. It plays a key role in selecting the best among the best. It
is one of the best tools to study the behavioural and attitudinal responses of the applicants or
the candidates. With the help of group discussion, many things for a particular candidate can
be assessed, such as his/her mental capacity to think, creative mind, analytical abilities,
comprehending a subject and then speaking on it, awareness, attitude, and energy levels. Some
of them are detailed below:

 Assertiveness: Confidence level of a candidate shows up in a group discussion. It is

assessed that how confident candidates are, while putting up their opinion in front of
others.
 Team Work: While working for a company, it is very important to work as a part of the
team in an assigned project. This quality is really important and this will be evaluated
through group discussion. You not only put your own points but also listen to others and
then come to a concluding point.
 Leadership Qualities: Group discussion clearly indicates who amongst all the participants
is taking the lead and who is a passive contestant. As a good leader gives the entire
discussion a good direction and takes it forward whenever it is moving from the main
topic. This quality is also evaluated through this process only.
 Communication Skills: As communication skills are must in every field of work. These
are evaluated through a structured group discussion.

Do’s of Group Discussion

There are several things about which you have to be careful while group discussion.

 Speak pleasantly and politely in the group.

 Respect and recognize the contribution of every member and represent it with a nod or a
smile.
 Agree and acknowledge whatever you find interesting.
 Disagree politely because it is a discussion and not an argument.
 Do a mental revision of what you are going to say. Think of how you can best answer the
question or contribute to the topic.
 Stick to the theme of discussion and not get engaged in other irrelevant discussions.
 Follow etiquettes while speaking.
 Be confident.

Don’ts of Group Discussion

Some of the don’ts are listed below about which you have to careful while presenting yourself
in front of others.

 Don’t lose your temper. It is a group discussion, not an argument.

 Don’t speak loudly or aggressively. Always use a moderate tone and a medium pitch.

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Assistant professor & Administrative coordinator
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
UNIT -2
 Don’t do gestures like finger pointing and table thumping. This can appear aggressive, so
limit your body gestures.
 Don’t dominate the discussion. As confident speakers should allow the quieter, a chance to
speak up and contribute to the discussion.
 Don’t draw too much on personal experience.
 Don’t interrupt when someone else is speaking. Wait for a speaker to finish before you
speak.

Seminar
A seminar may be defined as “a discussion in a small group in which the result of research or
advance study is presented through oral or written reports.” Seminar is simply group
communication in which open person makes a presentation or speech on a topic by highlighting
it contents in the light of present and pressing problems. This presentation or speech is followed
by questions and expect comments from the audience. Thus seminar is mixture of speech and
group discussion. During seminar one person acts as chairman of the session and conducts the
seminar by introducing the topic and the speaker. At the end of the session, he asks the audience
to raise questions and ensures that the discussion follows in the light of the theme.

Significance of Seminar

Seminar helps bring expert in a particular subject together to present their experiences and vies.
There is a meaningful discussion on the papers, presented, their summaries and
recommendations, if any, of these papers are published in the form of a report for wider
circulation.

A seminar is an effective method of oral communication. Thus, one important aspect of a

seminar is thorough and indepth knowledge of the subject and proper delivery. This involves
careful articulation, stress on important words and effective modulation of the voice.

How to Make Seminar Effective

The effectiveness of seminar depends upon how different parties and persons play their role in
effective way. These parties and persons include organizations, speakers, chairperson and
audience.

Organizer’s Role: To make seminar effective, organizers should

1. Plan the seminar in advance by deciding the date, venue and theme of the seminar.

2. Publish the relevant material in advance.

3. Advertise it is newspapers and invite various participants within time.

4. Ensure the proper arrangement of OHP, slides, lighting, and other audio visual aids.

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Assistant professor & Administrative coordinator
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
UNIT -2
5. Facilitate arrangement of sitting, tea or lunch, etc.

Speaker’s Role: The speaker of seminar should

1. Prepare the topic before hand by searching the material from library and websites, organizing
the in the topic in logical order and pondering over the various relevant issues.

2. Ensure that his speech is informative, illuminating and interesting.

3. Use the appropriate visual aids like OHP, transparencies, slides, etc.

4. Take the time limits into consideration.

5. Try to answer maximum questions of the audience of the end.

6. Convey thanks to the audience for their patient listening.

7. How speech or presentation can be made effective, have been discussed in the chapter on
speech and presentation.

Chair Person’s Role: The chairperson of the session should

1. Introducer the topic briefly. This should be followed by the speaker’s introduction in brief
by highlighting ht area of his specialization and his achievements.

2. Ensure that the speaker finishes his speech within the time limit.

3. Invite questions from audience at the end of the speech.

4. Ensure that the discussion follows in the light of the theme and no one hurts the feelings of
another during question/answer session.

5. Sum up findings of the speech after question answer session.

6. Thanks the speaker and the audience at the end.

Audience’s Role: The audience should

1. Occupy seats before the start of the seminar.

2. Listen patiently to the speeches of various speakers.

3. Note down important points and citations.

4. Avoid distributing the speaker during the speech.

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Assistant professor & Administrative coordinator
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
UNIT -2
5. Ask relevant question

6. Stay till the conclusion of the seminar.

Mock Interview in Business

Communication
A Mock Interview is a practice interview designed to simulate a real job interview as closely
as possible. Mock interviews are one of the best ways to improve interview skills and
prepare for an interview. The practice gained in a mock interview is invaluable. Mock
interviews can be completed in person, by phone or by video conference. All three methods
work well. The key to success in a mock interview is recreating the interview experience as
much as possible.

Purposes/Objectives of Mock Interview

1. Practicing for actual interview.
2. Describes the manner of actual interview.
3. Develops the strategy of interview.
4. Minimize worry and anxiety prior to actual interview.
5. Aims at making firms impression effective.
6. Practicing communicating of one’s skill clearly.

Importance/Significance of Mock Interview

• Mock interviews enable candidates to have a fair idea about the sort of things they are going
to experience at actual interviews, and prepare them how accurately they can deal with it.
Generally these interviews are organized by career services where a career coach trains the
students and recent alumni for the new opportunities they can explore by being perfect at the
actual interview sessions. But, accuracy does not come automatically. It needs a thorough
practice and guidance from an expert trainer. Mock interviews do just the exact thing with the
candidates to bring them to perfection and boost their confidence.

• Mock interviews help candidates reduce their anxiety about interviewing by training them
for the typical interview questions. The person conducting the mock interview session is most
likely an experienced interviewer and a skilled trainer, who can guide candidates whether or

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Assistant professor & Administrative coordinator
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
UNIT -2
not their responses are suitable, along with providing them the most appropriate set of
response they should practice. In the process the candidates gain their confidence by having
the knowledge about their strengths and shortcomings. No one is perfect enough to execute
everything faultlessly, so the purpose of these mock interviews is to point out one’s
weaknesses and guide them to bring perfection by rectifying those.

• Mock interviews also prepare job seekers for behavioral-based issues in an interview. In a
real interview the behavioral standard is judged much by the interviewee’s body language.
So, it is very important to know how one can appear best by employing those standard set of
gestures. From the moment of entry in the interview room everything about the posture will
be marked minutely. Therefore, one needs to know very accurately about what the things are
that one should do and what not. Right from the way of stepping into the room, greetings to
the panelists, way of looking at them, style of sitting and manner of responding to them –
everything counts on. And mock interview sessions are the best ways to gather knowledge
about all these little details which are too important to overlook.

16 Questions which are asked normally during mock interview:

The biggest style decision in a mock interview deals with follow up questions. Some
interviewers foster a dialog with a lot of follow up questions, while others take the answer
from the job seeker and move on to the next question. In most cases, candidates struggle
more when they are not asked follow up questions, but each job seeker is different. The
mock interview should mimic the style of the upcoming interview if possible. Questions
which are asked during mock interview:

• What was the toughest decision you had to make?

• Why do you want to work for this organisation?
• Why should we employ you?
• If we hire you, what changes would you make?
• Can you offer a career path?
• What are you greatest strengths?
• What are you greatest weakness?
• What didn’t you like about your previous jobs you have held?
• How do you spend your leisure time?

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Assistant professor & Administrative coordinator
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
UNIT -2
• Are there weakness in your education or experience?
• Where do you want to five years from now?
• What are your salary expectations?
• What would you do if your computer broke down during an audit?
• What type of position you interested in?
Tell me something about yourself.
• Do you have any questions about the organisation or job?

What are communication barriers?

Communication barriers are something that prevents us from correctly getting and
accepting the messages others use to communicate their information, thoughts and
ideas. Some of the examples of communication barriers are information overload,
choosy perceptions, workplace gossips, semantics, gender differences, etc.

Types of Communication Barriers

Psychological Barriers:
The psychological condition of the receiver will power how the message is received.
Stress management is a significant personal skill that affects our interpersonal
relationships. For example, Anger is a psychological barrier to communication. When
we are angry, it is simple to say things that we may afterwards regret and also to
misunderstand what others are saying. Also, people with low self-esteem may be less
self-assured and therefore may not feel comfortable communicating.

Physical Communication Barriers:

Communication is usually easier over shorter distances as more communication
channels are obtainable, and less technology is obligatory. Although modern
technology often serves to decrease the crash of physical barriers, the advantages and
disadvantages of each communication channel should be unspoken so that a suitable
channel can be used to overcome the physical barriers.

Physiological Barriers:
Physiological barriers may affect the receiver’s physical condition. For example, a
receiver with condensed hearing may not grab the sum of a spoken conversation,
especially if there is significant surroundings noise.
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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Assistant professor & Administrative coordinator
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
UNIT -2
Language Barriers:
Language and linguistic aptitude may act as a barrier to communication. However,
even when communicating in a similar language, the terms used in a message may act
as a barrier if it is not easy to understand by the receiver.

Attitudinal Barriers:
Attitudinal barriers are perceptions that stop people from communicating well.
Attitudinal barriers to communication may effect from poor management, personality
conflicts, and battle to change, or a lack of motivation. Active receivers of messages
should challenge to overcome their attitudinal barriers to assist effective
communication.

How to overcome communication barriers

 Be aware of language, message and tone:

The sender should ensure that the message should be structured in clear and simple
language. The tone of the message should not harm the feelings of the receiver. As far
as possible, the contents of the message should be a concise and unnecessary use of
technical words should be avoided.

 Consult others before communication:

When you’re planning the communication, suggestions should be invited from all the
individuals concerned. Its main benefit will be that all those people who are consulted
at the time of preparing the communication preparation will add to the success of the
communication system.

 Communicate according to the need of receiver:

The sender of the communication should organize the formation of the message not
according to his or her level, but he or she should keep in mind the point of
understanding or the surroundings of the receiver.

 Consistency of Message:
The message sent to the receiver should not be self- opposing. It should be in unity
with the objectives, programmes, policies and techniques of the organization. When
new information has to be sent inlay of the old one, it should always make a
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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Assistant professor & Administrative coordinator
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS
 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
UNIT -2
declaration of the change; otherwise, it can raise some doubts and queries for the
same.

 Follow up Communication:
In order to make communication successful, the management should frequently try to
know the weaknesses of the communication structure. In this situation effort can be
made to know whether to lay more hassle upon the formal or the informal
communication would be suitable.

 Make sure to receive proper feedback:

The reason for feedback is to find out whether the receiver has appropriately
understood the meaning of the information received. In face-to-face communication,
the reply of the receiver can be understood. But in the case of written communication
or other forms of communications, some correct process of feedback should be
adopted by the sender.

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Notes by - Siddharth Singh
Assistant professor & Administrative coordinator
KIPM TECHNNICAL CAMPUS