A

Seminar Report

On

COMMUNICATION IN AN ORGANIZATION

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the degree

Of

Master of Human Resource Management (MHRM)

As a part of the curriculum of Semester-II

Supervised by: Submitted by:

Ms.Seema Singh Rathore Divya Pareek

Assistant Professor Semester-II

ICG ICG

Department of PG Studies in Commerce & Management

International College for Girls

Jaipur(2009-10)
 CONTENTS
TOPIC pg no:
1. Introduction 1
• Communication 2
• Characteristics of communication 3
• Purpose of communication 4
• Importance of communication 5-6
• Communication Process 7-9
• Communication Network 10
• Communication Classification 11-20
• Barriers to Communication 21- 24
• Communication Technology 25-26
2. Research Methodology 27-29
3. Company Profile 30-40
• Nokia 30-36
• Barclays 37-40
4. Analysis and Interpretation of Data 41-43
5. Suggestions 44-45
6. Bibliography 46

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
 I wish to express my indebtedness and gratitude to the management of the
international college for girls for providing me a wonderful opportunity to
gain knowledge by including this project as a part of the MHRM degree.

I also wish to serve a warm and special note of thanks to my project guide
Ms. Seema Singh Rathore and Head of Department MHRM Ms. Ankita
Gangwal whose support and guidance helped me to complete this project
successfully.

DIVYA PAREEK

MHRM I. C. G.

JAIPUR.

INTRODUCTION
The word communication is derived from a Latin word Communis which
means common.

In all organizations, individuals and groups attempt to exchange ideas,

feelings and emotions. This communication is essential for sharing
information and coordinating action.
Communication is essential for achieving managerial and organizational
effectiveness. Without communication, employees will not be aware of what
their co-workers are doing, will not have any idea about what their goals are,
and will not be able to assess their performance. In the absence of channels
of communication, supervisors will not be able to give instructions to their
subordinates and management will not receive the information it requires to
develop plans and take decisions. In other words, the basic management
functions of planning, organizing, directing and controlling cannot be carried
out without communication.
Good communication helps employees become more involved in their work
and helps them develop a better understanding of their jobs. Clear, precise
and timely communication of information also prevents the occurrence of
organizational problems. Effective communication is essential for achieving
organizational goals.

DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATION

1
 In general, communication may be defined as the process
by which information is exchanged between individuals. The
process includes the use of written messages, spoken words
and gestures. The field of organizational behavior seeks to
examine the impact of communication on the behavior of
employees within organizations.

Acc. to Keith Davis, “ Communication is a process of passing information

and understanding from one person to another person.”

Acc. to Newman and Summer, “An exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or

emotions by two or more persons.”

Acc. to Chester I Barnard, “Communication is the means by which people

are linked together in an organization to achieve a common purpose”

Characteristics of Communication
2
1. Communication is an interactive process.
2. It is a two way process. It essentially involves, dialogue for its
success.
3. It is a social process.
4. It is a dynamic process which is adapted in accordance with the
prevailing situation.
5. It involves atleast two persons, one of whom is the sender and another
is receiver of information.
6. It involves exchange of information, opinion, ideas, meaning.
7. Communication may be intentional or unintentional.
8. It is all pervasive function of management. In other words, it is
performed by all the managers and employees across the organization.
9. The subject matter of communication is some message expressed
through words, data, symbols, body language, pictures, figures etc.
10. It may be oral, written, and gestural.
11. It may be formal or informal.
12. It may move downward, upward, horizontally, diagonally.

PURPOSE OF COMMUNICATION
3
  Inform

 Persuade

 Educate

 Entertain

 Control

1. To keep the employees informed.

2. To provide employees with orders and instructions in connection with

their duties or jobs.

3. To solicit information from employees which may aid management.

4. To make each employee interested in his job.

5. To express management’s interest in its personnel.

6. To reduce or prevent labour turn over.

7. To indoctrinate employees with the will to work and with the benefits
derived from their association with the company.

8. To instill each employee with personal pride in being a member of the

company.
 Importance of Communication
4
Communication is an important part of the organization. It is a process of
transmitting information, ideas, thoughts and plans between various parts of
an organization. Effective communication is required at various levels and
for various purposes in an organization such as -

1. For effective manager and subordinate relationship:

Effective communication of information and decision is an essential
component for management-employee relations. The manager cannot get
the work done from employees unless they are communicated effectively
of what they have to do? Most of management problems arises because
of lack of effective communication. Chances of misunderstanding and
misrepresentation can be minimized with proper communication system.

2. For Smooth functioning of an enterprise:

One expert has stated that “ Good communication is good business.”
Another one states that “Good managers are good communicators.”
These statements are testimony of the fact that communication is
essential for smooth and successful working of an enterprise.
It may be noted that management is the art of getting things done
Through others and this is possible through communication.

3. For Facilitating planning:

Planning is the process of determination of organizations objectives
and selecting the course of action for attaining them. Planning
requires extensive communication among the executives and other
 personnel who translate plans into action. In the absence of
communication, planning may miserably fail.

4. For facilitating decision making: Effective communication system

is a prerequisite for making sound decisions. The quality of Decision
largely depends on the quality of information. Effective communication
helps in communicating the decisions to the person concerned.

5. For effective organizing:

Organizing function cannot be 5 performed without effective
communication system. Dale Yoder states that, “Communication is at
the very heart of the process of organizing. Organizing involves many
activities including delegation and decentralization of authority,
assigning responsibility and establishing relationships among the
members of the organizations.

6. For effecting staffing:

Communication is equally important in the staffing functions.
Recruitment, selection, induction, training, performance appraisal and
so on are the main activities in staffing function which cannot be
completed without communication.

7. For Facilitating co-ordination:

Acc to Keith Davis, “Co-ordination of work is impossible without
communication.” A manager needs to co-ordinate among all
department and individuals among organization. He needs to ensure
vertical, horizontal and external co-ordination, this is all impossible
without communication system. Through effective communication
system, information, thoughts, ideas, opinions, etc can be exchanged
and common understanding can be developed. Common
understanding brings about unity of action and co-ordination.
8. For the betterment of the employees:
It is through communication that employees perform their work,
expresses views & opinions, grievances and suggestions to their seniors
or top management. Organization should have effective and speedy
communication policy and procedures to avoid delays,
misunderstandings, confusion or distortions of facts and to establish
harmony among all the concerned people and departments.

COMMUNICATION 6

PROCESS
The two way Communication Process: The two-way communication
process involves the transmission of a message from a sender to a receiver
and back. Communication may take place through speech, hand signals or
other form.

Sender Develops an Idea

The sender should have some important message to be conveyed to the
receiver. He should have a clear idea of what he wants to communicate to
the receiver. For this purpose one should collect facts from different
sources and evaluate them to find out the appropriate message.

Encoding the Message

The sender codifies the message. He selects appropriate words, charts or
other symbols in this step, to convey his idea as clearly as possible. He also
decides on the medium of transmission so that the words and symbols
constituting the message can be arranged in a suitable manner.
Transmitting the Message through appropriate channel
This step involves the transmission of the message using an appropriate
medium of communication such as memo, phone call or personal
interaction. While transmitting the messages, the sender tries to ensure that
the timing of the message is right. The sender also takes care that the
transmission of the message doesn’t encounter any barriers or interference
which may impede the flow of communication. The sender ensures that the
message reaches the target audience.

7
Reception of the Message(Receiver)
In this step, the receiver, the person for whom the message is intended,
receives the message. If the message is communicated orally, the receiver
has to be a good listener to avoid loss of information during the
transmission of the message.

Decoding the Message

Decoding allows to understand the message conveyed. The sender wants
the receiver to understand the message exactly as intended by the sender.
The communicator of a message can make the receiver listen to him, but
understanding has to be achieved by the receiver alone. Normally the
receiver makes a genuine attempt to understand the intended message. This
aspect of understanding is referred to as “getting through” to a person.

Giving Feedback
Feedback occurs when the receiver sends back some response to the sender
or acknowledges the receipt of the message. The communication loop is
complete only after feedback has been provided.
Feedback is essential for finding out whether the message has been
properly received, decoded, accepted and used by the receiver. It is
important for both the sender and the receiver. Two-way communication
leads to the accurate transmission of information and improves the quality
of the decisions and actions dependent on that information.

8
 COMMUNICATION NETWORK:

9
Communication network refers to pattern of interconnecting lines of
communication that exists in an organization. The types of networks
depends upon the needs of the organization and the attitude of superiors
towards subordinates.

There are basically 4 types of communication networks found in an

organization. They are:

 Chain Network – Chain network of communication is one in which

communication flows along the chain of command. In other words,
where communication flows in direct vertical line of hierarchy of
management, it is said to be chain network of communication. It is
usually two way communication from top to bottom and bottom to
top. There is no scope of horizontal communication in this network.

 Circular Network – It is one in which there is communication in

circular way. In this network each individual can communicate with
person on his immediate right or left but not with any other person in
the organization.

 Wheel Network – It refers to a network in which the members of an

organization usually do not communicate directly with each other.
They communicate with other members through one superior or
manager i.e. hub of wheel. All the members of the organization
 exchange information and thought through the hub of the wheel. It is
also called autocratic network

 Free flow/ Decentralize/All Channel network – It is one in which

lines of communication are not structured. Every member of the group
can communicate freely, frankly with all the other members of the
group. Thus there is no restriction on the flow of communication and
hence it is more of a nature of informal network.

CLASSIFICATION OF COMMUNICATION:
10

Communication can be classified on the following basis:

A. On the basis of direction and Organization structure:

1. Downward communication
Downward communication is one of the important processes of
organizational communication. The downward communication process
establishes linkages between people (interpersonal linkage) by facilitating
the flow of information between them.

Purpose of Downward Communication

There are five purposes of downward or top-to-bottom communication in
an organization.
• To give instructions to employees regarding their jobs and specific
tasks.
• To provide information about the procedures and practices followed in
an organization (to new employees).
• To explain the rationale for a job to a new employee.
• To provide feedback to subordinates about their performance on the job.
• To give information required by different teams and departments for the
achievement of goals.
In the past, organizations gave attention to only the first two purposes, but
modern organizations emphasizes on all five purposes. If the
communication process fails to achieve these purposes, the employees will
not receive all the information they require about their jobs. They may
consider their job to be of little significance and may not show interest in it.
They may carry out their tasks only because they have been asked to do so
by their boss, which have a negative impact on organizational performance.
Thus, the objective of downward communication 11 should be to help
employees understand their jobs better and align their goals with
organizational goals.
The downward communication can be written and oral. Bulletin-boards,
notices, posters, reports and memos are the different kinds of written media
used by organization. Direct orders or instructions from top executives,
speeches, meetings, public address systems, telephones and closed-circuit
television programs are examples of the oral media used for downward
communication.
The biggest drawback in downward communication is the lack of
importance given to the receiver. Research has shown that lower level
employees can improve their performance provided they obtain the right
information at the right time. Managers should therefore understand the
impact of communication on subordinates and take appropriate measures to
make their communication effective.

2. Upward Communication
Upward communication is also an interpersonal process like downward
communication. The classical organization structure provides for both
upward and downward flow of information. The upward communication
process is non-directive in nature, unlike the downward process which is
directive. Effective upward communication is possible only when
organizations empower their employees and allow them to participate
freely in decision-making.
In the past, when the bureaucratic approach was more prevalent than the
participative approach, upward communication was discouraged.
Employees feared to communicate information to their superiors, especially
unpleasant information. Methods of Making Upward Communication
More Effective
The techniques described below are used to promote upward
communication in organizations.

• The grievance procedure 12

The grievance procedure enables employees to appeal to management and

seek redressal of their grievances. It enables employees to bring their work-
related problems to the notice of top management and protest against the
arbitrary actions of their immediate superior. Companies such as General
Electric and Federal Express have set up peer review boards to address the
grievances of employees. These peer review boards consist of three
representatives from employees and two representatives from management.
Peer review boards accept grievances from employees, hear the arguments
of both parties, and then arrive at a decision. The parties concerned are then
bound by these decisions.

• Open-door policy
This is an organizational policy that allows employees to approach
managers at any time and discuss their problems with them. Most of the
times, this policy is not actually implemented in organizations.

• Counseling, attitude questionnaires and exit interviews

The personnel department can conduct nondirective counseling programs
to help employees deal with their work-related problems as well as work
and family conflicts. Attitude questionnaires may be administered
periodically to find out employees’ attitudes towards the workplace and the
work-load. Exit interviews may be held for the employees quitting the
organization to find out their reasons for leaving and their suggestions for
improving the workplace. Valuable information can be obtained through
these methods.

• Participative techniques
Participative decision-making techniques enable employers to obtain inputs
13
from employees. This can be achieved through formal participation
programs like union-management committees, suggestion boxes, junior
boards and quality circles or through the informal involvement of
employees. Research has shown that the employees who participate in
these programs are more satisfied with their job, show greater commitment
towards the job, and perform better than non-participating employees.

• The ombudsperson
The position of an ombudsperson is created to receive and respond to
inquiries, complaints, requests for policy clarifications, or allegations of
injustice by employees. Through an ombudsperson, employees can have
their problems resolved quickly without going through lengthy channels
(e.g. approaching the supervisor, then the shift in-charge, then the HOD,
then the personnel manager, and so on). This position had been initially
created in Scandinavia as an outlet for people who felt that they had been
treated unfairly by the government bureaucracy. Ombudspersons are now
being used in government organizations and universities in the US. They
can also be used in business organizations to help management improve
upward communication. The ombudsperson technique can be an effective
substitute for the open-door policy since the manager may not always have
the time to meet employees and solve their problems.
 3. Interactive communication

In interactive communication, there is no restriction on the flow of

information unless it is against organizational interests. In most
organizations, where only vertical or horizontal communication exists,
the flow of information is confined to a specified path. But in
organizations where interactive communication is allowed, the flow of
information takes place spontaneously among people, irrespective of
their levels, and does not follow a specified path. The horizontal and
vertical flow of information constitute formal channels of
communication, which form only a small part of the communication
14
process in an organization. In contrast, interactive communication
constitutes an informal channel of communication and has a central
role to play in organizations. The interactive process has many
behavioral implications. Communicating with peers provides social
support for an employee. An employee feels more comfortable
discussing his problems with a peer than with a superior or
subordinate.

Interactive communication may prove to be beneficial or harmful for an

organization. It is beneficial when communication is necessary between
peers involved in tasks that require coordinated efforts. However, interactive
communication between peers who are not involved in tasks requiring
coordination among them only results in reducing the productivity of the
personnel, thus harming the organizational interests. Moreover, at times,
interactive communication among peers may also affect vertical
communication in a negative way. Employees at each level may
communicate freely among themselves but fail to communicate upward and
downward.
 The main aims of interactive communication in an
organization are:
• Task coordination – The heads of various departments can meet
at regular intervals to discuss how each department can contribute
to organizational goals.
• Problem solving – The members of a department may get together to
brainstorm and solve a common problem.
• Information sharing – Employees from different departments may
interact with each other to share information.
• Conflict resolution- It aims to settle disputes with other departments.

Role of Interactive Communication

When individuals from different departments 15
(not having any formal
relationship) meet, they tend to exchange a lot of organizational
information. Thus, informal contacts form an important means of interactive
communication. This informal system of communication can be effectively
used to supplement the formal channels of communication. In this system,
information passes quickly from one individual to another so that all the
organizational members obtain the information in a short time. The
management may use this system to convey information regarding a
particular decision (such as the decision to cancel the annual bonus), and
observe the immediate response of the employees before actually
implementing the decision. This approach helps management handle
employee reactions to their decisions in a better manner.
One drawback is its strong personal orientation. Individuals pass on only
that information which serves their personal interest and ignore the rest.
Another drawback of the informal system of communication is that it may
result in the spread of rumors and other negative information about the
organization which may threaten and demotivate people across the
organization. Hence, the managements of organizations should be cautious
in their use of the informal system of communication.
 Types of Interactive Communication The two main forms of
interactive communication are :
• Networks
A network is a group of people who develop and maintain contact with
each other to exchange information of common interest in an informal
manner. A person who is actively involved in information exchange is said
to be networking. Networks can be both internal and external to a
company. Internal networks consist of employees from different
departments and business units. Networks that extend beyond the company
to business partners, customers and sometimes even competitors are
external networks. External networks are formed when employees attend
social clubs, professional groups and other similar associations.
Networks enable employees to widen their interests and get information
16
relating to recent developments in their field. A good networker can get
access to powerful and influential people if they have certain interests in
common.

• Grapevine communication
Grapevine communication supplements the formal channels of
communication and provides information which is not communicated
through the latter. It provides information on the unwritten rules of the
organization and important management decisions (well before they are
implemented). Managers generally do not use the grapevine as a source of
information. However, they try to keep track of the information passing
through grapevine through their loyal subordinates. This helps managers
identify the issues that cause anxiety to employees. They can then send a
message that alleviates their fears and reduces their anxiety. Managers thus
use the grapevine as a filter and feedback mechanism to eliminate rumors
and prevent their negative impact on organizational performance.
The important characteristics of a grapevine are:
o It is beyond the control of management
o It is considered more reliable by the employees than the formal
communication channels
o It is mostly used by employees to serve their personal and
social interest

A. On the basis of Expression:

17

1. Non Verbal Communication

A message need not always be conveyed in the verbal forms; it can be
sometimes expressed without the help of words. Nonverbal communication
is the process of communicating without the use of words. According to
Don Hellriegel, John Slocum, Jr. and Richard W. Woodman, nonverbal
communication can be defined as “non-word human responses like facial
expressions and gestures and the perceived characteristics of the
environment through which the human verbal and nonverbal messages are
transmitted.” Nonverbal communication is also known as ‘silent language.’
It involves the use of cues, gestures, vocal characteristics, facial
expressions, and spatial relationship between the sender and the receiver to
convey a message. For instance, a smile, glance, stare or a frown convey
different meanings

Body Language and Paralanguage:

Nonverbal communication takes many forms. The most common form of
nonverbal communication is the use of body language. The study of body
movement is known as kinesics. Body movements include gestures, facial
expressions and other physical movements. Every body movement conveys
a certain meaning. For example, raising an eyebrow conveys disbelief,
rubbing the nose indicates puzzlement and shrugging shoulders shows
indifference. When a person is eager to hear something, he sits with his feet
under the chair, toes pressed to the ground, and leans forward on the desk;
when a person is listening carefully, he maintains eye contact and
frequently nods his head and so on. Body language coupled with verbal
communication gives more meaning to a message.
Paralanguage refers to the voice quality, volume, pitch, speed and non
fluencies (like ‘ah’, ‘um’, or ‘uh) used to convey a message. It helps to
convey information about the attitude of the speaker. Sometimes there may
be a contradiction between what a person says and what his actions
indicate. In such cases, the person’s actions can be regarded as a truer
picture of his feelings and ideas.

18
Understanding Nonverbal Communication
The following guidelines can help individuals understand nonverbal
communication in a better way:
• Observe keenly what is happening – When nonverbal behavior
involves an emotional response (for example, tears rolling down the checks
or eyes becoming red), it clearly conveys the message to the other person.
• Consider the differences between verbal statements and
nonverbal behavior – If there is any discrepancy between what a person
says and what his body language indicates, then the situation should be
studied closely. It is believed that actions are more accurate than words.
For instance, a slight hesitation before saying “yes” may mean coercive
acceptance.
• Look for subtleties in nonverbal behavior – Through careful
observation one can differentiate between a fake action and a genuine
action. For instance, a sarcastic smile can be differentiated from a genuine
one.
 2. Verbal Communication:
When message is expressed through the words of mouth or spoken words
is said to be Oral communication. It may take place either through face to
face conversation or through any electronic mode such as telephone,
cellular phone, intercom, etc. oral communication can be in the form of one
to one conversation, meeting, group discussion, joint consultation,
announcement, group meetings, Speech, lecture, radio, TV.
A great deal of information is exchange through oral communication. It is
generally preferred over other modes of communication. It is because of the
fact that it is regarded as most powerful and effective mode. Haimann has
rightly said that ,”The human voice can import the message with meaning
and shading which even long pages of written words simply cannot convey.”

3. Written communication : 19

When message is expressed through written words, it is known as written

communication. It may be expressed through groups ,charts, diagrams,
pictures with or with or without words. It is there for sometimes the
communication in black and white. It may be in the form of letters, circulars,
notes, memos, reports, pamphlets, Brouchers, handbooks, manuals and o on.

Importance of written communication:

Communication may be made through oral or written. In oral
communication, listeners can make out what speakers is trying to say, but in
written communication, text matter in the message is a reflection of your
thinking. So, written communication or message should be clear, purposeful
and concise with correct words, to avoid any misinterpretation of your
message. Written communications provides a permanent record for future
use and it also gives an opportunity to employees to put up their comments
or suggestions in writing.
 Barriers to Effective communication
20
A number of obstacles may restrict the receiver’s understanding of a
message. These interruptions act as barriers to communication, which may
totally prevent communication, or delete a part of the message, or convey
the wrong meaning. Some of the barriers to effective communication are
discussed below;
 Filtering
This refers to the manipulation of information by the sender so as to obtain
a favorable opinion from the receiver. An employee is said to have filtered
information when he updates his superior about the projects in which there
is significant progress but does not inform him of the projects that are
lagging behind. Information is condensed and synthesized at different
levels in an organization before it reaches senior executives. This is done to
ensure that the top personnel are not overburdened with information. The
process of filtering information takes place at each level in the organization
and may sometimes affect the quantity as well as the quality of information
that reaches the top management. The amount of information that gets
filtered increases with the number of vertical levels in the organizational
hierarchy. Filtering may lead to problems in the long-term. As only
pleasant information is allowed to pass (unpleasant information is withheld
at lower levels), the top management may not come to know about a
problem till it assumes serious proportions.
 Defensiveness
People intentionally attempt to block communication when they feel that
the other person is threatening their self-image and prestige. They react in a
defensive manner by making sarcastic comments, by passing judgment on
others, or by questioning the motives of the other party. This type of
defensive behavior impedes effective communication. Take the case of a
meeting being held between workers and managers to negotiate a wage-
hike. At the negotiation table, the workers may threaten to go on an
indefinite strike if their demands for a pay-hike and reduction in daily
production targets are not met. The manager may become defensive and
attribute the workers’ demands to their laziness
21 and their desire to get more
pay for less work. Such comments by the manager could disrupt the
communication and hence affect the negotiation

 Language
Words convey different meanings to different people. Age, education and
cultural background are the major factors that influence the use of language
by people and the meanings they associate with words. For example, the
language of an illiterate person will differ from that of a sophisticated
businessperson.
Organizations consist of employees from varying backgrounds. Each
employee may have a different pronunciation for the same word. The
business units of a company operating in different geographical territories
may also use terms and phrases in a unique way. Language problems may
also arise due to the presence of different levels in the organizational
hierarchy. People at one level in the organization may develop a common
jargon which may be totally unfamiliar to people at a different level. For
example, the shopfloor workers may not understand the management
jargon of the top executives. Hence, the sender has to modify the style of
communication depending on the people he is addressing (workers, clients
or business partners).
  Attitudinal barriers:
Come about as a result of problems with staff in an organization.
These may be brought about, for example, by such factors as poor
management, lack of consultation with employees, personality conflicts
which can result in people delaying or refusing to communicate, the personal
attitudes of individual employees which may be due to lack of motivation or
dissatisfaction at work, brought about by insufficient training to enable them
to carry out particular tasks, or just resistance to change due to entrenched
attitudes and ideas.

 System design
22
Faults refer to problems with the structures or systems in place in an
organization.
Examples might include an organizational structure which is unclear and
therefore makes it confusing to know who to communicate with.
Other examples could be inefficient or inappropriate information systems, a
lack of supervision or training, and a lack of clarity in roles and
responsibilities which can lead to staff being uncertain about what is
expected of them.

 Physical barriers
Noise: It refers to any sound which is unpleasant to the mind. In
factories oral communication is rendered difficult by the noise of
machines. Electronic noise like blaring often interferes in
communication by telephone or loudspeaker system.

Time and Distance: Time and distance also act as barriers to the
smooth flow of communication. The use of telephone along with
computer technology has made communication very fast. But
sometimes mechanical breakdowns render these facilities ineffective.
Faulty seating arrangement in the room can also become a barrier to
effective communication, for whichever seats the employees may be
occupying, they definitely want an eye contact with another.
.
Likewise, poor or outdated equipment, poor lighting or an environment
which is too hot or cold can all affect people's morale and concentration,
which in turn interfere with effective communication.

 Socio-Psychological barriers
Attitudes and opinions: We react favourably or are hostile according as the
information is to our personal advantage or not.

Emotions: We can neither transmit nor receive anything correctly if our

mind is agitated.

23 that we just refuse to listen.

Closed mind: We hold our opinions so rigidly

Inattentiveness: Unconsciously we become inattentive if the

communication contains a new idea and our mind refuses to accept it

Poor retention: Oral messages in particular are lost due to poor human
retention.

 Physiological barriers
It may result from individuals' personal discomfort, caused, for example, by
ill health, poor eye sight or hearing difficulties.
 COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
24

The application of information technology to the communication process

has increased the effectiveness of communication in organizations. Some
of the advances in technology and their impact on organizational
communication are discussed below:

Management Information Systems (MIS)

Management information system is the term given to the discipline focused
on the integration of computer systems with the aim and objectives of
organization. MIS generates, processes and transmits information to the
right person in the right format at the right time. It is designed to provide
information needed for effective decision making by managers. In most
organizations, management information system is computerized. A
manager can use MIS to obtain information on certain technological
developments in the organization or the industry or to obtain expert advice
to solve organizational problems.

Electronic Mail and Electronic Conferencing

This is a computer-based communication system which allows people to
exchange messages across the world within a few minutes. Messages are
stored in a mail box till the recipients open them and read them on their
computer screens. The recipients can send their responses later at any time,
according to their convenience. Some electronic mail systems can also
translate a message from one language into another language.
25
Electronic conferencing: is very popular with business organizations and
governments. In this type of conferencing, one party (e.g. an organization
or government) initiates a discussion on some topic (such as environmental
pollution) and requests response from other employees. People located at
various places can interact with each other. This enables “the initiator of
the discussion” to build on the ideas of others and come up with innovative
ideas for new products and processes. Face to Face communication and
Speed are its main advantages.

Telecommuting
Telecommuting involves the accomplishment of all or part of a person’s
work at home through computer links to the office.
Studies have revealed that telecommuting increases personal productivity
by 10 to 25 percent. It gives a person freedom from the distractions of the
workplace, enables him to save time and money, and allows him to devote
more time to family and personal work. Organizations also benefit from
telecommuting since it reduces their requirement for office space. As
commuting decreases, society will benefit from reduced environmental
pollution. Telecommuting increases the morale of employees as they feel
and increases their commitment towards work and the organization.
However, telecommuting may also cause certain problems. The employees
working from home may not be considered for promotion as they do not

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interact directly with the manager. The employees may also feel isolated as
they cannot talk to their fellow employees and share their thoughts, views
and opinions. In addition, they do not have access to intellectual
stimulation from their peers. In an effort to prove that they are very
productive, they may work for extra hours and experience burnout. Though
technology has revolutionized communication, it cannot be implemented in
organizations without some human cost. Organizations which seek to adopt
communication technology should take additional care of their employees,
maintain regular contact with them, and solve their problems.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research is a careful investigation or inquiry specially through search for
new facts in any branch of knowledge.

According to Redman & Mory research is a “systematized effort to gain

new knowledge.”

Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research

problem.

TYPES OF RESEARCH
 DESCRIPTIVE Vs ANALYTICAL
Descriptive research includes surveys and facts finding enquiries of
different kinds. The major purpose of the descriptive research is description
of the state of affairs as it exists at present. The main characteristic of this
method is that the researcher has no control over the variables, he can only
report what has happened or what is happening

Analytical Research has to use facts or information already available &

analyse to make a critical evaluation of the material.

 APPLIED Vs FUNDAMENTAL
Applied research aims at finding a solution for an immediate problem
facing a society or business organizations.

Fundamental Research is mainly concerned with generalizations & with

the formulation of a theory. Fundamental or Basic research is directed
towards finding information that has a broad base of applications.

 QUANTITATIVE Vs OUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Quantitative research is based on the measurement
27 of quantity or amount It
is applicable to phenomena that can be expressed in terms of quantity.

Qualitative Research

It is concerned with qualitative phenomenon that is phenomena relating to or

involving quality or kind. ‘Motivation research is a type of qualitative
research.

 CONCEPTUAL RESEARCH Vs EMPRICAL RESEARCH

Conceptual Research is related to some abstract ideas or theory. It is
generally used by philosophers & thinkers to develop new concepts or
reinterpret the existing one.

Emprical Research

It is data based research, coming up with conclusions which are capable of

being verified by observation or experiment.

OBJECTIVE OF RESEARCH:
 The communication process and what it involves

 The importance of communication process in organizations.

 Different types of communication processes

 Barriers to effective communication

 The use of technology in communication

 Communication in NOKIA and BARCLAYS

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

ESSENTIALS OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION 28 is the book written

by Rajendra Pal and J.S Korlalli. The book contains all the topics related
to communication like objectives, types and barriers. The use of language
is simple and exact to the point.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION is the book written by M.J Methew.

The book has helped me to get information on the communication
process, media of communication and importance of communication in
the organization. The description in the book is concise, logical and
systematic.

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR by Stephens P. Robbins has helped

me to gain insight into the deeper aspect of communication.

MANAGEMENT the book written by Heinz Weihrich, Mark V Cannice,

Harold Koontz has helped me to get knowledge on purposes of
communication.

TYPES OF DATA COLLECTION METHODS

 Primary data
 Secondary data
 Primary data are those which are collected afresh and for the first
time and thus happen to be original in character.

Secondary data are those which have already been collected by

someone else and which have already been passed through the
statistical process.

In this report, case study secondary data has been used.

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 COMPANY PROFILE
NOKIA

Nokia Corporation:

NOKIA is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is

headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighboring Finland's capital
Helsinki. Nokia is engaged in the manufacturing of mobile devices and in
converging Internet and communications industries, with over 123,000
employees in 120 countries, sales in more than 150 countries and global
annual revenue of EUR 41 billion and operating profit of €1.2 billion as of
2009. It is the world's largest manufacturer of mobile telephones: its global
device market share was about 39% in Q4 2009. Nokia produces mobile
devices for every major market segment and protocol, including GSM,
CDMA, and W-CDMA (UMTS). Nokia offers Internet services such as
applications, games, music, maps, media and messaging through its Ovi
platform. Nokia's subsidiary Nokia Siemens Networks produces
telecommunications network equipment, solutions and services. Nokia is
also engaged in providing free digital map information and navigation
services through its wholly-owned subsidiary Navteq.

Nokia is a public limited liability company listed on the Helsinki, Frankfurt,

and New York stock exchanges. Nokia plays a very large role in the
economy of Finland; it is by far the largest Finnish company, accounting for
about a third of the market capitalization of the Helsinki Stock Exchange
(OMX Helsinki) as of 2007, a unique situation for an industrialized country.
It is an important employer in Finland and several small companies have
grown into large ones as its partners and subcontractors. Nokia increased
Finland's GDP by more than 1.5% in 1999 alone. In 2004 Nokia's share of

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the Finnish GDP was 3.5% and accounted for almost a quarter of Finland's
exports in 2003.

In recent years, Finns have consistently ranked Nokia as one of the best
Finnish brands. In 2008, it was the 27th most respected brand among Finns,
down from sixth place in 2007. The Nokia brand, valued at $34.9 billion, is
listed as the fifth most valuable global brand in the Interbrand/Business
Week Best Global Brands list of 2009 (first non-US company). It is the
number one brand in Asia (as of 2007) and Europe (as of 2009), the 41st
most admirable company worldwide in Fortune's World's Most Admired
Companies list of 2010 (third in Network and Other Communications
Equipment, seventh non-US company), and the world's 85th largest
company as measured by revenue in Fortune Global 500 list of 2009, up
from 88th the previous year. As of 2009, AMR Research ranks Nokia's
global supply chain number six in the world.

Pre-telecommunications era

The predecessors of the modern Nokia were the Nokia Company (Nokia
Aktiebolag), Finnish Rubber Works Ltd (Suomen Kumitehdas Oy) and
Finnish Cable Works Ltd (Suomen Kaapelitehdas Oy).

Nokia's history starts in 1865 when mining engineer Fredrik Idestam

established a groundwood pulp mill on the banks of the Tammerkoski rapids
in the town of Tampere, in southwestern Finland, and started manufacturing
paper In 1871, Idestam, with the help of his close friend statesman Leo
Mechelin, renamed and transformed his firm into a share company, thereby
founding the Nokia Company, the name it is still known by today.

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Corporate culture

The Nokia House, Nokia's head office in Keilaniemi, Espoo, Finland.

Nokia's official corporate culture manifesto, The Nokia Way, emphasises the
speed and flexibility of decision-making in a flat, networked organization,
although the corporation's size necessarily imposes a certain amount of
bureaucracy.

The official business language of Nokia is English. All documentation is

written in English, and is used in official intra-company spoken
communication and e-mail.

Until May 2007, the Nokia Values were Customer Satisfaction, Respect,
Achievement, and Renewal. In May 2007, Nokia redefined its values after
initiating a series of discussions worldwide as to what the new values of the
company should be. Based on the employee suggestions, the new values
were defined as: Engaging You, Achieving Together, Passion for Innovation
and Very Human.

Online services

Nokia was the first proponent of a Top Level Domain (TLD) specifically for
the Mobile Web and, as a result, was instrumental in the launch of the .mobi
domain name extension in September 2006 as an official backer. Since then,
Nokia has launched the largest mobile portal, Nokia.mobi, which receives

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over 100 million visits a month. It followed that with the launch of a mobile
Ad Service to cater to the growing demand for mobile advertisement.

Ovi

Ovi, announced on August 29, 2007, is the name for Nokia's "umbrella
concept" Internet services. Centered on Ovi.com, it is marketed as a
"personal dashboard" where users can share photos with friends, download
music, maps and games directly to their phones and access third-party
services like Yahoo's Flickr photo site. It has some significance in that
Nokia is moving deeper into the world of Internet services, where head-on
competition with Microsoft, Google and Apple is inevitable.

The services offered through Ovi include the Ovi Store (Nokia's application
store), the Nokia Music Store, Nokia Maps, Ovi Mail, the N-Gage mobile
gaming platform available for several S60 smartphones, Ovi Share, Ovi
Files, and Contacts and Calendar. The Ovi Store, the Ovi application store
was launched in May 2009. Prior to opening the Ovi Store, Nokia integrated
its software Download! store, the stripped-down MOSH repository and the
widget service WidSets into it.

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NOKIA INDIA

Nokia has played a pioneering role in the growth of cellular technology in

India, starting with the first-ever cellular call a decade ago, made on a Nokia
mobile phone over a Nokia-deployed network.

Nokia started its India operations in 1995, and presently operates out of
offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Lucknow, Chennai,
Bangalore, Pune and Ahmedabad. The Indian operations comprise of the
handsets business; R&D facilities in Bangalore and Mumbai; a
manufacturing plant in Chennai and a Design Studio in Bangalore.

Over the years, the company has grown manifold with its manpower
strength increasing from 450 people in the year 2004 to over 15000
employees in March 2008 (including Nokia Siemens Networks). Today,
India holds the distinction of being the second largest market for the
company globally.

Devices business

Nokia has established itself as the market and brand leader in the mobile
devices market in India. The company has built a diverse product portfolio
to meet the needs of different consumer segments and therefore offers
devices across five categories ie. Entry, Live, Connect, Explore and
Achieve. These include products that cater to first time subscribers to
advanced business devices and high performance multimedia devices for
imaging, music and gaming.

Nokia has been working closely with operators in India to increase the
geographical coverage and lower the total cost of ownership for consumers.
Today, Nokia has one of the largest distribution network with presence
across 1,30,000 outlets. In addition, the company also has Nokia Priority
Dealers across the country and Nokia ‘Concept stores’ in Bangalore, Delhi,
Jaipur, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Chennai, Indore and Mumbai to
provide customers a complete mobile experience.

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Services business

With the global launch of Ovi, the company's Internet services brand name,
Nokia is renewing itself to be at the forefront of the convergence of internet
and mobility. From being a product centric company, Nokia is now focusing
to become solutions centric. The strategic shift is built on Nokia’s bid to
retain consumers and empower Nokia device owners to realize the full
potential of the Internet. Nokia will build a suite of Internet based services
like Nokia Maps, the Nokia Music Store and Nokia N-Gage around its Ovi
brand.

Infrastructure business

Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global enabler of communications

services. The company provides a complete, well-balanced product portfolio
of mobile and fixed network infrastructure solutions and addresses the
growing demand for services with 20,000 service professionals worldwide.
Its operations in India include Sales & Marketing, Research & Development,
Manufacturing and Global Networks Solutions Centre. Headquartered in
Gurgaon, Nokia Siemens Networks has 47 offices and presence in over 170
locations across the country.

R & D centers

Nokia has three Research & Development centers in India, based in

Bangalore and Mumbai. These R&D hubs are staffed by engineers who are
working on next-generation packet-switched mobile technologies and
communications solutions to enhance corporate productivity.

The Center in Bangalore, the biggest R&D site in the country comprises S60
Software Organization, Common Technologies, Next Generation now called
Maemo Software, Productization and Software & Services.

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Design Studio

Nokia has set up its first Design Studio in Bangalore in partnership with
Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology. The first of its kind, the
design studio will give Nokia designers and India’s talented youth the
opportunity to work together on new design ideas for India and the global
markets.

Manufacturing in India

Nokia has set up its mobile device manufacturing facility in Chennai, India
to meet the burgeoning demand for mobile devices in the country. The
manufacturing facility is operational with an investment of USD 210 million
and currently employs 8000 people. Nokia has recently announced fresh
investments to the tune of US $ 75 million towards its manufacturing plant
in Sriperumbudur, Chennai for the year 2008.

NOKIA PRODUCTS

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 BARCLAYS

Barclays is a UK based financial services group, with a very large

international presence in Europe, USA, Africa, Asia. It is a global financial
service provider, engaged in retail & commercial banking, credit cards,
investment banking, wealth management & investment management
services to the world.

Barclays provides financial services to more than 40 million customers in

over 50 countries worldwide. Since the business was established more than
300 years ago. Barclays have grown to offer a range of products and services
tailored to meet the specific needs of its customers all over the world.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

• Personal Banking

From basic accounts in developing markets to financial expertise in

high street branches. Barclays services includes credit cards,
insurance, loans, mortgages and more.

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• Corporate & Business Banking

Barclays supports businesses all over the world with services to suit
their location, ambitions, challenges and scales from local enterprises
to multinational corporations.

• Investment Banking

Barclays capital provides large corporate government & institutional

clients with a full spectrum of solutions to their strategic advisory,
financing & risk management needs.

• Wealth Management

Barclays wealth focuses on private & intermediary clients worldwide,

providing international & private banking, investment management,
fiduciary services & brokerage.

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 BARCLAYS STRATEGY AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES:

Barclays strategy is to achieve good growth through time by

diversifying its business base and increasing its presence in markets
and segments that are growing rapidly.

This is driven by groups ambition to become one of a handful of

universal banks leading to global financial services industry, helding
the customers and clients throughout achieve their goals. The strategy
is based on the principles of earn, invest and grow.

Supporting these are four strategic priorities:

 Build the best bank in UK

 Accelerate the growth of global business.

 Develop retail & commercial banking activities in selected

countries outside the UK

 Enhance operational excellence

BARCLAYS HAVE FIVE MAJOR PRINCIPLES

WINNING TOGETHER:

To achieve collective and individual success.

BEST PEOPLE:

Developing talented collegues to reach their full potential, to

ensure Barclays retain a leading position in the global financial
service industry.

CUSTOMER AND CLIENT FOCUSES:

Understanding customers and serving them brilliantly.

39
PIONEERING:

Driving new ideas, adding diverse skills and improving

operational excellence.

TRUSTED:

Acting with the highest integrity to retain the trust of

customers, external stakeholders and colleagues.

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ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION IN NOKIA

NOKIA is a Finnish Multinational Communications Corporation. Nokia is

engaged in the manufacturing of mobile devices & in converging Internet
& Communication industries.

EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION AT NOKIA

Open communication is a part of the Nokia way of operating. We gain
commitment from our employees & employee representatives through
ongoing dialogue, employee feedback & participation. Our people have
several different channels for expressing their opinions & concerns as well
as for driving positive change in our organization, principles & policies:

• LISTENING TO YOU: Their annual survey for all employees.

• ASK HR: General employee question forum.
• JAZZ CAFÉ: A lively discussion forum on the internal website.
• A MAIL OR EMAIL ADDRESS to reach the Board of Directors is
available for all employees to express their concerns & give feedback
anonymously.

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• Employee- Employer Unions: Open discussion & cooperation are
ongoing with all relevant unions with which business is done.
• A “KNOW YOUR BUSINESS” channel where our leaders share
stories and key business updates every day.
• NOKIA NEWS HUB: The news hub is Nokia’s global intranet
news service. It aims to encourage open dialogue with the employees by
bringing people together to discuss a wide range of topics relevant to
Nokia, such as strategy, products & services launches, company values,
environmental topics, organizational updates or financial results. Readers
can post their comments without any prior monitoring or selection. The
news hub is assessed over 20,000 times. It has won the award best
navigation/usability for intranet in the year 2007.

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION IN BARCLAYS

Barclays is a UK based financial services group, with a very large

international presence in Europe, USA, Africa & Asia. It is primarily
engaged in banking, investment banking & investment management. In
terms of market capitalsatiom Barclays is one of the largest financial
services companies in the world.
42

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There are two types of communication that Barclays uses to communicate
with their employees:
Upward Communication and Downward Communication
Upward and Downward communication decides how effectively
information is conveyed to the employees and feedback is taken from
them. Barclays usually uses the upward communication to know what their
employees feel about the company ploicies but at times when there is need
downward communication is used.
Barclays uses different ways to communicate with their employees
• SKIP MEETINGS: The PR department has a skip meeting for the
employees once in every two month. A skip meeting is a meeting held
between the CEO or GM of Barclays and employee by skipping the level
of manager. In this way if there are any grievances that the employees have
it can be conveyed to the higher authority.
• INTRANET: The PR department maintains an internal website
called the intranet. All important news and announcements are posted on
this page. This page also contains feedback forms, changes in policies,
complaint registers and a guide just in case an employee can solve a
financial problem
• GROUP DISCUSSION: GD are held so that the employees can
express their views regarding the policies and rules and also gives their
suggestions for improvement of processes.
• TEAM BUZZ MEETINGS: Under this the employees are kept up-
to-date with all changes and new financial offers. The buzz meetings are
conducted by the team managers and are done half an hour before starting
work.
• A journal under the name of “OUR POWER” for the employees is
also available at Barclays for their benefit.

SUGGESTIONS
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Communication is defined as the process by which information is
exchanged between individuals using written messages, spoken words, or
gestures. It is a dynamic, interpersonal process in which an individual
modifies his response on the basis of the behaviour of the recipient of the
message.
Communication is essential for the effective functioning of an
organization.
Both Nokia and Barclays have a sound communication system but if we
compare the communication system of both Nokia and Barclays. Barclays
is one step ahead of Nokia. It has a better and stronger communication
system.

COMPARISON
• Employees in Barclays have a face to face interaction with the
manager and top management. It helps them to express themselves, they
feel connected with the organization. It increases their loyalty and
commitment. But in Nokia employees do not have face to face interaction
with the top management, it is possible through mail and e-mail address.

• In Barclays there is provision of journal “Our Power” for employees

but there is no such provision for employees at Nokia.

• Employees suggestions are welcomed at Barclays, they also express

their opinions regarding changes in policies.

SOME NEW METHODS WHICH CAN BE INCLUDED

FOR BETTER RESULTS:
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• WEBINAR is also an important way of web communication which
can be used by both NOKIA and BARCLAYS. There is a presenter and
audience. The presenter may speak over a standard telephone line, while
pointing out information being presented onscreen and the audience can
respond over their own telephones, speaker phones allowing the greater
comfort and convenience. (IBM)

• TRAINING SESSIONS for enhancing the communication skills of

employees. It can be very fruitful for the organization.

• Participation by both the employers and employees in GLOBAL

CITIZENSHIP EVENTS like earthday, world environment day etc. It
promotes coherence at workplace. (HEWLETT PACKARD)

• RETIREE ENGAGEMENT events should be organized &

sponsored to encourage retires to continue to represent the organization.
They are experienced and can guide the young employees. (HEWLETT
PACKWARD)

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 Bibliography

Books
• Robbins, Stephens P. Organizational Behavior, New Delhi,
Pearson Education, Edition tenth,2004.
• Pal, Rajendra, Korlahalli J.S, Essentials of Business
Communication, New Delhi: Sultan Chand & Sons, Edition ninth,
2002
• Mathew, M.J. Bussiness Communication, Jaipur: RBSA
Publishers, Edition sixth,2007
• Weihrich,Heinz,Cannice V. Mark, Koontz, Harold,
Management, Tata McGraw Hill, Edition twelth, 2009
• Raman, Meenakshi, Singh, Oxford University Press, Edition
seventh,2008

• Websites
www.google.com
www.wikipedia.com
www.nokia.com
www.barclays.com

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