Organizational Behavior

Assignment # 3

Submitted to: Mam Saira Ejaz

Submitted by:

Sibgha Butt (01), Zaha Mehboob (06),

Nimra Shahid (08), Atika Maqbool(31)

M.Com -7B

23-06-2018
Process of communication

The whole process of machinery of effective communication has six essential steps:
(1) Ideation, i.e., conceiving the idea by the sender.
(2) Encoding, i.e., translation of ideas to words.
(3) Transmission: of message to the receiver over a channel.
(4) Receiving the Message: The fourth step is receiving the message by the receiver who pays
the necessary attention in receiving the message. Any neglect on the part of receiver may make
the communication ineffective or it means the message is lost.
(5) Decoding: Decoding-meaning translation of symbols encoded by the sender into idea for
understanding. Understanding the message by the receiver is the key to the decoding process.
(6) Noise is anything that interferes with or distorts the message being transformed. Noise can be
external in the environment (such as distractions) or it can be within the receiver.
(7)Feedback: Finally, the effectiveness of communication is measured through feedback.
Feedback is the mechanism of providing response whether the message is understood properly or
not.

Types of Communication

People communicate with each other in a number of ways that depend upon the message and its
context in which it is being sent. Choice of communication channel and your style of
communicating also affects communication. So, there are variety of types of communication.

Types of communication based on the communication channels used are:

 Verbal Communication
 Nonverbal Communication

Verbal Communication

Verbal communication refers to the form of communication in which message is transmitted

verbally; communication is done by word of mouth and a piece of writing. Objective of every
communication is to have people understand what we are trying to convey. In verbal
communication remember the acronym KISS (keep it short and simple).

Verbal Communication is further divided into:

 1. Oral Communication
2. Written Communication

Oral Communication

In oral communication, Spoken words are used. It includes face-to-face conversations, speech,
telephonic conversation, video, radio, television, voice over internet.

Written Communication

In written communication, written signs or symbols are used to communicate. A written message
may be printed or hand written. In written communication message can be transmitted via email,
letter, report, memo etc.

Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication is the sending or receiving of wordless messages. We can say that
communication other than oral and written, such as gesture, body language, posture, tone of
voice or facial expressions, is called nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication have
the following three elements:

1. Appearance
Speaker: clothing, hairstyle, neatness, use of cosmetics
Surrounding: room size, lighting, decorations, furnishings
2. Body Language
Facial expressions, gestures, postures
3. Sounds
Voice Tone, Volume, and speech rate

Feedback in communication

Feedback defined

“The term ‘feedback’ is used to describe the helpful information or criticism about prior action
or behavior from an individual, communicated to another individual (or a group) who can use
that information to adjust and improve current and future actions and behaviors.”
Effective feedback has benefits for the giver, the receiver, and the wider organization. Here are
five reasons why feedback is so important.

1. Feedback is always there. If you ask someone in your organization when feedback
occurs, they will typically mention an employee survey, performance appraisal, or
training evaluation.
2. Feedback is effective listening. Whether the feedback is done verbally or via a feedback
survey, the person providing the feedback needs to know they have been understood (or
received) and they need to know that their feedback provides some value.
3. Feedback can motivate. By asking for feedback, it can actually motivate employees to
perform better. Employees like to feel valued and appreciate being asked to provide
feedback that can help formulate business decisions.
4. Feedback can improve performance. Feedback is often mistaken for criticism. In fact,
what is viewed as negative criticism is actually constructive criticism and is the best find
of feedback that can help to formulate better decisions to improve and increase
performance.

5. Feedback is a tool for continued learning. Invest time in asking and learning about how
others experience working with your organization.

Communication Barriers in Business

Overcoming the communication barriers in business communication is of prime importance to
make sure smooth functioning of the organization. Knowledge of the communication barriers in
business is a must for human resource professionals so that they can invent advanced techniques
to deal with this issue. Given below are some of the commonly observed communication
problems in business.

Difference in Way of Thinking

Sometimes, way of thinking of two people working in the same organization can be entirely
different. This difference in perception of things can cause delays or problems in the
communication process.
Lack of Interest
Lack of interest on the part of the listener can also be one of the serious barriers in
communication. The process of business communication can be complete only if the listener is
as enthusiastic in the conversation as the speaker.
Less Grasping Power
The communication differences in business can also exist because of less grasping power of the
listener. If the listener does not have good listening skills and basic knowledge on the subject of
discussion, then completing the communication process becomes extremely difficult and time-
consuming.

Improper Way of Speaking or Explaining

Some speakers are impatient and restless and they get frustrated immediately when the other
person fails to understand things fast. Wrong attitude of the speaker is one of the communication
barriers in different types of organizational settings.

Language Problems
Lack of knowledge of language can also be one of the biggest communication barriers in the
workplace. This can happen mostly in the multi-national companies where people of different
countries, nationalities and different mother tongue work together.

Cultural Barriers
Cultural barriers, which can be there when people belonging to different cultures work together
can be one of the communication barriers. At times, people may find it difficult or feel hesitant
to communicate freely with people belonging to other cultures and castes.

Listening Process: Six Stages

1. Receiving: Physically hear, various external factors, e.g., poor hearing, inattention,
physical impediments
2. Interpreting: Infer meaning, based on our needs, frame of reference: similar or
different
3. Remembering: Store
4. Evaluating: Assess the importance of the points
5. Responding: verbal feedback or nodding, or sounds of Agreement
6. Acting: sometimes, communication is an end in itself ---an update or progress report.
At other time action is vital
 Organizational culture
The values and behaviors that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of
an organization.
Organizational culture includes an organization's expectations, experiences, philosophy, and
values that hold it together. It is based on shared attitudes, beliefs, customs, and written and
unwritten rules that have been developed over time and are considered valid. Also called
corporate culture, it's shown in
(1) The ways the organization conducts its business, treats its employees, customers, and the
wider community,
(2) The extent to which freedom is allowed in decision-making, developing new ideas, and
personal expression,
(3) How power and information flow through its hierarchy, and
(4) How committed employees are towards collective objectives.

Cross culture communication

Culture affects communication:
Verbal and nonverbal meanings are even more difficult to interpret when people come from
different cultures.

Context:
Low-context cultures (such as those in North America and Western Europe) depend less on the
environment of a situation to convey meaning than do high-context cultures (such as those in
China, Japan, and Arab countries).

Individualism:
Members of many low-context cultures value independence and freedom from control.

Formality:
Tradition, ceremony, and social rules are more important in some cultures then in others.

Communication channels
Communication channels are the means through which people in an organization communicate.
Thought must be given to what channels are used to complete various tasks, because using an
inappropriate channel for a task or interaction can lead to negative consequences.
Face-to-Face
Face-to-face or personal communication is one of the richest channels of communication that can
be used within an organization. This is the best channel to use for complex or emotionally
charged messages, because it allows for interaction between speaker and recipients to clarify
ambiguity.

Broadcast Media

TV, radio and loud speakers all fall within the broadcast media communication channel. These
types of media should be used when addressing a mass audience. When a message intended for a
mass audience can be enhanced by being presented in a visual or auditory format, a broadcast
channel should be used.
Mobile Communications
A mobile communication channel should be used when a private or more complex message
needs to be relayed to an individual or small group. A mobile channel allows for an interactive
exchange and gives the recipient the added benefit of interpreting the speaker's tone along with
the message.
Electronic Channels
Electronic communication channels encompass email, Internet, intranet and social media
platforms. This channel can be used for one-on-one, group or mass communication. It is a less
personal method of communication but more efficient.
Written Messages
Written communication should be used when a message that does not require interaction needs to
be communicated to an employee or group. Policies, letters, memos, manuals, notices and
announcements are all messages that work well for this channel.

Types of communication
Downward communication:
Occurs when information and messages flow down through an organization's formal chain of
command or hierarchical structure. In other words, messages and orders start at the upper levels
of the organizational hierarchy and move down toward the bottom levels.

Upward communication:
The process of information flowing from the lower levels of a hierarchy to the upper levels. This
type of communication is becoming more popular in organizations as traditional forms
of communication are becoming less popular.

Lateral communication:
The term lateral communication is also known as horizontal communication. It involves not only
the movement of information from upper levels to the Lower levels of the organizations , but
also involves exchange of information between and among all organizational members .