Business Communication Semester I Notes PDF

Business Communication Semester I – Notes Unit 1: Theory of Communication Chapter I Concept of Communication The English word ‘communication’ has been derived from the Latin word, ‘Communicare’ which means t...

Business Communication Semester I – Notes Unit 1: Theory of Communication Chapter I Concept of Communication The English word ‘communication’ has been derived from the Latin word, ‘Communicare’ which means to impart or participate or to transmit. The word ‘Communicare’ is derived from the root ‘Communis’ which means to make common or to share. Communication is 1) the activity or process of sharing or exchanging ideas, feelings, information, experience between two or more persons; 2) an act or instance of transmitting; 3) the information actually communicated by some means. Definitions of communication: 1) The Oxford English Dictionary defines communication as “the action of conveying or exchanging information and ideas.” 2) Peter Little defines communication as “the process by which information is transmitted between individuals and or organizations so that an understanding response results.” 3) Allen Lui (Louis) defines communication as “ Communication is the sum of all the things one person does when he wants to create understanding in the mind of another. It is a bridge of meaning. It involves a systematic process of telling, listening, understanding and responding.” 4) Keith Davis defines communication as “Communication is the transfer of information and understanding from one person to another.” Business Communication: William G. Scott defines business communication as “Administrative communication is a process which involves the transmission and accurate replication of ideas ensured by feedback for the purpose of eliciting actions which will accomplish organizational goals.” The last definition covers 4 aspects of administrative communication, as follows: 1) The sender’s ability to transmit his own ideas accurately. 2) The receiver’s mental ability to get the same idea as were transmitted i.e. accurate replication. 3) The feedback or the receiver’s response. 4) Eliciting action which will help to achieve the goals. The process of communication involves a series of stages: 1) An idea arises in the mind of the sender, which he wants to share. 2) The sender encodes the idea in the form of a ‘message’. 3) The sender chooses some medium / channel to put across the message. 4) The receiver receives the message. 5) The receiver decodes – absorbs, understands, interprets the message. 6) The receiver sends feedback or his response. The components or elements of the communication process are as follows: 1) The sender or the communicator 2) The message 3) Encoding 4) The medium / channel 5) The receiver 6) Decoding 7) Feedback Importance of feedback in the process of communication- Effective feedback, both positive and negative, is very helpful. Feedback is valuable information that will be used to make important decisions. After getting the meaning of the message‘, the receiver provides feedback‘ which he =encodes‘ in the form of a response/reaction/reply to the message. Feedback plays an important part in the communication process, because it is desired and expected by both the sender‘ and the receiver‘. The sender‘ wants to know whether and how his =message‘ has been received, and the =receiver‘, either consciously or unconsciously, usually provides a sign indicating that he has received the message. It should be noted that feedback may be positive or negative. Positive feedback indicates to the sender the fact that his message has been received, understood, and accepted; and that he can proceed to the next point. Negative feedback tells the sender that his message has not been properly understood. It, therefore, functions as a corrective, as it makes the =sender‘ realize the defects or flaws in his manner of encoding. He will, therefore, have to encode the same message in a different way, so as to enable the =receiver‘ to understand it. Feedback may be immediate or delayed. In the case of interpersonal communication it is quick, as the sender is able to observe the response/reaction (e.g. a smile, nod, frown etc.) when he is conveying the message. He can also guess whether the =receiver‘ agrees or disagrees with him. However, in the case of a letter, feedback may be delayed as the =receiver‘ will take time to reply. Sometimes, feedback is obtained indirectly, by observing the subsequent change of behaviour on the part of the =receiver‘. Feedback is very important in business. It is important for the businessperson to know whether his/her clients and customers are satisfied with the products and services, or whether s/he needs to make changes. Feedback from employees is also necessary to improve the performance of an organization. The diagrammatical representation of the communication process can be shown as follows: Sender Channel / Medium Receiver How to achieve effective communication: 1) Communicate for a purpose 2) Compose message with care 3) Study the receiver 4) Select appropriate medium 5) Provide feedback 6) Act promptly on receiving feedback. Benefits of effective communication: 1. Healthy relations 2. Better performance 3. High morale 4. Good image unity 5. Reaching final goals 6. Smooth functioning 7. Greater efficiency 8. Higher productivity 9. Effective decision-making 10. Co-operation & Co-ordination ` ` ` `` ` Students are suppose to prepare notes on their own. Emergence of communication as a key concept in the corporate and global world. Impact of technology enabled communication : Types – Internet, Blogs, E-mail, Moodle, Social media (Facebook, twitter and Whatsapp advantages and disadvantages)  Chapter II Channels and Objectives of Communication Formal Communication Downward communication: Needed For: 1) To get the work done. 2) To prepare the workforce for challenges 3) To tackle misinformation & suspicion arising out of it 4) To create a feeling of pride & confidence in the workforce I order to motivate it and to boost its morale. 5) To transmit work ethics & the organization‘s culture. Advantage Disadvantage Discipline Lack of vision & arbitrary decision making can prove detrimental and harmful to the organization Implementation of orders happen Balance in sharing information is important so efficiently is indicious use of discretion Tasks & positions can be well defined Delay implementation of decisions Clarity in the minds of employees about Oral communication leads to information loss, their responsibility, avoids confusion distraction & lack of accountability It helps in uniting different level of Absence of feedback mechanistic can lead to authority & brings in team spirit frustration, lack of trust in authority & feel exploited Upward communication: Needed for: 1) To forward employee-feedback 2) To report on official matters 3) To give voice on the difficulties, grievances, complaints, dissatisfaction, work related demands of employees 4) To invite suggestion, creativity & participation in problem solving 5) To create a sense of belonging through participation  Advantage Disadvantage Employees participation Failure on the part of subordinates to take initiative & participate in the decision making Trust , emotional bonding, Long line of authority, inability of the seniors understanding & cooperation between to listen or to act, create barriers management & employees Employees enthusiastic Delays due to slow transmission, distortion of communication further hamper the process Authority earns subordinates Employees failure to handle upwards cooperation response to management‘s communication call Requirements: 1) Chain should be start 2) Executives should be trained for excellent listening skills 3) The organizations atmosphere should be conducive Vertical Communication: While Decisions are finally taken by the top management, there is room for employee feedback, communication, wherein the management interacts with employees, invites their participation in decision making, creates mechanisms to address their concerns without compromising on its measures of control is called vertical communication. Horizontal / Lateral Communication: Need for: 1) To exchange official information 2) To create understanding and team spirit among members 3) To solve difficulties 4) To seek and extend co-operation 5) To save time when quick decisions have to be made Advantage Disadvantage Helps in clarifying doubts, taking quick Ungoverned horizontal communication to leads decisions & eliminating mistrust to discipline It brings about better coordination, Employees tend to waste precious time arguing builds team spirit and ensure faster and debating over issues and decisions implementation of decisions It also check the grapevine Requirements: 1) Employee must learn to extend cooperation & work towards achieving goals 2) The authority should delegate responsibilities to subordinates in order to quicken the pace of work. 3) Horizontal Communication needs to be monitored as its uncontrolled transmission can invite problems for the organization. Diagonal / Crosswise Needs for: 1) Speeds up the flow of information 2) Creates healthy work relationships 3) Brings in proper co-ordination among different sections 4) Makes problem solving easy 5) Controls distortion & dilution of message because of direct, inter leave communication Requirements: 1) Organizations atmosphere should be trust & transparency 2) Proper training or orientation should be given to employees to handle diagonal communication Advantage Disadvantage Speeds up the flow of information It is likely to bypass the vertical chain of commands. This may create doubts in the minds of bypassed superiors Creates healthy work relationships It may be seen as interference Brings in proper co-ordination among It may create doubts the superior‘s different sections accountability & cooperation Makes problem solving easy Decisions thus taken may be resisted by the bypassed authority and could spoil the organization atmosphere Controls distortion & dilution of message because of direct, inter leave communication  INFORMAL COMMUNICATION Grapevine is the plant or creeper on which grapes grow. The grapevine may glow or move in any direction with the support of its tendrils. In the some way, informal communication can move in any direction with the support of informal groups. How it is generated? 1) People need to share & agree on important opinions & attitudes to feel that they belong to a group 2) People need to share their hopes & ambitions with superiors 3) People need to express emotions such as joy, anger, hostility etc. 4) Because of the rigidity of the formal, structure, the people feel the need to bypass ―official channels‖ for the sake of expediency in getting & giving information about performance on the job. The various types of grapevine are: 1) Chain 2) Single strand chain 3) Gossip Chain 4) Probability Chain 5) Cluster Chain 6) Wheel 7) Star Advantage Disadvantage Grapevine communication travels fast, Negative information half truths, personalized It has vast reach accounts of events, gross distortions are passed on by the render The content because of its immense It often leads to lack of motivation & moral of personal appeal are readily believable employees Management must be aware of the power of grapevine, it can often fail the formal system, it is difficult to trace its origin & is difficult to stop or control completely. Guidelines for Management 1) Circulate information that is accurate & strengthen upward channels of communication 2) Delegate responsibility & entrust employees with specific responsibility to strengthen trust between itself & employees 3) Invite suggestion farm grievance & redress cells, publishing house journals, make effective use of bulletins, notice boards & employee welfare schemes 4) Either cut the grapevine with official communication or use grapevine itself to circulate official information Objective: 1) Information : About organization, rules, regulations, culture, products, market, research, decisions, vision, mission, goal etc. 2) Advice & Counseling: Providing guidance is yet another objective of downward communication, seniors, experts can help employees with troubleshooting & crisis management, assist them in solving problems that can forge bonds between employees & the managements. 3) Order & Instructions: Orders & instruction means is giving directions to the employees. Any authoritative communication issued by a superior in order to monitor / govern the behavior of a junior is know as a ‗order‘ when an orders is split furthers to meet specific issue, it becomes instruction. 4) Suggestion: To suggest means to propose or put forward an idea for consideration both upward & downward communication. Employee participation & involvement encourage creative thinking & exposure to employee‘s talent. Employees feel valued & develop a sense of belonging. 5) Persuasion: Persuasion is an effort to influence the mind, belief system or attitude of a person to bring about the desired change in his / her behavior.  4 Steps to take while persuading : 1) Identification 2) Preparing the Receiver 3) Deliver the message 4) Prompting action Important Factor: 1) Persuader‘s personal character & reputation 2) Persuader must make suitable & effective emotional appeal 3) Persuader must logically present his ideas, views etc. There must be reasonable presentation of the persuaded messages. 6) Education & Training: At the management level, at the employee‘s level and at the level of outside public. 7) Motivation: Motivation means that inner state that energizes activates or moves and which directs or channels behavior towards certain goal. Setting up the right kind of justice & rewards system & inviting the employee‘s participation in decision making can create the right kind of emotional environment 8) Raising the moral of Employees: Consequences of high moral & low moral. Management can boost the moral of its employees by giving basis infrastructural support, creating systems that reward effort, strengthening its official channels of communication, encouraging upward Communication, controlling the grapevine & taking measures to earn the trust of employees. Certain strategies opted by MNCs to boost morale of the employees: 1. Keep employees feeling their work is more than just a job. Everyone wants to feel that his or her work has a higher purpose. Sometimes, though, that purpose gets lost in the day-to-day grind. One of the key ways that Snagajob.com, an online job-search company, based in Glen Allen, Virginia, inspires its 126 employees is by sharing "I Got a Job!" stories that show them the value of their work. Circulated by email, the real-life stories come from grateful job seekers who recently landed a new job through the company's website. 2. Take time to creatively celebrate accomplishments.  It's natural to focus on what's ahead rather than reflect on how much has been achieved. Taking time to reflect, though, helps employees appreciate how much they have done. All departments at Acuity, a financial-services company based in Sheboygan, Wis., are asked each year to recognize their own work by providing a list of significant accomplishments of their team. The lists are reviewed by Acuity officers, who select the 100 most outstanding achievements for inclusion in a "Top 100 Accomplishments" list. The latest list was designed as a book, Acuity World Records, with the help of Guinness World Records, and given to all 831 employees. 3. Grant time off to employees to pursue projects they are passionate about. Personal projects can provide an energizing break from regular responsibilities and can serve as a source of innovation for a company. Atlassian, a developer of collaboration software based in Sydney, encourages creativity during its "FedEx Day." During this event, all 62 employees can work on anything that excites them -- as long as it is somewhat related to Atlassian products or processes, can be completed in the allotted time, and is fun. Employees have from 2 p.m. on a Thursday until 4 p.m. Friday, giving them roughly 24 hours to deliver a project (thus the name, FedEx Day). Then at a presentation, participants show off the results of their projects. From these ideas, Atlassian has adopted more than a dozen projects, ranging from product upgrades to process improvements. 4. Mix up the company's usual way of doing things. Departing from the customary routine of meetings and cubicle life can go a long way toward building morale. The accounting firm Ehrhardt Keefe Steiner & Hottman, based in Denver, uses the concept of neighborhoods to shake things up. All 387 employees are organized into neighborhoods, based on the floors or sections of floors in each office. These groups have regular get-togethers and shape the contours of meetings. For example, during an all-employee meeting day, as the firm staged a neighborhood basketball tournament, each group came up with team names, homemade jerseys, mascots, and cheerleaders. 5. Don't forget to have fun. For the online discounter FatWallet, based in Rockton, Ill., fun is a regular part of the schedule. Its 55 employees are invited to play in a monthly Game Day, an in- house competition with activities ranging from Trivial Pursuit to Wii bowling matches. The company also offers quarterly "fun" rewards when staffers achieve certain goals, such as hockey games, casino nights, or playdays at at amusement parks. Team-building events have included a city scavenger hunt in Chicago and a rooftop Cubs game.  6. Train employees to develop positive attitudes. During the height of the recession in 2009, employee morale became a big issue for 4Imprint, a maker of customized promotional products, based in Oshkosh, Wis. The company's training team decided to try to boost morale by setting up classes for the 419 employees to watch and discuss videos with inspiring themes like Lance Armstrong's comeback from cancer and the friendly culture at Southwest Airlines. 7. Offer time away from the office to do some good. Another way to build employee morale and camaraderie is through community service. Studer Group, a Gulf Breeze, Fla.-based management consulting firm, gives its 114 employees four paid hours a month to volunteer for a charitable initiative or organization of their choice. Departments also take on volunteer projects as a group. 8. Free Yoga classes 9. Team-based commissions 10. Work/life balance is encouraged with flexible schedules. 11. on-site gym available to all employees 12. state-of-the-art office 13. extensive training programs 14. a profit-sharing plan 15. Unlimited vacation days 16. Allowing pets in the office For example Google does the following things: 1. Google provides the surviving spouse or partner of a deceased employee 50% of their salary for the next 10 years. 2. Googlers in San Francisco and Mountain View report being able to bring their pets to work. 3. Employees in Mountain View, California, and New York City have an on-site gym. 4. They can also enjoy beer and wine in the office on Fridays.  5. Googlers get free meals and snacks in the office, which one Glassdoor reviewer called "varied and delicious." Reviewers called the food "healthy," "tasty," and even "on par with any of the top restaurants in NYC." 6. Google offers a 50% 401k match up to $8,250. 7. New mothers get paid leave up to 22 weeks, while fathers and adoptive parents get between seven and 12 weeks of paid leave. One senior software engineer wrote the benefit "...helps create an understanding that any team member might go on leave now and again, and that this is expected and normal and okay." 8. First year engineers get 15 days of paid time off — that jumps to 20 days after three years and 25 days after five years. And anyone can take an unpaid three month leave of absence. 9) Warning & Reprimand: To warn is to inform a person of unpleasant consequences. Management notices the misdemeanor and brings it to the notice of the concerned employee----- Oral or Soft warning ----- Warning in writing or memo---- After 2 memos are issued service of the employee is terminated.  Chapter III : Methods & Modes of Communication Methods – Verbal & Non verbal Media – Telephone, Fax, Computer, Internet. Methods Modes Verbal Non-verbal Electronics Oral Written Body language Silence Fax Face-to-face Letters Facial Signs Computers expressions Telephone Memos Gestures Postures Internet Notices Posters Colours E-mail Circulars Dress & Maps grooming Reports Proxemics Graphs & Charts Selection of methods should be based on – 1. Speed 2. Accuracy 3. Circumstances 4. Confidence and safety 5. Expenses 6. Impression 7. Feedback Oral Communication: Oral communication is communication by means of spoken words. Principles of oral communications: 1. Know your objective 2. Know your audience 3. Know your subject 4. Know how to use your voice 5. Know how to use body language 6. Know when to stop Advantages: 1. Its direct & time saving 2. It saves money 3. It conveys the exact meaning of 4. It provides immediate feedback words 5. It is more persuasive in nature 6. On-the-spot additions, deletions and corrections are possible 7. Confidential messages can be 8. It is informal and friendlier communicated 9. Develop relations 10. Motivates the speaker. Disadvantages: 1. It lacks legal validity 2. Possibility of misunderstanding 3. It lacks accountability 4. Problem of retention 5. The need for good speaking skills 6. Not always effective 7. Lacks planning 8. Diversion of subject matter Face-to-face communication Advantages Disadvantages 1. Combination of verbal & non-verbal 1. Difficult to practice in large factors organizations 2. Immediate feedback possible 2. Not effective if the receiver does not pay attention 3. Modifications while delivering the 3. Not effective in large gatherings message is possible 4. Particularly suitable for discussions Written communication: Written communication is the expression of language by means of visible signs. Advantages Disadvantage 1. Reference 1. Time, trouble & expenses 2. Permanent record 2. Feedback is slow 3. Legal validity 3. Problem of storage 4. Aids memory & retention 4. Lacks friendliness 5. Accurate & organized 5. Unsuited to countries where illiteracy rate is high 6. Fixing responsibility 6. Problem of instant clarification 7. Wider reach 7. Problem of writers 8. Goodwill 8. Problem of communicating secret information 9. Less chances of misunderstanding 10. Suitable for lengthy messages 11. Corporate image Non-verbal Communication: Communication is the transfer of information from one person to another. Most of us spend about 75 percent of our waking hours communicating our knowledge, thoughts, and ideas to others. However, most of us fail to realize that a great deal of our communication is of a non-verbal form as opposed to the oral and written forms. Non- verbal communication includes facial expressions, eye contact, tone of voice, body posture and motions, and positioning within groups. It may also include the way we wear our clothes or the silence we keep. In person-to-person communications our messages are sent on two levels simultaneously. If the nonverbal cues and the spoken message are incongruous, the flow of communication is hindered. Right or wrong, the receiver of the communication tends to base the intentions of the sender on the non- verbal cues he receives. Categories and Features G. W. Porter divides non-verbal communication into four broad categories: Physical. This is the personal type of communication. It includes facial expressions, tone of voice, sense of touch, sense of smell, and body motions. Aesthetic. This is the type of communication that takes place through creative expressions: playing instrumental music, dancing, painting and sculpturing. Signs. This is the mechanical type of communication, which includes the use of signal flags, the 21-gun salute, horns, and sirens. Symbolic. This is the type of communication that makes use of religious, status, or ego- building symbols. Our concern here will be with what Porter has called the physical method of non-verbal communication. Knowledge of non-verbal communication is important managers who serve as leaders of organizational "teams," for at least two reasons:  To function effectively as a team leader the manager must interact with the other members successfully. Non-verbal cues, when interpreted correctly, provide him with one means to do so.  The team members project attitudes and feelings through non-verbal communication. Some personal needs such as approval, growth, achievement, and recognition may be met in effective teams. The extent to which these needs are met is closely related to how perceptive the team leader and team members are to non-verbal communication in themselves and in others on the team. If the team members show a true awareness to non-verbal cues, the organization will have a better chance to succeed, for it will be an open, honest, and confronting unit. Argyle and his associates have been studying the features of nonverbal communication that provide information to managers and their team members. Non verbal communication is indirect, without words or without verbal messages. Non verbal communication constitutes 45% of the impact of message in oral communication. The major elements of non-verbal communication can be divided into body language (Kinesics), vocal tone, space & proximics, dress & grooming etc. 1. Eye contact is a direct and powerful form of non-verbal communication. The superior in the organization generally maintains eye contact longer than the subordinate. The direct stare of the sender of the message conveys candor and openness. It elicits a feeling of trust. Downward glances are generally associated with modesty. Eyes rolled upward are associated with fatigue. 2. Facial Expressions. A smile, frown, raised eyebrow, yawn, and sneer all convey information. Facial expressions continually change during interaction and are monitored constantly by the recipient. There is evidence that the meaning of these expressions may be similar across cultures. 3. Gestures : One of the most frequently observed, but least understood, cues is a hand movement. Most people use hand movements regularly when talking. While some gestures (e.g., a clenched fist) have universal meanings, most of the others are individually learned and idiosyncratic. A gesture is an action of body , hand or head, which conveys a message. Eg: yes, no, Namaste, wait. a. Communicating information: eg: ‗V‘ sign, pointing finger etc. b. Communicating information : eg: clapping indicates appreciation, fist- clenching shows aggression, face touching shows anxiety c. Supports speech d. Expressing self image 4. Posture: The way we stand or sit, the position of the hand & head, basically how we carry ourselves. Eg. Hunched shoulders show low confidence, in emergency a person tends to sit on the edge of a chair. Posture can be used to determine a participant‘s degree of attention or involvement, the difference in status between communicators, and the level of fondness a person has for the other communicator. Studies investigating the impact of posture on interpersonal relationships suggest that mirror-image congruent postures, where one person‘s left side is parallel to the other‘s right side, leads to favorable perception of communicators and positive speech; a person who displays a forward lean or a decrease in a backwards lean also signify positive sentiment during communication. Posture is understood through such indicators as direction of lean, body orientation, arm position, and body openness. 5. Tactile Communication Communication through touch is obviously non-verbal. Used properly it can create a more direct message than dozens of words; used improperly it can build barriers and cause mistrust. You can easily invade someone's space through this type of communication. If it is used reciprocally, it indicates solidarity; if not used reciprocally, it tends to indicate differences in status. Touch not only facilitates the sending of the message, but the emotional impact of the message as well. 6. Dress & grooming : Uniforms have both a functional and a communicative purpose. This man's clothes identify him as male and a police officer; his badges and shoulder sleeve insignia give information about his job and rank. Elements such as physique, height, weight, hair, skin color, gender, odors, and clothing send nonverbal messages during interaction. 7. Proxemics: Proxemics is the study of how people use and perceive the physical space around them. The space between the sender and the receiver of a message influences the way the message is interpreted. The perception and use of space varies significantly across cultures and different settings within cultures. Space in nonverbal communication may be divided into four main categories: intimate, social, personal, and public space. The term territoriality is still used in the study of proxemics to explain human behavior regarding personal space. Hargie & Dickson (2004, p. 69) identify 4 such territories: 1) Primary territory: this refers to an area that is associated with someone who has exclusive use of it. For example, a house that others cannot enter without the owner‘s permission. 2) Secondary territory: unlike the previous type, there is no ―right‖ to occupancy, but people may still feel some degree of ownership of a particular space. For example, someone may sit in the same seat on train every day and feel aggrieved if someone else sits there. 3) Public territory: this refers to an area that is available to all, but only for a set period, such as a parking space or a seat in a library. Although people have only a limited claim over that space, they often exceed that claim. For example, it was found that people take longer to leave a parking space when someone is waiting to take that space. 4) Interaction territory: this is space created by others when they are interacting. For example, when a group is talking to each other on a footpath, others will walk around the group rather than disturb it. Space can also be divided into : a. Intimate distance  b. Personal distance c. Social distance d. Public distance 8. Paralanguage: Includes pitch, volume, intonation etc. The tone of voice, rate of speech, pause, accent can not only communicate but alter the meaning significantly. Researchers have found that the tone, pitch, quality of voice, and rate of speaking convey emotions that can be accurately judged regardless of the content of the message. The important thing to gain from this is that the voice is important, not just as the conveyor of the message, but as a complement to the message. As a communicator you should be sensitive to the influence of tone, pitch, and quality of your voice on the interpretation of your message by the receiver. 9. Silence Silence can be a positive or negative influence in the communications process. It can provide a link between messages or sever relationships. It can create tension and uneasiness or create a peaceful situation. Silence can also be judgmental by indicating favor or disfavor - agreement or disagreement. For example, suppose a manager finds a couple of his staff members resting. If he believes these staff members are basically lazy, the idleness conveys to him that they are "goofing off" and should be given additional assignments. If he believes these staff members are self-motivated and good workers, the idleness conveys to him that they are taking a well-deserved "break." If he is personally insecure, the idleness conveys to him that they are threatening his authority. 10. Time Time can be an indicator of status. How long will you give the staff member who wishes to speak to you? How long will you make him wait to see you? Do you maintain a schedule? Is your schedule such that your subordinates must arrange their schedules to suit yours? In a healthy organization, the manager and his subordinates use time to communicate their mutual respect to each other. 11. Visual & Auditory Signs & Signals: The word sign has been derived from the latin word signum which means mark. Signs eg. Plus, minus, multiplication, divisions, can be used in chemistry, maths, music, road signs etc. Auditory signs includes door bell, college bell, ambulance siren etc. 12. Posters: Posters are combination of verbal & non-verbal factors, because they consists of pictures as well as words. Posters have three parts namely : e. Headline : This is short but catchy slogan f. Illustration: This is the visual part consisting of pictures or photographs. g. Copy : This is the written matter, which gives necessary details.  like old communist poster hero  key word - be inspired  shirt and white tie  looking up into the sky  sharp clean holy preacher  suit – businesslike  angle of face - on a mission –  sun over flag A new day dawning in America 13. Colours : Color is a form of non verbal communication. It is not a static energy and its meaning can change from one day to the next with any individual - it all depends on what energy they are expressing at that point in time. Every colour represents something. Color Meaning Red Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love. Red is a very emotionally intense color. It enhances human metabolism, increases respiration rate, and raises blood pressure. It has very high visibility, which is why stop signs, stoplights, and fire equipment are usually painted red. In heraldry, red is used to indicate courage. It is a color found in many national flags. Red brings text and images to the foreground. Use it as an accent color to stimulate people to make quick decisions; it is a perfect color for 'Buy Now' or 'Click Here' buttons on Internet banners and websites. In advertising, red is often used to evoke erotic feelings (red lips, red nails, red-light districts, 'Lady in Red', etc). Red is widely used to indicate danger (high voltage signs, traffic lights). This color is also commonly associated with energy, so you can use it when promoting energy drinks, games, cars, items related to sports and high physical activity. Light red represents joy, sexuality, passion, sensitivity, and love. Pink signifies romance, love, and friendship. It denotes feminine qualities and passiveness. Dark red is associated with vigor, willpower, rage, anger, leadership, courage, longing, malice, and wrath. Brown suggests stability and denotes masculine qualities. Reddish-brown is associated with harvest and fall. Orange Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow. It is associated with joy, sunshine, and the tropics. Orange represents enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, and stimulation. To the human eye, orange is a very hot color, so it gives the sensation of heat. Nevertheless, orange is not as aggressive as red. Orange increases oxygen supply to the brain, produces an invigorating effect, and stimulates mental activity. It is highly accepted among young people. As a citrus color, orange is associated with healthy food and stimulates appetite. Orange is the color of fall and harvest. In heraldry, orange is symbolic of strength and endurance. Orange has very high visibility, so you can use it to catch attention and highlight the most important elements of your design. Orange is very effective for promoting food products and toys. Dark orange can mean deceit and distrust. Red-orange corresponds to desire, sexual passion, pleasure, domination, aggression, and thirst for action. Gold evokes the feeling of prestige. The meaning of gold is illumination, wisdom, and wealth. Gold often symbolizes high quality. Yellow Yellow is the color of sunshine. It's associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy. Yellow produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness, stimulates mental activity, and generates muscle energy. Yellow is often associated with food. Bright, pure yellow is an attention getter, which is the reason taxicabs are painted this color. When overused, yellow may have a disturbing effect; it is known that babies cry more in yellow rooms. Yellow is seen before other colors when placed against black; this combination is often used to issue a warning. In heraldry, yellow indicates honor and loyalty. Later the meaning of yellow was connected with cowardice. Use yellow to evoke pleasant, cheerful feelings. You can choose yellow to promote children's products and items related to leisure. Yellow is very effective for attracting attention, so use it to highlight the most important elements of your design. Men usually perceive yellow as a very lighthearted, 'childish' color, so it is not recommended to use yellow when selling prestigious, expensive products to men – nobody will buy a yellow business suit or a yellow Mercedes. Yellow is an unstable and spontaneous color, so avoid using yellow if you want to suggest stability and safety. Light yellow tends to disappear into white, so it usually needs a dark color to highlight it. Shades of yellow are visually unappealing because they loose cheerfulness and become dingy. Dull (dingy) yellow represents caution, decay, sickness, and jealousy. Light yellow is associated with intellect, freshness, and joy. Green Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Dark green is also commonly associated with money. Green has great healing power. It is the most restful color for the human eye; it can improve vision. Green suggests stability and endurance. Sometimes green denotes lack of experience; for example, a 'greenhorn' is a novice. In heraldry, green indicates growth and hope. Green, as opposed to red, means safety; it is the color of free passage in road traffic. Use green to indicate safety when advertising drugs and medical products. Green is directly related to nature, so you can use it to promote 'green' products. Dull, darker green is commonly associated with money, the financial world, banking, and Wall Street. Dark green is associated with ambition, greed, and jealousy. Yellow-green can indicate sickness, cowardice, discord, and jealousy. Aqua is associated with emotional healing and protection. Olive green is the traditional color of peace. Blue Blue is the color of the sky and sea. It is often associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven. Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism and produces a calming effect. Blue is strongly associated with tranquility and calmness. In heraldry, blue is used to symbolize piety and sincerity. You can use blue to promote products and services related to cleanliness (water purification filters, cleaning liquids, vodka), air and sky (airlines, airports, air conditioners), water and sea (sea voyages, mineral water). As opposed to emotionally warm colors like red, orange, and yellow; blue is linked to consciousness and intellect. Use blue to suggest precision when promoting high-tech products. Blue is a masculine color; according to studies, it is highly accepted among males. Dark blue is associated with depth, expertise, and stability; it is a preferred color for corporate America. Avoid using blue when promoting food and cooking, because blue suppresses appetite. When used together with warm colors like yellow or red, blue can create high-impact, vibrant designs; for example, blue-yellow-red is a perfect color scheme for a superhero. Light blue is associated with health, healing, tranquility, understanding, and softness. Dark blue represents knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness. Purple Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Purple is associated with royalty. It symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and ambition. It conveys wealth and extravagance. Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic. According to surveys, almost 75 percent of pre-adolescent children prefer purple to all other colors. Purple is a very rare color in nature; some people consider it to be artificial. Light purple is a good choice for a feminine design. You can use bright purple when promoting children's products. Light purple evokes romantic and nostalgic feelings. Dark purple evokes gloom and sad feelings. It can cause frustration. White White is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity. It is considered to be the color of perfection. White means safety, purity, and cleanliness. As opposed to black, white usually has a positive connotation. White can represent a successful beginning. In heraldry, white depicts faith and purity. In advertising, white is associated with coolness and cleanliness because it's the color of snow. You can use white to suggest simplicity in high-tech products. White is an appropriate color for charitable organizations; angels are usually imagined wearing white clothes. White is associated with hospitals, doctors, and sterility, so you can use white to suggest safety when promoting medical products. White is often associated with low weight, low-fat food, and dairy products. Black Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery. Black is a mysterious color associated with fear and the unknown (black holes). It usually has a negative connotation (blacklist, black humor, 'black death'). Black denotes strength and authority; it is considered to be a very formal, elegant, and prestigious color (black tie, black Mercedes). In heraldry, black is the symbol of grief. Black gives the feeling of perspective and depth, but a black background diminishes readability. A black suit or dress can make you look thinner. When designing for a gallery of art or photography, you can use a black or gray background to make the other colors stand out. Black contrasts well with bright colors. Combined with red or orange – other very powerful colors – black gives a very aggressive color scheme. eg. Traffic signals, Interpretation of different colours like red represents danger or is considered as auspicious in wedding, white purity or peace etc. Colours and Branding: A brand‘s logo and visual identity will comprise a number of visual cues, such as shapes, symbols, number, and words. But the number one visual component that people remember most is colour. In fact, colour increases brand recognition by up to 80%. When it comes to branding, the power of color is both emotional and practical. On an emotional level, color can affect how consumers feel when they look at a brand, while on a practical level it can help a brand stand out in the crowd. A number of studies on the relationship between color and branding (here, here and here) reveal that up to 90% of snap judgments made about products can be based on color alone, that colors influence how consumers view the ‗personality‘ of the brand in question, and that the relationship between brands and color hinges on the perceived appropriateness of the color being the right ‗fit‘ for the particular brand. Whether you're a designer or a business owner, it's helpful to know color meanings and symbolism so you can make informed decisions. If you choose a color meaning 'tranquility' for your extreme sports brand, you might be sending the wrong message. This is all well and good, but how do you go about choosing a color that suits your brand? In this article, we will examine the use of color in branding and give you an 11-color guide to help you choose the perfect one for your brand. 01. Red – For Danger, Passion, Excitement & Energy Meanings: Red has a number of different contextual associations and in branding can deliver a highly visible punch. It has the ability to rev desire; and not surprisingly when it is the color of fire, danger, and blood on one hand; and love, sexuality and passion on the other. It is a bold, energetic and lively color that can symbolize strength, confidence and power. 02. Orange – Fresh, Youthful, Creative & Adventurous Meanings: Blending the warmth of red and the optimism of yellow, orange communicates activity and energy. And of course it‘s hard not to go past orange as the color of, well, oranges, and all their vitamin c byproducts, which immediately makes orange feel fresh and healthy. Orange is not for everyone (it was certainly the color of the decade in the 1970s) and can therefore tap into associations of youthfulness, creativity and adventure. 03. Yellow – Optimistic, Cheerful, Playful & Happy Meanings: Being the color of sunshine, yellow puts a smile on the dial. It is the most visible color from a distance (which is why it‘s used for street signs) and communicates cheerfulness, friendliness, joy and energy (who doesn‘t need more yellow in their life?) It can also be associated with mental clarity and intellect (again, who doesn‘t need more yellow?) However, yellow is also a cautionary color used in life vests, police cordoning tape and hazardous areas. 04. Green – Natural, Vitality, Prestige & Wealth Meanings: Green has two very common meanings that are quite paradoxical; one being nature and the environment, and the other being finance and wealth. When it comes to nature, green represents plant life and growth and is consequently used to convey being ‗green‘ in the environmental, sustainable, organic, natural sense of the word. And of course green is, as the saying goes, ‗the color of money‘ (US money, that is) and therefore associated with wealth and stability. 05. Blue – Communicative, Trustworthy, Calming & Depressed Meanings: Blue is the most universally preferred color, perhaps for its very versatile qualities. It is a favorite color for companies that wish to convey reliability, trustworthiness and communication (I‘m looking at you Facebook, Twitter and Samsung) and for expressing the authority and officialdom of organizations (oh, hey there Constable). It is also appreciated for it‘s calming and harmonious qualities being associated with the sea and sky. However, being associated with the emotional feeling of being ‗blue‘ it is also used to express sadness or depression. 06. Purple – Royalty, Majesty, Spiritual & Mysterious Meanings: Purple is a low arousal color. It is traditionally associated with royalty, majesty or nobility as well as having a spiritual or mysterious quality. Darker shades often represent luxury or opulence while lighter lavender shades are quite feminine, sentimental and even nostalgic. 07. Brown – Organic, Wholesome, Simple & Honest Meanings: Brown gets a lot of use in this era of organic and natural food, beauty and products. Nature inspired it represents a feeling of wholesomeness, orderliness, and being grounded. It is simple, strong, durable and honest and may express that your brand has better things to care about than superfluous color, when really… (mind trick!). 08. Pink – Feminine, Sentimental, Romantic & Exciting Meanings: Pink has long been (stereotypically) associated with females and is often viewed as being ‗girly.‘ However, like all colors, pink is quite diverse and the level of intensity can impact its meaning. Pale pink, often marketed as the official color of little girls, represents sweetness while dusty pink can be more sentimental and light pink more romantic. At the other end of the scale, hot pink indicates youthfulness, energy, fun and excitement. A soft pink is now often referred to as 'millennial pink', for the generation's fondness for the blush tone. Soft pink interiors, graphics and more are particularly popular with Generation Y. 09. Black – Sophisticated, Formal, Luxurious & Sorrowful Meanings: While color is more likely to increase brand recognition there‘s no reason black—when used appropriately—can‘t be just as distinctive, memorable and communicative of a brand‘s attributes. Black is to be taken seriously. It represents power, luxury, sophistication and exclusivity on one hand; and death, evil and mystery on the other. From formality to mourning to power, black is bold, classic and not to be fooled with. 10. White – Purity, Simplicity, Innocence & Minimalism Meanings: White represents simplicity, purity, innocence and perfection. And if you had to identify one brand that has used white to convey its brand message to perfection it would have to be Apple – white represents the simplicity of the products in both their form and function. White also comes with a starkness or sterility about it, which is often used be designers to convey a minimalist aesthetic and clean, modern quality. 11. Multicolor – Variety Meanings: Of course, what about mixing multiple colors in one logo, such as Google, the Olympics and NBC? Diverse color generally indicates variety – be it representative of people, countries, or offerings. Color is an important consideration in your brand identity system. Colors have a significant impact on people’s emotional state. They also have been shown to impact people‘s ability to concentrate and learn. They have a wide variety of specific mental associations. In fact, the effects are physiological, psychological, and sociological. For instance:  Non-primary colors are more calming than primary colors.  Blue is the most calming of the primary colors, followed closely by a lighter red.  Test takers score higher and weight lifters lift more in blue rooms.  Blue text increases reading retention.  Yellow evokes cheerfulness. Houses with yellow trim or flower gardens sell faster.  Reds and oranges encourage diners to eat quickly and leave. Red also makes food more appealing and influences people to eat more. (It is no coincidence that fast food restaurants almost always use these colors.)  Pink enhances appetites and has been shown to calm prison inmates.  Blue and black suppress appetites.  Children prefer primary colors. (Notice that children‘s toys and books often use these colors.)  Forest green and burgundy appeals to the wealthiest 3 percent of Americans and often raises the perceived price of an item.  Orange is often used to make an expensive item seem less expensive.  Red clothing can convey power.  Red trim is used in bars and casinos because it can cause people to lose track of time.  White is typically associated with cool, clean and fresh.  Red is often associated with Christmas and orange with Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Black clothes make people look thinner.  Black is also associated with elegance and sophistication. It also seems mysterious. Colors also have a functional impact on readability, eye-strain, ability to attract attention, ability to be seen at night, etc. This is important in choosing colors for signing, website pages, prints ads, and other marketing media.  The most visible color is yellow.  The most legible of all color combinations are black on yellow and green on white followed by red on white.  It is no surprise that most traffic signs use these color combinations.  Black on white is the easiest to read, on paper, and on computer screens.  Hard colors (red, orange and yellow) are more visible and tend to make objects look larger and closer. They are easier to focus upon. They create excitement and cause people to over-estimate time.  Soft colors (violet, blue and green) are less visible and tend to make objects look smaller and further away. They aren‘t as easy to focus upon. They have a calming effect, increase concentration, and cause people to under-estimate time. Usually, it is advantageous for a brand to consistently ―own‖ certain colors, which provide an additional recognition cue. 14. Maps, Graphs & Charts: h. Maps: A map is a drawing on paper that shows location, size & other features of countries. i. Line / Pie / Bar graph: present numerical or statistical data. j. Charts : are used for mounting maps & graphs for better visual effects.  Modes of communication 1. Telephone – Telephone is a device that transmits speech at a distance through the medium of electronic waves. In 1876 telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell. Types of telephones:- 1. Landline or standard telephones 2. Cellular or Mobile phones: These are wireless devices that use radio waves to transmit sounds. The two main cellular systems in operation are GSM – Global System for Mobile Communications, and CDMA – Code Division Multiple Access. 3. Satellite phones: These are used in areas where communication links are absent or destroyed. 4. Ethernet phones: There are digital phones which connect directly to a computer network. Telephone services: 1) Networking: – This works as a base for computer network and fax transmission. 2) Teleconferencing and videoconferencing : - Sounds and video are transmitted via phone lines or satellites, so that people in different places and different countries can be communicate with one another at the same time. Telephone etiquette: 1. Speak politely, precisely, clearly, confidently. Be positive & talk friendly with a smile in voice. 2. Avoid shouting or speaking too low. 3. Listen carefully and if a part of message is not clear, politely ask for repetition. 4. While answering telephone calls, introduce yourself, your company & greet the person. 5. Before making a call, one must be mentally prepared, if need be note down points. 6. Make sure you have delivered the message completely and is understood by the receiving party. Advantages Disadvantages 1. Time saving device. 1. Body language cannot be communicated. 2. Immediate feedback 2. It is sometimes not time saving 3. Legal validity 3. Call may be made at a wrong time. 4. Intercom facility 5. It provides a large range of services like STD (Subscriber Trunk dialing), ISD (International Subscriber dialing), call waiting, call forwarding etc. 2. Fax: Fax is connected to telephone , can be used to send documents, photos, charts, graphs, drawings, diagrams, certificates etc. It scans a printed page, converts it into signals & transmit this signal over a telephone line to the receiving fax machine. Drawbacks – cost, time, quality. 3. Computer – 1. Parts of computers – input, output, storage, processing devices. 2. What is software & hardware? 3. Uses of computer. 4. LAN, WAN, Internet. 5. Uses of Internet – Search, distant learning, E-commerce, videoconferencing, E-mail , social networking sites, cloud computing etc. Chapter IV Barriers to communication The word barrier means an obstacle, a hindrance or simply a problem that comes in a way of transmission of a message and blocks the process, either completely or partially. Different types of barriers are as follows: 1. Physical or environmental barriers: a. Noise - The noise created by external factors like traffic, playing of loud music, trains and airplanes, or by crowds of people, affects our communication. b. Time & distance - Time becomes a physical barrier when people have to communicate across different time zones in different countries. The physical distance between people who need to communicate can also cause problems because it does not allow oral or face-to-face communication. c. Defects in communication system – Mechanical problems and defects in instruments of communication also create physical barriers, as in a faulty fax machine or typewriter. Similarly, a computer that hangs, or a dead telephone line can lead to non-transmission of messages. eg. No range in mobile, technical problem in mike or speakers. d. Wrong selection of medium – The sender selects the medium which is not familiar to the receiver.  e. Physiological defects like stammering, hearing defects, mumbling while speaking etc. 2. Language or Semantic barriers: Language is the main medium of communication and words are its tools. Language proves to be a barrier at diferent levels, such as semantic (meaning), syntactic (grammar), phonological (pronunciation, intonation, pitch etc.) and finally linguistic (across languages) Thus, language barriers can arise in different ways: a. Jargon or unfamiliar terminology - There are some special terms or technical words used by people belonging to a certain group or field of work such as doctors, lawyers, computer software engineers or college students. They use words which are their own, specialised jargon which cannot be understood by anyone outside their group. b. Difference in language – Unfamiliar language becomes a barrier when people do not know each other‗s language. This barrier can be overcome by using a common medium of communication, as in a classroom. Translation is also an important way of overcoming this barrier. c. Words are of two kinds: extensional and intentional words. Extensional words are clear in their meaning and therefore do not create barriers – such as words like boy, chair, garden etc. Intentional words are words that describe and they can be understood differently by different people, according to the meaning that a person gives to the word. Thus good, bad, beautiful are intentional words, and a simple sentence like she is a good girl. can create confusion because the meaning of the word ‗good‘ is unclear. d. Sometimes, the same word is used in different contexts, giving rise totally different meanings. A word like =hard‗, for example can be used in different ways: hard chair, hard-hearted, hard drink, having a hard time – all these use the same word but the meanings are different. e. Barriers can be created when we come across words, which have the same sound when pronounced, but which mean very different things. Examples: words like fair and fare; bear and bare; council and counsel. 3. Psychological barriers: Psyche means mind. Psychological barriers are created in the mind. Communication is a mental activity and its aim is to create understanding. But the human mind is complex and not all communication can result in understanding. There are several kinds of psychological barriers which can come in the way of understanding. (a) Emotions: Emotions are among the most common psychological barriers to communication. The emotion may be connected to the communication received or it may be present in the sender‗s or receiver‗s mind, even before the communication takes place. In both cases, it acts as a barrier. Emotions can be positive, like happiness and joy, or negative, like fear, anger, mistrust etc. Both positive and negative emotions act as barriers, if they are not kept in check. (b) Prejudice: A prejudice is an opinion held by a person for which there is no rational basis or valid reason. It can be against something or someone, or in favour of it, but it becomes a barrier to a meaningful communication. Prejudices are based on ignorance and lack of information, e.g., prejudices about certain communities or groups of people. (c) Halo effect: Sometimes our reactions to people are not balanced or objective; they are of an extreme nature. Either we like a person so much that we can find no shortcomings in her/him, or we dislike someone so much that we can see nothing good in her/him. In both cases, we commit errors of judgment and fail to understand the person. (d) Self-image or different perceptions: Every person has in her/his mind a certain image of herself/himself. S/he thinks of herself/himself in a certain way. This is their perception of themselves, their self-image. One‗s self-image is the product of one‗s heredity, one‗s environment and one‗s experiences, and thus every person‗s self-image is unique and different from the others. Self-image can create a barrier because we accept communication which is compatible with our self-image. We avoid or reject communication, which goes against our perception of ourselves. (e) Closed Mind: A closed mind is one which refuses to accept an idea or opinion on a subject, because it is different from his idea. Such persons form their opinion on a subject, and then refuse to listen to anyone who has something different to say about it. A closed mind may be the result of some past experience or just habit. It is very difficult to remove this psychological barrier. (f) Status: Status refers to rank or position. It could be economic, social or professional status. In any organisation, hierarchy creates differences in rank, and this is a normal situation. Thus, status by itself does not cause barriers; but when a person becomes too conscious of his status, whether high or low, then status becomes a barrier. For instance, in a business organisation, a senior executive who is unduly conscious of his seniority  will not communicate properly with his juniors, and will refrain from giving them the required information. Similarly, if a junior is acutely conscious of his junior status, he will avoid communicating with his seniors, even when it is necessary (g) Inattentiveness and Impatience: Sometimes the receiver may not pay attention to the sender‗s message, or he may be too impatient to hear the message fully and properly. Such barriers are common in oral communication. Overcoming psychological barriers: 1. Adopt flexible and open-minded attitude 2. Training of listening skills 3. Exposure to different environment, views will help to broaden outlook 4. Listening with empathy helps in making oneself more adapting to other‘s perceptions. 4. Cross-cultural barriers: Mary Allen Guffey defines communication as ,‖the complex system of values, traits, morals and customs shared by a society.‖ Cultural diversity within a country, and cultural differences between people from different countries, are a major cause of barriers. This is because people are conditioned by their cultures, and they develop certain habits of working, communicating, eating, dressing etc. according to their cultural conditioning. They find it difficult to get through to people who come from an alien culture, and who have different habits. A simple thing like a greeting to welcome a person is vastly different in India from a greeting in, for example, an Arab country, or in Japan. Food and dress habits of a different culture can make a person uncomfortable. Concepts of space and time are also different across cultures; for example, Indians do not mind sitting close to each other and sharing space in offices or in public places. However, a European would not be able to tolerate such intrusive behaviour. Similarly, people who come from a culture where time is very valuable will be impatient with those who come from a culture with an easygoing attitude towards time, where everything is done in a slow, unhurried way. a. Cultural diversity b. Time c. Space d. Food e. Manners f. Decision making Overcoming Barriers : Barriers disrupt communication and interfere with understanding. They must be overcome if communication has to be effective. Physical barriers are comparatively easier to overcome. The use of loudspeakers and microphones can remove the barriers of noise and distance in crowded places like railway stations. Traffic signals and non-verbal gestures of the traffic policeman remove physical barriers on the roads. Technological advancement has helped in reducing the communication gap arising due to time and distance.It is possible to make an alternative arrangement, should the technological instruments fail. A back-up plan helps in tidying over any snag. Language or Semantic Barriers can be overcome if the sender and the receiver choose a language which both of them understand very well. Help from a translator or an interpreter also helps in overcoming the language barrier. Exposure to the target language and training oneself in the acquisition of skills of the given language too help in overcoming the language barrier. Language barriers can be avoided by careful study and accurate use of language. Clarity should be the main objective when using language. Jargon should be avoided. Psychological barriers, as also cross-cultural barriers are difficult to overcome, as they are difficult to identify and even more difficult to address. Even these can be avoided or reduced by adopting a flexible and open-minded attitude. The ultimate aim is to build bridges of understanding between people – that is the main aim of communication. Training oneself to listen to different views , exposing oneself to different environments help in broadening one‗s outlook and cultivating tolerance to multiple views. Teaching oneself to listen with empathy helps in making oneself more open to others ‗perceptions. While dealing with psychological or cross-cultural barriers the sender should make it a point to– (i) Use language that is politically neutral and correct. (ii) Present views in simple and objective manner (iii) Focus on the objective of communication  Chapter V Listening Importance of listening 1. Listening is the first means of acquiring information 2. Listening is the first means of learning new language 3. Helps to solve problems 4. Helps in framing plans and policies 5. Helps to share information 6. Helps in decision-making 7. Helps to know organization 8. Develops better relations 9. Provides encouragement Nature of listening process: Listening is such a routine activity that most people do not even realize that they are poor listeners, and are, therefore, in need of developing their listening skills. Others may feel that listening is a very difficult task, perhaps, next to impossible to achieve. But the truth is that good listening habits can be cultivated, and with practice, much can be achieved. Understanding the complex process of listening, itself, may help people become good listeners. Listening involves the following inter-related steps in sequential order: Receiving-----Attending-----Interpreting-----Remembering-----Evaluating-----Responding. Receiving: This is a kind of physiological process. The sounds impinge on the listener‗s ear. It is only when he takes these in that he can go further in the process of getting at the meaning.. Attending: The listener has to focus his attention on the.message. to the exclusion of all other sounds that may be present in the immediate surroundings.. Interpreting: The sounds have to be interpreted, that is, the listener tries to understand the message that is being put across against the background of his own values, beliefs, ideas, expectations, needs, experience and background — and, of course, taking into account the speaker‗s viewpoint.. Remembering: This involves storing the message for future reference.. Evaluating: The listener makes a critical analysis of the information received, judging whether the message makes sense while separating fact from opinion.. Responding: The listener gives a verbal or nonverbal response, and takes action accordingly. Barriers to listening: 1. Distractions a. Semantic - The listener is confused about the actual meaning of a word, as the word has different meanings. b. Physical - This occurs when, for eg., the air-conditioning system or microphones fail; or there is noise in the surroundings; or, someone is constantly tapping on the table with his fingers. c. Mental - This occurs when the listener makes himself the central character of his daydreams and forgets the speaker. 2. Faking attention or pretending to listen – This usually happens when the message consists of material of a difficult or uninteresting nature. The listener may not want to bother to understand the message. Sometimes this may happen when he is critical of the speaker‗s looks, style of speaking, or mannerisms. 3. Defensive listening – This kind of listening takes place when the speaker‗s views challenge the listener‗s beliefs. 4. Prejudice – The listener‗s bias, negative attitude, preconceived notions, fears, or stress adversely affect listening. 5. Constant focus on self - A person‗s ego may also adversely affect his listening. The Roman playwright, Terence, reveals this aspect of human nature when he says:.My closest relation is myself. A person may believe that he knows everything that the speaker is talking about and, therefore, does not need to listen. 6. Information overload - The listener may be exposed to too many words or points and, therefore, be unable to take in everything. He should learn how to pick up the important ones, and discard the rest. 7. The thinking-speaking rate - The speaking rate is 125 – 150 words per minute, whereas the thinking rate is 400 words per minute. So the listener‗s mind is moving much faster than the speaker is able to speak. The extra, intervening time, before the speaker arrives at his next point, is usually spent in shifting one‗s mental focus, or in day dreaming.  8. Short attention span - The natural attention span for human beings is short. This is not easy to rectify, except for making a special effort to concentrate and prolong one‗s attention span. Listening strategies: 1. Preparation for listening – The environment must be made conducive to listening. Noise and disturbance can be kept out by closing doors, or using a soundproof room. Suitable arrangements for microphones and stationery should be made in advance. Interruptions must be prevented. By these means, the physical barriers can be eliminated, and the listener can focus his attention on the speaker. 2. Background knowledge – The listener should train himself to listen intelligently, bearing in mind the speaker, the topic and the situation. 3. Re-organize the material in mind – The listener should be able to recognize patterns used by the speaker, and should be able to identify the main / central point, and supporting points; s/he should re- organize the material in his mind according to certain headings so as to facilitate recall. 4. Focusing on the speaker‘s matter than manner – The listener should not be prejudiced by the personal or behavioural traits of the speaker or his style, but should focus on the content, intent, and argument of the message. 5. Listening actively – Listening actively also involves being considerate to the speaker and empathising with him. By adopting an alert listening pose, the listener puts the speaker at his ease and places him in a better position to formulate and express his ideas. The listener should have a positive attitude towards a talk, believing that in every talk there is always at least one point or idea that will be of value and special significance to him. 6. Listen with complete concentration – The listener should learn to differentiate between argument and evidence; idea and example; fact and opinion. He should attempt to pick out and paraphrase the important points while disregarding unimportant ones. 7. Interaction – a. Do not interrupt - Allow the speaker to finish what he is saying before you begin to talk. b. Do not disturb the speaker by indulging in some undesirable form of activity, like talking to the person next to you, looking at your watch, or walking out, or appearing uninterested or distracted. c. Do not contradict the speaker d. Do not let your mind move on to anticipate what is going to be said next – just listen carefully to what the speaker is actually saying. If you are busy planning your replies, you are likely to miss important points, and make irrelevant or stupid statements. e. Adopt an open-minded attitude – Be open to new ideas, ask questions, seeking clarification of meaning, ideas, and thoughts; or to gather additional information, or to direct the flow of the conversation. f. Avoid passing comments or making remarks when the speaker is speaking g. Do not let your mind indulge in some other activity h. Only one person should speak at one time. 8. Patience – Do not get restless or impatient. Be careful not to lose your temper. 9. Motivation – The experience of listening is more rewarding if the listener is motivated and interested. Confidence and trust in the speaker are necessary. 10. Provide positive feedback – By maintaining eye contact, using proper facial expressions, nodding from time to time, leaning forward, and so on, you put the speaker at his ease, encourage him and thus enable him to give of his best. 11. Listen for vocal & no-verbal cues – By noting the speaker‗s tone of voice or facial expressions, it is possible to get at his meaning more effectively. Pay attention to what the speaker says as much as to what he leaves unsaid. 12. Make good use of the time gap between speaking and thinking – Spend this =extra‗ time reflecting on what the speaker is saying. You could even jot down points or make brief notes on selected topics. Make a kind of mental summary, and evaluate what is being said. You may anticipate what the speaker is going to say next, but it is necessary to listen carefully to find out whether it is  exactly what you expected or whether there is some difference. If there is a difference, it is important to consider what the difference is, and the reason for it. 13. Introspection – The listener must honestly examine his existing listening habits, and consider whether he can improve upon them. 14. Practicing listening skills – Train yourself to use your listening skills every time you have occasion to listen. Do not abandon the task of listening, especially if you find it difficult. Listening is an act of the will as much as a matter of habit. It depends on mental conditioning. Willingness to make an effort, therefore, matters. 15. Adopting to different communication events – Effective listening includes the ability to adapt to several communication events, involving intercultural communication situations. The listener must be aware of factors like culture, gender, race, status, etc., and not allow them to adversely affect his listening. In this connection, tolerance, patience, and empathy are important. Styles of listening: 1. Empathic listening – In this case we empathize with the speaker, and understand things from her/his point of view, allowing her/him the freedom to express her/his emotions. 2. Informational listening – Here, the aim is to receive information. So the listener pays attention to the content, and makes decisions regarding the taking of notes; s/he also watches for related non-verbal cues, asks questions, and focuses on the replies. All this helps her/ him to assimilate the information. 3. Evaluative listening – We are exposed to a great deal of material intended to persuade us to accept the speaker‗s point of view; we need to evaluate what we hear, and note only certain points that are of interest or use to us. 4. Appreciative listening – We use this form of listening when we listen to our favourite music or watch an enjoyable television programme. In these instances, careful listening greatly enhances pleasure and appreciation. 5. Critical listening –  This is when we listen critically and analytically, carefully considering the topic of the argument, the intentions of the speaker, his omissions, his point of view; his credibility and so on. Business Ethics What is a 'Business'? A business is an organization or enterprising entity engaged in commercial, industrial or professional activities. A company transacts business activities through the production of a good, offering of a service or retailing of already manufactured products. A business can be a for-profit entity or a nonprofit organization that operates to fulfill a charitable mission. The term business has different meaning depending on the context.:: 1. The commercial activities of an individual or a group engaging in some type of financial transaction. Eg.: bargain between two individuals. You are buying something in exchange of money. 2. An organization that is formed to operate some type of service or commercial activity. a. For Profit organization. Eg: The organisation‘s sole purpose can be to earn profit and can range from a sole proprietorship to a multinationals publically traded cooperation. b. Not-For-Profit business. Eg. Farming. 3. The type of commerce in which someone engages. For eg: a. Nike is in sports apparel and equipment business. b. General Motors is in automobile business. What is Business Ethics? Business ethics is the study of proper business policies and practices regarding potentially controversial issues, such as corporate governance, insider trading, bribery, discrimination, corporate social responsibility and fiduciary responsibilities. Law often guides business ethics, while other times business ethics provide a basic framework that businesses may choose to follow to gain public acceptance. Business Ethics: The system of laws and guidelines by which business professionals and corporations operate in a fair, legal, and moral fashion. Business Ethics is a broad topic covering following: 1. Globalization 2. Executive Pay 3. Earnings Management 4. Political Contributions 5. Marketing practices 6. Bribery 7. Tax avoidance 8. Corporate governance 9. Fiduciary responsibilities 10. Corporate Social responsibility 11. Intellectual property 12. Insider trading 13. Unionization 14. Corruption 15. Discrimination 16. Health and Safety 17. Sales practices 18. Privacy 19. Human resource Management The organization where ethics are followed, trust develops between employees and management as well as between the public and cooperation. Thus, Business ethics lead to a more productive workplace. Importance of Business Ethics Ethics concern an individual's moral judgements about right and wrong. Decisions taken within an organisation may be made by individuals or groups, but whoever makes them will be influenced by the culture of the company. The decision to behave ethically is a moral one; employees must decide what they think is the right course of action. This may involve rejecting the route that would lead to the biggest short-term profit. Businesses around the world are designing and implementing business ethics programs to address the legal, ethical, social responsibility, and environmental issues they face. By addressing these issues in a systematic way, enterprises can improve their own business performance, expand opportunities for growth, and contribute to the development of social capital in their markets. They can realize specific business benefits, such as: 1. Enhanced reputations and good will 2. Reduced risks and costs 3. Protection from their own employees and agents 4. Stronger competitive positions 5. Expanded access to capital, credit, and foreign investment  6. Increased profits 7. Sustained long-term growth 8. International respect for enterprises and emerging markets Enterprises that excel in these areas create a climate of excellence for their employees, shareholders, and communities, and contribute to the economic wellbeing of their countries. Ethical behaviour and corporate social responsibility can bring significant benefits to a business. For example, they may:  attract customers to the firm's products, thereby boosting sales and profits  make employees want to stay with the business, reduce labour turnover and therefore increase productivity  attract more employees wanting to work for the business, reduce recruitment costs and enable the company to get the most talented employees  attract investors and keep the company's share price high, thereby protecting the business from takeover. Unethical behaviour or a lack of corporate social responsibility may damage a firm's reputation and make it less appealing to stakeholders. Profits could fall as a result. Several factors play a role in the success of a company that are beyond the scope of financial statements alone. Organizational culture, management philosophy and ethics in business each have an impact on how well a business performs in the long term. No matter the size, industry or level of profitability of an organization, business ethics are one of the most important aspects of long-term success. Ethics in Leadership The management team sets the tone for how the entire company runs on a day-to-day basis. When the prevailing management philosophy is based on ethical practices and behavior, leaders within an organization can direct employees by example and guide them in making decisions that are not only beneficial to them as individuals, but also to the organization as a whole. Building on a foundation of ethical behavior helps create long lasting positive effects for a company, including the ability to attract and retain highly talented individuals and building and maintaining a positive reputation within the community. Running a business in a ethical manner from the top down builds a stronger bond between individuals on the management team, further creating stability within the company. Employee Ethics When management is leading an organization in an ethical manner, employees follow in those footsteps. Employees make better decisions in less time with business ethics as a guiding principle; this increases productivity and overall employee morale. When employees complete work in a way that is based on honesty and integrity, the whole organization benefits. Employees who work for a corporation that demands a high standard of business ethics in all facets of operations are more likely to perform their job duties at a higher level and are also more inclined to stay loyal to that organization. Business Ethics Benefits The importance of business ethics reaches far beyond employee loyalty and morale or the strength of a management team bond. As with all business initiatives, the ethical operation of a company is directly related to profitability in both the short and long term. The reputation of a business from the surrounding community, other businesses and individual investors is paramount in determining whether a company is a worthwhile investment. If a company's reputation is less than perfect based on the perception that it does not operate ethically, investors are less inclined to buy stock or otherwise support its operations. With consistent ethical behavior comes increasingly positive public image, and there are few other considerations as important to potential investors and current shareholders. To retain a positive image, businesses must be committed to operating on an ethical foundation as it relates to treatment of employees, respect to the surrounding environment and fair market practices in terms of price and consumer treatment. Personal integrity at the workplace Integrity comes in many forms, but honesty and dependability are two traits that are expected in most workplace situations. Without responsible behavior, distrust can make a work environment tense and uncomfortable. A strong work ethic shows co-workers and clients that you're reliable and take your responsibilities seriously. Polite communication, respectable behavior and fiscal responsibility also help you stand out as a trustworthy employee. 1. Work When You're on the Clock Working diligently when you're on the clock is a clear example of workplace integrity. Socializing, surfing the Internet, making personal phone calls, texting and frequent snacking are activities that detract from work time. Saving those activities for break time will show your boss, co-workers and customers that you work hard when you're on the clock. The career website Calibrate Coaching recommends honoring your work hours by not stealing time from your employer. Even if you don't actually clock in and out with a time card, focusing on your work responsibilities while you're at your desk, work station or production area will showcase your strong work habits. 2. Follow Company Policies Abiding by company policies is a powerful way to demonstrate integrity. Cutting corners and neglecting to follow workplace regulations can lead to mistakes, problems and even dangerous situations. Your willingness to properly record financial transactions, safely dispense of hazardous or toxic materials, follow company protocol for dealing with clients, perform clean-up or set-up procedures and properly maintain equipment shows others that you're not just looking for the easy way out. Establishing yourself as a trustworthy worker who submits to company policies shows your boss and co-workers that you'll faithfully carry out your duties. 3. Respect Co-workers and Build Trust Respecting those you work with reveals your desire to create a healthy work environment. Polite communication, appropriate interactions and respect for co-workers' thoughts and ideas demonstrate your ability to look beyond your own interests to pursue team-centered work goals. As you deal with co-workers honestly and respectfully, you establish a level of trust with them. According to Amy Rees Anderson, a contributor to Forbes magazine, those who trust you will spread the word of that trust to their associates, and word of your character will spread like wildfire. 4. Exhibit Responsible Behavior Integrity in the workplace often stems from moral and ethical behavior. Making sure there's no reason to question your conduct is one of the best ways to prove that you are an honest and dependable employee. Avoid using company products or equipment for personal use and submit exact receipts for travel or meal reimbursements. Don't over- promise what you can't provide and strive to meet deadlines. Work productively and cooperate during company meetings so you don't appear lazy or apathetic, and don't call in sick if you aren't. By exhibiting responsible behavior, you don't give co-workers or clients the opportunity to question your integrity. Computer Ethics The concept of computer ethics originated in 1950 with the publication of Nobert Wiener,s book entitles ―The human use of human beings,. Computer ethics involves a set of moral principles that regulate the use of computers. The Ten Commandments are as follows:  Do not use the computer in ways that may harm other people. Explanation: This commandment says that it is unethical to use a computer to harm another user. It is not limited to physical injury. It includes harming or corrupting other users' data or files. The commandment states that it is wrong to use a computer to steal someone's personal information. Manipulating or destroying files of other users is ethically wrong. It is unethical to write programs, which on execution lead to stealing, copying or gaining unauthorized access to other users' data. Being involved in practices like hacking, spamming, phishing or cyber bullying does not conform to computer ethics.  Do not use computer technology to cause interference in other users' work. Explanation: Computer software can be used in ways that disturb other users or disrupt their work. Viruses, for example, are programs meant to harm useful computer programs or interfere with the normal functioning of a computer. Malicious software can disrupt the functioning of computers in more ways than one. It may overload computer memory through excessive consumption of computer resources, thus slowing its functioning. It may cause a computer to function wrongly or even stop working. Using malicious software to attack a computer is unethical.  Do not spy on another person's computer data. Explanation: We know it is wrong to read someone's personal letters. On the same lines, it is wrong to read someone else's email messages or files. Obtaining data from another person's private files is nothing less than breaking into someone's room. Snooping around in another person's files or reading someone else's personal messages is the invasion of his privacy. There are exceptions to this. For example, spying is necessary and cannot be called unethical when it is done against illegitimate use of computers. For example, intelligence agencies working on cybercrime cases need to spy on the internet activity of suspects.  Do not use computer technology to steal information. Explanation: Stealing sensitive information or leaking confidential information is as good as robbery. It is wrong to acquire personal information of employees from an employee database or patient history from a hospital database or other such information that is meant to be confidential. Similarly, breaking into a bank account to collect information about the account or account holder is wrong. Illegal electronic transfer of funds is a type of fraud. With the use of technology, stealing of information is much easier. Computers can be used to store stolen information.  Do not contribute to the spread of misinformation using computer technology. Explanation: Spread of information has become viral today, because of the Internet. This also means that false news or rumors can spread speedily through social networking sites or emails. Being involved in the circulation of incorrect information is unethical. Mails and pop-ups are commonly used to spread the wrong information or give false alerts with the only intent of selling products. Mails from untrusted sources advertising certain products or spreading some hard- to-believe information, are not uncommon. Direct or indirect involvement in the circulation of false information is ethically wrong. Giving wrong information can hurt other parties or organizations that are affected on that particular theme.  Refrain from copying software or buying pirated copies. Pay for software unless it is free. Explanation: Like any other artistic or literary work, software is copyrighted. A piece of code is the original work of the individual who created it. It is copyrighted in his/her name. In case of a developer writing software for the organization she works for, the organization holds the copyright for it. Copyright holds true unless its creators announce it is not. Obtaining illegal copies of copyrighted software is unethical. It is not easy to do such things and in the end it will just be copied illegally.  Do not use someone else's computer resources unless authorized to. Explanation: Multi-user systems have user specific passwords. Breaking into some other user's password, thus intruding her private space is unethical. It is not ethical to hack passwords for gaining unauthorized access to a password-protected computer system. Accessing data that you are not authorized to access or gaining access to another user's computer without her permission is not ethical. Privacy will always be applied to such resources and were not supposed to get exposed and hack in such ways that is not yours.  It is wrong to claim ownership on a work which is the output of someone else's intellect. Explanation: Programs developed by a software developer are her property. If he is working with an organization, they are the organization's property. Copying them and propagating them in one's own name is unethical. This applies to any creative work, program or design. Establishing ownership on a work which is not yours is ethically wrong. Originality of any software/programs are to be keep safe and trying to claim ownership will cause a viral disputes.  Before developing a software, think about the social impact it can have. Explanation: Looking at the social consequences that a program can have, describes a broader perspective of looking at technology. A computer software on release, reaches millions. Software like video games and animations or educational software can have a social impact on their users. When working on animation films or designing video games, for example, it is the programmer's responsibility to understand his target audience/users and the effect it may have on them. For example, a computer game for kids should not have content that can influence them negatively. Similarly, writing malicious software is ethically wrong. A software developer/development firm should consider the influence their code can have on the society at large.  In using computers for communication, be respectful and courteous with the fellow members. Explanation: The communication etiquette we follow in the real world applies to communication over computers as well. While communicating over the Internet, one should treat others with respect. One should not intrude others' private space, use abusive language, make false statements or pass irresponsible remarks about  others. One should be courteous while communicating over the web and should respect others' time and resources. Also, one should be considerate with a novice computer user. Business Ethics and Media: Care must also be taken when making statements to the media that information given is correct and not misleading. Information which, if made public would be likely to have material effect on the share price or about certain transactions such as mergers, acquisitions or disposals or transactions with related parties is subject to specific rules. Such matters should be referred to the relevant Regional General Counsel. Enquiries from the media should be referred to company media relations experts and statements should only be made by designated spokespersons. Only authorised spokespersons are permitted to represent the company in media or investor relations. Social media and Business Ethics Social media is an umbrella term used to describe social interaction through a suite of technology based tools, many of which are inte