1. Chapter 1 Establishing a Framework for Business Communication
Business Communication, 14e
Lehman and DuFrene

2. Objectives
Define communication and describe the main purpose for communication in business
Explain the communication process model and the ultimate objective of the communication process
Identify the five levels of communication
Discuss how information flows in an organization (formally any informally, and downward, upward, and horizontally)
Explain how legal and ethical constraints act as a strategic force to influence the process of business communication

3. Objectives
Explain how diversity challenges act as a strategic force to influence the process of business communication
Explain how changing technology acts as strategic force to influence the process of business communication
Explain how team environment acts as a strategic force to influence the process of business communication

4. Purposes of Communication
What is Communication?
The process of exchanging information and meaning between or among individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, and behavior.

5. Purposes of Communication
People communicate for three basic purposes
Inform
Persuade
Entertain

6. Purposes of Communication
Managers spend approximately 60 to 80 percent of their time involved in some form of communication, including
Attending meetings, writing reports
Presenting information to groups
Coordinating work
Evaluating/counseling employees
Promotion

7. Communication Process Model
Chapter 1
Communication Process Model

8. The Communications Process
Reasons for communication breakdowns at the encoding stage. The sender uses:
Words not in the receiver's vocabulary
Ambiguous, nonspecific ideas that distort the message
Nonverbal signals that contradict the verbal message
Expressions such as “uh” or grammatical errors, mannerisms, or dress that distract the receiver

9. The Communications Process
Reasons for communication breakdowns at the decoding stage:
The sender inadequately encodes the message (i.e. sends ambiguous ideas or uses contradicting nonverbal signals)
The receiver is intimidated by the position or authority of the sender
The topic is perceived to be too difficult to understand
The receiver is unreceptive to new and different ideas

10. The Communications Process
The receiver encodes a message to clarify any misunderstandings—feedback
Feedback may be verbal or nonverbal
Interferences or barriers
Differences in educational level, experience, culture, . . .
Physical interferences
Supervisors that are too rushed or insecure to allow subordinates to ask questions or offer suggestions

11. Sender Selects Appropriate Channel And Transmit Message
Two-way, face-to-face
Informal conversations
Two-way, not face, too, face
Telephone conversations, online chat
One-way, not face-to-face
Written documents such as letters, memos, reports, etc.

12. Communication Channels
Chapter 1
Communication Channels

13. Receiver Decodes Message
The receiver is the destination of the message
The receiver’s task is to interpret the sender’s message (decoding the message)

14. Receiver Encodes the Message
Feedback-when the receiver responds to the sender’s message
May be verbal or nonverbal
“Could you clarify?”
“Yes I understand.”

15. Interferences Hinder the Process
Differences in educational level, experience, and culture
Physical interferences in the channel such as noisy environment, interruptions, etc.
Mental distractions such as preoccupation with other matters and developing a response rather than listening

16. Communicating within Organizations
Organizational structure-the overall design of an organization
Developed to meet the company’s specific needs and enhance its ability to accomplish goals

17. Communicating within Organizations
Organizational communication
Concerned with the movement of information within the company structure

18. Levels of Communication
Internal messages-intended for recipients within the organization
External messages-directed to recipients outside the organization

19. Levels of Communication
Chapter 1
Levels of Communication
Public
Organizational
Group
Intrapersonal
Interpersonal

20. Levels of Communication
Five levels
Interpersonal communication
individuals process information based on their own experience
Takes place in the individual’s mind (self-talk)
May be positive and constructive, or negative destructive

21. Levels of Communication
Interpersonal communication
To people are involved in the process
Their goals are (1) accomplish the task that confronts them (2) feel better about themselves due to interaction
Sometimes called task of goals or maintenance goals

22. Levels of Communication
Group communication
Among more than two people
Combined efforts of a number of people to result in greater output

23. Levels of Communication
Organizational communication
Groups need organizational support
Public communication
Organization reaches out to public to achieve its goals
Utilizes media advertising or web sites

24. Communication Channels
Chapter 1
Formal Channels
Rules procedures, policy created by management to control individual and group behavior
Informal Channels
Patterns that emerge as people interact within a formal system to create a satisfying environment

25. Grapevine: An Informal Communication Channel
Chapter 1
Grapevine: An Informal Communication Channel
Myths
Speedy but inaccurate (rumor mill)
Message passes from one to one until it reaches the end of the line
Truth
No more or less accurate than other communication channels
Message distribution is network in nature rather than linear

26. Flow of Info Within an Organization
Chapter 1
Flow of Info Within an Organization

27. Strategic Forces Influencing Business Communication

28. Strategic Forces Influencing Business Communication
Chapter 1
Strategic Forces Influencing Business Communication

29. Legal and Ethical Constraints
Personal ethical standards will often influence what they are willing to communicate
A system of ethics built on honesty may require that a message provide full disclosure rather than shrouding the truth

30. Legal and Ethical Constraints
Six out of ten Americans surveyed admitted that they would probably trade six months’ probation for an illegal $10 million
The pressure is felt most strongly among lower-level manager who are the least experienced doing their jobs (new business school graduates)

31. Legal and Ethical Constraints
What can you do to prepare for dealing with the pressure to compromise personal values?
Possess or develop a personal belief system on a variety of issues and the courage to practice them
Learn to analyze ethical dilemmas (identify the consequences of your actions) will help you make decisions that conform to your own value system. Do not become a puppet, controlled by the motives of others.
Learn to analyze “the big picture” which includes the price paid for your actions by others as well as yourself

32. Legal and Ethical Constraints
The foundation for legal and ethical behavior
Ethics-The principles of right and wrong that guide you in making decisions that consider the impact of your actions
Acting ethically—the ability to do what you feel is right when pressured to do otherwise

33. Legal and Ethical Constraints
Situations for possible ethical dilemmas:
A salesperson who travels feels cheated that personal telephone calls are not reimbursed travel expenses and over states car mileage to cover the cost of the calls
To protect his job, a product engineer decides not to question a design flaw in a product that could lead to possible injuries or death in customers
To save money, a supervisor authorizes that a software program be installed on fifty office computers when only one legal copy was actually purchased

34. Legal and Ethical Constraints
Causes of illegal and unethical behavior
Excessive emphasis on profits
“Do whatever is necessary to increase the bottom line.”
Justify unethical acts because they are in the “best interest”
Obsession with personal advancement
Expectation of not getting caught
Unethical tone set by top management

35. Legal and Ethical Constraints
Uncertainty about whether an action is wrong
Unwillingness to take a stand for what is right

36. Four Dimensions of Business Behavior
Chapter 1
Four Dimensions of Business Behavior

37. Method for Determining A Proposed Advisable Action (Pagano Model)
Answer six questions honestly
Is the proposed action legal
What are the benefits and cost to the people involved
Would you want this action to be a universal standard, appropriate for everyone
Does this action pass the light-of-day test
Does the action passed the Golden Rule test
Does the action passed the ventilation test? Ask the opinion of a friend with no investment in the outcome

38. Diversity Challenges International Gender Intercultural
Chapter 1
Diversity Challenges
International
Gender
Intercultural
Intergenerational

39. Diversity Challenges as a Strategic Force
Differences between the sender and the receiver in areas such as culture, age, gender, and education require a sensitivity on the part of both the sender and receiver so that the intended message is the one that is received

40. Diversity Challenges as a Strategic Force
Successful communication must often span barriers of language and almost always requires the consideration of differing world views resulting from societal, religious, or other cultural factors.

41. Diversity Challenges as a Strategic Force
Communication Opportunities and Challenges in Diversity
International issues. Worldwide telecommunications and intense international business competition have forced many industries to expand into world markets.
Intercultural issues. Changing demographics in the U.S. are requiring businesses to face ethnic diversity in the workplace. The U.S. is better described as a “mosaic” than a “melting pot”

42. Managing a diverse workforce effectively will require you to communicate with everyone and to help all employees to reach their full potential and contribute to the company’s goals

43. Diversity Challenges as a Strategic Force
Intergenerational issues. The “graying of America” means the older segment of the population is larger today than at any time previously
Choose to continue professional activities
Control a great deal of wealth and resources

44. Diversity Challenges as a Strategic Force
Gender Issues. Females have entered the job market in great numbers.
Issues concerning sex discrimination
Sexual harassment and a hostile working environments

45. Diversity Challenges Cultural and Communication
The culture of a people is the product of their living experiences within their own society
Cultural and Communication
Culture is learned by people over time
Components of culture are interrelated. In the U.S., pursuit of happiness = the pursuit of property
Culture is shared
Subcultures-cultures within cultures. Share some traits that derive from the main culture

46. Diversity Challenges Culture and Communication (cont.)
Culture provides standards for behavior
Provides a feeling of identity
Provides a feeling of being a part of something larger than themselves
Problems arise because people assume their cultural norms are right and their patterns of behavior are universally valued

47. Diversity Challenges Barriers to Intercultural Communication
Stereotypes
Forming a mental picture of the main characteristics of another group
To view another person as a representative of a class of people rather than an individual

48. Diversity Challenges Barriers to Intercultural Communication
Chronemics
The study of how a culture perceives time and its use
U.S.—”Time is money!”
North Americans & Europeans—Concerned with punctuality

49. Diversity Challenges Barriers to Intercultural Communication (cont.)
Personal space requirements
Proxemics—Study of cultural space
Large offices for higher status—not job requirements
Personal space is used for communication

50. Diversity Challenges Barriers to Intercultural Communication (cont.)
Body language
Kinesics
Nodding of heads
Feet on the floor

51. Barriers to Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1
Barriers to Intercultural Communication
Ethnocentrism
Stereotypes
Interpretation of time
Personal space requirements
Body language
Translation limitations
Lack of language training

52. Impacts of Technology Data collection and analysis
Chapter 1
Impacts of Technology
Data collection and analysis
Clearer and more effective messages
Distance overcome
Legal and ethical issues

53. Data Collection And Analysis
Two advantages of electronic communication
Electronic searches of organizational databases and electronic networks can be done in a fraction of the time of manual searches of printed sources
Vast amounts of information available allow researchers to develop better solutions to problems

54. Data Collection And Analysis
Databases offer these advantages
Data organization-ability to organize large amounts of data
Data integrity-assurance that data is accurate and complete
Data security assurance that data is secure

55. Tools for Shaping Clearer And More Effective Messages
Documents that took days to produce during b.c. (before computers) can be created in hours or less
Word processing software
Expedites production of a document
Improve quality

56. Tools for Shaping Clearer And More Effective Messages
Collaborative software
Assist groups in writing collaboratively
Authors work on documents at the same time
Graphics software
Surpasses word processing by using typography and design elements

57. Tools for Shaping Clearer And More Effective Messages
Presentation software
Allow speakers to develop dynamic multimedia presentation visuals which combine texts, graphics, animation, sound, and video
Web publishing tools
Facilitate the creation of web pages for posting to the Internet

58. Communicating Quickly and Efficiently over Long Distances
Electronic mail or
Instant messaging
Voic
Facsimile or fax
Telecommuting
Cellular telephone
Electronic conferencing

59. Legal and Ethical Implications of Technology
Issues of ownership
Copyright of documents transmitted over the Internet
Issues of access
Threats to individual privacy

60. Purposes of Group Communication
Chapter 1
Purposes of Group Communication
Achievement or Task Purpose
To serve on a decision- making or problem-solving group
To get the job done
Maintenance or Social Purpose
To assist in the betterment of individual members from a behavioral point of view
To develop group morale

61. Team Environment Organization of the Future
Chapter 1
Team Environment Organization of the Future
Small group with complementary skills working together for a common purpose
A Way to Remain Competitive
in a Global Market

62. The whole is greater than
Chapter 1
Synergy
1 + 1 = 3
NEW, msp. 33
The whole is greater than
the sum of the parts.

63. Chapter 1
Benefits of Work Teams
Make workers happier by causing them to feel they are shaping their jobs
Increase efficiency by eliminating layers of managers passing down orders and monitoring performance
Enable a company to draw on the skills and imagination of the whole work force

64. Important Team Skills Problem solving and goal setting
Chapter 1
Important Team Skills
Problem solving and goal setting
Conflict resolution
Distributed leadership skills
Commitment to evaluate the group process
Ability to understand needs of co-workers
Effective communication skills
Ability to deal with barriers