Communicating in the

Workplace
Business Communication
 Communicating in the Workplace

1. Categories
2. Networks
3. Contexts
 Communication Categories

▪ Internal-Operational: all communication that occurs in conducting

work within the business.
- E.g., instructions from superiors, reports that employees prepare concerning sales,
production, inventories, maintenance, etc.

(p. 10-13)
Internal-Operational
 Communication Categories

▪ Internal-Operational: all communication that occurs in conducting

work within the business.
- E.g., instructions from superiors, reports that employees prepare concerning sales,
production, inventories, maintenance, etc.

▪ External-Operational: all the communicating businesses do with

people and groups outside the business.
- E.g., sales presentations, advertising, public relations activities, etc.

(p. 10-13)
External-Operational
Communication Categories

(p. 12)
 Communication Categories

▪ Internal-Operational: all communication that occurs in conducting

work within the business.
- E.g., instructions from superiors

▪ External-Operational: all the communicating businesses do with

people and groups outside the business.
- E.g., advertising

▪ Personal: exchange of information and feelings among workers.

- E.g., oral exchanges between employees during work

(p. 10-13)
Personal
 Communication Networks

▪ Formal communication network: official paths prescribed by the

organization’s chain of command.
- Common channels include memos, emails, and meetings.

▪ Informal communication network: Unofficial paths based on

friendships or specific information needs.
- Common channels include text-messages, social media, small talk before meetings.

(p. 13-16)
Communication Networks

(p. 14)
 Communication Contexts

▪ Larger communication context: the general business-economic climate, the

language, values and customs in the surrounding culture, and the historical
moment in which a communication is taken place

(p. 19-20)
 Communication Contexts

Individualism vs. Collectivism

- The degree to which cultural group considers individuals rather than the collective group

Individualism Collectivism

• Values individual rights • Values group membership

• People pursue self-reliance and • People are encouraged to

personal success outside of suppress personal values and
company embody values of the organization

• People prefer competing strategies • People prefer avoiding or

to solve problems accommodating strategies to solve
problems
 Communication Contexts

Individualism vs. Collectivism

 Communication Contexts

▪ Larger communication context: general business-economic climate, the

language, values and customs in the surrounding culture, and the historical
moment in which a communication is taken place
▪ Organizational contexts: structural/administrative/cultural background or
environment in which communication takes place
▪ Professional contexts: aspects of communication that are affected by the
various professional roles and areas of expertise of the participants
▪ Personal contexts: the effect on communications of an individual's internal
environment derived from gender, values, beliefs, cultural background, and
state of mind

(p. 19-20)