Concept of Communication
The word "communication" is derived from the Latin word "communis" which means common. Communication is defined as the exchange of ideas, messages, or information by speech, signals, or writing. Communication refers to the transfer of information and understanding its meaning. It is very important for successful working of an organization. Managerial functions like planning, organizing, leading and controlling all involve communication. We can say that without communication there can be no organization, for there is no possibility then of the group influencing the behavior of the individual. Similarly, without communication there can be no organization.
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Communication is central to the entire management process for four primary reasons:
1.Communication is a linking process of management.
2.It is the primary means by which people obtain and exchange information.
3.The most time-consuming activity a manager engages in is communication.
4.Information and communication represent power in organization.
Some of the definitions given by management experts are given below:
Moorhead and Griffin-"Communication is the process in which two or more parties exchange information and share meaning".
Ivancevich and Gibson-"Communication is the transmission of information and understanding through the use of common symbols".
Stephen P.Robbins-"Communication is the transference and understanding of meaning".
Thus, from the above definitions, we can say that communication is:
-a means, not a end.
-a two way process between individuals or group
-a process which involves people
Communication Process
In the communication process, several steps are involved. The steps in the communication process are linked in a chain. The process of communication are described below:
1.Sender: Sender is the first step of communication process. Information sender is also known as the communicator. If someone has an idea, information, or feeling to transmit then communication begins. Communicator can be a person, a group, or an organization. We communicate with so many people everyday. In an organization also, managers communicate with many different people, including their subordinates.
2.Encoding: Encoding is the idea or the feeling of the sender has to be translated into some language or symbols.Encoding is the development of a message by selecting and combining symbols in a manner intended to best achieve the objectives of the source. The sender of information thus chooses the appropriate words, pictures or nonverbal cues to express his or her ideas.
3.Message and medium: A medium is simply the pathway. For transmission of the message, some channel or medium has to be selected. Hence, the channel or medium is the carrier of the message. This is the method the sender choose to transmit the message. Some examples of medium are face to face conversation, telephone, letters, meetings, memos, fax and email.
4.Decoding by the receiver: The receiver interprets the message to derive meaning out of it.This process is called decoding. The receiver of the message must determine exactly what was being said. Decoding is not an easy tasl. Words have different meaning to different people. If these words are decoded differently, communication breaks down. Such problems of communication breakdown frequently occur in organization.
5.Feedback: The response of receiver is called feedback. The sender should try to conform whether or not the message has been received as intended. The receiver's response indicates whether the intended meaning received. The response of the receiver tells the source whether or not his or her message has been successful.
6.Noise: It is the interference with the normal flow of information from one person to another. The noise existing in the environment interferes with the message. Hence, it disturbs the communication anywhere along the way and the message is distorted. The noise of machine, people talking, radio, vehicle etc are the example of noise in organization.
Importance of Communication in Management
Communication is one of the basic functions of management in any organization and its importance can be hardly overemphasized. Some of the importance of communication are highlighted below:
1.In an organization, most of the management problems arise because of the lack of effective communication. With the help of proper communication system, chances of misunderstanding and misrepresentation can be minimized.
2.For the management of employee relations, effective communication of information is essential. Without communication a manager cannot get the work done from employees.
3.To maintain a good human relation in an organization communication is important. With effective communication, a manager can increase the working efficiency of employees which also increase production at lower cost.
4.Through the communication, employees submit their work reports, comments and suggestion to their seniors or management. Organization shoult have effective and speedy decision making system.
5.Communication is also a basic tool for motivation, which can improve morale of the employees in an organization. Through communication a manager can clarify employees about what is to be done.
Barriers to Effective Communication
There are many barriers to effective communication. Due to barriers, an effective exchange of information cannot take place. The major barriers are pointed below:
a.Organizational barrier: It includes poor organization's culture, climate, stringent rules, regulation,status, relationship, inadequate facilities/opportunities of growth and improvement; whereas; the nature of the internal and external environment like large working areas physically separated from others, poor lightening, staff shortage and back ground noise are physical organizational barrier.
b.Physical barriers: It refers to environmental factors which obstruct the communication. It is related with physical distance, office design, hierarchical structure etc. When the organization's departments are physically separated in various cities and places, the physical barriers occur.Office design are also factors for ineffective communication.
c.Semantic barriers: It is the study of the meaning of words. Some of the words which are used in communication have different meaning for different persons. Employees have different patterns of speech. Words are often misinterpreted resulting in communication breakdown. Therefore, messages should be simple and condensed as far as possible.
d.Psychosocial barriers: These types of barriers are created from individual motives, attitudes, judgement, emotion and attention. Because of lack of interest of the people for whom the communication is meant, barriers to communication result. Communication breakdown occurs when status differences among different levels of employees exist.
e.Technological barriers: Information overload, poor timing, system failure, chances of error and omission are the causes of technological barriers. Computers are able to analyze and produce great quantities of information to assist managers. But this phenomenon may create information overload.
Types of Communication
Communication can be classified on the basis of organizational information as flows,
1.Downward communication: In traditional organizations this is the preferred method of communication. Managers decide what the systems, rules, and procedures will be and then they pass these down to employees they manage and supervise. By synchronising organizational procedures, downward communication can increase efficiency and can ensure that everybody is working towards the same overall aims and objectives.
2.Upward communications: Upward communication began to encourage due to the disadvantages of downward communication. This is communication which originates at the lower level of the employment hierarchy and is then communicated up through the line. Upward communication may increase motivation and make employees feel valued and respected whilst enabling managers to understand how employees are feeling.
3.Diagonal communication: Generally, this communication occurs between workers in a different section of the organization and where one of the workers involved is on a higher level in the organization. For instant, in a bank diagonal communication will occur when a department manager in head office converses with a cashier in a branch of the bank based on the high street.
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