1. Chapter 12 Communication in Organizations
Fundamentals of
MANAGEMENT
Core Concepts & Applications
Griffin Third Edition
Chapter 12 Communication in Organizations
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PowerPoint Presentation by Charlie Cook

2. Chapter Outline Communication and the Manager’s Job
A Definition of Communication
The Role of Communication in Management
The Communication Process
Forms of Communication in Organizations
Interpersonal Communication
Communication in Networks and Teams
Organizational Communication
Electronic Communication
Formal Information Systems
Personal Electronic Technology
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3. Chapter Outline (cont’d)
Informal Communication in Organizations
The Grapevine
Management by Wandering Around
Nonverbal Communication
Managing Organizational Communication
Barriers to Communication
Improving Communication Effectiveness
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4. Learning Objectives
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
Describe the role and importance of communication in the manager’s job.
Identify the basic forms of communication in organizations.
Describe electronic communication in organizations.
Discuss informal communication, including its various forms and types.
Describe how the communication process can be managed so as to recognize and overcome barriers.
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5. Communication and the Manager’s Job
The process of transmitting information from one person to another.
Effective Communication
The process of sending a message in such a way that the message received is as close in meaning as possible to the message intended.
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6. Managing the Flow of Information in Organizations
Source: Barney, Jay B. and Ricky W. Griffin, The Management of Organizations. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company. Used with permission.
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7. The Role of Communication in Management
Characteristics of Useful Information:
Accurate
A valid and reliable reflection of reality
Timely
Available in time for appropriate managerial action
Complete
A complete and undistorted picture of reality
Relevant
Content which meets the needs and circumstances of the user
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8. The Communication Process
Start
Noise 2
Encoding
Sender
Receiver 3
Transmission
through channels 7 1
Meaning 8
Decoding 4 5 6
The numbers indicate the sequence in which steps take place.
Figure 12.1
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9. The Communication Process (cont’d)
Steps in the Communication Process
Deciding to transmit a fact, idea, opinion, or other information to the receiver.
Encoding the meaning into a form appropriate to the situation.
Transmitting through the appropriate channel or medium.
Decoding the message back into a form that has meaning to the receiver.
“Noise” is anything disrupting the communication process.
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10. Interpersonal Communication
Form
Advantages
Disadvantages
Oral
1. Promotes feedback and interchange
1. May suffer from inaccuracies
2. Is easy to use
2. Leaves no permanent record
Written
1. Tends to be more accurate
1. Inhibits feedback and exchange
2. Provides a record of communication
2. Is more difficult and time consuming
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11. Forms of Communication in Organizations: Interpersonal Communication
Oral Communication
Face-to-face conversations, group discussions, telephone calls, and other situations in which the spoken work is used to express meaning.
Advantages of oral communication
Promotes prompt feedback and interchange in the form of verbal questions and responses.
Is easy to use and can be done with little preparation.
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12. Forms of Communication in Organizations: Interpersonal Communication (cont’d)
Oral Communication (cont’d)
Disadvantages of oral communication
Suffers from problems with inaccuracy in meaning and details.
Leaves no time for thought and consideration and no permanent record of what was said.
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13. Forms of Communication in Organizations: Interpersonal Communication (cont’d)
Written Communication
Memos, letters, reports, notes, , and other methods in which the written word is used to transmit meaning.
Advantages of written communication
Is accurate and leaves a permanent record of the exchange.
Leaves for thought and consideration, can be referenced.
Is easy to use and can be done with little preparation.
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14. Forms of Communication in Organizations: Interpersonal Communication (cont’d)
Written Communication (cont’d)
Disadvantages of written communication
Inhibits feedback and interchange due to burden of the process of preparing a physical document.
Considerable delay can occur in clarifying message meanings.
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15. Forms of Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Choosing the Right Form
The situation determines the most appropriate medium
Oral communication and is preferred for personal, nonroutine, or high priority communications.
Formal written communication (e.g., memos, letters, reports, and notes) are used for messages that are impersonal, routine, and lower priority.
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16. Forms of Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Communication in Networks and Teams
Communication network—the pattern through which the members of a group or team communicate.
Research suggests:
When the group’s task is simple and routine, centralized networks perform with the greatest efficiency and accuracy.
When the group’s task is complex and nonroutine, decentralized networks with open communications that foster interaction and exchange of relevant information tend to be most effective.
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17. Forms of Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Types of Communication Networks 2 1 3 4 5
Circle 2 1 5 3 4
Wheel 3 4 5 1 2 Y 2 1 3 4 5
All channel 3 2 4 5 1
Chain
Figure 12.2
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18. Organizational Communication
Vertical Communication
Communication that flows up and down the organization, usually along formal reporting lines.
Takes place between managers and subordinates and may involve several levels of the organization.
Upward communication
Consists of messages from subordinates to superiors and is more subject to distortion.
Downward communication
Occurs when information flows down the hierarchy from superiors to subordinates.
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19. Organizational Communication (cont’d)
Horizontal Communication
Communication that flows laterally within the organization; involves persons at the same level of the organization.
Facilitates coordination among independent units.
Useful in joint problem solving.
Plays a major role in communications among members of work teams drawn from different departments.
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20. Vertical and Horizontal Communication
Source: Van Fleet, David D., and Tim Peterson, Contemporary Management, Third Edition. Copyright © 1994 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Used with permission.
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21. Forms of Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Formal Communication in Organizations
Follows the official reporting relationships and/or prescribed channels.
Vertical communication
Horizontal communication
Figure 12.3
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22. Electronic Communication
Information Technology (IT)
The resources used by the organization to manage information that it needs to carry out its mission.
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23. Formal Information Systems
Transaction Processing System
A system designed to handle routine and recurring transactions.
Management Information System (MIS)
Supports an organization’s managers by providing daily reports, schedules, plans, and budgets.
Decision Support System (DSS)
An interactive system that automatically searches for, manipulates, and summarizes information needed by managers for specific decisions.
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24. Types of Information Systems
Major Systems by Level
Executive Information Systems (EIS)
A quick-reference, easy-access application of information systems specially designed for instant access by upper-level managers.
Intranets
Firewall-protected private networks for internal company use by employees.
Expert Systems
Information systems designed to imitate the thought process of human experts.
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25. New Information Technologies
Source: Van Fleet, David D., and Tim Peterson, Contemporary Management, Second Edition. Copyright © 1991 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Used with permission.
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26. Electronic Communication
Personal Electronic Technology
Technological advances (e.g., fax machines, cellular telephones, copiers, and personal computers) have created opportunities for quickly disseminating and contacting others in the organization.
Corporate intranets and the Internet have made possible teleconferences and the rapid retrieval of information from all corners of the globe.
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27. Electronic Communication (cont’d)
Personal Electronic Technology (cont’d)
Telecommuting allows people to work at home and transmit their work to the company by means of a telephone and a modem.
Disadvantages are the lack of face-to-face contact, strong personal relationships, falling behind professionally, and losing out in organizational politics.
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28. Informal Communication in Organizations
Informal Communications
May or may not follow official reporting relationships and/or prescribed organizational channels and may have nothing to do with official organizational business.
Common forms of informal communications are the grapevine, management by wandering around, and nonverbal communication.
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29. Informal Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Figure 12.4
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30. Informal Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Grapevine
An informal communication network that can permeate an organization. Types of grapevines are:
The Gossip Chain
One person tells many
The Cluster Chain
Many people tell a few
Source: Adapted from Human Behavior at Work: Organizational Behavior, Eighth Edition, by Keith Davis and John W. Newstrom. Copyright © 1989 by McGraw-Hill. Reprinted by permission of the McGraw-Hill Companies.
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31. Informal Communication in Organizations
Management by Wandering Around
Managers keep in touch with what’s going on by wandering around and talking to people on all levels in the organization
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32. Informal Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Nonverbal Communication
Any communication exchange that does not use words, or uses words to carry more meaning than the strict definition of the words themselves.
Much of the content of a message may be transmitted by facial expression alone; other message content is derived from inflection and tone of the voice. Only a small portion of the message content is due to the words in the message.
Facial expression 55%
Inflection and tone 38%
Words in the message 7%
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33. Informal Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Nonverbal Communication (cont’d)
Kinds of nonverbal communication practiced by managers:
Images—the kinds of words people elect to use to give emphasis and effect to what they say.
Settings—boundaries, familiarity, home turf (e.g., office location, size, and furnishings) are symbols of power and influence how people choose to communicate in organizations.
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34. Managing Organizational Communication
Barriers to Effective Communication
Table 12.1
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35. Informal Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Nonverbal Communication (cont’d)
Kinds of nonverbal communication practiced by managers:
Body language—how people of different cultures and backgrounds physically position themselves and react to the stance and body movements of others has a strong influence on communications between individuals.
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36. Barriers to Effective Communication
Source: Van Fleet, David D., and Tim Peterson, Contemporary Management, Third Edition. Copyright © 1994 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Used with permission.
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37. More and Less Effective Listening Skills
Stays active, focused
Pays attention
Is passive, laid back
More Effective Listening
Less Effective Listening
Is easily distracted
Asks questions
Keeps an open mind
Asks no questions
Has preconceptions
Assimilates information
Disregards information
Figure 12.5
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38. Managing Organizational Communication (cont’d)
Overcoming Barriers to Communication
Table 12.2
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