STUDENT NUMBER: 111-557

PROGRAM OF STUDY:

TASK: WRITE UP ON WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

INTRODUCTION

The ability to write has transformed over time and in Africa its now becoming a culture as compared to the past.
When it comes to exchange of ideas, information or messages through letters, notes, emails or more we use
written communication (Leavitt, H., & Mueller, R. 1951). In this task we are going to look at Written
communication.

A WRITTEN FORM OF COMMUNICATING

Any type of message that utilizes written words. It is the most common form of business communication and
has become increasingly important throughout the information age. According to, Leavitt, H. & Mueller, R.
(1951) through its very nature writing is a result of fairly long practice and patience in learning. It need not be
repeated that speech comes first and writing comes afterwards. According to McLean, S. (2003) In all languages
of the world writing appeared ages after speaking. Written communications can take place traditionally on paper
or more modernly on an electronic device, such as by email or electronic memo. They are an effective method
for transferring information within a business and written communications are essential to any scenario
involving more than one person (McLean, S. 2003).

According to McLean, S. (2003) we first of all have to collect all the necessary information, arrange it in a
logical order and then write out very carefully. We have to be careful at every step and that is not always the
case with spoken messages or other forms of oral communication. According to, Leavitt, H., & Mueller, R.
(1951) letters and reports, nicely produced, reflect the image of the organisation and the more creative and
imaginative the writers the brighter the image of the company. According to, Leavitt, H., & Mueller, R. (1951)
history of civilisation shows us different stages through which the formation of letters of the alphabet of any
language has passed. But one thing is clear. According to McLean, S. (2003) whatever has been written, unless
destroyed, has become permanent, words spoken are, likely to be forgotten and that is why written
communication is indispensable.

Another important characteristic of written communication is the time factor that is involved in it. According to,
Leavitt, H., & Mueller, R. (1951) oral messages, in a face-to-face situation or through telephone reach the
receiver immediately and the feedback almost always comes immediately. This is not the case with written
communication. According to McLean, S. (2003) the sender has to plan out his message, viz., a letter or report
carefully and encode it with great care. Then he sends it to the person for whom it is meant. The receiver takes
his own time in decoding it. Then he gives it careful thought or filters it through his mind and plans out his
reaction to it. According to McLean, S. (2003) Sending back the reply or his comments on it will take some
time. So, it is to be kept in mind that written communication is a time-consuming activity.

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IMPORTANCE OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION IN A COMPANY
Written communication is so important that it is not possible to think of a business organisation without it
(Leavitt, H., & Mueller, R. 1951). The working of any organisation depends to a large extent on the exchange of
letters, reports, etc. There are various reasons for it.

And the most important reason is that face-to-face communication is not always possible because the workers of
an organisation may be spread over widely spread geographical distances (Leavitt, H., & Mueller, R. 1951).
Managers and workers in a company, therefore, depend on exchange of letters. According to Weekley, E.
(1967) Modern technological distances have not decreased the importance of letters. According to Weekley, E.
(1967) Modes of transmission have changed but written communication remains as important as ever.

CHARACTERISTICS OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

Good written communication depends on the audience, the topic, your purpose in communicating, and other
factors. According to, O’Hair, D. Friedrich, G. and Dixon, L. (2002) all written communication has some
characteristics in common as follows.

1. Connection: Good written communication forms a connection between the reader and the writer.

2. Clarity: Effective written communication is clear and easy to understand.

3. Cause: The cause or reason for writing needs to be clear to both the writer and the characteristics in
common.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION LIMITATIONS

Written communication is more expensive for transmitting the short messages. It also takes long time to convey
the message. According to Weekley, E. (1967) once a written message has been dispatched, there is little scope
left for making amends for the inaccuracy that may have crept into it. If the written communication is poorly
drafted, it may create misunderstanding and confusion in the mind of the receiver. It may lead to creation of
conflicts between the parties to communication. According to McLean, S. (2003) Written messages give rise to
queries for clarification and elaboration which lead to future loss of time a money. Moreover, written channels
may be blocked due to bureaucratic procedures in the organization. Written communication is generally formal
in nature. According to Weekley, E. (1967) One cannot make use of postures to convey one’s feelings and
emotions along with the written message.

DISADVANTAGES OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

It’s expensive, time consuming, Impractical for illiterate, Lack of confidentiality, Fabrication of the information,
and Delay in response and decision making

CONCLUSION

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 Written communication speaks or has a fixed language that can be stored or kept for a long period of time and it
needs to be developed through education. Education includes how to read and write and also how to use
computers to type the information needed (Withers, P. 2002).

Reference

1. Leavitt, H., & Mueller, R. (1951). Some effects of feedback on communication. Human
Relations, 4, 401–410.
2. McLean, S. (2005). The basics of interpersonal communication. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon
3. Weekley, E. (1967). An etymological dictionary of modern English (Vol. 1, p. 338). New
York, NY: Dover Publications.
4. Caulkin, S. (1998) ‘How that pat on the back can mean money in the bank’, The Observer:
Work Section, 19 April, p. 1.
5. Withers, P. (2002) ‘The sweet smell of success’, HR Magazine, June, pp. 76–92.

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