Communication
Communication, derived from the Latin word commūnicāre meaning "to share," is the process of conveying information through the exchange of thoughts, messages, or signals, whether by speech, visuals, writing, behavior, or other forms. It is essentially the meaningful transfer of information between two or more individuals or living beings.
From a pragmatic perspective, communication is any sign-mediated interaction that follows context-specific, coherent, and rule-based patterns. Since it is inherently a social activity, effective communication requires communicative competence the ability to engage meaningfully in interactions with others.
Definitions of Communication
Various scholars have defined communication in different but complementary ways:
- General Definition: A two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants exchange (encode–decode) information, ideas, news, and feelings, while also creating and sharing meaning. Communication connects people and places, and in business, it is a core function of management no organization can function without communication across levels, departments, and employees.
- Alien Louis A.: "Communication is the sum of all the things one person does when he wants to create understanding in the mind of another. It involves a systematic and continuous process of telling, listening, and understanding."
- Ordway Tead: "Communicating is a composite of information given and received, of a learning experience in which certain attitudes, knowledge, and skills change, carrying with them alterations in behavior. It requires listening effort by all involved, a sympathetic re-examination of issues by the communicator, and a sensitive, interactive point of view leading to shared understanding and common intention."
- Theo Haiemann: "Communication is the process of passing information and understanding from one person to another. It is the process of imparting ideas and making oneself understood by others."
Steps in Communication
Communicating with others involves three primary steps that ensure information is effectively transmitted and understood:
- Thought - The process begins in the mind of the sender. At this stage, the sender has an idea, concept, fact, or feeling that they wish to share. This mental formulation provides the basis of the communication.
- Encoding - Once the thought is formed, the sender encodes it into a message using words, symbols, gestures, or other forms of expression. Encoding is essential for translating abstract ideas into a communicable form that the receiver can interpret.
- Decoding - The final step occurs when the receiver interprets or translates the sender’s message into meaningful information. Successful decoding depends on the receiver’s knowledge, understanding, cultural background, and attentiveness.
Effective communication only takes place when the receiver’s decoded message aligns closely with the sender’s original thought. Any misinterpretation or gap in this process may lead to misunderstanding.
Objectives of Communication
The fundamental purpose of communication is to share information, create understanding, and facilitate action. In organizations, communication serves multiple objectives that ensure smooth operations, strong relationships, and overall growth. The key objectives are:
- Stronger Decision-Making - Effective communication improves the decision-making process by ensuring accurate, timely, and relevant information is available. This enhances both individual and organizational productivity.
- Increased Productivity - Good communication skills help anticipate problems, coordinate workflows, supervise tasks, develop relationships, and promote products or services, thereby boosting overall efficiency.
- Steadier Workflow - Communication acts as a tool to maintain a consistent and effective flow of work-related information across all levels of the organization.
- Strong Business Relationships and Professional Image - Clear communication shapes the impressions that individuals and companies make on stakeholders colleagues, employees, supervisors, investors, and customers. Without it, misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and failures in conveying ideas can harm professional relationships and reputations.
- Clearer Promotional Materials - Effective communication ensures that promotional efforts—such as advertisements, billboards, posters, and digital campaigns—deliver messages clearly and meaningfully to the target audience.
- Providing Advice - Communication facilitates advice that is constructive and improvement-oriented rather than fault-finding. Effective advice fosters understanding and can be two-way when employees are given the freedom to participate.
- Issuing Orders - Orders are a directive form of communication instructing subordinates to perform specific tasks. They may be written or oral, general or specific, procedural or operational. For effectiveness, orders must be clear, complete, executable, and delivered in a friendly yet authoritative manner.
- Offering Suggestions - Suggestions represent a softer form of communication. They are voluntary, non-binding, and often submitted anonymously, such as through suggestion boxes. They foster participation and innovation.
- Education and Training - Communication plays a critical role in education, involving teaching and learning processes. Organizations use it to train employees, enhance management skills, and educate the public.
- Issuing Warnings - Warning is a powerful tool of communication used to correct undesirable behavior. Specific warnings should be private, based on proper investigation, and aimed at organizational improvement rather than punishment.
- Raising Morale and Motivation - High morale reflected in qualities like courage, confidence, and determination goes hand in hand with effective performance. Communication motivates employees by clarifying goals, recognizing achievements, and guiding efforts toward organizational success.
- Exchanging Information - One of the core purposes of communication is to give and receive information. Managers rely on accurate and complete information for planning, while employees need it to carry out those plans effectively.
- Providing Counseling - Communication is also used to counsel employees, helping them manage stress, address personal or professional issues, and improve productivity.
- Improving Discipline - Discipline is a vital part of organizational communication. Rules, regulations, and codes of conduct are clearly communicated to employees to maintain order and professionalism.
Functions of Communication
Communication serves four major functions within any group or organization: Control, Motivation, Emotional Expression, and Information.
- Control - Communication controls member behavior through both formal and informal means. Organizations enforce authority hierarchies and formal guidelines that employees must follow, such as job descriptions and company policies. For example, employees might be required to report grievances to their immediate supervisors. Informally, communication also regulates behavior; for instance, when workgroups tease or pressure a member who outperforms others, this social communication influences behavior within the group.
- Motivation - Communication fosters motivation by clarifying what tasks employees must complete, how well they are performing, and what can be done to improve subpar performance. The establishment of specific goals, feedback on progress toward those goals, and reinforcement of desired behavior are all communication-dependent processes that stimulate motivation. Additionally, for many employees, their workgroup is a vital source of social interaction, where communication channels the expression of frustrations and satisfaction, further motivating individuals.
- Emotional Expression - Communication provides an essential outlet for expressing emotions and fulfilling social needs. Through interaction, employees release feelings and strengthen interpersonal connections, which enhances workplace cohesion and emotional well-being.
- Information - Communication plays a critical role in decision-making by providing individuals and groups with the necessary information. It transmits data and insights required to identify, analyze, and evaluate alternative choices, helping organizations and employees make informed decisions.
Importance of Communication
Communication is not only the exchange of facts and information but also the transmission of ideas, emotions, and guidance. In organizational settings, it plays a vital role in coordination, decision-making, and employee engagement. Managers inform, direct, and motivate people to act, ensuring goals are achieved effectively.
Effective communication is foundational to the success of any organization, influencing managerial efficiency, cooperation, leadership, coordination, and job satisfaction. The key reasons why communication is important include:
- Promotion of Managerial Efficiency - Management relies on communication to direct personnel according to organizational goals. Managers use communication to give orders, allocate duties, approve work, recognize performance, explain policies, and gain cooperation. The effectiveness of a manager largely depends on their ability to communicate clearly and persuasively with others.
- Cooperation Through Understanding - Communication fosters understanding, which is crucial for motivating employees to perform their tasks willingly. Employees must mentally accept the importance of their work (“will-to-do”) before executing it. By creating a clear understanding and building trust, communication encourages employees to make greater efforts and improves overall performance.
- Basis for Leadership Action - Leadership cannot function without open communication between leaders and followers. Leaders influence their teams by conveying ideas, feelings, suggestions, and decisions, while followers respond with feedback, concerns, and attitudes through communication. This two-way interaction is essential for building strong relationships and ensuring effective leadership.
- Means of Coordination - Communication enables coordination by sharing relevant information throughout the organization. Since teamwork is often vital for completing tasks, keeping everyone informed promotes unity and reduces suspicion. A common understanding of shared goals helps groups work together efficiently and achieve better results.
- Provision of Job Satisfaction - Clear communication builds mutual trust and confidence between management and employees. When employees understand what is expected and feel heard, they experience job satisfaction and loyalty. Effective communication fulfills personal and social needs, stimulating enthusiasm and interest in their work.
Why Is Communication Important?
Effective communication is crucial because it enables clear understanding between people. It helps individuals accurately grasp what others are saying and allows them to express their own needs, concerns, and feelings openly.
Good communication becomes especially important in serious or emotional situations, such as during illness, where many sensitive topics must be discussed. Clear, compassionate communication can help navigate difficult conversations, offer reassurance, and ensure that everyone involved feels heard and supported.
In everyday life and work, effective communication builds trust, strengthens relationships, and fosters cooperation by minimizing misunderstandings. It is a vital skill for resolving conflicts, making informed decisions, and achieving shared goals.
Process of Communication
Communication is a cyclic process that begins when the sender identifies a need to share information with a receiver for a specific purpose. This process involves several essential steps that ensure the message is conveyed, understood, and confirmed effectively:
- Source or Sender - The process starts with the source or sender, also called the communicator. This can be an individual, group, or organization that has an idea, information, view, or feeling to convey. The sender prepares the message based on the intent to communicate.
- Encoding - Encoding is the translation of the sender's idea or feeling into words, symbols, pictures, or other forms of expression that the receiver can understand. The sender carefully selects these elements while considering the receiver's ability to decode the message accurately.
- Message or Medium - The message is the content that the sender wants to communicate, and the medium is the channel through which the message is transmitted. The sender chooses an appropriate medium, which can be formal or informal, such as face-to-face conversation, email, letters, telephone, or fax.
- Decoding by the Receiver - Upon receiving the message, the receiver interprets and assigns meaning to the symbols sent by the sender. Decoding can be challenging because the same words or symbols can have different meanings to different people, leading to possible misunderstandings or communication breakdowns.
- Feedback - Feedback is the receiver's response or reaction to the message, confirming whether the original message was understood as intended. Feedback is a key part of two-way communication, allowing the sender to verify the effectiveness of the communication process.
- Noise - Noise refers to any interference that disturbs the normal flow of communication. It can cause the received message to differ from the sent message. Examples include physical noise like machine sounds, vehicle noise, or loud voices, as well as psychological or semantic noise affecting message clarity.
Elements of Communication
Communication involves several key elements that work together to ensure the effective transfer of information:
- Sender - The sender initiates the communication process. This could be an individual, group, or organization that has information to share. The sender must understand the purpose of communication and be aware of the receiver’s language skills, interests, and ability to comprehend the message.
- Message - The message is the information, idea, fact, or opinion the sender wishes to convey. It should be clear, simple, and tailored to the receiver’s understanding, whether communicated verbally, in writing, or nonverbally through body language and facial expressions. The sender must consider the receiver’s abilities and professional competencies while crafting the message.
- Channels of Communication - Channels are the mediums through which the message is transmitted. Choosing an appropriate channel is crucial to ensure the message is delivered accurately without distortion. In today’s digital age, channels include mobile phones, emails, voicemails, in-person conversations, radio, TV, internet platforms, blogs, and more. Effective communication often requires following proper channels within an organization, such as hierarchical forwarding of messages.
- Receiver - The receiver is the person or group for whom the message is intended. The receiver decodes and interprets the message, providing feedback to confirm understanding. Effective communication requires that the receiver shares similar language skills, comprehension levels, and cultural background with the sender to avoid misinterpretation.
- Feedback - Feedback is the receiver's response to the message and a critical part of the communication cycle. It allows the sender to confirm that the message was received and understood as intended. Feedback completes the communication process. For example, delivery reports in SMS or read receipts in email serve as digital feedback mechanisms.
Flow of Communication
In organizations, communication flows in several directions to facilitate effective information exchange:
- Downward Communication - This flow occurs from higher levels of the organizational hierarchy to lower levels. It is common in organizations with authoritarian leadership styles. Downward communication typically includes written forms such as memos, letters, handbooks, policy statements, and procedural guidelines. This communication directs, instructs, and provides necessary information to subordinates.
- Upward Communication - Upward communication travels from subordinates to superiors, moving up the organizational hierarchy. It is often found in participative or democratic environments where employee feedback is valued. Examples include suggestion systems, grievance and complaint procedures, counselling sessions, grapevine communications, group meetings, morale surveys, and exit interviews. This flow informs management about employee concerns, ideas, and feedback.
- Crosswise Communication - Crosswise communication includes both horizontal and diagonal flows within the organization. Horizontal communication happens between employees or departments on the same level, while diagonal communication occurs between individuals at different levels without direct reporting relationships. This flow accelerates information sharing, enhances understanding, and coordinates efforts to meet organizational goals. It may involve informal meetings, formal conferences, company newsletters, magazines, and bulletin boards.
Methods of Communication
Communication commonly occurs through oral (speaking and listening) and written (reading and writing) methods, with nonverbal cues playing a critical supporting role. Understanding these methods enhances the clarity and effectiveness of message transmission.
Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication includes gestures, body language, facial expressions, and other physical behaviours that can strongly influence the message. Often, a person’s body language may communicate more than words alone, and sometimes it may contradict spoken words, creating mixed messages. Despite the rise of technology like email, most organizational communication still happens face-to-face, where verbal messages are reinforced by nonverbal cues. When verbal and nonverbal signals conflict, confusion arises, and trust can be undermined, especially since people tend to trust actions more than words.
- Oral Communication Skills - Managers and professionals spend a significant portion of their day communicating orally. Effective oral communication allows for immediate feedback, clearer understanding, and the ability to gauge reactions, making it the preferred mode in many situations such as presentations, interviews, evaluations, and meetings. However, oral communication can sometimes be inconsistent if the same message is not heard equally by all. It is generally useful for sharing viewpoints and encouraging openness but less effective for conveying detailed instructions or policies.
- Key oral communication skills:
- Active Listening: Understanding the speaker’s message from their perspective requires making eye contact, avoiding interruptions, staying calm, paraphrasing for clarity, asking questions, and minimizing distractions.
- Constructive Feedback: Effective feedback should focus on specific behaviours, remain impersonal and goal-oriented, be timely, check for understanding, and target controllable actions.
- Written Communication Skills - Written communication offers lasting records, cost-effective wide dissemination, and clarity when crafted well. It is critical for writing documents such as letters, memos, and reports. However, it lacks immediate feedback unless replies are solicited, and poor writing can cause costly misunderstandings.
- Guidelines for effective written communication:
- Follow the P.O.W.E.R. Plan: Plan, Organize, Write, Edit, Revise.
- Write with the reader in mind, using concise titles and subheadings.
- Use simple language with short sentences and paragraphs for clarity.
- Support opinions with facts and avoid vague or flowery language.
- Summarize main points at the end and clearly state next steps for the reader.
Kinds (Types) of Communication Employed by Business Organizations
In a business environment, communication is broadly categorized into External Communication and Internal Communication, each serving distinct purposes and audiences.
- External Communication - External communication occurs when an organization interacts with entities outside itself, such as government agencies, other organizations, customers, clients, and the public.
- The media used can be:
- Written media: Letters, reports, proposals
- Visual media: Posters, advertisements, video tapes
- Electronic media: Faxes, telegrams, emails, telexes
- Other forms: Teleconferences, face-to-face meetings, panel discussions, presentations, exhibitions
- Advantages: External communication keeps distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and customers well-informed about products, services, progress, and goals. It fosters cordial relationships with government agencies, licensing authorities, suppliers, financial institutions, and others, ensuring that information is accurate, continuous, and timely.
- Internal Communication - Internal communication refers to the exchange of information within the organization among branches, staff, and employees. It is a critical part of an organization’s administrative structure, often managed by the Human Resource Department. Effective internal communication is vital in today’s competitive and globalized business environment.
- Key aspects of internal communication:
- Keeps branches informed about policies, changes, and business growth
- Motivates employees by exposing them to business objectives and ethical standards
- Informs production line employees about targets and operational changes (e.g., shifts in cafeteria timing)
- Allows employees to voice grievances, expectations, and difficulties
- Promotes cooperation, prevents misunderstandings, and strengthens bonds between employees and management
Directions of Communication
- Downward Communication: From higher to lower levels in the hierarchy. It transmits orders, policies, and instructions. Effective for creating awareness and discipline but weak if not complemented by other communication flows. Common in authoritative settings like the military and police.
- Upward Communication: From lower to higher levels, allowing subordinates to offer suggestions, complaints, and feedback. It helps adjust organizational objectives realistically and make management responsive. Requires careful handling to avoid ego clashes or meaningless criticism.
- Horizontal (Lateral) Communication: Interaction among peers or departments at the same level, such as sales, production, or quality control departments. Enhances mutual understanding, coordination, and cooperation.
- Diagonal (Multi-Directional) Communication: Combines upward, downward, and horizontal flows for comprehensive communication across all levels. It promotes involvement, motivation, and effective feedback but must be managed to avoid chaotic, uncontrolled exchanges.
|
Type
of Communication |
Description |
Media/Channels |
Advantages |
|
External
Communication |
Communication
between the organization and external entities like government, clients,
public, suppliers, etc. |
Letters,
reports, proposals, posters, advertisements, videos, faxes, emails,
teleconferences |
Keeps
external stakeholders informed; maintains relationships with government,
suppliers, and customers. |
|
Internal
Communication |
Communication within
the organization among branches, staff, and employees. |
Memos, emails,
meetings, newsletters, HR communications |
Motivates employees;
shares policies and objectives; resolves grievances; promotes cooperation and
involvement. |
|
Downward
Communication |
From
higher authority/management levels to lower employees. |
Memos,
instructions, policy documents, orders |
Establishes
authority, discipline, and awareness; informs employees about goals and
policies. |
|
Upward
Communication |
From employees
(subordinates) to higher management levels. |
Suggestion systems,
grievance procedures, meetings, surveys |
Provides feedback,
suggestions, and complaints; helps management adjust objectives
realistically. |
|
Horizontal
Communication |
Between
peers or departments at the same organizational level. |
Inter-departmental
meetings, informal discussions, emails |
Enhances
coordination, understanding, and cooperation among departments and
individuals. |
|
Diagonal
Communication |
Communication across
different levels and departments without direct reporting relationships. |
Mixed channels
depending on the levels and functions involved |
Promotes comprehensive
feedback, motivation, and higher involvement; balances all communication
flows but requires management to prevent chaos. |
Formal and Informal Channels of Communication
Every business organization employs formal channels of communication that facilitate organized and official information flow. These channels can be upward, downward, or horizontal, and commonly include notices, announcements, reports, official or semi-official letters, and advertisements. Formal channels are officially recognized and structured, making organizational operations transparent, motivating employees, and providing necessary feedback.
However, formal channels have limitations. Maintaining them continuously demands significant time and resources. Often, formal communication exists merely as routine or formality without clear objectives. Additionally, personal factors and hierarchical barriers can sometimes restrict the free flow of information through these channels.
Grapevine Communication
In large organizations where many people work closely together, informal and unofficial channels of communication naturally develop. These informal channels, existing with or without official acknowledgment, are known as grapevine communication. Grapevine communication is an informal, unofficial, horizontal channel primarily involving peer groups. Because it operates outside formal structures, it is not considered an authentic or official source of information.
Types of Grapevine Communication
- Single Strand Chain - Information passes linearly from one individual to another in a strict sequence. This method of communication is slow and takes time to spread throughout the organization.
- Gossip Chain - An individual selectively shares information with a chosen few listeners. The message may be based on perceived knowledge, and the audience is limited.
- Probability Chain - Here, an individual freely passes information to everyone they come into contact with. The spread of the message is broad, and while the information may be interesting, it is not always important.
- Cluster Chain - One person communicates to a few selected associates, who then share the message with another group. This creates a branching or cluster pattern of communication.
Advantages of Grapevine Communication
Grapevine communication helps build strong bonds among peer groups by involving individuals closely connected in an organization. It provides mental satisfaction to participants and can reduce emotional outbursts and sudden reactions. Because it is fast, grapevine communication often supplements formal communication channels efficiently. It keeps employees anticipating updates and acts as a buffer during organizational changes or shocks. Additionally, it offers informal feedback to management regarding contemplated changes, helping leaders gauge employee sentiment.
Disadvantages of Grapevine Communication
Despite its benefits, grapevine communication can harm an organization if left unchecked. It often distorts or exaggerates messages, spreading inaccurate or unnecessary gossip. This may lead to character assassination, personal vilification, and provoke unwanted emotional reactions from vulnerable individuals.
While grapevine channels cannot be completely eliminated, they can be moderated. Strategies such as transparent administration policies, employee-friendly attitudes, productive peer group meetings, interactive sessions, and social events involving all organizational members help manage grapevine communication. Businesses adopt these approaches to prevent the grapevine from becoming a harmful rumour mill and to harness its potential constructively.
Need for Horizontal Communication Despite Effective Vertical Communication
Horizontal communication is crucial for saving time and facilitating coordination within an organization. While vertical communications follow a formal hierarchy, lateral communication often serves as a shortcut to expedite information flow and decision-making by bypassing lengthy vertical channels.
In some cases, these lateral interactions are officially sanctioned, but more often, they organically develop among peers to speed up processes and improve efficiency. When supported by management, lateral communication can enhance the accuracy and timeliness of information transfer.
However, lateral communication can also pose challenges if it breaches formal vertical channels, such as when employees bypass their superiors to make decisions or take action without their knowledge. Such breaches can lead to conflicts and undermine authority. Therefore, a balanced approach where lateral communication complements but does not replace vertical channels is essential for organizational effectiveness.
Conclusion
Communication is the lifeblood of any organization, enabling the exchange of ideas, information, and emotions essential for coordination, decision-making, and relationship building. Effective communication encompasses multiple elements and flows in various directions vertical, horizontal, formal, and informal all critical for organizational success.
The dynamic interplay between verbal, nonverbal, written, and electronic communication forms helps organizations create clarity, motivate employees, and foster cooperation. While formal channels ensure order and accountability, informal channels like grapevine play a significant role in shaping employee sentiments and feedback.
Mastering communication processes, understanding its objectives and functions, and balancing its diverse channels empower organizations to enhance productivity, improve employee morale, and achieve sustainable growth. Proper management of communication, including monitoring informal flows and encouraging open feedback, is vital for a healthy and responsive organizational culture.
FAQ's
What is the basic definition of communication?
Communication is the meaningful exchange of information between two or more living beings, involving a sender, a message, and a receiver, through various verbal, nonverbal, written, or visual channels.
What are the main elements of communication?
The primary elements include the sender (who initiates), the message (information conveyed), the channel (medium used), the receiver (who interprets), and feedback (receiver’s response).
Why is feedback important in communication?
Feedback confirms whether the receiver has understood the message as intended, completing the communication loop and allowing adjustments if necessary.
What are the different directions of communication in an organization?
Communication flows vertically (downward and upward) and laterally (horizontal), each serving specific roles such as giving instructions, providing feedback, or facilitating coordination.
Why is horizontal communication important even if vertical communication is effective?
Horizontal communication saves time, enhances coordination, and can expedite decision-making by bypassing lengthy hierarchical processes when managed appropriately.
What is grapevine communication?
Grapevine is an informal, unofficial communication channel among peers that spreads information quickly but can sometimes distort or exaggerate messages.
How can organizations manage grapevine communication?
By fostering transparency, open feedback, employee engagement activities, and a culture of trust, organizations can moderate grapevine communication and reduce misinformation.
What are formal and informal channels of communication?
Formal channels are officially recognized, structured communication paths like memos and reports, while informal channels arise naturally, such as casual conversations or grapevine communication.
