BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

13th edition
by
Raymond V. Lesikar

CHAPTER: 1
Understanding Workplace Communication
 Main Topics

 Role of Communication In Business

The Business Communication Process

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Role of Communication
In Business

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 The Importance of Communication Skills

 Why Business Depends Upon Communication?

 Current Challenges for Business Communication

 Need for Expanded Media Literacy

 Increasing Globalism and Workplace Diversity
 Increased need for strong Analytical Skills
 Increased focus on Ethics and Social Responsibility

 Main Categories of business Communication

 Main Categories of Business Communication

a. Internal-Operational Communication

b. External-Operational Communication

c. Personal Communication

 a. Internal-Operational Communication
 All the communication –
that occurs in conducting work within a business
is classified as internal operational.

 This is the communication among the business’s workers

that is done to implement the business’s operating plan.

e.g. - provide a service,

- manufacture a product,
- sell goods, etc.
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 Internal-Operational Communication – cont …….

 Internal-operational communication takes many forms.

It includes:
 the orders and instructions -
that supervisors give workers

 reports that workers prepare concerning -

- sales,
- productions,

- inventories, etc.

 the email messages –

that employee write in carrying out their task.
 b. External-Operational Communication
 This is the work-related communication that a business does
with people and groups outside the business.

 Example: when business executives communicate with

- suppliers,
- service companies,
- customers, and

- the general public.

 External-operational communication includes -

all of the business’s efforts -
- at direct selling
- telephone callbacks,
- follow-up service calls, etc. 8
 External-Operational Communication – cont ……

 It also includes the advertising the business does,

example –
- radio and television messages,
- newspaper and magazine advertising,
- website advertising, etc.

 Also in this category is all –

that a business does to improve its public relations,
- planned publicity,
- the community service,
- the environmental friendliness of its products and
- facilities.
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 c. Personal Communication
 Personal communication is -
the exchange of information and feelings in which

we human beings engage whenever we come together.

 The employees’ attitudes towards each other,

directly affect their productivity.

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 Personal Communication – continue ……..

 In a work situation, where

heated words and flaming tempers are often present,
the employees are not likely to make their usual productive efforts.

 However, a cheerful work situation is likely to have

an equally bad effect on productivity.

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Communication Network of the Org
 In a workday –
an organization feeding on a continuous supply of information.

 Most of the information flow of –operational communication

is downward and follows the formal lines of organization.

e.g. from the top executives down to the workers.

- This is so because –
most of the information, instructions, orders, and such needed
to achieve the business’s objectives originate at the top
and must be communicated downward.

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Communication Network of the Organization – cont….

 Most good companies –

- recognize the value of open upward communication.

- Their executives use open channels of communication

to be better informed of the status of things on the front line.

- They also have found that –information from the lower

levels can be important in achieving company work goals.

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Communication Network of the Org

 Two forms of network in an organization:

 A. Formal

 B. Informal

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 A. Formal Network
 The business has well-established channels of information flow.

The main lines of operational communication are -

both internal and external.

 Specifically, the flow includes the:

- upward,
- horizontal (lateral), and
- downward movements of information by
- report,
- email,
- records and
- such within the organization.
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 Formal Network – Continue ….

 It also includes:

- orders, instructions, and messages:

down the authority
structure;

- working information:
through the organization’s email or intranet; and

- extremely directed messages:

sales presentations, advertising, and publicity.
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 B. Informal Network
 The informal network is a secondary network
consisting primarily of personal communication.

 It comprises thousands of personal communications that

support the formal communication network of a business.

 Informal network is not a single network

but a smaller networks consisting of groups of people.

 It carries much gossip and rumor, for this is the nature of

human conversation.

 Wise managers recognize the presence of the grapevine.

that is, they keep in touch with the grapevine and
turn it into a constructive tool. 17
Formal and Informal Communication
Division Manager

Department Department
Manager Manager

Straight lines = Formal Network

Curved lines = Informal Network

Fig 1: Formal and Informal communication Networks in a

Division of a Small Business. 18
Variation in Communication Activity by Business
 Just how much communicating a business does
depend on several factors:

1. The Nature of the Business: Example:

a. Insurance companies have a –

great need to Communicate with their customers,
especially through letters and mailing pieces,

b. House cleaning service companies have –

little such need.
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 Variation in Communication Activity by Business – cont….

2. Geographic dispersion of the operations of a business:

Internal communication in a business with multiple
locations differs from that of a one-location business.

3. People who make up a business:

- Every human being is unique.

- Each has unique communication needs and abilities.

Thus, varying combination of people will produce

varying needs for communication.
 The Business
Communication
Process

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 Business Communication as Problem Solving

 Context For Communication

 Organizational
 Professional
 Personal

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 The Process of Communication (10 Steps)
 Sensing a Communication Need
 Defining the Situation
 Considering Possible Communication Strategies
 Selecting a Course of Action
 Composing the Message
 Sending the Message
 Receiving the Message
 Interpreting the Message
 Deciding on a Response
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 Replying to the Message