Introduction toBusiness Communication

The Communication Environment

Business Communication Foundation

Chapter I

Learning Objectives

Explain the importance of business communication to individuals and organizations

Explain the goals of business communication Describe the patterns of business

communication Explain the communication process Identify communication barriers and ways to

overcome them

1. Explain the importance of business communication to individuals and

organizations

Communication is a vital part of life as we use it in our daily lives continuously

Communication is important as it is considered the foundation of individuals’ personal and professional relationships

Good communication skills are tools for achieving one’s goals and results effectively

Why Effective Communication is Important?

Getting the jobs you want

Gaining promotions

Providing Leadership

Being productive on the job

Relating positively to others

Assuring the success of your organization

Why Effective Communication is Important? Con’t

Professional business researches have revealed that communication skills rank high among the skills necessary to succeed in business

Business must have effective internal and external communication

What is Internal Communication?

These are the internal operations that depend on the day to day exchange of information among employeesExchange of information includes performance objectives, job instructions, financial data, customer orders, inventory data, production problems and solutions, as well as employees production reportsEffective internal communication helps the organization to accomplish long term planning and strategic decisions

What is External Communication?

It builds goodwill, brings in order and ensures continued existence and growth

Day to day external communication includes sales calls, product advertisements, news releases, employment notices, bank transactions and periodic reports to governmental agencies

Effective external communication helps the organization achieve long range impact on new product, expansion plans, annual reports and contributions to community activities

2. Goals of Business Communication

Receiver Understanding

Receiver Response

Favorable Relationships

Organizational Goodwill

Receiver Understanding

The most important of all the goals

The message must be clear so that the receiver understands it as the sender means it to be understood

The sender and receiver must achieve a shared meaning

To deliver a clear message the sender must consider:

Receiver Understanding Con’t

To deliver a clear message the sender must consider:

1. Receiver Characteristics

2.Message form and content

3.Receiver feedback

4.Communication barrier

Receiver Response

The receiver response may be positive, negative or neutral

The receiver response might be conveyed in words, actions or both depending on the situation

The sender must assist the receiver to respond in both oral (asking questions)or written (letters or phone calls)communication

Favorable Relationships

It focuses on the people involved in the communication process To achieve a strong business relationship sender and receiver must relate to each other positively, personally and professionally The sender should assume primary responsibility to create and maintain favorable relationship with receiver, this includes:Using positive wording, stressing the receiver's interests and benefits, and doing more than expected

Organizational Goodwill

This fourth goal stresses benefits to the organization

Goodwill of clients is basic for the organization as clients gain confidence in the organization itself

Senders achieve goodwill via the effective communication that reflect their company and products positive

3. Patterns of Business Communication

The patterns of business communication involve external and external communication

Internal Communication Patterns

Vertical communication: messages flow upward or downward along a path referred as “ the chain of command”Horizontal communication: messages flow occurs between workers or units of comparable status who need to share data or coordinate effortsNetwork communication: information flows freely among those who have a common bond that goes beyond the participants’ role or unit within the organization

Internal Communication Patterns Con’t

Formal Communication: is business related with some personal touches, it can be written (memos, reports) or oral (speech, meeting)

Formal communication is planned by the organization, flows in all directions, and is essential for the effective operation of the business

Internal Communication Patterns Con’t

Informal Communication: consists of business related as well as personal information, ex: rumors

Informal communication is not planned by the organization, it flows in all directions, and it develops and maintains positive human relationships

Internal Communication Patterns Con’t

Serial communication: information flows vertically and horizontally to more than one individual through oral, written or electronic communication

Sender: should keep the message simple and request feedback

Receiver: should take notes and repeat the message

External Communication Patterns

It flows between a business organization and the entities with which it interacts in written or oral forms

A company might externally communicate with entities it deals with, such as customers, suppliers, media, governmental agencies and competitors

The Communication ProcessThe Communication Process

ChannelAnd Medium

Six-PhaseProcess

ChannelAnd Medium

Six-PhaseProcess

Phase 1:Sender Has

an Idea

Phase 1:Sender Has

an Idea

Phase 3:Sender Transmits

Message

Phase 3:Sender Transmits

Message

Phase 2:Sender Encodes

Idea

Phase 2:Sender Encodes

Idea

Phase 6:Receiver

Sends Feedback

Phase 6:Receiver

Sends Feedback

Phase 4:Receiver Gets

Message

Phase 4:Receiver Gets

Message

Phase 5:Receiver Decodes

Message

Phase 5:Receiver Decodes

Message

Situation

Sender’s and Receiver’s Roles

Sender’s Role:

1. Select the type of message

2. Analyze the receiver

3. Use the You viewpoint

4. Encourage feedback

5. Remove communication barriers

Sender’s and Receiver’s Roles Con’t

Receiver’s role:

1. Listen and read carefully

2. Open to different ideas

3. Make notes

4. Provide feedback

5. Ask questions to clarify the message

Communication Types and channels

Verbal communication: using oral and written words

Non verbal communication:audio and visual presentations

Verbal channels: memos, emails, telegram

Non verbal channels: gestures and facial expressions

Analysis of the Receiver for the you Viewpoint

Sender must consider receiver’s viewpoint while composing and sending the messageIn order to do so, sender must analyze the receiver’s

1. Knowledge2. Interests3. Attitudes4. Emotional reaction5. Use the you viewpoint

Providing for Feedback

To achieve a successful communication process receiver must provide feedback of the message to the sender

To achieve this goal sender must:

1. Ask for response either directly or indirectly

2. Assist the receiver in giving response

5. Communication Barriers

These are factors that interfere with the success of the communication process

These barriers may occur between any two of the communication process steps or may affect all the steps in the process

5. Communication Barriers Con’t

1.Word choice: word choice is considered one of the basic communication barriers

• Words shouldn't be too difficult or too easy• Sender should use a language that is

understood by the receiver, ex: colloquial English if English is not the primary language

• The choice of language is based on analyzing your receiver well

5. Communication Barriers Con’t

2. Denotative Vs Connotative Meaning• Denotative Meaning: is the definitions

provided by a dictionary• Connotative Meaning: is any other meaning of

a word suggested by the receiver and that is based on his experiences, attitudes, emotions or interests

• Analyzing your receiver might solve this problem

• Ex: fast work

5. Communication Barriers Con’t

3. Implications and Inferences: • Implications: are meanings given through

connotations rather than specific details• Inferences: are conclusions drawn from

connotations rather than specific details

5. Communication Barriers Con’t

4. Punctuation, Spelling, Grammar, and Sentence Structure

• Spelling ad grammatical mistakes may hinder the receiver’s understanding of a written or a spoken message, and the sender might lose its credibility

5. Communication Barriers Con’t

5. Type of Message• Selecting the type of the message is based on

the situation itself to ensure effective communication

• Message type might be written or spoken• Ex: explaining a complicated task (Written),

solving conflicts between employees (Oral)

5. Communication Barriers Con’t

6. Appearance of the Message• This is involved with the readability of the

message• Ex: wrinkled paper, poor handwriting

5. Communication Barriers Con’t

7. Appearance of the Sender• The credibility of the message is based on the

sender’s appearance • Sender’s unintended nonverbal messages might

hinder the communication with the receiver

5. Communication Barriers Con’t

8. Environmental factors• Noise or any other distracting environmental

factors might hider the success of a communicated message, such as room temperature, lights, color

5. Communication Barriers Con’t

9. Receiver’s capability

This might include the limited capabilities of the receiver, for instance if he has any physical disability, the sender must choose the appropriate message type and channel to reach him

5. Communication Barriers Con’t

10. Listening

Poor listening may hinder the understanding of a communicated message

5. Communication Barriers Con’t

11. Other communication barriers

A. Lack of interests

B. Lack of knowledge

C. Cultural perceptions

D. Language difficulty

E. Emotional state

F. Bias

Thank You