UNIT - 1

Communication
 COMMUNICATION
Content:
Process of communication:

• Introduction: communication
• Definitions of communication
• Process of communication
• Importance of communication
 Types of communication

• Verbal communication
 Written communication
 Oral communication

• Non-verbal communication
 Body language
 Others…
 COMMUNICATION
 Communication is the process by
which we exchange meaning, facts,
ideas, opinions or emotions with
other people.

 It is essential condition of our

existence and most important
activity of ours.
 The word ‘communicate’ has been
derived from the latin word
communicare that means to share
share‘ or ‘participate’.

 Everybody knows that most of the

time, through speech or writing or any
other media, we are sharing
information with other human beings.
Definition

In the words of Newman and

summers,

“Communication is an exchange of
facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by
two or more persons”
It can be defined as the process by
which people exchange meanings
through the use of a common set of
symbols
According to Allen

“The sum total of all the things one

person does when he wants to create
understanding in the mind of
another.”
It is a bridge of meaning

It involves a systematic and

continuous process of telling,
listening and understanding
 Communication process/
Basic elements of communication
1…Sender:
The person who intends to convey the
message with the intention of passing
information and ideas to others is
known as sender or communicator.
2…Encoding:
Since the subject matter of
communication is theoretical and
intangible, its further passing requires
use of certain symbols such as words,
actions or pictures etc. Conversion of
subject matter into these symbols is
the process of encoding.
3…Media:
The person who is interested in
communicating has to choose the
channel for sending the required
information, ideas etc. This information
is transmitted to the receiver through
certain channels which may be either
formal or informal.
4…Decoding:
The person who receives the message
or symbol from the communicator, tries
to convert the same in such a way so
that he may extract its meaning to his
complete understanding.
5…Receiver:
Receiver is the person who receives the
message or for whom the message is
meant for. It is the receiver who tries
to understand the message in the best
possible manner in achieving the
desired objectives.
6…Feedback:
Feedback is the process of ensuring
that the receiver has received the
message and understood in the same
sense as sender meant it.
7…Noise:
• In communication studies and information
theory, noise refers to anything that
interferes in the communication
process between a speaker and
an audience. Also called interference.

• Noise can be external (a physical sound)

or internal (a mental disturbance), and it
can disrupt the communication process at
any point.
 Importance of feedback:
• Communication is not just transmission of
a message from the source to the
destination but eliciting a response from
the receiver to the received message. It
means that the message that gets no
response is not a communication.

• Communication is effective only if the

message received is understood in the
sense intended by the sender.
• Feedback is the essence of two-way
communication. In two-way
communication, the sender must wait for
receiver’s response before deciding what
to say next and how to say it.

• Feedback is the check on how much

successful one has been in transferring his
message as originally intended. If there is
no feedback. Communication will be
incomplete and ineffective.
• Based on feedback, a sender may either
alter the presentation of the message or
cancel it entirely. Thus, there is no
alternative to feedback,. Some points
highlighting the importance of feedback
are mentioned below:
 Why feedback is necessary for
completion of communication process?

• Completion of communication:

Two-way communication requires

feedback from the receiver. Through the
feedback, sender can understand the
attitude of the receiver. “The receiver’s
feedback to the sender completes the
communication process loop.”
• Measuring the effectiveness of
communication:

Feedback ensures the sender regarding

the effectiveness of his communication. By
means of feedback, sender can be sure
that the receiver received the message
and understood it in the proper way.
Sender needs feedback in order to
determine the success or failure of
communication.
• Understanding the receiver’s view:

Feedback helps to understand the

receiver’s view and opinion about the
sender’s message. With this
understanding, sender can determine the
next course of action.
• Measuring the appropriateness of
media:

Message can be transmitted using various

media. Improper media cannot convey the
message to the receiver properly. So
proper understanding of the message by
the receiver and his feedback proves that
the sender has selected the right media.
• Making correct decision:
Feedback communicates the receiver’s
opinion to the sender. Considering this
opinion, the communicator can take
proper decision. Information of the
receiver can also improve the quality of
decision.

• Collection of information:
One-way communication only sends
information. If communicator wants to
gather information, he must seek
feedback.
• Coordination of activities:

Responsibility of performing organizational

activities is assigned to various
departments. In this case, organizational
success depends on proper coordination of
inter-departmental activities. Feedback
helps top management to ensure proper
coordination.
 Action Silence

Negative
Oral

Feed
Positive Written
back
• Feedback in Face to face communication
• Feedback over the telephone
• Feed back to written communication
• Feedback increase accuracy & confidence
• Good business communication is a two way
process
• Feedback, is a measure of the success of
the message..(positive or negative)
• Customer’s satisfaction level
• Required foe two-way process
 OBJECTIVES OF BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION
• Communication Gives Substance To
Organization’s Existence
• It Improves The Employee’s Motivation To
Work
• Facilitates leadership
• Help public relation
• Increase job satisfaction
• Help managers performing their
managerial roles
• Reduces time & efforts
• To exchange information
• To develop & implement plans
• to achieve organizational goal
• To motivate employees
• To improve labor-management is
relationships
 Types of communication:
Communication by using language is
called verbal communication
Communication through other symbols
is called non- verbal communication.

A…verbal communication

B…Non-verbal communication
 Verbal Non-Verbal
Communication Communication

Oral Body
language
commu
Sign
Written language
commu
Para
language
 A…verbal communication
• The word ‘verbal’ means ‘connected
with words and the use of words’.

• Words are the most accurate &

powerful sets of symbol. That is why
it is observed that all serious or
formal communication is in words.
And the words may be spoken or
written.
 verbal communication
• written • Oral
communication communication
– Memorandum – Face-to-face
– Notice – speech
– Telegram – Telephone
– telex

The most obvious difference between the

oral method and the written method is the
time factor.
1…Written Communication

 While oral communication is more

natural and spontaneous, written
communication requires conscious
effort.

 It involves transmission of
information through letters, notices,
circulars, memos, reports..
 Characteristics of written
communication:
• It is a creative activity that requires
imagination & efforts to arrive at the
finished product.

• Immediate feedback is not possible

• Continuous exchange of ideas or

information is not possible

• Words chosen must be clear & precise.

Occasions for written
communication:

Memorandum

Notice

Telegram

Telex
 1. Memorandum
• It is a form letter written inside the
business. It is a written message by
employees in the conduct of their work.

• Most large companies use standard memo

templates or printed memo

• Most memos are direct because they

concern work information & such
information rarely requires preliminary
explanation & justification.
 C.Jamnadas & Co.
C-18, madhavpura market
Opp. Police commmissioner’s office
Shahibaugh
Ahmedabad

Memo

To:
From:
Cc:
Date:
Re:
 2.Notice

• The drafting of notice is even more

important

• Extra care must be taken while drafting

of notices, so that they can be easily
understood even by those with the
lowest intelligence among workers.
 3. Telegram
• Urgency to communicate a matter , may
arise due to many exigencies, personal as
well as official.

• It is used for external communication, for

contacting customers, suppliers,
branches…

• It gets immediate response & It is to be

written by using as few words as possible.
 4. Telex
• It is a device in which message is typed
on a word processor & is directly sent
through telegraph line to the recipient

• A telex message operates more on code

numbers than does a telegram

• Telex message are to be paid on the basis

of the time taken & not on the basis of the
number of words used.
Advantages of written
communication
1. Wide Area
2. Precise & accurate
3. Repetition
4. Permanent record
5. Legal evidence
6. Fixed responsibility
7. Suitable for lengthy message
 Limitations written
communication

1. Time consuming
2. Costly
3. Lack of secrecy
4. Rigidity
5. Impersonal
6. Delayed feedback
2…Oral Communication

Oral communication means spoken

communication or communication
through speech.
 It includes..
• Telephone
• Face-to-face communication
• Presentation
• Radio
• Tape recorder
• Speeches
• interview
Advantages

1. Immediate feedback
2. Time saving
3. Economical / Less expensive
4. Personal touch
5. Flexibility
6. Secrecy
7. Group communication
 Limitations

1. Poor retention
2. No records
3. misunderstanding
5. Not suitable for Lengthy messages
6. Lack of responsibility
B..Non-Verbal Communication
 Human beings communicate in many
ways other than words. Words often fail
to convey the exact meaning.

 Therefore, pictures, drawings, sounds are

often used to convey messages.

 All these means used in communication

are known as non-verbal commu…
 Action speaks louder than words.
Non-verbal communication
includes
• Body language
• Space language
• Time
• Paralanguage
• silence
• dress & grooming
• Visual communication
• Colour
• Charts, maps & Graphs
 1... Body Language
(kinesics)
• Human body and its various parts
play an important role in
communication

• The study of message conveyed

by body movements is known as
body language.
• Body movements of a person are
guided by his thoughts and feelings.

• The nodding of the head, blinking

of eyes, waving of hands, shrugging
of shoulders etc are all expression of
human thoughts and feelings
Different parts of body which plays
important role in communication

• Head
• Face
• Eyes
• Gestures
• Postures
Head

 It is the sign of honor, self

respect, and self confidence

 A head bent low shows modesty,

politeness, and guilt

 A stiff head indicates pride and

confidence too.
 Face
 Every facial muscle is an instrument
of face to face communication

 The lines of forehead, the eyebrows,

the eyes all speak louder than words.

 A great amount of regular practice

is required to control feelings and
adopt positive attitudes in all situation
Eyes

• It communicates our deepest

feelings.

• So eye contact is of great importance

in face to face communication

• Eyes adopt different positions in

different situations
• Fixed eyes show concentration and
interest,

• Raised eyes indicate surprise or fear

• Smiling eyes show happiness

• Evasive eyes indicate lack of interest

or nervousness.
Gestures

 It refers to the movements of our

arms, legs, hands, torso etc…

 Arms spread out convey the

meaning of wide, shuffling legs
indicate nervousness, an erect torso
reflects intensity
Postures

Standing or sitting erect, leaning

forward or back word, stretching or
bending sideways all convey
meanings

A person can make positive or

negative impression of himself or
others through his body posture
 so we should make efforts to
ensure that our body does not send
out wrong signals in interviews,
meetings and informal interactions
 2...Space language
(Proxemics)
• First of all we must examine our attitude
to the space in which our movement takes
place, each of us has spaces that we feel
are of own our.

• In offices, space is usually directly related

to status, the higher up the position in an
organization, more square feet of floor
space they have in their offices.
 Public
space
(12’+)

Social
space
(4’-12’)

Personal
space
(1.5’-4’)

Intimate
space
(0”-1.5’)
 3...Time
• That is how we give meaning to time
communicates to other. To illustrate,
think about how you manage your daily
schedule? do you arrive early for most
appointment ? Do you prepare agendas
foe meeting ?
 4…Para Language
 The word ‘Para’ means ‘like’ & therefore,
para language is like language.

 It is non-verbal because it does not

involves use of words. But it is like verbal
commu..because it is related to the way
words are spoken

 Voice is a highly versatile tool for

expresing various emotions & thoughts
 A message can be conveyed more
effectively through voice by bearing in
mind the following points:

1. Voice
2. Speaking speed
3. Pitch variations
4. Volume Variations
5. Pause
6. Intonation
 5…Silence
• The only and the best way of
communication gifted by god is silence.

• Silence can be a great non-verbal factor

of communication

• People of different cultures will perceive

this non-verbal factor differently.
 6…Dress & grooming

• Closely allied to body language is the way

we cloth & decorum our bodies in order to
send message about ourselves to all we
meet.

• When a knowledgeable person meets

somebody for the first time in private life
as well as in business, he or she tends to
read off indicators from the other’s
appearance.
7…Visual communication
 Visual signals are used to convey
messages for general information
and education
 such as posters, drawing, cartoons,
photographs ,books contains maps
and diagrams
 Hotels, tour and travels agencies,
motor companies etc use color
photographs
Advantages

1. convey message easily and

effectively

2. makes communication interesting

3. useful for informing and educating

illiterate people
Signs & Signals
Posters..
• Posters are used most extensively in
advertising. They are in the form of
hoarding, playcards, bill boards, put up &
displayed at strategic mints at public
places to catch the public eye.

• Posters consist of pictures or photographs

along with a slogan.

• It is thus a combination of verbal & non-

verbal communication.
8…Colour

• Colour is a very important &

powerful means of
communication. It is used to
give message. Traffic signals
red & green colours indicate
danger & safety respectively
& traffic jam controlled
correctly & instantly by just
colour signals.
• Colour represents psychological status &
different moods…black color stands for
death & sorrow, read color for danger &
white for peace & purity etc…
9…Charts, maps & Graphs

• One simple diagram can convey more

information, more quickly & easily than
can hundred of words.

• The advantage of this visual media have

been considerable as message can be
transmitted more quickly & more
accurately by using graphs & charts than
by verbal explanations.
Charts are used to represent numeric &
statistical information. Charts are of
many kinds:

Bar chart Pie chart

Maps are mostly used for conveying
space relationship between places. It
shows position & size of countries. Maps
gives geographical information.
Graphs are useful for showing trends in
continuous information over periods of
time. In a graph points are connected with
a line in order to show increase or
decrease.
 How to achieve effective
communication
• It has been realized that all human
activities personal, social business related
are dependent on effective
communication.

• In fact it is now considered that the lack of

effective communication is the root cause
of most of our industrial or organizational
unrest among people.
 The four stages of making
communication effective:

1.Clear objectives / purpose or target

2.Clear understanding
3.Impact
4.Method
Other:
• Timing
• attitudes
 Importance of communication
in business:
• Organization consists of people & their
interdependence. People working in an
organization are interdependent because
performance of an individual affects &
affected by the performance of others.

• This interdependence aspects of the

functioning of an organization calls for co-
ordination & co-ordination requires
effective communication.
 The effective communication in business
organization has been considered
important for the following reasons:

 Business has grown in size

 Business activity has become complex
 Use of information technology
 Dealing with government & other central
bodies
 Communication promotes spirit of
understanding
 Selecting methods of
communication:
• Communication is possible through a vast
variety of media.

• The communicator has to be very careful

in the choice of media or methods which
will depend on various factors the urgency
of message, the time available, the
expenditure involved & the emotional &
intellectual level of receivers.
• If the managing director wants to
consult all departmental heads, he
would most probably convene a
meeting if certain information to be
transmitted to all the employees, a
notice may be put on the notice board
or it may be circulated in circular from
among them.
• All methods, verbal & non-verbal, visual
& electronic have their own necessary
competence to carry messages. And
encoded message is required to be sent
through an appropriate medium.

• It is necessary to understand its strength

& weakness before choosing for
communication purpose.
• The ways in which we communication take
many forms. But the choice of the method
to be used should be made only after
assessing the precise requirements of the
communication & the attributes of the
methods available. In arriving at the choice
of method, a business organization takes
into account the seven factors.
• Speed
• Accuracy
• Circumstances
• Confidence and safety
• Copy
• Expense
• Impression and feedback
 How to make oral
communication effective
• Make a good set of notes you can follow at
a glance, and PRACTICE your presentation.
• Dress for the occasion and tidy yourself up
• Arrange the environment to suit your
presentation and get rid of distractions
• operation of audiovisual equipment before
your presentation
• Make sure your notes and other materials
are in proper order before you begin.
• Get rid of any gum or food you might
have in your mouth
• Stand or sit up straight with your weight
balanced
• Make eye contact before you start to
speak
• Don't start with “um” or “OK.”
• Speak with appropriate loudness and
speed. Consider audience, place and
topic.
• Use your body expressively and
meaningfully
 How to make written
communication effective
Get clear about your reader
Get clear about your outcome
Avoid jargon wherever possible
Keep your language clear and
simple
Make it easy to read and scan
Proof read your documents before
distribution
 Ten commandments of
effective communication
• Be sure of what you wish to communicate
• Think of and know your receiver
• Choose the appropriate medium
• Find and select your information
• Be clear in the use of language
• Keep it brief and concise
• Get the proper tone
• Conviction
• Make sure everybody knows who needs to know
• Feedback