CHAPTER ONE COMMUNICATION: AN OVERVIEW

Introduction
Communication is an indispensable element in human relationships. Human beings interact with one another through communication. Human beings have an inborn desire to communicate with each other. It is the ability of to communicate effectively that has enabled people to build organization and societies for survival and better living.

Communication is now all the more important in business management because the success of the business depends upon how effectively its employees understand one another. Most of the problems of the business can be attributed to poor communication between management and labor.
Communication is thus essential for a business concern as blood and breathing are for life. No business can develop in the absence of effective internal and external communication. In the present era of globalization and advanced information technology, communication is imperative and indispensable.

Meaning and Definition

The term communication is derived from the Latin word communis which means to share. Communication, therefore, is a purposeful exchange of facts, ideas, opinions, emotions and information that leads to a common understanding.

In other words, communication is a process by which meanings are exchanged between people through the use of a common set of symbols. Communication is the systematic and continuous process of making one-self understood by others and of understanding others. The following are the most comprehensive definition for communication: Newman and Summer: Communication is an exchange of ideas, opinions or emotion by two or more persons. Haimann: Communication means the process of passing information from one person to another. It is the process of imparting ideas and making oneself understood by others. Allen: Communication is the sum total of the entire 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. This is a comprehensive definition. Activity 1.1 Define Business Communication

Business communication is therefore, the process of establishing a common understanding between or among people with in a business environment. Businesses must have internal and external communication in order to succeed day-to-day operation depending on the exchange of information among employees. Performance objectives, job instructions, customer order, production problems and solutions, and employee

accomplishment illustrate the range of vital information exchanged daily in the course of business.

Nature of Communication
The analysis of the above definition will reveal the following characteristics of communication: 1) Two-way process: Communication is essentially a two-way process. It is a co-operative process. It is a co-operative process involving two or more persons. Sender sends the information to the receiver through a system of channel. The receiver receives communication, understands it and starts acting upon it and gives a feedback to the sender. Thus communication is interactional. 2) Continuous process: Communication is continuous and an on-going process because every superior has to be in a regular touch with his subordinate to seek progress of work in conformity with standards. When communication is absent, human activity ceases to exist. Hence, communication is unavoidable. 3) Dynamic process: It incorporates the changing shape of the participants and the environment. Change in the moods and thinking of the sender and the receiver of the message influence the effectiveness of communication. 4) Goal-oriented process: Communication can be effective if the sender and receiver both are aware of the goal of communication and there is congruence of their goals. 5) Pervasive function: It is essential in all types of organizations and at all level of management.

6) Basic purpose communication: The basic purpose of communication is to create mutual understanding by giving or seeking information, persuading or influencing others and eliciting actions. 7) Multidimensional and multidirectional process: Communication may be formal or informal. It may be upward, downward, or horizontal. There are various directions in which it flows. 8) Feedback: It refers to reaction, reply, response which the receiver sends to acknowledge the understanding of the message. 9) Inter-disciplinary science: Knowledge derived from several sciences is used in communication. Anthropology, psychology, sociology and political science have provided insights to make communication effective. 10) Social process: It a social process because it involves two or more persons. Communication is an exchange of information. 11) Universal: All living creatures (human beings, birds, beasts, etc.) communicate through their own symbols and signs.

Significance of Communication
Sound and effective communication plays a vital or significant role in organization in the following ways: 1) Facilitates smooth working of the enterprise: It promotes a spirit of understanding and co-operation. The successful completion of tasks on the part of the superior depends upon the nature and flow of communication they receive from the subordinates and vice versa.
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2) Facilitates sound planning and decision-making: Managers need information, reports and statements from various sources for formulating plans and taking various decisions. Accurate and up-to-date information concerning the external and internal conditions is necessary for taking decisions. 3) Helps in implementing of plans and decisions: Plans and decisions must be effectively conveyed to those who can translate them into action. Managers must issue specific orders and instructions through communication. Communication is essential for the orientation and on-going training of both workers and executives at the right time. 4) Creates interpersonal relation: Management is a social process and to get things done by others the manager has to establish inter-personal relations with them. These relations can be created by making exchange of ideas, opinions, information, directives suggestions and other instructions with them. 5) Means of achieving co-ordination: Co-ordination can be achieved among various related department by making exchange of information on regularly basis. 6) Boost morale: Sharing of information, experience and viewpoints with superiors provides satisfaction to subordinates particularly on the concerned matters. As an influence process, communication is an essential part of guidance, motivation and leadership functions of management. 7) Helps in humanizing organization: Through the various means of communication, necessary information can be supplied to the employees and all sorts of misunderstanding can be removed. 8) Effective control: Communication from the boss serves as the basis on which employees regulate their work and know how well they are doing. A manager can correctly judge

the performance of his subordinate and takes suitable remedial actions on the basis of feedback information from them. 9) Basis of leadership action: Leadership becomes inspiring and effective when the leader remains in close touch with his subordinates. Effectiveness of leadership is greatly influenced by the adequacy and clarity of communication. 10) Builds public image: Communication is indispensible for every organization to develop and maintain reputation or goodwill in society. A business concern can keep itself in close touch with its customers, investors, dealers, suppliers and other sections of society through various forms of communication. 11) Helps in facing competition: It is through effective communication that the organization becomes aware of competition and other potential threats and constraining factors. 12) Helps to cope with environment: By generating and compiling information on the various aspects of environment and timely supply of such information to the managers, Communication helps them in developing suitable strategies to cope with chaining environment. No enterprise can thrive in a vacuum. 13) Helps in conducting global economic operation: Globalization of business operations have increased the need and importance of communication. For a successful executive it has become necessary to be aware of communication procedure and conventions to get required knowledge of different culture which are preventing in various countries. Activity 1.2 Try to describe the role of Communication and Management

Objectives of Communication
The main objective of communication is to inform, or to bring round to a certain point of view, or to elicit action. The following are some of the other objectives of communication: 1) Conveying the right message: The main objective of communication is to convey the right message to others which may be well-understood by them so that they may carry on their work effectively and efficiently. For the managers, complete, accurate and precise information is required to plan and organized. 2) Establishment of co-ordination: The purpose of communication is to co-ordinate the activities or efforts of all those who are involved in running a business. Communication establishes effective co-operation between various activities of a department, and also between departments of the organization. Thus, communication is an effective tool of co-ordination. 3) Development of managerial skill: Managers engage in communication for purpose of improving their own knowledge and understanding. Communication helps the manager to understand the behavior of his subordinates. 4) Good industrial relation: Communication develops good industrial relation because both parties communicate their ideas to each other and try to understand the others views. It promotes feeling of co-operation and good relation. 5) Effectiveness of policies: The objective of establishing effective communication system is to communicate policies, practices, and programs to other party so that persons may contact right person in emergency. 6) Development of employees: Communication provides necessary information and directions to the employees from time to time by which they can come to know the best method of doing their job.