Managerial communications
Communication: exchange of messages between people for the purpose of achieving common meanings.
Types of communication:
Major types: verbal and nonverbal
Verbal: the written or oral use of words to communicate
Written type: business mails, reports, resumes, memorandums, newsletters, policy manuals. Characteristics: time and effort consuming. Costs: of producing letters, reports, etc.
Advantages of written over verbal communications: provides a record of the message; can be disseminated widely with a minimum effort, allows the sender to think about the message carefully (before sending).
Disadvantages: Expense of preparation, the relatively impersonal nature, possible misunderstanding by the receiver, delay of feedback regarding the effectiveness of the message.
Oral communication:
OC - The spoken word: face-to-face conversations, meetings, telephone conversations.
Adv.: fast, more personal than written comm-n, provides immediate feedback from others involved in a conversation.
Disadv.: can be time-consuming, can be more difficult to terminate, additional effort needed if the record of communication is needed (prepare protocols, etc.)
Nonverbal communication: communication by means of elements and behaviors that are not coded into words.
Types:
Kinesic behavior: body movements, such as gestures, facial expressions, eye movements, and posture.
Proxemics: The influence of proximity and space on communication
Paralanguage: Vocal aspects of communication that relate to how something is said rather to what is said
Object language: the communicative use of material things, including clothing, cosmetics, furniture, and architecture.
The components of communication process
The components:
Sender ----- encoding information ------- decoding info ----- the Receiver (s)
Sender: initiator of the message
Encoding: the process of translating the intended meaning into symbols
Decoding: translated the symbols into the interpreted message
Receiver: the person with whom the message is exchanged
Message: the encoding-process outcome, which consists of verbal and nonverbal symbols that have been developed to convey meaning to the receiver.
Noise: any factor in the communication process that interferes with exchanging messages and achieving common meaning
Feedback: the basic response of the receiver to the interpreted message
One-way communication: the communication that results when the communication process does not allow for feedback
Two-way communication: the communication that results when the communication process explicitly includes feedback
Communication networks
The communication network: pattern of information flow among task group members: centralized network or decentralized (types)
Communication channels: various patterns of organizational communication flow that represent potential established channels through which managers and other organization members can send and receive information
Vertical communication: involves a message exchange between two or more levels of the organizational hierarchy
Downward communication: vertical communication that flows from a higher level to one or more lower levels in the organization
Upward communication: the vertical flow of communication from a lower level to one or more higher levels in the org-n
Horizontal communication: Lateral or diagonal message exchange either within work-unit boundaries, or across, involving individuals who report to different supervisors.
Formal communication: vertical and horizontal communication that follows paths specified by the official hierarchical organization structure and related task requirements
Informal comm..: takes place without regard to hierarchical or task requirements.