Chapter 13

Communication

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Copyright 2011 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning Objectives

Explain the elements in the communication process Compare the four major directions of communication Describe the role played by interpersonal communication in organizations

Discuss multicultural communication

Identify barriers to effective communication Describe ways in which communication in organizations can be improved
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Introduction

Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling all involve communicative activity

The glue that holds organizations together

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The Importance of Communication

Communication helps organizations

Accomplish individual and organizational goals Implement and respond to organizational change Coordinate activities

Engage in virtually all organizational relevant behaviors

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The Importance of Communication

Communication breakdowns are pervasive

Ineffective communication = ineffective organizations

Informal remarks are distorted

Kidding leads to anger Problems arise when Directives are misunderstood

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The Importance of Communication

Communication itself is unavoidable in a functioning organization Only effective communication is avoidable Everything one does communicates something, in some way, to somebody The only question is, With what effect?
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The Communication Process

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How Communication Works

Effective communication

Common understanding between a communicator and a receiver Verbal or nonverbal common symbols are used to convey information Vertically Horizontally Diagonally

In an organizational, information flows

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A Communication Model

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The Elements of Communication

Communicator: a person with ideas, intentions, information, and a purpose for communicating Message: an idea or experience that a sender wants to communicate Encoding: converting a message into groups of symbols that represent ideas or concepts

Medium of transmission: the carrier of the message Decoding-Receiver: technical term for the receivers thought processes Feedback: the receivers response to the senders message Noise: factors that distort the intended message

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Nonverbal Communication

Messages sent via physical signals

Head, face, and eye movements, posture, physical distance, gestures, voice tone, and clothing choices Influenced by such factors as gender and race

Just as important as verbal communication

Sometimes more so

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Nonverbal Communication

More apparent to observers than communicators

Susceptible to multiple interpretations

Unique Qualities
Can be difficult to suppress Can contradict verbal messages

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Nonverbal Message Research Findings

Facial expressions and eye contact and movements provide information about emotions

Physical cues indicate emotional intensity

Communicators often send more information than is obtained in verbal messages

When verbal and nonverbal messages conflict, receivers place more faith in nonverbal cues
The human face displays 250,000 expressions

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Communicating Within Organizations

Downward Communication

Flows from higher levels in the hierarchy to those in the lower levels Includes job instructions, memos, policy statements, procedures, manuals, company publications Often incomplete, inadequate, and inaccurate

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Communicating Within Organizations

Decision Stages Speculate Digest Deliberate Draw conclusion

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Communicating Within Organizations

Upward Communication

Communicator is at lower level than receiver

Includes suggestion boxes, group meetings, and appeal or grievance procedures
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Functions of Upward Communication

Provides managers feedback about problems, organizational issues, day-to-day operations Is managements primary source of feedback Relieves employee tension by allowing lowerlevel organization members to share relevant information with superiors

Encourages employees participation and involvement, thereby enhancing organizational cohesiveness

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Horizontal Communication

Overlooked in most organizational designs

Necessary for coordination and integration of diverse organizational functions

Often necessary for coordination Can provide social need satisfaction

Facilitation often left to individual managers

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Communicating Within Organizations

Diagonal Communication

Least-used channel of communication Important where members cannot communicate effectively through other channels

Sometimes the most efficient communication method, in terms of time and money

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Communicating Within Organizations

Communicating Externally

Present products, services, positive image Attract employees Gain attention

Typically used for

Public relations
Advertising Promoting Customer/client/patient surveys
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Information Richness

The amount of information that can be transmitted or communicated effectively

Face-to-face interactions are high in richness A general email to employees is low in richness Likely to result in common understanding Real time communication permits instant feedback

A medium with high richness

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Common Communication Media

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How Technology Affects Communication

Internet/Intranet/E xtranet

Email, Messaging

Social Networks

Smart Phones Videoconference

Voice Mail eMeeting/ Collaboration

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Teleconference

Intranet Versus Extranet

Intranet Private, protected electronic communication system within an organization Used to communicate proprietary and organizationspecific information

Extranet Connects employees with individuals external to the organization

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Dangers of Email Use

Unedited, poorly written messages Lack of privacy Erased messages can remain on disk drives

Hard to maintain email files that adhere to recordkeeping standards

Messages are often monitored Ineffective for complex data and information
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Instant Messaging

Instant messaging

Real-time communication among geographically dispersed employees Inexpensive alternative to phone calls and travel Offers a document trail Integration with voice and video Demands the immediate attention of its users

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Text Messaging

Texting competes with traditional marketing Less expensive Less spam Favored by young consumers 95% of text messages are read

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Social Networking Sites

Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn

Rapidly becoming part of communication fabric Used for a variety of purposes Not exclusive to the young Increasingly monitored by businesses

Powerful communication tool that can reach around the world in seconds

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Smart Phones

Wireless smart phones

84% of Americans had cell phones in 2007 Smart phones are trying to overtake the market Gives 24-7 access to email, text, apps, and the Internet Increased need to stay connected with colleagues, customers, and other stakeholders Stores addresses, phone numbers, customer prices, and other critical data

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Voice Mail

Recorded messages account for 90% of telephone communication in organizations

Voice mail is more popular than email

Messages are delivered without interruption

Communicators can focus on the reason for the call Voice mail minimizes inaccurate messagetaking and time zone barriers

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Voice Mail Best Practices

Organize thoughts before picking up the phone Identify a specific, brief request State your name, the time and date, your company name, and the reason for the call Be precise and keep the message simple Say what you would like the receiver to do Give a reason for the request Say thank you

Finish with Feel free to call me at

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Videoconferencing and Teleconferencing

Videoconferencing

Refers to technologies associated with viewing

Teleconferencing

Refers to technologies associated with speaking

Both allow meetings without getting together face-to-face

Increases productivity and reduces travel costs

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Electronic Meetings

Using software and networked computers to automate meetings Facilitators can poll meeting participants, analyze voting results, create detailed reports
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Electronic Meetings

Overloading employees with new toys, additional information, and technologies

Can reduce efficiency Social interaction is lost Most verbal and nonverbal cues are omitted Anonymity and de-personalization are concerns

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Interpersonal Communication

Communication flows from person to person in face-to-face and group meetings

Includes instant messaging, video-conferencing Varies from direct orders to casual expressions Includes both verbal and nonverbal forms of communication

Communication problems are tied to

Perceptual differences

Interpersonal style differences

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Multicultural Communication

Behavior

Words

Time

Space

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Successful Multicultural Communication

Preparation

Become familiar with cultural differences Lay aside ethnocentric tendencies Assume communication is incomplete

Outside Thinking

Humility

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Barriers to Effective Communication

Frame of Reference Selective Listening Value Judgments Source Credibility

In-Group Language Status Differences Time Pressures Communication Overload

Filtering

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Improving Communication in Organizations

To become a better communicator

Strive to be understood Strive to understand

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Techniques to Improve Communications

Following up

Regulating information flow Repetition Simplifying language

Utilizing feedback Encouraging mutual trust Using the grapevine

Empathy

Effective timing

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Promoting Ethical Communications

Kreps principles for internal organizational communications

Do not intentionally deceive another Do not purposely harm an organization member Treat organizational members justly

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Promoting Ethical Communications

Competitive Intelligence

Gathering information, data, and ideas from competitors has become big business Regardless of whether one considers industrial spying ethical or unethical, it can be costly U.S. firms lose about $250 billion annually as a result of competitive intelligence

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Promoting Ethical Communications

Outcomes of competitive intelligence linkages

Loss of competitive advantage and market share Increased research and development costs Higher insurance premiums

Used properly and ethically, competitive intelligence can

Speed a firms reaction to changes Help outmaneuver competitors Protect a firms own secrets
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Narrowing the Communication Gap

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