Top down communication channel

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
In a disrupted world, where business communication plays a vital role,
the IT companies are thinking of smarter ways to tackle the problems of
communication by changing the rules of the game.

Submitted by: Rishabh

Jain, Rishabh Lodhi,
Rishaw Sharma, Ritika
Aggarwal, Ritu Raj,
Ritu Yadav, Riya
Rastogi, Riya Sharma

SUBMITTED TO- PROF. SHUBHANGINI RATHORE

The authorship of a monograph is usually attributed to one person but a
report on a project work like this is a joint affair. We are indebted to all
those who are directly or indirectly involved in this endeavor.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to PROF. SHUBHANGINI
RATHORE who provided us with all the theoretical knowledge related to
the topic. Without her support and guidance it would have been
impossible to use the concept into this project and complete it.
Business communication plays a vital role in any business organization. It is one of the most
important part of human life as well as mean of business expansion. It is one of the most basic
functions of management in any organization. Its importance can never be over emphasized. It
is the process of transmitting ideas, thoughts, information, opinions, and plans between
various parts of an organization or sometimes to those on the outside of an organization that
have a vested interest in the business and need to know the information. In the business
sector various communication methods are used to promote a product or services, or
organization; it is also used to deliver information and receive information from others. It is
also a means of relaying between a supply chain, for example the consumer and
manufacturer. Its importance is as follows:-

 INFORMATION MOTIVE - Business communication helps to share, gather and distribute

the information. Therefore, providing information to the employees or persons involved
in the management is an important motive of a business organization.
 PROVIDING DIRECTIONS –In order to provide information it is necessary to issue
directions by the top management or manager to the lower level. Employee can
perform better when he is directed by his senior. Directing others may be
communicated either orally or in writing. An order may be common order, request
order or implied order.
 IMAGE BUILDING - : A business enterprise cannot isolate from the rest of the society.
There is interrelationship and interdependence between the society and an enterprise
operating in the society. Goodwill and confidence are necessarily created among the
public. It can be done by the communication with the different media, which has to
project the image of the firm in the society
 EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION -When a new employee enters into the organization at that
time he or she will be unknown to the organization programs, policies, culture etc.
Communication helps to make people acquainted with the co-employees, superior and
with the policies, objectives, rules and regulations of the organization.
 TEACHING- A complete communication process is required to teach and educate
workers about personal safety on the jobs. This communication helps the workers to
avert accidents, risk etc. and avoid cost, procedures etc.
  INTEGRATION- There is number of integrated activities in business which required to
better performance of the particular business. The integration function of
communication mainly involves bringing about Inter-relationship among the various
functions of the business organization. It helps in the unification of different
management functions.
 INSTRUCTIONS- To giving instructions to the particular person or receive instruction
from someone business communication is required. In this, instructions basically flow
from top to the lower level.
 OTHERS- Effective decision-making is possible when required and adequate information
is supplied to the decision-maker. Effective communication helps the process of decision
making. In general, everyone in the organization has to provide with necessary
information so as to enable to discharge tasks effectively.

Communication channels refer to the way the information flows within the organization and
with other organizations. In this web known as communication, a manager becomes a link.
Decisions and directions flow upwards or downwards or sideways depending on the position
of the manager in the communication web.
EXAMPLE:
Your boss’s request for a sales report: It is an instance of downward communication, and
when you’ve finished and submitted it, you will have completed a task of upward
communication.
For the flow of information and for a manager to handle his employees, it is important for an
effectual communication channel to be in place.
TYPES –
A challenge the manager’s face today is to determine what type of communication channel
should they opt for in order to carryout effective communication. In order to make a
manager's task easier, the types of communication channels are grouped into three main
Groups: formal, informal and unofficial.

communication
channels

Formal Informal Unofficial

1. Formal communication- Messages in this type of communication

channel follows a chain of command. This means information flows from a
manager to his subordinates and they in turn pass on the information to the next
level of staff.
EXAMPLE- newsletters: gives employees as well as the clients a clear idea of a
Accenture's goals and vision.
A business plan, customer satisfaction survey, annual reports, employer's
manual, review meetings are all formal communication channels. There are
several types of formal communication networks classified on the basis of the
degree to which they are centralized and decentralized. These are:

 WHEEL NETWORK - This is the most centralized forms of a communication network

wherein all the information flows from one central person, typically the leader. The
other members have little or no communication link with each other.
 B

C A D

 CHAIN NETWORK - Under the chain pattern, the information flows either up or down
the line. Here each person gets the information from his immediate superior and then
passes it to their immediate subordinates. Likewise, the chain gets created, and all
members get connected to a single person, typically the leader.

A B C

 CIRCLE NETWORK - The circle network is one of the decentralized forms of a

communication network wherein the information is shared equally among all the
members. Here each person gives and receives information from two or more persons
in the network.

A
E B

D C

 FREE FLOW NETWORK - Under this pattern, everyone is connected to each other, and
the information can flow freely from anywhere in the organization. It is the most
decentralized form of formal communication. The distinct feature of this
communication pattern is that all the persons in the group are linked to each other and
can freely communicate with anyone they want.

A
E B

D C

2. Informal communication – Within a formal working

environment, there always exists an informal communication network. The strict
hierarchical web of communication cannot function efficiently on its own and
hence there exists a communication channel outside of this web. While this type
of communication channel may disrupt the chain of command, a good manager
needs to find the fine balance between the formal and informal communication
channel.
EXAMPLE- lunchtime: at the organization's cafeteria/canteen. Here, in a relaxed
atmosphere, discussions among employees are encouraged. Also managers
walking around, adopting a hands-on approach to handling employee queries is
an example of an informal communication channel.
Quality circles, team work, different training programs are outside of the chain
of command and so, fall under the category of informal communication channels.

3. Unofficial communication- Good managers will recognize the

fact that sometimes communication that takes place within an organization is
interpersonal. While minutes of a meeting may be a topic of discussion among
employees, sports, politics and TV shows also share the floor.

The unofficial communication channel in an organization is the organization's

'grapevine.' It is through the grapevine that rumors circulate. Also those engaging
in 'grapevine' discussions often form groups, which translate into friendships
outside of the organization. While the grapevine may have positive implications,
more often than not information circulating in the grapevine is exaggerated and
may cause unnecessary alarm to employees. A good manager should be privy to
information circulating in this unofficial communication channel and should take
positive measures to prevent the flow of false information.
EXAMPLE- social gatherings among employees.
Top Down Communication Channels in Accenture

• Annual General Meetings of Shareholder

• Moderation Meetings
• Feedback meetings
Face to Face • Townhalls
• Brown Bag sessions
• Magic Cabinet Gatherings

• Skype for business meetings

• Daily Checkpoint calls
Video/Audio • Knowledge Transfer Sessions
• Project Planning Sessions
Conferencing • Polycom Meetings
• Daily Scrum Meetings
• Status Discussion Calls

• Performance Achievement Tool (PAT)

• Self-Input
• Feedback from Supervisors
• Internal Social Networking Site (People)
Portals • Accenture Services Tool (AST)
• Leave Management
• Exit Process and Exit Request Status
 • Memo
• Agenda
Written Letters • Relieving Letter
• Resignation Acceptance Letter
• Offer Letter

• Daily Task Mails

• Meeting Invites and Agenda of the meeting
• Minutes of Meetings
• Sending (FYA [For your Action] and FYI [For
your Information]
Emails • Communication regarding for Fire Drills,
Holidays
• Mass Communication from CEO
• Internal Job Posting Information
• Newsletters
• Changes at the leadership level
 1. Face to Face meetings
1.1 Annual General Meetings of Shareholders
Annual general meetings, or annual shareholder meetings, are principally held to allow bondholders and
investors to vote on Accenture problems and for the Accenture's board of directors. In large companies, this
meeting is characteristically the only time during the year when shareholders and executives intermingle.

At the AGM, the directors of the Accenture present an yearly report encompassing information for
shareholders about the company's performance and stratagem. Shareholders with voting rights vote on
existing issues, such as appointments to the Company's board of directors, executive compensation, dividend
outgoings and selection of auditors. An AGM's Mandatory Agenda

The corporate rulings that govern Accenture, along with its jurisdiction, memorandum and articles of
association, contain the rules leading the AGM. For example, there are provisions specifying how far in
advance shareholders must be informed of where and when the AGM will be held and how to vote by proxy.

The following items, by policy, must be discussed at Accenture’s AGM:

Agenda for Annual General Meeting of Shareholders -

 Minutes of previous meeting: The minutes of the previous year's AGM must be presented and agreed.
 Financial statements: The company presents its annual financial declarations to its shareholders for
endorsement.
 Commendation of director's actions: The shareholders approve and sanction (or not) the verdicts
made by the board of directors over the previous year. This frequently includes the payment of a
dividend.
 Election of the board of directors: The shareholders elect the board of directors for the upcoming year

Numerous other elements may be added to the agenda. Often, the company's directors and managers use the
AGM as their prospect to share their vision of the company's future with the shareholders. There is often a
time set aside for shareholders to ask questions to the directors of the company, shareholders may use AGMs
as an opportunity to express their concerns.
 1.2 Moderation Meetings at Accenture
Participants:

Delivery Unit Lead

Narasimbha, Bharat

Human Resource Delivery Lead

Manager Associate
Thakkar, Richa Kumar, Gani

Senior Manager
Nadir, Manish

Project Manager -
Team A Project Manager-
Team N
Subramani, Kritika
Joseph, Prabhu

Assistant Assistant
Manager Manager
Bhatnagar, Sourab Mishra, Kailash

Team Lead Team Lead

Shelar, Pankaj Niambar, Ashwini

Moderation Meetings at Accenture are Performance Review Meetings were Assistant Managers and Team
Lead present Self-Input and performance achievements of their resources to the Delivery Unit Lead and Senior
Managers and Project Managers.
Reports regarding the Senior Software Engineer, Software Engineer, Associate Software Engineer, Contractors’
performance of all the teams are discussed and compared, budget constraints is presented by HR Manager
and final list of promotions and incentives is released after the full-length discussion. Final Decision lies with
DU Lead.
Notice:

Agenda of the Moderation Meeting:

Both Notice along with the agenda is generally circulated by an Email. Accenture uses Microsoft’s Outlook for
Electronic communication
Moderation Meeting is proper example of Top Down Communication as the performance review results and
decision making lies only with top level managers and the results are further communicated to the
subordinates by Team Leads. This communication generally takes place via internal Portal Performance
Achievement Tool (PAT).

Also, one on one Feedback meetings take place after the results are displayed on PAT

1.3 Feedback Meeting

Participants: Assistant Manager, Team Lead, Senior Software Engineer
Arrays of feedback meetings (One on one) are held to communicate results of the moderation meeting.
Individual performances are disclosed to the resources and further discussions based on the results take place
in the feedback meeting. Feedback is provided based on the Self-Input submitted by the employee.
Meeting Invite is sent via Email

Assistant
Manager Assistant
Manager

Team Lead
Team Lead

Senior Software Software

Engineer Engineer

Fig 1: Meeting 1 Fig 1: Meeting 2

A performance meeting is conducted in a quite environment such as conference room and normally takes 45 -
60 minutes per employee.

The purpose of a performance meeting is to:

 Provide an opportunity for employees to prompt themselves on performance-related issues.

 Assist employees do a improved job by clarifying what is expected of them.
 Inform employees know where they stand.
 Strengthen the department head-subordinate working relationship by developing an agreement of job
expectations.
 Plan improvement opportunities for development and growth.

1.4 Townhalls
Taking our culture of employee appointment to a dignified level are the Accenture Core Seminars. These
annual events provide a platform for Accenture’s executive leadership to engage with future leaders of the
company. As part of learning and development, employees also have access to career psychoanalysis,
“Leadership Connect” and town halls for mentoring, coaching, sharing knowledge and networking.

1.5 Brown Bag Sessions

Some Accenture accounts run Brown Bag sessions; it essentially comes from the fact that it is usually held at
lunchtimes and refers to the "brown bag" that we clearly all have our lunch in. These sessions are a great way
to learn about other aspects of the project and working at Accenture although technically they can be about
anything. They're also a great way, especially as an analyst, to increase your visibility by presenting to other
members of the project team.
 2. Video/Audio Conferencing
2.1 Skype for Business
Seamless collaboration is changing the way enterprises work worldwide. Accenture is leading the way with
Skype for Business, first introduced as Lync in 2010. Skype for Business is a unified “anytime, anywhere”
communications platform that integrates audio calls and instant messaging with videoconferencing,
content sharing and many other capabilities, raising productivity while saving time and cutting the cost of
audio conferencing by 83 percent.

Top Down Communication at Accenture using Skype for Business

 Daily Checkpoint Calls

Supervisor or client who is onshore sets up a daily checkpoint meeting to discuss daily tasks that are send via
Email to the team explaining what exactly the supervisor or the client wants from the team. I t helps set the
context for the coming day's work. It is usually held in the morning to start the day’s work in an organized manner
with the clarity of who is working on which task.
It is delegated by the client or the supervisor and information flow is downward.
Meeting invite is sent via Outlook (Fig 1) and the participants are notified by their Skype for Business app to
join the meeting (Fig 2)

Fig 1 Fig 2
2.2 Polycom Conferences
2.2.1 Status Discussion Calls
In conference rooms large and small. Or, in fully immersive telepresence suites polycom results in faster
decisions, clearer communication, and more personable and productive teams.

Status discussions calls are usually held at the end of the day once the Status Report is sent to the project
Manager and the client.

Participants: Assistant Manager, Team Lead Senior Software Engineer, Technical Support Team,
Business Analyst form client side and Project Manager

Meeting is delegated by the Client and Status Report is discussed in detail. Below three things are
discussed in detail –

 Progress: accomplishments since the last meeting

 Plans: goals and objectives for the next reporting period
 Problems: tasks you couldn’t finish because of blocks, dependencies, or lack of knowledge.
3. Communication Portals
3.1 Performance Achievement Tool (PAT) at Accenture
This portal is designed for top-down communication of performance review of the employee by
their supervisors.
Supervisors first set objectives for the subordinates which are to be met in the specified quarter of
performance cycle and demand a Priority list in the tool itself. Priority of the employee should be
aligned to the role, team, business expectations and personal commitments to the organizations.
After the priorities are set the employee is asked to perform accordingly for that quarter and by the
end of it is asked by the supervisor to submit a self-input based on which the performance of the
employee is reviewed.

After the moderation meeting, feedback is provided by the supervisor to the employee conveying
how he/she has performed in that performance cycle.
Growth action for the next quarter is communicated by the supervisor to the subordinate using this
tool

3.2 Accenture Services Tool (AST)

This portal is used to communicate Exit Request Status and manage the
Vacation/Compensatory Off/ Sick leaves etc. of the employees by supervisors, managers
and HR Manager.
Once the employee initiates an Exit request via this portal, the supervisors’ approval,
acceptance and relieving is communicated by this portal to the employee.
4 . Written Letters
4.1 Resignation Acceptance Letter
Writing a formal resignation acceptance letter back is one of the practices followed by Accenture because
It’s always best to have a paper trail for the file in case a discrepancy comes up later. This way everyone
has confirmation of the employee’s resignation and it is yet one more piece of paper for the file. Having a
witness on hand when the letter is delivered is also a good practice, again in case of discrepancy later.
4.2 Relieving Letter
The relieving letter should be issued the same day the employee is going to leave the company. If the
company does not issue the relieving letter it means that his/her resignation is not accepted and is still an
employee of that company until the company issues the relieving letter.

This is an external form of communication at Accenture sent by Lead Personnel Administration Manager to an
Employee

5. Emails
Emails, the most preferred mode of communication is used by Accenture for formal or informal, concise or
detailed, subjective or factual depending upon the situation.

Email allows Accenture to adopt a paperless office title.

It allows tremendous flexibility and the senior manager can can address the same message to all its
subordinates at the same time
In business communication through email collabaration with the subordinates or remote employees, access
of various business applications on the internet , sending a notification or a promotional message company
uses email

Accenture uses email to communicate from top to bottom –

Accenture uses emails for—

• Daily task mails

• Meeting invites and agenda of the meeting

• Minutes of the meeting

1. Sending FYA(for your action)

2. Sending FYI(for your information)

• Communication regarding fire drills

• Communication for the holidays

• Mass communication from ceo

1. Daily task mail

The manager sends a daily mail to all its subordinates to know about the daily routine work what is to be done
or what has been completed.

2.Minutes of the meeting(M0M)

What has been discussed

What was the main purpose of the meeting

What points to be taken care of in the future

Meetings are held for

 Problem solving

Decision making

Modification

Performance evaluation