F.Y.B.Com Business Communication Semester I Past Paper PDF

31 F.Y.B.COM. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SEMESTER - I SUBJECT CODE : UBCOMFSI.4  © UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI Dr. Suhas Pednekar Vice-Chancellor University of Mumbai, Mumbai Dr. Kavita Laghate...

31 F.Y.B.COM. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SEMESTER - I SUBJECT CODE : UBCOMFSI.4  © UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI Dr. Suhas Pednekar Vice-Chancellor University of Mumbai, Mumbai Dr. Kavita Laghate Anil R Bankar Professor cum Director, Associate Prof. of History & Asst. Director & Institute of Distance & Open Learning, Incharge Study Material Section, University of Mumbai, Mumbai IDOL, University of Mumbai, Mumbai Programme Co-ordinator : Priya Pawaskar Asst. Professor in English IDOL, University of Mumbai. Course Co-ordinator : Dr. Savita Patil & Course Writer Head, Department of English, Elephistone College, Mumbai Course Writers : Dr. K. H. Pawar : Prof. Yogesh Anvekar Department of English Head of Department of English M.D. College, Parel, G..N. Khalsa College, Mumbai - 400012 Matunga, Mumbai - 400019 : Dr. Ambreen Kharbe : Dr. Vijay Patil Department of English Department of English, G.M. Momin College, Nalanda Nitya Kala Mahavidyalay Bhinwandi, Dist. Thane Vile Parle (W), Mumbai - 400049 : Dr. S. D. Sargar : Prof. Kalpana N. Shelke Head, Department of English Head, Department of English, Veer Wajekar Arts, Science & Barns College of Arts, Commerce College, Science & Commerce, Phunde, Dist - Raigad - 400702 Panvel, Navi Mumbai Course Writer & Editor : Dr. Shikha Dutta Head, Department of English “Vivekanand Education Society's College of Arts, Science, and Commerce, Sindhi Society,“Chembur, Mumbai-400071 December, 2020 F.Y.B.COM. Business Communication Published by : Professor cum Director Institute of Distance and Open Learning , University of Mumbai, Vidyanagari, Mumbai - 400 098. ipin Enterprises DTP Composed : Ashwini Arts Tantia Jogani Gurukripa Chawl,Industrial M.C. ChaglaEstate, Marg,Unit No. 2, Bamanwada, Vile Parle (E), Ground Mumbai Floor, - 400 Sitaram 099.Compound, Mill Pace Computronics "Samridhi" Paranjpe J.R. Boricha 'B' Scheme, Marg, Vile Parle Mumbai (E), Mumbai - 400 011 - 57. Printed by :  CONTENTS Unit No. Title Page No. SEMESTER - I 1. The Concept of Communication 01 2. Channels and Objectives of Communication 18 3. Methods and Modes of Communication 35 4. Barriers to Communication 51 5. Listening 56 6. Business Ethics 65 7. Theory of Business Letter Writing 75 8. Personnel Corresponding 94   I Syllabus for Business Communication F.Y.B.COM. Course Objectives: 1. To develop awareness of the complexity of the communication process 2. To develop effective listening skills in students so as to enable them to comprehend instruction and become a critical listener 3. To develop effective oral skills so as to enable students to speak confidently interpersonally a well as in large groups 4. To develop effective writing skills so as enable students to H. Title in a clear, concise, persuasive and audience centered manner 5. To develop ability to communicate effectively with the help of electronic media SEM - I Unit 1: Theory of Communication i. Concept of Communication 3 Meaning Definition Process Need Feedback Emergence of Communication as a key concept in the Corporate and Global world Impact of technological advancements on Communication ii. Channels and Objectives of Communication 3 Channels-- Formal and Informal—Vertical. Horizontal. Diagonal Grapevine Objectives of Communication -- 3 Information. Advice. Order and Instruction. Persuasion, Motivation, Education, Warning. and Boosting the Morale of Employees (A brief introduction to these objectives to be given) iii. Methods and Modes of Communication Verbal and Nonverbal Characteristics of Verbal Communication Characteristics of Non-verbal Communication Landline. Wireless and Cellular Phones Facsimile Communication [Fax]  II Computers and E- communication Video and Satellite Conferencing iv. Problems in Communication / Barriers to Communication -- 3 Physical Semantic / language Socio-Cultural Psychological / Barriers Ways to Overcome these Barriers v. Listening— 2 Importance of Listening Skills Cultivating good Listening Skills Unit 2: Business Correspondence i. Theory of Business Letter Writing -- 2 Parts, Structure, Layouts full Block. Modified Block, Semi - Block Principles of Effective Lever Writing ii. Personnel Correspondence — 10 Statement of Purpose Job Application Letter and Resume Letter of Acceptance of Job Offer, Letter of Resignation [Letter of Appointment, Promotion and Termination, Letter of Recommendation (to be taught but not to be tested in the examination] Unit 3: Language and Writing Skills i. Paragraph Writing -- 8 Developing an idea, using appropriate linking devices, etc Cohesion and Coherence, self-editing, etc. Interpretation of technical data. Composition on a given situation, a short informal report etc. ii. Commercial Terms used in Business Communication   III Question Paper Pattern Semester I Maximum Marks : 100 Question to be set : 06 Duration : 3 Hours Question Particular Marks No. Q.1 A) Explain the terms in 02-03 sentences (05 10 Marks out of 08) (From all units) B) Match the following 05 Marks C) Multiple Choice Questions 05 Marks Q.2 Short notes (04 out of 06) : Unit I - Chapter 1, 20 Marks 2, 3 Q.3 Essay Type (02 out of 03) : Unit I - Chapter 4, 20 Marks 5, 6 Q.4 Job Application Letter and Resume 05 + 05 10 Marks Q.5 Personnel Letters (04 out of 05) 20 Marks Statement of Purpose, Letter of Recommendation, Letter of Acceptance of Job Offer, Letter of Resignation, Letter of Appreciation Q.6 A) Paragraph Writing (01 out of 02) 05 Marks B) Situation based Case Study (from Unit I - 05 Marks Chapter 03 Channels and Chapter 05 Barriers)   IV Reference : 1. Ashley, A(1992) A Handbook 0I-Commercial Correspondence. Oxford University Press. 2. Aswalthapa. K ( [991) Organisational Behaviour. Himalayan Publication. Mumbai. 3. Atreya N and Guha (1994) Effective Credit Management. MMC School of Management. Mumbai. 4. Bahl. J.C. and Nagamia, S.M. (1974) Modern Business Correspondence and Minute Writing. 5. Balan. K.R. and Rayudu C.S. (1996) Effective Communication. Beacon, New Delhi. 6. Bangh. [Sue. Fryar, Maridell and Thomas David A. (1998) How to Write First Class Business Correspondence. N.T.C. Publishing Group USA. 7. 7 Barkar, Alan (1993) Making Meetings Work. Sterling Publications Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. 8. Basu. C.R. (1998) Business Organisation and Management. T.M.H. New Delhi. 9. Benjamin. James (1993) Business and Professional Communication Concepts and Practices. Harper Collins College Publishers. New York. 10. Black. Sam (1972) Practical Public Relations, E.L.B.S. London. 11. Bovee Courtland. L and Thrill. John V(1989) Business Communication, Today McGraw Hill, New York, Taxman Publication. 12. Burton. G and.1hakur. ([995) Management Today- Principles and Practices. T.M. H. New Delhi. 13.Darrow. Richard, Forrstal. Dan and Coolman, Aubrey (1967) Public Relations Handbook, The Dartwell Co. Chicago. 14. Drucher.P.F. (1970) Technology. Management and Society. Pan Books London. 15. Eyre. E.C. (1985) Effective Communication Made Simple, Rupa and Co. Calcutta. 16. Ecouse Barry. (1999). Competitive Communication: A Rhetoric for Modern Business. OUP. 17. Fisher Dalmar. (1999). Communication in Organisation. Jai co Pub House, Mumbai, Delhi. 18. French. Astrid (1993) Interpersonal Skills. Sterling Publishers, New delhi. 19. Garlside. L.E. (1980) Modem Business Correspondence. McDonald and Evans Ltd. Plymouth.  V 20. Ghanekar. A (1996) Communication Skills for Effective Management. Everest Publishing House. Pune. 21. Graves. Harold F. (1965) Report Writing. Prentice Hall. New Jersey. 22. Krevolin. Nathan (1983) Communication Systems and Procedures for Modern Office. Prentice Hall, New Jersey. 23. Lesikar. Raymond V and Petit, John D.( 1994) Business Communication: Theory and Application, Richard D. Irwin Inc. Ilinois. 24. Ludlow. Ron. (1995) The Essence of Effective Communication. Prentice, New Delhi. 25. Martson. John E. (1963) The Nature of Public Relations. McGraw Hill. New Delhi. 26. Majumdar. P.K. (1992) Commentary on the Consumer Protection Act. Prentice, New Delhi. 27. Merrihue. William (1960) Managing by Communication. McGraw Hill. New York. 28. Monippalli. M.M. (1997).The Craft of Business Letter Writing. T.M.H. New Delhi. 29. Montagu. A and Matson, Floyd ( 1979) The Human Connection. McGraw Hill. New York. 30. Murphy, Herta and Hilde Brandt. Herbert W (1984) Effective Business Communication. McGraw Hill, New York. 31. Parson. C.J. and I lughes (.197(1) Written Communication ihr Business Students_ Great Britain. 32. Phillip. Louis V. (1975) Organisational Communication- The Effective Management. Columbus Grid Inc. 33. Raman, Meenakshi and Sharma, Sangeeta (2004) Technical Communication: Principles and Practice, Oxford University Press, New Delhi. 34. Ross. Robert D. (1977) The Management of Public Relations. John Wiley and Sons. U.S.A. 35.Stephenson. James (1988) Principles and Practice of Commercial Correspondence. Pilman and Sons Ltd. London.   1 Unit -1 THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNICATION Learning Objectives:  To enable students to apply the skills of communication.  To clarify the meaning, process and elements of Communication.  To convey the need and importance of communication  To present the communication process and the elements Involved in varied communication situations. Introduction: Human beings communicate. So do animals, birds and even insects. We have examples of such communication in the chirping of birds, their warning calls at the approach of danger; apes’ cries expressing anger, pleasure, fear; honey bee communication, such as the queen bee‘s figure 8 type dance inside the hive to teach the rest of the bees about the direction and distance of the nectar; a dog‘s response to the ringing of the door bell at different times. However, the special qualities specific to human beings separate the human world from the animal kingdom. That is why human communication differs from animal communication. For our purpose of study we will restrict ourselves to human communication and the technical means used. A good starting point is recognition of the fact that man is a social animal who prefers to live in society. He is, in fact, born with the capacity to communicate he simply cannot isolate himself. He feels the need all the time to express himself and share his ideas with others. And this attempt we see even in the case of an infant who communicates his needs by cooing, crying, smiling etc. Man‘s very survival depends on communication. This is because, as a member of society, a human being is dependent on others and has to take help from others. So essential is communication to mankind that life without communication is unimaginable. Absence of opportunities to communicate would constitute a kind of punishment. That is why punishment of solitary confinement is given to criminals. They experience all the related mental tortures and agonies and are inclined to repent for their misdeeds.  2 Is communication a new phenomenon? Definitely not. Communication is as old as man himself. Man felt the need to communicate right from the beginning of human history when, in the absence of language, signs, symbols, and sounds were the only means of communication at his disposal. With progress, man‘s needs and communication requirements also increased, which led to the invention of more advanced means of communication. Thus the evolution of communication can be traced from the prehistoric period to our present times. Cave paintings, drawings, pictorial representations etc. stand testimony of early man‘s attempts at communicating over space and time. The use of these was gradually replaced by language. Invention of languages gave rise to oral communication which was the sole means of communication in society at one time. Gradually, the written script came to be used and propagated, thus giving communication a more lasting value. In those days, dried leaves, marble, stone, papyrus, etc. were used as writing materials. Books, in ancient times, were in the form of manuscripts, which obviously had a very limited circulation. Also, as the means of transportation had not developed, the spread of knowledge and information was very restricted. Then, in 1437, came Johann Guttenberg‘s invention of the process of printing, as a result of which communication took a quantum leap. The discovery of electricity gave a further boost to communication, and extended its sphere of influence. And with the development of science and technology in the 20th century, electronic devices provided a further spurt. The advent of radio, television, telephone, Fax, computer, Internet have changed the face of communication altogether. A communication revolution has, indeed, taken place. While, earlier, man had very limited facilities and access to knowledge and information, modern man faces the problem of an Information Explosion – there is so much available that he has to sift through and select what he wants from the mass of information available. But what exactly is communication‖? It is both interesting and informative to consider the origin and meaning of the word Communication.  3 I. The Word Communication: Its Origin and Meaning: The English word communication comes 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. So, communication is i) the activity or process of sharing or exchanging ideas, feelings, information, experience between two or more persons; ii) an act or instance of transmitting; iii) the information actually communicated by some means. Communication occurs all the time. In fact, it is an ongoing activity. For example, interaction between the members of a family, friends, relatives; communication through letters, telegrams, telephone; stopping one‘s vehicle at the red signal and starting it at the green signal; response given to the ringing of the bell by the students in a school. It is clear, then that communication may be either verbal or nonverbal. Definitions of Communication: The term communication is ambiguous, despite the fact that it is a daily phenomenon. Definitions of communication vary widely. Besides human communication, some definitions cover animal communication with members of the species, as well as with human beings. Some selected definitions of communication are presented here to facilitate the understanding of the concept of communication. They cover different aspects of communication, not necessarily unified. The Oxford English Dictionary defines communication as the action of conveying or exchanging information and ideas. Peter little in his book Oral and Written Communication defines communication as the process by which information is transmitted between individuals and or organizations so that an understanding response results. In this definition, the stress is on i) communication as a changing or dynamic process, ii) transmission of information between individuals and or organizations, and iii) the receiver‘s understanding response. Here, the communication process involves systematic activity which leads to proper communication of information creating understanding of the message and the receiver‘s expected action. The word information here implies news, knowledge, as well as the sender‘s attitude or frame of mind.  4 According to Allen Lui (Louis), 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 and continuous process of telling, listening, understanding and responding. This definition gives importance to communication as a systematic and continuous two way process, which links the sender of the message and the receiver who understands the message as is expected by the sender. Thus the process of communication includes transmission, reception, perception, and understanding. Keith Davies definition of communication as given in Business and Industrial Communication, Communication is involved in all human relations. It is the nervous system of an organized group, providing the information and understanding necessary for productivity and morale. Communication is the transfer of information and understanding from one person to another. (Keith Davis) This definition emphasies on interaction, sharing of information and understanding between the sender and the receiver. II. What is Business Communication? As Business Communication plays an important role in any business organization, it is necessary to focus on its meaning. Business Communication is the sharing of information related to business activities and their results. The following definition is more concerned with organizational communication. Therefore, it can be considered as a more satisfying and comprehensive definition of Business Communication. 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. (William G. Scott, Organisation Theory) This definition emphasises on i) the sender‘s or receiver‘s capability of accurate transmission or reception of ideas ii) feedback, iii) eliciting action which will accomplish goals. According to this definition, transmission and reception of ideas should match. For example, if the sender recalls the happy experiences of the past, the receiver should relate and recall similar experiences.  5 All the above mentioned definitions may vary in scope; but they familiarize us with important elements like interaction, interchange, dialogue, sharing, communion, commonness and so on. They, no doubt, enhance our understanding of the concept of communication, which comprises speaking, reading, writing, expressing ideas and opinions, and exchange of ideas, response to signs, signals, symbols and gestures. We may, thus, define communication as a process of sharing facts, ideas, opinions, thoughts and information through speech, writing, gestures or symbols, between two or more persons. Such an analysis and consideration of the varied aspects of communication is essential for effective communication. Because, unless one understands and appreciates, fully, its nature, scope, and range of possibilities, one will not be able to master the art of communication, which is a matter of prime importance today. The Process of Communication: Communication is a remarkable process in which we are all involved. It is complex which is why it distinguishes us from the members of the animal kingdom. Being a two- way transactional process, it occurs between two or more persons. Since this is an on-going, creative, dynamic developmental process, it comprises a varied set of processes, a series of actions involving a sender, a receiver, a message. It is more than a single act. It spills into all areas of life. It may take place verbally or non-verbally, for the purpose of sharing ideas or messages. All communication has some purpose which should be known to both the sender and the receiver. Communication does not take place haphazardly in an organization as it is not a random exchange of information. It requires a vast repertoire of intrapersonal and interpersonal skills involving listening, observing, speaking, questioning, analyzing and evaluating. The components or elements of the Process of Communication:  The Sender or Communicator: This is the WHO of the process. The sender plays an important role since he is the source of the message. The process begins with him. He initiates communication using a variety of speech acts, some of which are: expressing ideas, feelings, thoughts, opinions directing the participants to do something persuading providing information sharing something with someone (i.e. the receiver)  Making the receiver take the action expected of him or her. The sender controls the communication process in the sense that he, firstly, decides to put across some idea, and selects  6 the medium or channel which he thinks will be most suitable to the receiver and the situation.  The Message: This is the WHAT of the process, and is an essential element in the communication process because, unless there is some thought or idea to share, there would be no communication.  Encoding: The message has to be formulated in some way to make it possible for it to be put across. This process is called encoding, which involves selecting, organizing information in a suitable way. Often, language, which is itself a kind of code, is regarded as a suitable means of conveying the message. By code is meant a set of words acting as symbols, agreed upon by all speakers of that particular language, to stand for, or represent certain entities. This is Verbal communication. However, non-verbal means of communication may also be used, and would be encoded in other ways. Telegrams use Morse code, the language of dots and dashes for sending the message.  The Medium / Channel: Since human beings cannot communicate telepathically, they need to use some channel or medium to put across the message.The terms channel Or medium would imply the physical form that the message takes. A message must necessarily travel through a specific channel. Of course, a choice of channels is available to the communicator. He may use the verbal (oral or written) method, or may use non-verbal ways (e.g. body language, facial expressions, gestures, silence etc); or he may use the visual means (e.g. pictures, maps, graphs, computer graphics); or he may use audio-visual devices like Radio, T.V., Computer. Selecting an appropriate medium or channel (taking into account the receiver‘s age, background, education, gender etc.) is of paramount importance. A wrong choice could actually prevent communication from taking place, or may result in an unintended message going across to the receiver.  The Receiver: The receiver is also an important component in the process of communication because, unless there is someone to receive the message, it cannot be said that communication has taken place. The receiver is the person or group of persons to WHOM the message is directed.  Decoding: As the sender has to encode the message, that is, put it into some form to facilitate communication, the receiver has to decode the message, that is, interpret the symbols, and understand the meaning of the message. This he does against the background of his age, gender, past experiences, culture, attitudes etc.  7  Feedback: 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 behavior 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 process of communication involves a series of stages:  An idea arises in the mind of the sender, which he wants to share.  The sender encodes the idea in the form of a =message‘.  The sender chooses some channel/medium to put across his message.  The receiver receives the message.  The receiver decodes ,absorbs, understands, interprets the message.  The receiver sends feedback or his response.  8 From the above, it is clear that in a communication situation, a connection is formed between the sender and the receiver. The first three steps are initiated by the sender while the next three involve the receiver. The process of communication may be elaborated as follows: The communication begins with an idea that arises in the mind of a person (the sender), which he wants to share. But, since human beings cannot communicate telepathically, the sender has to put the idea into some form (that is using some channel/medium) by using signs, signals, words. Words are, in fact, symbols which stand for ideas or objects. When a set of symbols is agreed upon by two or more people, it is called a code. Each language is a code which people unfamiliar with that language will not understand. When a message is sent out in such a code, the process is called encoding. When this set of symbols and signs is interpreted and understood by the receiver, the process is called decoding‘. After this, the receiver provides some feedback in the form of a response/reaction/reply to the message, which the sender must note. With this, a round of communication is completed. Usually, the whole process repeats itself several times over, with the sender initiating the process each time, till he finishes expressing all that was in his mind at the time. We, therefore, talk in terms of a Communication Cycle.  9 The Communication Cycle may be diagrammatically represented in the following way : A barrier means a hurdle, a disturbance , or an obstacle, in fact, anything which interferes with or blocks the smooth flow of communication. Due to some form of interference, a speech act may not achieve its desired effect, and the communication cycle is disrupted. It is, therefore, necessary to control the influence of the barriers, if not overcome them completely. Since the nature and types of barriers are dealt with elsewhere in this book, they are not being discussed here. Need for Communication: A man is as alive as he can communicate. (L. Ron Hubbard) This quotation emphasizes the importance of communication and its corresponding need. Communication plays a significant role in our lives at all levels. It is, in fact, an integral part or facet of our life. Communication is the only activity which is performed or indulged in all the time, and not occasionally or sporadically. The list of its benefits is endless. A glance at just a few of them will, however, suffice to underscore the importance and need for effective communication. Effective communication and success go together, for an individual as well as for an organization. It facilitates human endeavor and enhances all aspects of human life. Healthy working human relationships are the result of effective communication, as it influences and moulds human thinking, beliefs, frame of mind and value systems. It decides good  10 human behaviour as well as social behaviour. In a way it helps to develop an effective democratic and multicultural society. It will not be an exaggeration to say that our personal, professional and civic lives revolve around communication. Communication has a definite role to play in business, as a business person spends 75-90% of his work-time in communication, whether it be speaking, reading, writing, or listening. Today, technological development, globalization and team-based organizational structures have given rise to a culturally diverse workforce in an organization. This, again, intensifies the need to communicate effectively. Higher administrative jobs require effective communication to a greater extent. It resolves conflicts between organizational complexity and individual needs. It encourages people to think in new ways. It boosts morale; motivates people; produces greater efficiency, leading to higher productivity; creates a healthy atmosphere, bringing about unity; maintains smooth functioning; promotes the control of factors necessary for successfully achieving the final goal of the organization; and so on. It helps quick decision-making. Reaching the final goal ensuring profitability is possible only with effective communication. Conversely, inability to communicate effectively will weaken the administration. It will result in problems like miscommunication, low morale, lack of motivation, inefficiency, chaos, lack of control, reduced productivity, lack of unity, and non-achievement of the final goal, and perhaps total failure. That is why effective communication is a must. Neglecting communication or underestimating its value and importance will take us back to the dark ages and will deprive us of all the latest developments. Good communication is today‘s need. Its absence would make success unattainable.  11 The following diagram focuses on the benefits of effective communication: Communication in the Global Context: Marshall McLuhan‘s prophecy is now a reality. The global village is shaping its own language. The global market, the corporate world, science and technology are all using this handy lingua–franca, which is not the language of Shakespeare or Churchill, nor that of R. K. Narayan (Arun Sadhu), The Times of India, January 17, 2007) This quotation is very relevant in today‘s context. It should always be remembered that communication is the kind of word that changes in scope according to the demands of the person and situation, and it is as elusive as the Unicorn as pointed out by Peter Little and Peter Drucker. The technological development of the 21st century has brought about development in communication. Its evolutionary process can be traced from prehistoric modes of communication like sounds and symbols, to conventional modes, and then to the modern modes like electronics, IT, and the computer. We are now experiencing a communication revolution‘, which has totally transformed the face of this century. Devices like computer, internet, fax, have brought the whole world under their spell. Gone are the days of slow means of transport affecting the speed of communication. Today, communication travels at superfast speed. That is why there is an Information Explosion. The traditional concept of communication is completely replaced by the latest, wider, contemporary, modern approach to communication, which has influenced every sphere of life, and business in particular. Wieklein aptly describes what is taking place in the field of communication. All modes of communication we humans have  12 devised since the beginning of humanity are coming together into a single electronic system, driven by computers. There is a noticeable shift from print media to electronic media, satellite and internet. The traditional basic communication skills like listening, speaking, writing and reading are converted into multi-tasking. A variety of latest concepts such as a paperless office, and video conferencing, have come into use in business organizations the world over. Thus, today, thanks to scientific and technological advancement, communication has developed to such a large extent, that our world can be said to have become a global village. Globalisation has taken place. Globalisation is a process of increasing integration between units around the world, including nation states, households / individuals, corporations and other organizations. Progress in the field of communication has accelerated this process of globalization, which is bringing people all over the world under one roof by forming one interdependent community. Today we live in an age of global communication; therefore, communication, today, knows no national boundaries. It has a significant role to play everywhere. Its importance is increasing day by day, as it is a key to success. An ability to communicate effectively with all types of people guarantees success. Effective communication skills are helpful not only at the organizational but also at the individual level. For efficient management, the modern organizations need to think globally. Professionals need to sharpen their communication skills to communicate major economic, and other related issues. The employment market demands good communicators who can communicate with people of varied backgrounds. In the absence of the relevant communication skills, a person is left behind. Over the last few decades, an ability to communicate effectively with people of a variety of cultures, internationally and domestically, has gained attention and importance. Internationally, we communicate and work with people from different cultures, national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, because of new technology (internet, communication satellites etc.) There is an increase in intercultural conversations all over the world, as quick and constant contact can easily be established. People have realized the importance and need to work together. Economic development has accelerated market globalization and, as a result, people are doing business with, working for, or sharing work space with someone from another culture. Companies producing and selling goods are no more restricted to local patronage, but have worldwide markets. Numerous job opportunities are available, bringing together people of different national, ethnic, and religious  13 backgrounds. People can work from wherever they are. Thus, market globalization has wiped out all national, natural borders, and has contributed to the importance of intercultural business communication. Cultural diversity and a multicultural work force have created the need for intercultural business communication. The global market today needs successful intercultural communicators who are sensitive to cultural differences and possess good intercultural skills. Therefore, companies give special training to their employees to make them understand cultural differences, so that they are able to communicate successfully with people in the organisation and all over the world. However, communication across cultures is a challenge to many multinational companies, as there is the possibility of miscommunication and misunderstanding. People from different cultural backgrounds may misinterpret verbal / nonverbal cues. The greater is the difference between cultures, the greater the chances of misunderstanding. For example, an employee of a multinational company used to ask questions about hairstyle and nose piercing, which made a lady employee uncomfortable. This happened because the employee was ignorant of cultural differences in assessing what was regarded as personal. Here is another example. At a trade fair, sales personnel were asked to give away green hats to passersby, in the hope of attracting customers to their stall, generating interest in their products, and, of course, effecting and promoting sales. However, it was observed that the Chinese visitors did not stop at their stall. Later it was discovered that, to the Chinese, a green hat represents infidelity. The Chinese expression He wears a green hat‖ means aman‘s wife has been cheating on him. The practice of distributing green hats was soon stopped. Here again, cultural differences were responsible for creating misunderstanding and, perhaps, giving offence where none was intended. The above mentioned examples clearly indicate that to be successful in the global market place, cultural, linguistic and other barriers need to be minimized. The use of custom designed international websites to recognize and accommodate cultural differences is an attempt in this direction. People‘s cultural differences need to be recognized and respected. Another problem of global communication is that developing nations are unable to benefit fully from it, as they lack technology and suffer from financial constraints. Similarly, the expansion of  14 modern electronic communication systems may be a threat to their national, regional, local / tribal heritage. Though the technological or communication means are a boon to development, they can prove to be a curse, if not used properly. We should be able to handle different barriers to avoid related problems. The available resources should be carefully and tactfully utilized, so that we can rule this global communication world. Communication in the Context of Technology: In these early years of the third millennium, we find ourselves real inhabitants of the global village that Marshall McLuhan had envisaged over thirty years ago. Advances in technology have facilitated the process of market globalization. New technology has permeated every sphere of life, especially the corporate world. Business today has widened its horizon and overstepped its former boundaries, and so has communication. The old scene has been replaced by a new landscape: the modern world is buzzing with activity, and the face of Business Communication has also changed as a result. In the 21st century, following in the footsteps of the revolution in Business and Commerce, the Communication Revolution has assumed greater significance. The electronic means of communication have evolved from the printing press, which was invented some 500 years ago. A few years ago, terms like RAM, MODEM, DISC would have carried other connotations. But today, even if people do not understand their exact meaning, they are, at least, able to associate them with technology of some sort. Technological developments have thus contributed towards revolution of digital electronics. This revolution has influenced information transmission since World War II. A new approach to communication is taking the place of the conventional approach, so that, what was unimaginable earlier is a reality today. No wonder that this revolution has entered the business scene, and, in turn, the business world has taken hold of it and exploited it for its expansion. Electronic means of communication have brought about a radical change not only in organizational working but also in communication. More sophisticated means of communication have mushroomed over the last few years. A study of Business Communication without a proper understanding and cognizance of this fact would be unimaginable. Information Technology including the Internet (intranet and extranet), e-mail, voice mail, fax, tele (audio and video) conferencing, desktop computing, wireless devices, instant message have electronified commerce and thereby revolutionalised the way we communicate. Consequently, the old telecommunication devices like telegraph, telex are now outdated, just as are letters and other  15 such forms. Availability of a variety of electronic media has increased the options open to us as communicators. Today, with electronic means, communication can be effected in the blink of an eye and at the stroke of a key. The electronic media have facilitated communication among people all over the world, enabling them to reach widely dispersed publics personally. The electronic media‘s ability to overcome time zone barriers, their speed, frequency, multi-tasking and efficiency are simply laudable. Advanced means like earth and environmental service allow people from opposite ends of the world to collaborate with each other, work together, seamlessly as it were, thus bringing the resultant benefits to numerous other people. This collaborative group effort ensures quick decision-making, which is of great importance for success in the global competitive market. This enables companies to promote the sales of their products / services in a quicker and more economical way, thus facilitating commercial operations and activities. The Modern Era is becoming an office less world as the concept of workplace and method of working are changing. Now when an employee says, I’m at work, s/he is referring to what S/he is doing and not to the place. The line between home and office is now blurred. This is because people need not confine themselves to traditional workspaces for working. They can work from home and, at the same time, they can maintain contacts with their colleagues. Thus, a constant attempt is being made to bring all aspects of the office under one umbrella. Henceforth, technology, and not the traditional glass-box office layout, will bring the employees together. Thus, flexi-time/place, mobility, adjustability, miniaturization, paperless, automated, horizontal, democratic organization are the order of the day. Direct one-to-one and one- to-many transfer of information, storing data, retrieving it at anytime and anywhere are all the miracles of this digitalized / electronic communication. That is why, on-line trading, banking, e-recruiting, cyber recruiting are gaining popularity. In short, telecommunicating has become the norm. All this has made today‘s professional more of an infocrat, rather than an autocrat/ technocrat / bureaucrat. In fact, the driving force behind the business world is, no doubt, technology. However, new technologies have given rise to communication challenges. In addition, the growing global access to electronic means has magnified these challenges. Though electronic means have come as a blessing, they are not devoid of problems and disadvantages. They are afflicted by problems such as viruses, worms, theft, information overload, lack of privacy, reduced productivity, and waste of time. They are responsible for some of the tension of in the workplace. With them, confidentiality  16 is endangered. Yet the benefits of electronic means of communication usually outweigh the disadvantages. They are, therefore, preferred to the conventional ones. If we want to reap the full benefit from the potential of Communication and Technology, we have to train people to be proficient in the art of electronic communication. As the need is for an effective, rather than a nominal communicator, the selection of a suitable tool, and its effective, appropriate and judicious use, should be insisted upon. Furthermore, it is important to realize that technology showcases a person‘s communication and presentation skills as far as speaking and writing are concerned, and facilitates the listening process; it can never be a substitute for the person himself. The person needs to develop his/her basic communicative competence which goes beyond aspects of clarity and circumvention of barriers to include a consideration of the reader‘s or listener‘s viewpoint, and a sensitivity to cultural differences and their potential areas of misunderstanding. For example, in some countries, video conferencing is not accepted in business dealings. So, we may say that the best method of handling matters and problems related to communication would be one wherein effective skills are coupled with, and enhanced by, the use of modern technological devices. Of course, this approach is not without its difficulties and challenges. However, the corporate world attempts to face these by developing global leaders, supporting global teams, being aware of changes, and taking timely action; besides training their personnel to be effective inter-cultural communicators. Indeed, the modern world is tossed between the positivity and negativity of Communication Technology. The following quotation from Charles Dickens‘s A Tale of Two Cities (1859) describes this situation very aptly: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good and for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. Conclusion: We may conclude by asserting that, for survival in this high- tech global world, a mastery over communication in general and  17 business communication in particular, is of prime importance. It is the key to success at both personal/individual as well as organizational levels as it makes for all-round development by promoting co-operation, co-ordination, unity, high morale, motivation, good image, better performance, and general efficiency. Tasks : 1. Define the word communication. (Give any four definitions with examples). 2. Analyze briefly the communication process involved during a lecture period, and that of a tutorial period. 3. Read the following communication situations and state whether they can be called communication situations? If yes, explain the process and the elements of communication with the help of the communication cycle. If no, explain in detail why it cannot be considered a communication situation: a. You are reading a book. b. A madman is talking to himself. c. A speaker is delivering a speech to an audience that appears to be disinterested. 4. To be an effective communicator is the order of the day. Explain. 5. How is technology responsible for changing communication in the workplace? 6. Technological developments and globalization are intensifying the need to communicate effectively. Discuss. 7. Fill In the Blanks: i. Sharing of information regarding business activities and their results is known as. ii. Business communication helps in providing information to customers regarding. iii. A person who encodes the message is called. iv. A receiver‘s response to the message is called. v. Subject matter of communication may contain. vi. The word communication originates from the language. vii. A person who decodes is called a. 11.Answer in one sentence: i. What is communication? ii. What is the origin of the word communication‘? iii. Give the components of the communication process. iv. Give any one example of a communication situation. v. Define business communication. vi. What is the special feature of human communication that separates it from animal communication?   18 Unit -2 CHANNELS AND OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION Learning Objectives:  The enable the students to understand the role of communication in the corporate world.  To see the directions that transmission of communication takes within an organization.  to identify the nature and purpose of the messages within the organization. A. Channels of Communication: 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 organizationalgoals.— William Scott. Communication transmits a thought, an idea, or a concept of the sender, which is replicated in the mind of the receiver. The aim of communication within an organisation is to lead to actions that fulfill organisational goals. Organisations are concerned with two types of communication: external and internal. This chapter will focus on the nature and purpose of internal communication. According to Peter Drucker Objectives are needed in every area where performance and results directly and vitally affect the survival and prosperity of a business. Organisational communication, broadly speaking, is to facilitate achieving the objectives of an organisation. The primary goal of any organisation is to grow, which can only happen when the organisation produces quality output. Managements must communicate effectively with the workforce to ensure that the quality of output is maintained. The workforce should understand that survival of an organisation depends on efficiency of individuals and groups, and produce actions that will achieve these goals. These goals may range from completing a task or mission, to creating and maintaining satisfying human relationships. Most organisations have a hierarchy, levels of authority and power within the ranks. Communication is perhaps the unique link that runs through the structure and holds these levels together. Organisations transmit messages with the help of formal and informal networks that exist within its structure. There are normally four communication directions: downward, upward, diagonal and  19 horizontal. The effectiveness, functions and limitations of the various patterns of communication need to be examined. I. Formal Communication Messages that move along predefined and regulated pathways comprise formal communication. Formal communication may be verbal or written, and may be in the form of letters, telephone calls, computer messages or memos. At times, a gesture may communicate as effectively as writing or speaking. Messages convey decisions and can be transmitted personally, or in writing, or by machines. From the sender, the messages move along designated routes to designated receiver/s, who must act on these messages. As a general rule, all formal communication is recorded and filed and becomes a part of the organization‘s record. File copies are retained by the sender and the receiver. Some examples of formal communication include work orders, notices, accounting records and reports, inventory and sales reports, policy statements, job descriptions, work-method protocols. Communication in an organization serves several purposes. It provides a road map for senders and receivers who must know about the planned action, work in progress, and work results. Next, it provides a place for storage of information that may be required for planning, operations and control. Formal Channels of communication constitute the formal network of communication in an organisation. Diagrammatic Illustration of formal network CEO Marketing Product Finance HR PR Purchase Sales Manager Manager Manager Manager Manager Manager Manager Marketing Purchase HR Product Marketing Sales Purchase PR  20 i) Downward Communication: In Downward Communication, top management of an organization transmits decisions taken by it, along with its intended goals, vision, culture and ethics through various levels of authority. All decisions taken by the top management are passed down the ladder of authority for their implementation. The messages that flow though this channel are orders, memos, rules, practices, procedures, circulars, regulations. Written orders, bulletins, bulletin-boards, posters, house-journals are commonly used modes of this communication. As it proceeds from superiors to the subordinates, this communication is also called Top-Down Communication. Downward Communication is needed  to get the work done  to prepare the workforce for challenges  to tackle misinformation and suspicion arising out of it  to create a feeling of pride and confidence in the workforce in order to motivate it and to boost its morale.  to transmit work ethics and the organisation‘s culture Advantages: This type of communication demands complete obedience and ensures disciplined, orderly implementation of orders. It leads to efficient functioning of the organisation and eliminates dissent. Tasks and positions of authority are well defined. This brings clarity in the minds of people who are responsible for taking action, thus avoiding confusion. It helps in uniting different levels of authority and brings in team spirit. [For example, an American or British Crisis Management team in action, or the NSG commandos in action in Mumbai during the terror attack, illustrate how downward communication ensures effective implementation of ideas. Many family–run business houses, too, work efficiently for this reason.] Requirements: It is important that the decisions are taken after due deliberation. The vision of the authority must be effectively percolated, so that it correctly and completely reaches the last person in the chain. The authority must set a good example so as to inspire confidence in the subordinates and win their co- operation. Disadvantages: Being one-way communication, it can have some glaring disadvantages.  21 Lack of vision and arbitrary decision-making can prove detrimental and harmful to the organization. Balance in sharing information is important, so is judicious use of discretion. Unnecessary information leaks can jeopardize organizational goals. A reticent authority, unable to share necessary details with subordinates, could prove equally harmful. A hierarchical transmission of information delays implementation of decisions. Similarly, oral communication leads to information loss, distortion and lack of accountability. Absence of a feedback mechanism at the subordinate level leads to frustration. As a result, subordinates develop lack of trust in the authority, and feel exploited, leading to a tense relationship. ii) Upward Communication: Communication from lower levels of an organization to the top is called upward communication. An organization needs suggestions and feedback from its employees on its routine work, and this system of obtaining employee reactions is known as upward communication. Upward communication is needed  to forward employee-feedback  to report on official matters  to give voice to the difficulties, grievances, dissatisfaction and work-related demands of employees  to invite suggestions, creativity and participation in problem- solving  to create a sense of belonging through participation Suggestion schemes, complaints, grievance-procedures, counseling, open door policy, exit interviews are some of the common modes of this communication. Advantages: It completes the communication chain, as it is essentially a two-way process. Employees feel valued as part of organisational decision-making and their participation becomes constructive. There is trust, and emotional bonding between management and employees, along with understanding and co-operation. When managements invite employees to play their specific roles in achieving the larger organizational goals, they respond with enthusiasm. The authority earns subordinates cooperation. It benefits from the suggestions and feedback on the decisions taken, helps in evaluating the decisions and modifying them wherever necessary.  22 Requirements: If an organisation wants upward communication to be effective, it has to cut down the lines of authority and allow subordinates an easy access to the top management. It has to make the atmosphere in the organisation conducive for upward communication. This involves training executives to listen to communication from employees with empathy and respond to the communication promptly. [Emergence of the Business Processing Units (BPOs) to address customer complaints and queries is precisely for this purpose. Such mechanisms are needed within the organization as well.] Disadvantages: It must be admitted that no mode of communication is fool proof, and this mode, too, is no exception. Upward communication may not fetch results if subordinates fail to take initiative and participate in the decision making. Long lines of authority, inability of the seniors to listen or to act, create further barriers. Delays due to slow transmission, distortion of communication further hamper the process. Employees often fail to understand and handle upward communication. For instance, if the employees feel that the management is incapable of taking decisions without their help, or that it is lenient, it might lead to indiscipline and an attitude of non- cooperation in the organization. iii) Vertical Communication: Most organizations follow a vertical pattern of communication a healthy mix of Downward and Upward 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. An understanding of this structure is necessary to appreciate the effectiveness of vertical communication for as Mr. Davar puts it “the lines of authority become the lines of communication for the information” Such a model of communication avoids the disadvantages of both downward as well as upward communication, and tries to gain from the advantages of both.  23 iv) Horizontal / Lateral Communication: Communication between persons of equal or comparable status is known as Horizontal communication, viz., clerk to clerk, manager to manager, etc. in every oraganlisation unimportant and routine matters are dealt with other employees without troubling their seniors. Since an organisation is not an arrangement of vertical levels of authority alone, and the nature of work requires team effort, it is imperative that employees at the same level of authority exchange official information. Horizontal communication is communication that takes place between employees belonging to the same or comparable status. Communication between two marketing managers, or between two directors, is horizontal communication. Meetings, seminars, inter-office-memos, e-mails are some of the modes of this communication. Horizontal communication takes place between persons of the same level in the organisation hierarchy-manager to manager, department head to department head, clerk to clerk, worker to worker. Communications between management and trade unions are also horizontal as the philosophy of socialism has given great importance to the role of trade unions in democratic and welfare states. (Externally, horizontal communication takes place when their counterparts in other organisations). In a company in Calcutta a truck driver was the secretary of the trade union. On working days he took orders from the manager(downward communication) about where he should drive the truck but when he entered the manager’s cabin to speak or behalf of the union he spoke as an equal(horizontal communication). Horizontal Communication is needed  to exchange official information  to create understanding and team-spirit among member  to solve difficulties  to seek and extend co-operation  to save time when quick decisions have to be made. Advantages: Horizontal communication helps in clarifying doubts, taking quick decisions and eliminating mistrust that may hamper the pace of work in an organisation. It brings about better coordination, builds team spirit and ensures faster implementation of decisions. It also checks the grapevine. Requirements: For horizontal communication to be successful, employees must learn to extend cooperation and work towards achieving  24 collective goals. The authority should delegate responsibilities to subordinates in order to quicken the pace of work. Horizontal communication, however, needs to be monitored, as its uncontrolled transmission can invite problems for the organisation. Disadvantages: Ungoverned horizontal communication disrupts the lines of vertical communication, which in turn leads to indiscipline. Employees also tend to waste precious time arguing and debating over issues and decisions. v) Diagonal / Crosswise: Diagonal or crosswise communication takes place when individuals from different levels interact with one another, outside their reporting relationships. An example of diagonal communication is when a purchase manager, instead of communicating with the assistant purchase manager, or the sales manager, communicates directly with the assistant sales manager. In a complex and multilayered organization diagonal communication  speeds up the flow of information  creates healthy work relationships  brings in proper co-ordination among different sections  makes problem-solving easy  Controls distortion and dilution of message because of direct, inter-level communication. Requirements: For diagonal communication to be effective, the organisation needs to create an atmosphere of trust and transparency. Proper Training or orientation to employees to handle this system of communication can lead to their wholehearted participation in the communication process without any reservation or resistance. Disadvantages: It is likely to bypass the vertical chain of commands. This may create doubts in the minds of by-passed superiors. For example, an Area Marketing Manager taking a report from the assistant production manager, or sales, or purchase manager, will make their immediate heads/bosses suspicious It may be seen as interference It may create doubts about the superior‘s accountability and co-operation Decisions thus taken may be resisted by the by-passed authority, and could vitiate the atmosphere of the organization  25 Thus, diagonal communication could lead to a breakdown of vertical lines of communication and cause complete chaos, or anarchy in the organization Diagonal communication, though useful, has the basic disadvantages of psychological resistance and leakage of information II. Informal Communication: While formal communication channels provide structural direction for transmission and storage of messages required in operations of an organization, it is often unable to meet entire organizational requirements. This gap between the needs of the formal system and that of the total system is bridged by an informal communication system. This system exists along with the formal system and comprises messages, bits of information, opinions, and expressions chosen for convenience and necessity rather than for propriety, or conformity with formal communication patterns. Without these informal pathways it would be difficult to accomplish work. Similarly, meeting the technological, social, economic and psychological needs would be difficult in the absence of this alternative system of communication. Leon Festinger, [Informal Social Communication, Psychological Review] in reporting the results of a number of studies on social communication, found that there are three General sources of pressure that generate informal communication in human groups 1. People need to share and agree on important opinions and attitudes to feel that they belong to a group. Hence, much information is exchanged unofficially within an organization and among members of subgroups, which satisfies the need to conform and to share positions on various issues 2. People need to share their hopes and ambitions with superiors. These communications arise from forces to locomotel within a group. 3. People need to express emotions such as joy, anger, hostility, and the like as a means of blowing off steam. A fourth source of informal communication could be added and is related to the rigidity of the formal bureaucratic structure: the need to bypass official channels for the sake of expediency in getting and giving information about performance on the job. The different patterns of informal communication network are: Chain Wheel Star  26 Grapevine: This is a major informal channel of communication network found in any organisation. This is personal communication which is transmitted between individuals or groups and comprises personal interpretations, opinions, gossip, reactions, hearsay, half-truths. It is an unofficial circulation that makes the rounds in an organisation and, though it lacks credence, the receiver finds it hard to resist. This kind of communication travels the fastest and has a vast reach. The contents, because of its immense personal appeal, are readily believable. Since, more often than not, negative information, half-truths, personalized accounts of events, gross distortions are passed on by the sender and taken as true by the receiver, this kind of communication poses a big challenge to any organisation. It often leads to lack of motivation and morale of employees. Management could face greater challenges to maintain trust and factual positions between itself and its employees. Managements must be fully aware about the potential power of the grapevine. This can often fail formal communication, as it is difficult to trace its origin and is difficult to control or stop completely. How does management tackle the grapevine? Since it becomes active in the absence of correct and complete information, the grapevine takes over when official channels fail to function properly. Therefore, management must circulate information that is accurate and strengthen upward channels of communication. To avoid unnecessary grapevine, the organisation must take prompt note of communication from employees. Moreover, if employees feel confident about the management, instances of grapevine will reduce. Management, therefore, must delegate responsibility and entrust employees with specific responsibilities to strengthen trust between itself and its employees. Some measures to control the grapevine are inviting suggestions, forming  27 grievance and redressal cells, publishing house journals, making effective use of bulletins, notice-boards and an array of employee welfare schemes. Finally, the management has to be alert and take note when the grapevine becomes active. It has to cut the grapevine with official communication. Or, use the grapevine itself to circulate official information. 2. Objectives of Communication: Having understood the official and unofficial directions in which communication flows in an organisation, the next step is to understand what is communicated, the nature of official messages, the reasons for their circulation, and their objectives. According to Keith Davis, Communication is involved in all human relations. It is the nervous system of any organised group, providing the information and understanding necessary for productivity and morale.‖ It can be claimed that the two fundamental objectives of communication are to survive and to prosper. The next step is to understand how management uses messages to boost productivity and morale. The following are the objectives of communication:– 1. Information: Keeping employees informed about various developments within the organisation and the milieu in which it operates is the key objective of organisational communication. Equipping employees with the right kind of information helps to empower them. Employees need to know many things about the organisation. They need to know its culture, its rules and regulations. They need to know about the decisions that require action, about the job, about the prospects, about how the organisation is faring in the market, about their own performance. Management must provide information that helps employees understand these issues. To achieve this, both verbal and non-verbal means of communication must be used, and the information circulated should be adequate, correct and complete,. 2. Advice-Counseling: Providing guidance is yet another objective of downward communication. Apart from information, employees also need guidance to effectively handle various assignments. Seniors, experts, experienced persons need to help employees with troubleshooting and crisis management, assisting  28 them in solving problems can forge bonds between employees and the management. At times, difficulties in work or on the personal front may interfere with the performance of employees. Providing counseling by a professional who can help the employee handle such problems is the responsibility of management. 3. Order and Instructions: Another objective of downward communication is giving directions to the workforce. Any authoritative communication issued by a superior in order to monitor/govern the behavior of a junior is known as an order. When an order is split further to meet specific issues, it becomes an instruction. Orders and instructions are directives that spell out the expected behavior of an employee. These act as measures of discipline and control in the organisation. While orders are broad, instructions are detailed and specific. Efficacy of this communication depends on how it is spelt out. It should be precise and easily comprehensible, so that it answers all the questions that may arise in the mind of the receiver. 4. Suggestion: To suggest is to put forth an idea as a possibility or an alternative. Instead of communicating to inform or advise, management could choose to make suggestions to its employees. This can help in reducing the distance with the employees, especially because orders and instruction create distance. Suggestion, however, is used as an objective of mobilising upward instead of downward communication. In order to bring in employees constructive participation, their involvement in the organisation, managements implement programmes like suggestion schemes. Under this programme, employees are invited to put forth their suggestions on the systems of governance and processes within the organisation. Suggestion boxes are installed at various places. Employees are invited to forward their suggestions in writing. They can choose other means, like e-mails, to forward their ideas. These suggestions are scrutinized, tested and, if found practical, the suggested is given a reward in cash or kind. What is the advantage of such a programme? Besides employee- participation and involvement, such programmes encourage creative thinking and give an exposure to employee talent. Employees feel valued and develop a sense of belonging, as well as responsibility towards the organisation. Managements benefit by being able to pool in ideas that help in the strengthening of its functioning. Such schemes also help in bringing management and employees closer to enable them to work as a team.  29 5. Persuasion: This is yet another objective of downward communication. Persuasion is an effort to influence the mind, belief system or attitude of a person and to bring about the desired change in his behaviour. Forcing people to accept change does not help. Change has to come from within. Managements have to persuade the public to buy their products and services. They also have to persuade their workforce to adapt itself to the changing demands of the work. It is a cliché that the only thing which is constant is change. Pace of change is tremendous in today‘s world. Technology, knowledge is changing constantly, and therefore it becomes imperative for managements to persuade their employees to accept change. However, changing people is very challenging. People are reluctant to accept changes. They feel threatened and become defensive when their accepted ways are challenged. A management has to adopt a strategy while introducing any change. To start with, it has to prepare the mind of the employees. This has to be done subtly by winning their confidence and demonstrating how the change will ultimately serve their own interest. Persuasion works only when it appeals to the receiver‘s sense of reason, and when he is convinced of the sender‘s sincerity. A sincere appeal to self-interest impels people to perceive things differently. Finally, management can adopt gentle tactics, instead of using hard reasoning to bring about the desired outcome. 6. Education and Training: Training the personnel and educating them to take up the responsibilities of a given job becomes one of the major objectives of downward communication. Educating employees is a continuous process in an organisation and is meant for all the levels of authority. Discarding outdated techniques, technologies and installing more efficient systems has become imperative in the current age. Training the workforce to update their knowledge and skills is a challenge to every management. Organising workshops, demonstration lecturers, film-shows, and seminars are done on regular basis to meet this objective. Apart from the work-front, education on the personal front – on grooming, manners, and etiquettes is imparted to employees to enhance the image of the organisation. 7. Motivation: Inducing employees to give their best is one of the major objectives of downward communication. Management has to motivate its employees to ensure highest levels of quality.  30 Motive is a powerful force, an inner drive that energizes an individual to make a focused effort to achieve her/his goal. To motivate is to appeal to this force, so that dedication towards a particular job is at the highest level. It is not possible to achieve this by either coaxing or commanding. Motivation means that inner state that energizes, activates, or moves and which directs or channels behaviour towards certain goals. Self-motivation involves drive and effort on the part of an employee. An employee takes up a job to earn her/his livelihood, to win recognition, to reach the peak of her/his/ abilities, to achieve excellence, to establish satisfying relationships, to earn job satisfaction. If management could appeal to this strong aspirational force and channelise it to fulfill organisational goals, it can achieve wonders. Motivating employees by creating conditions so that their potential is maximised becomes one of the major strategies of downward communication. An employee feels demotivated when his effort goes unnoticed and unrewarded, when s/he is unable to fulfill personal goals, when there is no support from the management, when there is a lack of communication between her/him and the management. Such a worker discharges her/his duties in a listless manner, and is not particularly bothered about the quality of her/his output. The corporate world cannot afford to work with a bunch of demotivated employees. Motivating employees is a continuous process. The first task of management is to help employees set goals [personal as well as organisational] and create conditions that will help them to reach these. Setting up the right kind of justice and reward system and inviting the employee‘s participation in decision-making is yet another way of motivating the employees. While managements have to work towards creating external conditions for motivating employees, they also have to work towards creating conditions that self-motivate the employees. It can work towards creating the right kind of emotional environment, where there is clear communication between itself and the employees, and where employees feel free, trusted and secure. 8. Raising the Morale of Employees : The dictionary meaning of the word morale is confidence, determination. Morale, as commonly seen, is the mental strength of an individual. The state of morale impacts work performance of the individual. If morale is high quality of work is high. If morale is low, the quality of work is poor. Morale is that factor which gives the individual confidence. Employee confidence is high when there is adequate infrastructural  31 support, facilities for training, opportunities for growth; where systems of rewards and punishment are in place, and there is a strong leadership that generates a sense of direction and control. In such an atmosphere employees learn to view their work positively. Poor morale results from distrust in management on account of its failure to provide basic work standards, such as lack of facilities for training, absence of prospects, absence of systems of governance, lack of direction on the part of top leadership, and ack of trust in management on account of its poor communicating skills. In the field of sports, one can see the difference in the morale of the Indian hockey and cricket teams. Indian hockey, or any other sport, is not able to produce the kind of result that is produced by cricket, because the morale of the hockey team/ other sports persons is low. Since the state of morale adversely affects the work performance of the organisation, boosting the morale of the employees is one of the most important objectives of downward communication. Management can boost the morale of its employees by giving basic infra-structural support, creating systems that reward effort, strengthening its official channels of communication, encouraging upward communication, controlling the grapevine, and taking measures to earn the trust of the employees. 9. Warning and Reprimand: Management, at times, has to issue a warning to an erring employee. To warn is to inform a person of unpleasant consequences. When all other alternatives fail, warning the erring employee becomes imperative. Management uses this form of communication sparingly, and only when it desperately needs to control, or modify certain behaviour that interferes with the organizational norms and discipline. Management begins by bringing a misdemeanor to the notice of the employee concerned. S/he is asked to change her/his behaviour; but if the employee fails to do so, the management issues a soft, oral warning. From reprimands to warning is how managements proceed to discipline an employee. This gives the erring employee an opportunity to correct himself. If the employee ignores this opportunity and keeps repeating the improper behaviour, he is given a warning in writing. This written warning is called a memo in Indian parlance. The employee can always answer a memo and explain. Normally, after two such memos are issued, the service of the employee is terminated. A written memo  32 makes the employee aware of the seriousness of his offence, and he can choose to correct his ways. A written communication gives the management an opportunity to build a case or charge-sheet against such an employee. This facilitates taking any subsequent legal action against him at a later stage. Summing Up: An organisation uses official and unofficial channels of communication to circulate messages. The purpose of such communication is to build a healthy partnership with its employees, which lead to enhanced performance individually, and better results collectively. Organisations communicate information, advice and counseling, orders and instructions to equip the employees with necessary skills. It also educates employees, imparts training so that they can better understand the organisational demands made on them, and are able to carry out specific, assigned tasks. Persuasion, inviting suggestions, motivation helps employees to have the right attitude and willingness to work so that output is maximized. Let us consider the following situation: 1. Suppose Western Railways local train services develop a system failure at 4:00 p.m. in Bandra, just before the peak traffic hour. What kind of communication plan will the Station Master at Bandra have to devise? Inform superiors: Upward Communication Inform and instruct juniors: Downward communication Inform other station masters: Horizontal Communication Inform commuters: Horizontal Communication Inform Police, Other Emergency services, News channels: Horizontal Communication. Think of the Objectives of Communication: To instruct concerned personnel to attend to repairs, make announcements, draw up a contingency plan. To report to higher authorities about action taken to provide information to commuters 2. Consider the emergency measures the Railways had to adopt after the serial blasts that took place on July 11. Deal efficiently with an unexpected emergency situation Restore rail-services within the shortest possible time Regain the confidence of the public.  33 These situations demonstrate how communication weaves a close web of messages which are necessary if the action plan has to work and produce results; they also demonstrate How objectives and channels of communication function in routine as well as emergency situations. Tasks: 1. XYZ organisation wishes to introduce computerized services for its customers. Before introducing the new decision, management will have to chalk out a communication plan. What would it communicate to its employees? Which of these objectives, namely, Warning, Information, Education and Training, Persuasion would help? 2. Explain which of the channels of communication should be used in the following situation: (a) The Welcome Committee discussing the forthcoming intercollegiate festival. (b) The Principal informing the Admissions Committee on various modalities of the admission procedure. (c) The Captain of a Cricket Team strategizing with teammates while preparing for the final match (d) Commuters on the railway platform when they hear a loud burst of firecrackers and panic, thinking it‘s a bomb blast. 3. What objective of communication will work best in the following situations: (a) Kingfisher‘s CEO addressing the employees of Air Deccan, which he has planned to take over. (b) The Manager of Bank of Maharashtra addressing his staff to inform them about the management‘s decision to extend work hours from 8.30a.m. To 7.45p.m., in order to survive competition from private banks. (c) Captain of an IPL team communicating with teammates before the match. 4. An average family uses vertical mode of communication while communicating with its members. Illustrate, with examples, how this is done. Do you think it is an effective pattern of communication? 5. Imagine you live in an extended (joint) family. What are the levels of authority? How is a decision reached?  34 6. There are newspapers reports about the merger of ABC Company Ltd with Pro Ltd. Employees at ABC are worried as they have not been given any official information about the merger. They are concerned about their future. What do you think will happen in such a situation? How will this situation affect the employees? 7. Explain / define in one sentence : Order, Morale, Motivation, Warning, Persuasion, Information, Counseling. Formal and Informal communication. Vertical, Diagonal, Horizontal Communication. 8. Compare the formal and informal networks of communication in the organisation.      35 Unit -3 METHODS AND MODES OF COMMUNICATION Learning Objectives:  To enable students to understand the application and effectiveness of various methods and modes of communication. I. Methods of Communication Introduction : In the process of communication, the ideas that we wish to express need a device through which they can be sent. Thus any message must necessarily have a medium. The selection of the medium is determined by a variety of factors like context, purpose of communication, the needs of the receiver, the speed and cost of the message, time taken in the transmission and the urgency of the message. A businessman may need to use different methods or media in different situations to suit his needs. The choice of the right medium will increase the effectiveness of the message. There are two methods of communication: verbal and non- verbal. A message, when expressed in words, either spoken or written, is an example of verbal communication. A message can also be expressed non-verbally, using gestures or signs , where no words are used. Today, transmission of messages is speeded up with the advent of the electronic media. Thus electronic media has become a major mode of communication. (I) VERBAL (II) NON-VERBAL (III) ELECTRONIC Oral, Written Body language, Silence Fax Face-to face, Facial expressions, Signs Computers Letters Telephone, Memos Gestures, Visuals, Internet Postures, Notices Poster Colours E-mail Circulars Dress & Grooming, Maps Reports Proxemics, Graphs, Charts  36 i). Verbal Communication: Verbal Communication uses language to communicate messages. Language uses spoken and written words; therefore verbal communication includes oral and written communication. A. Oral communication: Oral communication is communication by means of the spoken word. It can take place as a face-to face meeting or over the telephone. It could be a personal and informal communication, or a formal interview, business meeting, a conference or a speech before an audience. Principles of effective oral communication: Oral communication is a very effective and powerful medium. Effective oral communication depends on the speaker following certain principles. These principles are as follows :  Know your objective: You must know what you want your message to do you may need to inform, to entertain, to convince, to express an opinion, or to explain.  Know your audience: Consider carefully the nature of your audience their age, level of understanding, their occupations and their level of interest in your message.  Know your subject: Prepare your message thoroughly. See that you know your main ideas and key points. You must also know your facts and figures.  Know (how to use) your voice: A good speaker uses his voice to maximum advantage. Attention must be paid to volume, pitch, speed of speaking and correct pronunciation of words. Your voice must be clear, pleasing; and varied in volume, pitch and speed, to be interesting. Good delivery depends on using your voice well.  Know when to stop: The length of the oral message has a lot to do with its success. The message must aim for just the right length, neither too short nor too long. All points must be covered and yet there should be no repetitions or unnecessary elaboration. Advantages of oral communication: Oral communication is generally more preferred, as compared to written communication. Its popularity is due to its several advantages.  37 1. It is direct and time-saving. The listener understands the words as soon as they are spoken. Oral communication is the best way to transmit messages quickly and to save time. 2. It saves money. It is economical as it does not require costly equipment or stationery. 3. It conveys the exact meaning of words. A great advantage of oral communication is its use of non- verbal elements like body language and paralanguage. Body language includes facial expressions and posture. Paralanguage includes features like voice volume, pitch and speed of speaking; it also includes the sounds we make while speaking, like sighing or clearing the throat. These non-verbal elements allow the speaker to express his/her meaning more accurately. 4. It provides immediate feedback from the receiver. The sender gets the receiver‘s response immediately, even on the telephone. This also explains why oral communication is so effective in teaching and coaching. 5. It is more persuasive in nature. Oral communication is more useful when arguments and reasons have to be given to convince someone, as in sales and marketing, or in a court of law. 6. On-the-spot additions and corrections are possible. The speaker has the scope to change, improve and add to her/his message as s/he is speaking. 7. Confidential messages can be communicated. When subjects of a delicate and confidential nature cannot be written, one can take recourse to oral communication. 8. It is informal and friendlier. It can build friendly relations with people and develop social contacts. Disadvantages of oral communication: Oral communication, however, has several drawbacks. 1. It lacks legal validity. Oral messages have no legal proof. 2. It lacks accountability. In oral messages, we cannot fix responsibility. The speaker can deny that he said something. 3. Possibility of misunderstanding. This happens when the listener is not attentive to the message. 4. Problem of retention. People do not remember oral messages for a long time. Or they may retain only a part of the message. 5. Not always effective. Oral communication is not effective when the distances are great or when the message is very lengthy. 6. The need for good speaking skills. Oral communication cannot be effective, if the speaker does not have the necessary skills.  38 B. Face-to-face communication takes place when two or more people meet personally. Advantages of face-to-face communication 1. It is a combination of verbal and non-verbal factors. This makes the message more effective, due to the use of paralanguage and body language. 2. Immediate feedback is possible. 3. The speaker can modify his message immediately if the receiver‘s response tells him it is necessary. The receiver can also ask questions and clear his doubts immediately. Disadvantages of face-to-face communication: 1. Face-to-face communication is difficult to practice in large organisations where there are many people in different departments, and in different places. 2. It is not effective when the receiver does not pay attention to the message. 3. It is not effective when the gathering consists of too many people. C. Written Communication: Written communication is the expression of language by means of visible signs. Despite the far wider use of oral communication, modern civilization cannot function without the written form. Business organisations need it to run their systems efficiently and effectively. It should be noted that written communication is not merely oral communication written down. It has its own dynamics. Its importance is mainly in organising and documenting knowledge. Advantages of written communication: 1. Reference: Written communication provides a permanent record. It can be filed and stored for future reference whenever needed. 2. Legal validity: It provides legal proof. Documents of importance are always stored in written form. 3. It aids memory and retention: the reader can go to the written matter again and again. This aids understanding as well as retention. 4. It is more accurate and organised. Written messages are drafted with greater time at our disposal; they are more accurate. The writer can edit and alter his message to make it  39 as perfect as possible, and add the details needed. Words are chosen carefully to convey the exact meaning and matter is organised properly. This makes written communication an essential part of every business organisation. 5. Fixing responsibility: Written documents are always signed; hence it is possible to fix responsibility on a certain person or group of persons. 6. Wider reach: Written messages have a wider reach than oral messages, as printing and photocopying make it possible to transmit messages easily to a very large number of people. 7. Goodwill: Good written communication can create a good impression and generate goodwill for a business organisation. Disadvantages of written communication: 1. Time, trouble, expense: A written message needs more time and care to prepare. It is also costlier as it needs machinery and stationery. 2. Feedback is slow: Feedback is slow and often delayed in written messages sometimes it may even be absent. Getting answers to queries and clarifications may become difficult. 3. Written communication can create problems of storage: The number of documents is almost always far greater than the space and means available for storage. 4. Lacks friendliness: Written communication is essentially formal in nature. It cannot have the warmth and personal touch of oral communication. 5. Unsuited to countries where there is a great degree of illiteracy: Written communication is a literate skill. The lack of literacy makes it impossible to use written communication. ii). NON – VERBAL COMMUNICATION: Non-Verbal communication is communication without words. It has been defined as any message you give other than the literal interpretation of your words the way you move, speak, appear‖. Non-verbal elements form an important part of oral communication. The major forms of non-verbal communication are as follows: 1. Kinesics or Body Language 2. Dress and Grooming 3. Proxemics 4. Paralanguage 5. Silence 6. Visual and Auditory Signs and signals 7. Posters 8. Colours 9. Maps,Graphs and Charts  40 1. Body Language or Kinesics:- Body language or