Communication plays a crucial role in our life, as people interchange their ideas, information,

feelings, opinions by communicating. Communication could be verbal spoken or written, or

non-verbal i.e. using sign language, body movements, facial expressions, gestures, eye contact
or even with the tone of voice. Someone said correctly The very attempt of, not to speak,
speaks a lot.
In an organization, communication could be categorized into formal and informal. In this article
excerpt, we are going to discuss the difference between formal and informal communication.
Definition of Formal Communication
The communication in which the flow of information is already defined is termed as Formal
Communication. The communication follows a hierarchical chain of command which is established by the
organization itself. In general, this type of communication is used exclusively in the workplace, and the
employees are bound to follow it while performing their duties.
Example: Requests, commands, orders, reports etc.
The formal communication is of four types:

Upward or Bottom-up: The communication in which the flow of information goes from
subordinate to superior authority.

Downward or Top-down: The communication in which the flow of information goes from
superior to subordinate.

Horizontal or Lateral: The communication between two employees of different departments

working at the same level.

Crosswise or Diagonal: The communication between the employees of two different

departments working at different levels.
Definition of Informal Communication
The communication which does not follow any pre-defined channel for the transmission of information is
known as informal communication. This type of communication moves freely in all directions, and thus, it
is very quick and rapid. In any organization, this type of communication is very natural as people interact
with each other about their professional life, personal life, and other matter.
Example: Sharing of feelings, casual discussion, gossips, etc.
The informal communication is of four types:

Single Strand Chain: The communication in which one person tell something to another, who
again says something to some other person and the process goes on.

Cluster Chain: The communication in which one person tells something to some of its most
trusted people, and then they tells them to their trustworthy friends and the communication continues.

Probability Chain: The communication happens when a person randomly chooses some
persons to pass on the information which is of little interest but not important.

Gossip Chain: The communication starts when a person tells something to a group of people,
and then they pass on the information to some more people and in this way the information is passed on
to everyone.
Key Differences Between Formal and Informal Communication

1.

Formal communication is also known by the name of official communication. Informal

Communication is also known by the name of grapevine.

2.

In formal communication, the information must follow a chain of command. Conversely, the
informal communication can move freely in any direction.

3.

In formal communication full secrecy is maintained, but in the case of informal communication
maintenance of secrecy is a very tough task.

4.
5.

Formal communication is written, whereas Informal communication is oral.

Formal communication is time-consuming as opposed to Informal communication, which is rapid
and quick.

6.

Formal communication is more reliable than Informal communication.

7.

Formal communication is designed by the organization. Informal communication starts itself due
to the urge of human to talk.

8.

In formal communication, the documentary evidence is always available. On the other hand, in
the case of informal communication the supporting documents are not available.
Conclusion
A very deep discussion on the difference between formal and informal communication has been done in
this article. Nowadays, many big Transnational Organizations has started an open-door policy, in which
any employee of any department can communicate directly with the head of an organization, about their
complaints, grievances, and requests. This results in reducing the complexity of the formal
communication.

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The best communication methods succeed in putting across the right

message in a clear, unambiguous way that gets noticed by the target
audience, whilst also saving on time and cost. Good communicators
succeed in choosing the best medium of communication for the
particular purpose in mind. For external communications, the Inland
Revenue typically uses:
Written communications dispatched by mail e.g. statements detailing
tax liabilities and payment schedules. Paper-based items sent by mail
have the advantage of providing a clear, fileable statement that is
likely to reach its intended recipient.
Oral communications: customers can 'phone in' with their queries.
They can also speak directly to the employee who is managing their

account. Oral communication allows most misunderstandings to be

resolved immediately.
Face-to-face communications e.g. a visit to the local office by
arrangement. This can save time and subsequent communications.
Online communications. Today consumers can complete their Tax
Return, claim tax credits and do a variety of other business with the
Inland Revenue directly online, thereby saving a great deal of time. An
important advantage of this method is that ongoing 'help' is provided
by pop-up help facilities. This is a cheap, quick and efficient means of
communication.
Advertising on TV and in the press e.g. to alert people to tax payment
deadlines or to eligibility for tax credits. By this method the Inland
Revenue is able to communicate with millions of customers cost
effectively.
The Inland Revenue uses similar methods for internal communications
e.g.
Written communications - internal memos, staff magazines, notices or
posters on staff notice boards.
Oral communications - phone conversations between employees.
Face-to-face - team briefings, meetings and presentations.
Online - internal e-mails and intranet.
Face-to-face conversations and oral communications make possible
more detailed discussions to clarify issues. Written communications
provide clear statements of discussions and their outcome can be
recorded and filed. Online communications have revolutionised ways of
working by providing fast, cheap and efficient ways of interacting that
can easily be stored within files.
Online communications can also be easily edited and shared between
teams of employees working together. For example, a customer's
account details can be accessed both in a local office and in the central
tax-paying department in Glasgow, simultaneously.

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Introduction
We all know the importance of communication in our daily lives. Nothing can take
place without some method of communication being used to express ourselves for
whatever purpose.
Communication is even more valuable in a business environment as there are
several parties involved. Various stakeholders, whether they are customers,
employees or the media, are always sending important information to each other at
all times.

We are therefore constantly using some form of communication or another to send

a message across. Without these different methods of communication available
today, it would take eons for us to carry out business as efficiently as it is done
today and with the same speed.
Let's try and understand what these methods of communication are.
Types of Communication
Numerous new instruments have emerged over the years to help people
communicate effectively.

Oral Communication
Oral communication could be said to be the most used form of communication.
Whether it is to present some important data to your colleagues or lead a
boardroom meeting, these skills are vital.
We are constantly using words verbally to inform our subordinates of a decision,
provide information, and so on. This is done either by phone or face-to-face.
The person on the receiving end would also need to exercise much caution to
ensure that he/she clearly understands what is being said.
This shows therefore that you would need to cultivate both your listening and
speaking skills, as you would have to carry out both roles in the workplace, with
different people.

Written Communication
Writing is used when you have to provide detailed information such as figures and
facts, even while giving a presentation.
It is also generally used to send documents and other important material to
stakeholders which could then be stored for later use as it can be referred to easily
as it is recorded. Other important documents such as contracts, memos and
minutes of meetings are also in written form for this purpose.
It can be seen in recent years, however, that verbal communication has been
replaced to a great extent by a faster form of written communication and that is
email.

You could also use video conferencing and multiple way phone calls with several
individuals simultaneously. Apart from a few glitches that could occur, these
methods of communication have helped organizations come a long way.

Body Language
Although the most common methods of communication are carried out orally or in
writing, when it comes to management techniques, the power of non-verbal
communication must never be underestimated.
Your smile, your gestures and several other body movements send out a message
to the people around you. You need to be mindful of this while dealing with your
employees and customers.
Always remember to maintain eye contact. This would show that you are serious
and confident about what is being said.
Why Do We Need Different Communication Methods?
You may ask why it is important that we use different methods of communication in
one organization.
The answer is very simple. The reason for this is the pivotal role that communication
plays in the effective functioning of a business.
Imagine an organization today without e-mail facilities. How would a customer then
be able to send an important proposal quickly and directly to the employer incharge? Similarly, an organization may have to stall their work if certain managers
are not in the country and are thereby unable to give a presentation to the board.
But, of course, this can be done today with the help of video conferencing.
Therefore, it is crucial that different methods of communication are employed.
Choosing the Right Method
It is important that the most cost-effective methods of communication are chosen
for any organization. Simply choosing a method of communication due to it being a
famous instrument is not going to help.
You would need to understand the needs of your organization in particular. There
are certain questions that you would need to ask:
What is our target audience?
How much are we willing to spend on such an instrument?
Will it increase employee productivity in the long run?
What kind of information do we send out most often?

You may have more questions to ask based on the type of work you carry out and
the message that you need to send across. Remember that there is no 'right'

method of communication. You would need different methods for different purposes
and tasks.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is important to always remember the importance of communication
in an organization.
The methods of communication you choose could in a sense make or break the
management structure of your organization and could also affect your relationship
with customers, if not chosen carefully.
It is vital therefore that you spend some time choosing the right methods to aid you
in your management tasks.

OTHER
According to Bartol and Martin, The
communication is the method used to convey
the message to the intended receiver.
According to Defleur and Dennis, A medium
is a device for moving information through time
or space.
So, Media or channel of communications is the
means or ways that are used to transitioning
the messages or information from the sender
to the receiver.
Types of media communication

(A) Verbal communication: Verbal communication is the expression or exchanged of information or messages through written or
oral words. Forms of verbal communication are as follows:
1.
2.

Oral communication: Oral communication is the process of communication in which messages or information is
exchanged or communicated within sender and receiver through the word of mouth. It can be divided into two ways: a.
Speaking b. Listening.
Written communication: Written communication is the process of communication in which messages or information is
exchanged or communicated within sender and receiver through written form. It can be divided into two ways: a. Writing b.
Reading.

(B) Nonverbal communication: nonverbal communication is the expression or exchanged of information or messages through
without using any spoken or written word. Some of the forms of non-verbal communications are as follows:
1. Facial expression 2 . Gestures 3. Body language 4. Proximity 5. Touch 6. Appearance 7. Silence 8. Paralinguistic 9. Eye Gaze or
eye contact etc.

Methods of Communication
The standard methods of communication are speaking or writing by a sender and listening or reading the receiver.
Most communication is oral, with one party speaking and others listening.
However, some forms of communication do not directly involve spoken or written language. Nonverbal
communication (body language) consists of actions, gestures, and other aspects of physical appearance that,
combined with facial expressions (such as smiling or frowning), can be powerful means of transmitting messages. At

times, a person's body may be talking even as he or she maintains silence. And when people do speak, their bodies
may sometimes say different things than their words convey. A mixed message occurs when a person's words
communicate one message, while nonverbally, he or she is communicating something else.
Although technology such as email has lessened the importance of nonverbal communication, the majority of
organizational communication still takes place through facetoface interaction. Every verbal message comes with a
nonverbal component. Receivers interpret messages by taking in meaning from everything available. When
nonverbal cues are consistent with verbal messages, they act to reinforce the messages. But when these verbal and
nonverbal messages are inconsistent, they create confusion for the receiver.
The actions of management are especially significant because subordinates place more confidence in what
managers do than what they say. Unless actions are consistent with communication, a feeling of distrust will
undermine the effectiveness of any future social exchange.
Oral communication skills
Because a large part of a manager's day is spent conversing with other managers and employees, the abilities to
speak and listen are critical to success. For example, oral communication skills are used when a manager must make
sales presentations, conduct interviews, perform employee evaluations, and hold press conferences.
In general, managers prefer to rely on oral communication because communication tends to be more complete and
thorough when talking in person. In facetoface interactions, a person can judge how the other party is reacting, get
immediate feedback, and answer questions. In general, people tend to assume that talking to someone directly is
more credible than receiving a written message. Facetoface communication permits not only the exchange of
words, but also the opportunity to see the nonverbal communication.
However, verbal communicating has its drawbacks. It can be inconsistent, unless all parties hear the same message.
And although oral communication is useful for conveying the viewpoints of others and fostering an openness that
encourages people to communicate, it is a weak tool for implementing a policy or issuing directives where many
specifics are involved.
Here are two of the most important abilities for effective oral communication:

Active listening. Listening is making sense of what is heard and requires paying attention, interpreting, and
remembering sound stimuli. Effective listening is active, requiring the hearer to get inside the head of the
speaker so that he or she can understand the communication from the speaker's point of view. Effective
listeners do the following:

o Make eye contact.

o Schedule sufficient, uninterrupted time for meetings.
o Genuinely seek information.
o Avoid being emotional or attacking others.
o Paraphrase the message you heard, especially to clarify the speaker's intentions.
o Keep silent. Don't talk to fill pauses, or respond to statements in a pointcounterpoint fashion.
o Ask clarifying questions.
o Avoid making distracting gestures.
Constructive feedback. Managers often do poor jobs of providing employees with performance feedback.
When providing feedback, managers should do the following:

o Focus on specific behaviors rather than making general statements

o Keep feedback impersonal and goaloriented
o Offer feedback as soon after the action as possible
o Ask questions to ensure understanding of the feedback
o Direct negative feedback toward behavior that the recipient can control
Written communication skills
Written communication has several advantages. First, it provides a record for referral and followup. Second, written
communication is an inexpensive means of providing identical messages to a large number of people.
The major limitation of written communication is that the sender does not know how or if the communication is
received unless a reply is required.
Unfortunately, writing skills are often difficult to develop, and many individuals have problems writing simple, clear,
and direct documents. And believe it or not, poorly written documents cost money.
How much does bad writing cost a company annually? According to a Canadian consulting and training firm, one
employee who writes just one poorly worded memo per week over the course of a year can cost a company
$4,258.60.
Managers must be able to write clearly. The ability to prepare letters, memos, sales reports, and other written
documents may spell the difference between success and failure. The following are some guidelines for effective
written communication:

Use the P.O.W.E.R. Plan for preparing each message: plan, organize, write, edit, and revise

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Draft the message with the readers in mind

Give the message a concise title and use subheadings where appropriate
Use simple words and short, clear, sentences and paragraphs
Back up opinions with facts
Avoid flowery language, euphemisms, and trite expressions
Summarize main points at the end and let the reader know what he must do next

Communication involves the imparting or interchanging thoughts, opinions, or information among

people by speech, writing, or signs. People communicate in different ways. How effective is your
communication style? Are you giving away thoughts you don't mean to?
Verbal
How Are You Communicating to Your Team?
Verbal communication entails the use of words in delivering the intended message. The two major
forms of verbal communication include written and oral communication.
Written communication includes traditional pen and paper letters and documents, typed electronic
documents, e-mails, text chats, SMS and anything else conveyed through written symbols such as
language. This type of communication is indispensable for formal business communications and
issuing legal instructions.
Communication forms that predominantly use written communication include handbooks, brochures,
contracts, memos, press releases, formal business proposals, and the like. The effectiveness of written
communication depends on the writing style, grammar, vocabulary, and clarity
Oral Communication
The other form of verbal communication is the spoken word, either face-to-face or through phone,
voice chat, video conferencing or any other medium. Various forms of informal communications such
as the grapevine or informal rumor mill, and formal communications such as lectures, conferences are
forms of oral communication. Oral communication finds use in discussions and causal and informal
conversations. The effectiveness of oral conversations depends on the clarity of speech, voice
modulation, pitch, volume, speed, and even non-verbal communications such as body language and
visual cues.
Verbal communication makes the process of conveying thoughts easier and faster, and it remains the
most successful form of communication. Yet, this makes up only seven percent of all human
communication!
Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication entails communicating by sending and receiving wordless messages. These
messages usually reinforce verbal communication, but they can also convey thoughts and feelings on
their own.
Physical nonverbal communication, or body language, includes facial expressions, eye contact, body
posture, gestures such as a wave, pointed finger and the like, overall body movements, tone of voice,
touch, and others.
Facial expressions are the most common among all nonverbal communication. For instance, a smile or
a frown conveys distinct emotions hard to express through verbal communication. Research estimates
that body language, including facial expressions, account for 55 percent of all communication.
Paralanguage
The way something is said, rather than what is actually said, is an important component of nonverbal
communication. This includes voice quality, intonation, pitch, stress, emotion, tone, and style of
speaking, and communicates approval, interest or the lack of it. Research estimates that tone of the
voice accounts for 38 percent of all communications.
Other forms of nonverbal communication usually communicate ones personality. These include:
Aesthetic communication or creative expressions such as dancing, painting, and the like.
Appearance or the style of dressing and grooming, which communicates ones personality.
Space language such as paintings and landscapes communicate social status and taste.
Symbols such as religious, status, or ego-building symbols.
Visual Communication
A third type of communication is visual communication through visual aids such as signs, typography,
drawing, graphic design, illustration, color and other electronic resources.
Visual communication with graphs and charts usually reinforces written communication, and can in
many case replace written communication altogether. As the adage goes a picture is worth a
thousand words," such visual communication is more powerful than verbal and nonverbal

communication on many occasions. Technological developments have made expressing visual

communications much easier than before.
A good understanding of the different types of communication and communication styles can help you
know and deal with people better, clear up misunderstandings and misconceptions, and contribute to
the success of the enterprise.
OTHER
Communication plays an important role in the management of organizations and the
achievement of their goals. A manager passes information to employees working at
different levels orally and in writing also. He receives the replies in the same manner.
The different media of communication used in an organization are :
(i) Oral Communication
(ii) Written Communication
(iii) Visual Communication
(iv) Non-Verbal Communication.
What ever be the media of communication it should maintain the clarity of facts, opinion
and information. It should presented in a decent manner with proper wording and timing.
The information must be clear without any confusion and ambiguity. The communication of
information must be well worded, properly timed and transmitted in decent manner. It is
also necessary that the message must be consistent i.e. the action must coincide with
saying. It the supervisor makes a lot of promises, but not fulfill them in such a case it
would be called that consistency does not exit. Feedback of information is necessary to
adjust the action to desired objective.
Oral communication:
In most of the cases oral communication is more effective than any other method of
communication. Managers, supervisors and executives use oral communication with their
subordinates. As it is more informal in nature it is like by the employees. But oral
communication can not be used in some cases; like for legal purposes and for maintaining
records.
Different forms of oral communication are discussed below:
(i)
Talking: Talking is the most common form of communication. It is the easiest,
quickest and the most economical way of communication. A person can talk to another
person or to a large number of a person. Talking is very helpful in situations like when a
supervisor is talking to the employees while resolving a dispute. Such disputes can be
solved through oral or verbal communication only and written communication can not
provide speedy solution to such disputes.
(ii)
Interview: An interview is also a form of oral communication. It serves three
purposes. (i) to obtain information (ii) to provide information and (iii) to motivate people.
Interviews provide and appraisal of the training, educational qualifications, working
experience and personality of the interviewee. It helps in checking the responsiveness,
alertness, presence of mind and manners and poise of the persons being interview.
(iii) Tours: Business organization commonly send their representatives like salesmen,
advertising agents, market surveyors and research personnel to get quick information.
During these tours the representatives discuss the matter, provide information and also
collect information for the organization. The dealers may ask several questions or certain
matters regarding their commission on sales or the acceptability of the products of the
company are also discussed during these tours.
There are some other forms of oral communication: These are group discussion, seminars
and telephone.
Group discussion: A group of trainees is assigned a problem much in advance together with
necessary reference of books to be consulted. The group prepares a paper for discussion.
The leader of the groups discussion the problem and the rest of the trainees can contribute
come ideas during the course of discussion which is controlled by the leader of the class.
Group discussion is possible along persons of equal status. In that case the chairman of the

group shall act as group leader. Most of the time the attitude of the leader is passive and
most of the discussion is made by group members.
Seminars: Oral discussions are a main part of seminars also. The seminars are used to
collect information to deal with a problem. Usually the research scholars are informed in
advance about the research methodology. The familiarity with the proper methodology of
research helps in dealing with the problem in hand quickly and accurately. The names of
the participants and their assignments are announced well in advance.
Telephone: Telephone is the quickest and easiest method of conveying information to
persons within the organization and outside also. The organization has to pay to the
service provider for the use of external telephone service.
Other than these oral communication can also take place through a public address system,
radio telephone, speaker tubes, tele-printer and messengers.
Written Communication:
In a business organization written communication is sent to following persons,
organizations or agencies. These could be the employees, consumers, management, labor,
suppliers, distributors or the stock holders of the company. Written communication is also
sent to government departments, bankers, insurance companies and security agencies.
The different forms of written communication are:(i)
Reports: Reports are prepared to show the working results of the organization,
department, factory, plant or any other institution. These are also prepared to show the
result of an enquiry. Many institutions like banks, insurance companies, educational
institutions and other business enterprises prepare annual reports which show their
achievements in the past year an also the obstacles, the impact of economic conditions,
working results and the plans for the future. Some reports are of confidential nature also.
A report must be based on facts and cover a specific period of time. It must serve an
objective and suggests the future course of action.
(ii)
Business Letters: The business letters are also an important form of written
communication. A business letter should be written in a formal way and in simple language
without any scope for confusion. It should be polite and courteous but should also convey
and idea impressively. Usually business letters are written on printed paper containing the
name and address of the company along with the date and reference number. As business
letters can be used for legal purposes also, these should be written with grate care.
(iii)
News letters: Business houses often use business letters to inform their customers
about new products, change in channel of distribution, enhancement of commission for
distributors, improvement in the quality of the produce, reduction in price, improvement in
packaging, increase in weight and a new use of their product etc. News letters are used for
promotional activity. They must be lucid, impressive, forceful simple convincing and
precise.
(iv)
Advertisements : Advertisements are meant to inform the people, of company
products and service ; The more a company carries on advertising campaign, the more it
succeeds in increasing its sales Advertisements are made in newspapers, magazines,
periodicals, evening issues, radio commercials, T.V. programmes, cinema slides and sales
demonstrations. All advertisements must be appealing, attractive, convincing and should
succeed in achieving the objectives of the company i.e., increase in sales. Advertising is
not a waste of money but it helps both the company as well as the customers. By
advertising the sales of the products and services of the company increase, providing the
company with economies of large scale production consequently the profits increase, cost
of production falls down and the company enjoys ability to complete.
(v)
Manuals : Job manuals are a form of written communication and help in defining
duties and responsibilities of the employees. All big companies have job manuals. In the
absence, they follow standard job manuals. The specific duties of an executives or high
officials of the company can be ascertained, through job manual. A job manual denotes
exactly what are the powers and duties of the person. How many people would work under

him? What would be the reporting relations and who would be responsible to whom ? Job
manuals also mention the levels of structure of wage and salaries.
(vi)
Signs : Signs are also used to communicate information. If a van with + sign in red
colour passes on the road it indicates that it belongs to hospital or Red Cross. A signal over
the railway track also indicates the arrival or non-arrival of the train. If the signal is down
passengers shall get ready and wait anxiously for the arrival of the train.
(vii)
Annual Reports:Usually all the companies publish their annual reports for the
consumption of their shareholders, employees, public and government agencies. These
reports consist of working results, information about public liking and admiration of
company products and services. Annual reports also mention the economic problems faced
by the company and efforts of the directions to solve them. What companys plans are for
future action?
(i)
Bulletins :
Some companies publish their bulletins informing people about the products and services
provided by the company, the standard of workmanship and technical know-how, place of
the company in reaction to share of the market, future plans and efforts of the company to
fulfill its obligations towards social responsibility. Universities also publish bulletins
mentioning their educational progrmames, areas of specialization, names of degrees,
diplomas, tuition fee for each programme, other charges, hostel facilities provided,
scholarships and fellow-ships offered and mode of admissions.
(ii)
Charts, Graphs and Diagrams
Charts, graphs and diagrams are also used for written communication. Doctors use graphs
to indicate the changing temperatures of the patient in morning, noon and evening.
Statisticians use graphs to show the results over a period of few years like Indias exports
and imports as compared to those of last year. Banks use charts for public consumption
and to invite more bank deposits. Banks provide charts showing the amount invested,
duration covered and the amount of interest to be earned etc.
Memoranda:
Memoranda are of a great use to the executives. These are sent to the concern executives
so that they are well informed and their decisions may be appropriate under the
circumstances. The memoranda also called memo could contain information concerning the
industry or the industrial enterprise, employees, laour productivity, cost of production and
such other matters. Other than the technical information the memos could also contain
information about the employees. This could be regarding a fring benefit or a revision in
wages or any other matter concerning the employees. The memos supply upto date
information to the executives and also make them aware of the on going trends in the
business. This is a low cost of method of keeping the executives well informed.
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Face-to-Face
Nothing beats face-to-face communication and technology will never replace it. Employees
prefer getting information from direct supervisors and in one-on-one settings. That can
obviously be difficult to do in some environments--global firms, for example. In these
instances, technology can be used to approximate the face-to-face experience with the use
of web cams and videoconferencing.
Print Media
Print media is still a mainstay at many organizations and is widely used to distribute
everything from memos to reports to newsletters and other documents. Print can be used
effectively to share information with a wide range of people in multiple locations and
allows the opportunity to include text, graphics and photography. The downside, though,
involves costs and production time.
Electronic Media
Electronic media has taken the business world by storm, offering opportunities as well as
challenges. Electronic media includes the broad range of tools from email, to intranets, to

social media and everything in between. The benefits of electronic media include
immediacy and ease of changing or updating information. But electronic media
doesn't work well with all employees, notes Lin Grensing-Pophal, author of
"Marketing With the End in Mind." It is not as effective in the health care environment, for
instance, as many nurses and other staff working in clinical settings with patients do not
have as ready access to electronic media as those working in administrative environments.
Broadcast Media
Broadcast media, such as video and audio, represents older technology that can now be
leveraged through new technology as images and sound can be conveyed online.
Production devices such as video cameras and microphones have decreased in cost
significantly over the past several years, making this technology readily available and easy
to use.
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Printed communication
Printed communication helps in defining appropriate principle, rules and policies governing the running of a company.
It is useful when it comes to delegating responsibilities. Unlike word of mouth, printed communication allows the
person taking over responsibilities to refer to the document. At the same time, it acts as proof and an accounting
document. Printed communication is considered more formal and helps to enhance the image of the company.
Similarly, in case of a court proceeding, printed communication is provided as valid records. Printed communication
enhances follow up. For instance a memo posted on a companys notice board acts as a reminder of an event or
meeting.
Printed communication includes any form of interaction that relies on the written word. It is one of the most principal
modes of communication alongside oral or spoken communication. Printed communication is often popular in
business environment. Examples of this type of communication include memos, bulletins, reports, employee manuals
and job descriptions. Other printed documents include letters, proposals and contracts. Alternative forms of
communication include electronic mail and Internet websites.