TYPES AND FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

External
Internal

Formal Informal

Vertical Horizontal
Grapevine

Downward Upward
Consensus
Forms of Communication

Verbal Non Verbal

Written Proxemics
Oral Kinesics
Audio-Visual Oculesics
Computer Based Chronemics
Paralanguage
Physical Characteristics
Artifact
Touch
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
 
1. External Communication: relates to communication
by the firm with other business houses, financial
institutions, govt. agencies, media, customers, general
public, share holders
 
2. Internal Communication: relates to transmitting
information within the organization
 -----A. formal communication flows along the
prescribed channels and this channel has to be followed
by all the members who desire to communicate
 
-----B. grapevine is an informal channel of
communication and does not arise out of organizational
needs but is a part of the organization
 
A) Types of Formal Communication 
a) Downward Communication:
Flows from superior to subordinate 
Objectives of Downward Communication:
 * to give specific about the job entrusted 
*to explain organizational policies and procedures
*to apprise the subordinates of their performance  
*motivating employees
 
 * to explain the rationale of the job (how this job
important)
The media for downward communication can be oral
(for less important and routine information or orders),
written (for important and complex information or
orders), audio-visual (for mass communication)
Limitations of Downward Communication:
* Under and over communication
* Delay
* Loss of Information
* Distortion
* Built-in Resistance
Essentials of Effective Downward Communication
 
Managers should be adequately informed
Managers should be clear about how much to
communicate
some authority should be delegated to lower levels
to shorten the line of communication
Information should be passed to the correct
person
b) Upward Communication : flows from subordinate to
superior

Importance of upward communication

Provides feedback
Outlet for emotions
Constructive suggestions
Easier introduction of new schemes
Greater Harmony and Cohesion
 
Methods of upward communication
Open-door policy
Complaints-and-suggestions boxes
Social gatherings
Direct correspondence
Reports
Counselling
Limitations of upward communication
Reluctance of employees
overriding hierarchy
Fear of superiors
•Intentional distortion (more prone to distortion
than Downward communication for getting favor of
boss)

Essentials of effective upward communication

•Encourage workers to take initiatives
•UC should be properly analysed to handle
problems/grievances
•Line of communication should be kept as short as
possible to avoid distortion
•inform the subordinates about the line of authority
in chain of communication
c) Horizontal Communication
 
Communication between the departments or
people on the same level in the managerial
hierarchy of an organization is termed as
Horizontal communication.
 
Importance of Horizontal communication
 *for achieving coordination and cooperation
*For sharing of information
*For giving or taking suggestions/advice
 
Methods of Horizontal communication
 
*Mostly carried through oral means..
……Face to face
……Telephonic
………Periodic meetings
………Memos
Consensus 
It is the process of arriving at agreement
through consultation (dissent is there but not
expressed in the larger interest)
* used in board meetings
* Decisions which are consensual, make
everyone a party to the decision and help in
projecting good image in front of other
stakeholders
* The role of chief executive is very important
to enable all the members to arrive at a
consensus
Advantages of Consensus
*consensus decisions are easy to accept, because they
are participative decisions
*unnecessary and undesirable conflicts and splits are
avoided
*project an image of unity and harmony in the
organization
Disadvantages of Consensus
* dissent (disagreement) is often stifled (controlled) in
the name of consensus (sometime may erupt
violently)
* may degenerate into a process of mutual
accommodation (one person can keep quite in the
favour of other and expect the same on other
issue/occasion
* may project a false image of the management in front
of the subordinates (management is not capable of
taking decisions)
B) Informal Communication (Grapevine)
 
Grapevine is more the product of the situation
than of the person (Keith Davis)
 
*It is an informal channel of communication
 
*It follows no set lines, nor any definite rules but
spreads very fast in any direction

*It is basically a channel of horizontal

communication but the fact is that it can also be
effective vertically and even diagonally
Types of communication through Grapevine (By
Keith Davis)
 
1. Single Strand: Passing of information through a
long line of persons to the ultimate recipient
D

Single Strand

A
2. Gossip: One person actively seeks and tells
everyone

I
H
B

G A C

F D
E

GOSSIP
3. Probability: “A” transmits the information to
others and then these others tell still others in a
similar manner. This chain may also be called
random.

F J

B I

A G
C
E H

PROBABILITY
4. Cluster: “A” tells selected persons who may in
turn relay the information to other selected
individuals

E L

A D K

C J

B I
H

CLUSTER
F G
IMPORTANCE OF THE GRAPEVINE
A safety valve
Organisational solidarity and cohesion
Supplement to other channels
Quick transmission
Feedback
 
DEMERITS OF THE GRAPEVINE
Distortion
Incomplete information
Damaging Swiftness
HOW TO USE THE GRAPEVINE EFFECTIVELY
 
Try to spot the leaders, keep them informed
to avoid harmful rumours
It should be used to feel the pulse of the
employees
 False rumours should be contradicted
immediately by the management to dispel the
fears of the employees
 The workers should be associated in decision
making to counteract the harmful effects of
grapevine