Introduction to Management

Chapter Summary

Research reveals that approximately 70 to 80 percent of a manager's time is spent in communication. Communication refers to the transfer of information from a sender to a receiver, in a form that can be understood by the receiver. Communication serves many purposes in organizations. It helps managers discharge their duties and also build a bridge between the organization and its external environment. The key elements in the communication process are the sender, transmission, noise, the receiver and feedback.

Communication in organizations flows basically in three ways, downwards, upwards, and crosswise. Downward communication refers to the rules, regulations, and instructions conveyed by superiors to subordinates. Upward communication refers to the flow of information from employees at the operational level upward to the top executive along the chain of command.

Crosswise communication consists of two types of information flows, horizontal flow and diagonal flow. Horizontal flow refers to the flow of information among people at the same level in the organizational hierarchy, whereas diagonal flow refers to the flow of information among people at different levels in the hierarchy.

There are many different barriers to communication, e.g. lack of planning, faulty translations, unclarified assumptions, semantic distortions, loss by transmission and poor retention, cultural misunderstandings, inattention and premature evaluation, impersonal communication, insufficient adjustment period, information overload, lack of trust in the communicator, and other barriers (selective perception, attitudes, power and status, etc.).

The communication process can be made effective by improving: interpersonal trust, effective listening, providing proper feedback, and through non-verbal communication and non-directive counseling.

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