MT409 Business

Communication
Dr. Rohit Pandey
Department of Management, B.I.T Mesra
COURSE OBJECTIVES

 This course enables the students:

 To analyze and demonstrate writing and speaking processes through innovation,
drafting, revision, edition and presentation.
 To understand the importance of specifying audience and to select appropriate
communication choices.
 To interpret and appropriately apply modes of expression, i.e. descriptive,
expositive, narrative, scientific and self expressive in written, visual and oral
communication.
 To participate effectively in groups with emphasis on listening, critical and
reflective thinking and responding positively.
 To develop the ability to research and write a documented paper and/or to give
a presentation.
Course Outcomes

 After the completion of the course students will be able to:

 Apply business communication strategies and principles to prepare effective
communication for domestic and international situations.
 Utilize analytical and problem solving skills appropriate to businesses.
 Participate in team activities that lead to the development of collaborative
work skills.
 Select appropriate organizational formats and channels used in developing
and presenting business messages.
 Communicate via electronic mail and other technologies and deliver effective
business presentation.
Communication defined

 Communication essentially means the transfer of ideas, feelings, plans,

messages, or information from one person to another. It is effective only
when it gets the desired action or response.

 Communication is a network of interaction where the sender and receiver

keep changing their roles.

 Communication is a dynamic process, the main components of which are

sender, message, channel, receiver, and response.

 Source: Communication Skills (OUP)

 PROCESS

 Source: Communication Skills (OUP)

Features of Communication

 Two Way process

 Creative

 Sender and receiver keep changing their roles

 Continuous Process

 Source: Communication Skills (OUP)

Importance of Business Communication

 In today’s world communication is the most vital ingredient of an

organization. The organization can not be run without an effective
communication system in place. Given the situation today where the world is
going through a pandemic it is even more essential to have a good or effective
communication system in place where one is continuously updated on the
recent developments taking place across the globe. This is just one case.
There are so many changes or a huge sea change taking place across the globe
and different various business organizations need to keep abreast of. In short,
the ability of the executives to communicate effectively increases not only
their own productivity but also the productivity of their organization.
 Functions of Communication

 Information: refers to the role of communication in facilitating decision

making and problem solving. Managers by means of adequate and effective
communication, receive and transmit information that enables them to solve
problems and make decisions.
 Control: refers to the power to influence people’s behaviour When the
employees are required to comply with company policies and procedures,
adhere to their job description, or first communicate their job related
grievance's to their immediate boss, communication performs the control
function.

 Source: Business Communication IInd edition (OUP), Meenakshi Raman, Prakash Singh
Functions Contd

 Motivation: refers to fostering of motivational spirit among the employees.

Effective communication is needed in setting and defining clear goals, and
reinforcing the desired behaviour.
 Emotional Expression: relates to the function of communication in expressing
or letting out the feelings and emotions of employees under various various
circumstances. Today organizations depend on teams rather than individuals
for achieving the set goals.
 All the four functions of communication are of equal importance in an
organization.

 Ibid
MANAGERIAL ROLES

 Manager’s roles

Interpersonal Informational
Decisional

Monitor Entrepreneur
Figure Head
Disseminator Disturbance Handler
Leader
Spokesperson Resource Allocator
Liaison person
Negotiator
Effective Interpersonal Communication

 Adapt your message to your receivers. In other words consider their

background before you present your message.
 Refer to your audience by name (if audience group is small or you know most
of them by their names) in order to make them feel that you are specifically
addressing them to communicate your point.
 Remember to include all necessary details in your message so that there is no
ambiguity and your audience can understand completely.
 As far as possible avoid using ‘I’ or ‘me’ frequently rather use ‘we’ during
interpersonal communication with your subordinates, peers or superiors.
 Source: Ibid
Barriers to Communication

 Organizational Structure: In large organizations where flow of information is

downward, feedback is not guaranteed. Irrespective of the size, all
organizations have communication policies that describe the protocol to be
followed. It is the structure and complexity of this protocol that usually gives
rise to communication barriers.
 Difference in Status: When people belonging to different hierarchical
positions communicate with each other, there is a possibility that
communication may break down.
 Lack of Trust: Establishing credibility or building trust among subordinates or
with colleagues is a difficult task. Subordinates may not know whether their
manager will respond in a supportive or responsible way and hence it is
necessary for the manager to ensure that they have faith in him/her. Source:
Ibid
Barriers Contd….

 Closed Communication Climate: An organization’s communication climate is

influenced by its management style. A directive, authoritarian style blocks
free and open exchange of information that characterizes good
communication.
 Incorrect Choice of Medium: Choosing an inappropriate communication
platform or medium can distort the meaning and block the intended meaning.
One should select a medium that suits the nature of the message and the
intended recipients.

 Source: Ibid
Barriers Contd ….

 Physical Barriers:
 Environment - Some barriers are due to the existing environment. For example, if
you are standing in adverse weather conditions, your conversation would be
hampered because you would not be able to pay full attention to what the other
person is saying.
 Distance - Distance also plays an important part in determining the course of a
conversation. For example, if the staff in an organization are made to sit in
different buildings or different floors, they might have to substitute face to face
communication with phone calls or emails.
 Ignorance of Medium - Communication also includes using signs and symbols to
convey a feeling or a thought. However, if there is a lack of ignorance about the
medium in which sender is sending the message, the conversation can be hampered
Source: Communication Skills, Sanjay Kumar, Pushp Lata (OUP)
Barriers Contd….

 Cultural Barriers
 Cultural barriers are a result of living in an ever shrinking world. Different cultures,
whether they be a societal culture of a race or simply the work culture of a company,
can hinder developed communication if two different cultures clash. In these cases, it is
important to find a common ground to work from. In work situations, identifying a
problem and coming up with a highly efficient way to solve it can quickly topple any
cultural or institutional barriers. Quite simply, people like results.
 Generational - Each age group has a different general approach to work, which often
leads to conflicts with older workers describing younger workers as "slackers," and
younger workers criticizing older workers as being "out of touch."
 Status and Resistance - Workers who are accustomed to workplaces where seniority and
status are emphasized may find it difficult to adapt to more fluid environments, where
job titles are de-emphasized and production methods do not always follow a
predetermined set of guidelines. Source : Ibid
Barriers Contd …..

 Language Barriers
 Language barriers seem pretty self-inherent, but there are often hidden language
barriers that we aren't always aware of. If you work in an industry that is heavy in
jargon or technical language, care should be taken to avoid these words when
speaking with someone from outside the industry.
 Dialects - While two people may technically speak the same language, dialectal
differences can make communication between them difficult. Examples of
dialectical language barriers exist worldwide. Chinese, for example, has a variety of
dialects that are commonly spoken, including Cantonese and Mandarin.
 Language Disabilities - Language disabilities are physical impediments to language.
Physical language disabilities that cause language barriers include stuttering,
dysphonia or an articulation disorder and hearing loss.
 Source: Ibid
Barriers Contd…..

 Perceptual Barriers
 Perceptual barriers are internal. If you go into a situation thinking that the
person you are talking to isn't going to understand or be interested in what
you have to say, you may end up subconsciously sabotaging your effort to
make your point. You will employ language that is sarcastic, dismissive, or
even obtuse, thereby alienating your conversational partner.
 Perceptual Filters - We all have our own preferences, values, attitudes,
origins and life experiences that act as "filters" on our experiences of people,
events and information. Seeing things through the lens of our own unique life
experiences or "conditioning" may lead to assumptions, stereotyping and
misunderstandings of others whose experiences differ from our own.
 Source: Ibid
OVERCOMING BARRIERS

 Source: Business Communication Meenakshi Raman, Prakash Singh, (OUP)

Consider the recipients

of your message

Decide Who Can

Communicate with
whom

Follow up your verbal Choose your

message with a written communication mode
statement
Effective Managerial Communication…

 1. Adopting an audience centered approach: Involves understanding

and respecting the members of your audience and making every effort to get your
message across in a way that is meaningful to them. This approach is also known as
adopting the “you attitude in contrast to messages that are about “me”. Learn as much
as possible about the biases, education, age, status, style and personal and professional
concerns of your receivers. The more you know about the people you are
communicating with, the easier it will be to concentrate on their needs which in turn
will make it easier for them to hear your message, understand it and respond positively.
 Recognizing and adapting to the diverse styles of all the audiences you will encounter
will not only improve the effectiveness of your communication but also the quality of
your working relationships.
 Source: Business Communication Today 10th edn ,Bovee, Thill , Chatterjee (Pearson)
Effective Managerial Communication
Contd…..
 Fine Tuning Business Communication Skills: Skills as a communicator will be a factor
in the success of one’s business. No matter what your skill levels are at any given point of
time one will find numerous opportunities to improve and one should work on that aspect.
Many employers do provide communication training both in general skills and specific
scenarios but one should not wait for trainings to happen rather one must begin mastering
one’s skills and practice in an environment that provides honest and constructive feedback.

 Understanding Intercultural Communication: With the phenomenal advancement in the

field of science and technology, more and more businesses are crossing national boundaries
to compete on a global scale, and the make up of the global and domestic workforce is
changing rapidly.
 Source: Business Communication, Iind edn , Meenakshi Raman, Prakash Singh
(OUP)
Effective Managerial Communication Contd
…..
 So, whether managers work abroad or at home, they will encounter increasing cultural
diversity in the workplace and to compete successfully in today’s multicultural
environment they have to overcome the communication barriers arising out of the
various differences in language, culture, business practices etc.
 Understanding cultural differences in perception, greetings and gestures is critical to all
businesses and success in business often depends on knowing the business practices,
social customs and etiquette of the host country and any ignorance in this regard may
lead to miscommunication and can cause businesses to lose their position in the market
and ultimately lead to failure.

 Source : Ibid
Effective Communication Contd ……

 Appropriate Communication Style: Every organization has its own culture, which is a
reflection of its values, traditions, habits and customs. Some companies tend to curb the upward
flow of communication believing that it is time consuming and unproductive while other
companies foster candor and honesty, and employees feel free to confess their mistakes, to
disagree with their bosses and to express their opinion.
 There are several factors which influence an organization’s communication climate including
the nature of the industry, the company’s physical set up, the history of the company etc. One of
the most important factors is the management style of the top management. Managers might
adopt a directive style when they assume workers are lazy and irresponsible. Some managers
might adopt a supportive style assuming that people like to work and take responsibility in what
they are doing. Yet another might adopt a participative style who encourages employees to work
together as a team. The trend today is to adopt any style which encourages an open
communication climate.
 Source: Ibid