Communication – Types, Process and Barriers

Paper - 2 Management (Code:17)

Unit -1 

Topic: Communication – Types, Process and Barriers

Communication: The process of transmitting information from one person to another, essentially an exchange of thoughts, message, information, etc., by way of speech, signal or in writing.

The Communication Process:

1. The communication process begins when a sender thinks of a message he or she wants to convey to another person.
2. The next step is to encode the message – Putting a message into a written, verbal, or symbolic form that can be recognized and understood by the receiver.
3. The sender then transmits the message via communication channels
4. If the message is transmitted and received, the next step is to decode it – the process by which the receiver translates the verbal or symbolic form of the message into an understood message.
5. The last step of the communication process occurs when the receiver gives the sender feedback – which indicates that the receiver understands of the message.

Noise – Anything that interferes with the transmission of the intended message. It can occur in any of the following situations:

1.  The sender is not sure what message to communicate
2. The message is not clearly encoded.
3.  The wrong communication  channel is chosen
4.  The message is not received or decoded properly
5.   The receiver does not have time or experience to understand the message.
6.    Jargon – vocabulary particular to a profession or group – a form of noise

Communication is effective, when a clear concise message is delivered well, received successfully and understood fully.

Types of Communication:

      Based on whom the message is addressed:

• Intrapersonal – talking to oneself in one’s own mind
• Interpersonal – exchange of messages between two persons – Oral or written
• Group Communication - Among small/large groups in which all individuals retain their individual identity
•  Mass Communication – The message is sent to large groups of people. Each person becomes a faceless individual with almost no opportunity for personal response or feedback

Based on the basis of medium employed:

• Verbal Communication – Communicating with words, written or spoken
• Non-Verbal Communication – Using of pictures, signs, gestures, and facial expressions for exchange of information
• Meta Communication – Choice of words unintentionally communicates something more than what the actual words state
•  Informal Communication – Free from all sorts of formalities
•  Formal Communication – Formally controlled by mangers or people occupying positions in an organization

Informal Communication in Organizations:

     

Informal communication in organizations may or may not follow official reporting relationships or prescribed channels. It may cross different levels and different departments or work units and it may or may not have anything to do with official organizational business.

• The Grapevine – It is an informal communication network that can permeate an entire organization. The two most common grapevine chains in organizations are gossip chain(in which one person communicates messages to many others) and the cluster chain (in which many people pass messages to a few others).   
• Management by wandering around - An approach to communication that involves the manager literally wandering around and having spontaneous conversation with others  

Formal Communication in Organizations:

Formal communication in organizations follows official reporting relationships or prescribed channels as follows:

• Vertical Communication – Between levels in the organization and involves subordinates and their managers.
• Upward         – Lower levels to higher levels in an organization
• Downward   – Higher levels to lower levels in an organization
•  Lateral/ Horizontal Communication – Between two or more persons who are subordinates working under the same person or same level
• Diagonal Communication  – Flow of information among persons at different levels who have no direct reporting relationships

Barriers to Communication:

Types of barriers	Description
Semantic barriers	Meaning and Significance of Communication – Language usage
Organizational barriers	Physical distance due to specialization of tasks, power authority, status and ownership of information
Interpersonal barriers	Relationships, Values held and Attitudes, Emotions
Individual barriers	Psycho-sociological; Competencies to think and act, poor listening, improper reading skills and adverse psychological conditions
Cross-Cultural barriers	Geographic locations and time of reception
Physical/Channel barriers	Distance , Noise on Channel and Media
Technological barriers	Poor Connectivity, Message trafficking